Gardening tips for July: harvest your herbs

Now is the best time to cut and tie stems of oregano and lavender, amongst others, for use in winter

A range of herbs – including oregano, marjoram, thyme, lavender and summer savoury – are growing lustily now, and this is the time to cut and tie some stems for use in winter.

Cut stems in the morning on a dry day, tie them into small bundles of individual herbs and hang up in a cool, dry room. When well dried, the leaves should be transferred to tightly closing tins, or Kilner-type jars.