Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
How to Store Mint Leaves for the Winter. Like many other herbs, you can store the mint you
grow in the summer and use it all winter long. You will need Pruner String Paper bag Airtight
containers Wooden frame Screen Pan Freezer containers and ice cube tray. Step 1. Harvest
your mint leaves before the plants flower. Mint leaves lose flavor after the plant flowers.
Step 2. Pick in the morning hours when the leaves are tender and contain the most oil.
Don't wash the leaves or you risk losing some of the oils, which give the leaves their taste
and aroma. Step 3. Brush off any insects and clip sprigs from the plant with a pruner.
Then tie bunches of sprigs together with string and hang them upside down in a paper bag in
a dry, dark, and warm place. After a few days, crush and store in airtight containers. Mint
leaves will mold if they are dried too slowly. Step 4. Build a wooden frame and stretch window
screen over the frame. Pick only mature fresh leaves and spread them evenly over the screen
so they don't overlap. Set the screen in the sun and allow the mint to dry. Then, crumble
the leaves and store them in airtight containers. Step 5. Pick mint leaves and spread them in
a single layer in a pan. Put the pan in the freezer and, after they're frozen, store them
in freezer containers. Step 6. Put your mint leaves in an ice cube tray with a little water.
Remove the cubes from the tray as you need them and run them under cold water to expose
the mint. The leaves will be wilted, but can still be used to make tea or to add flavor
to your favorite dishes. Did you know Approximately 45 percent of American mint production is
used for chewing gum flavoring.