Whether you have a full bed of rosemary, oregano, and mint or are growing a mini edible herb garden in pots, there' a specific methodology in retaining flavor and freshness that comes down to the time of day you harvest. We spoke with two experts to understand the worst time of day to harvest herbs, and how to set your harvesting schedule up for success when it comes to timing. Meet the Expert Sara Rubens is a certified garden coach and founder of Seed to Sanctuary, a company that supports people in becoming proficient gardeners. Edwin Dysinger is an expert gardener and the co-founder of the garden planning app Seedtime. The Worst Time to Harvest Herbs The worst time to harvest herbs is in the afternoon, especially during the summer when the day hits its hottest point. "This is when the sun is strongest and the plants are under the most stress," says gardening coach Sara Rubens. "During this time, essential oils—which are responsible for the herb’s aroma and flavor—tend to dissipate due to the heat." In doing so, you potentially lose out on a lot of their unique taste and won't be able to experience the plant at its best. However, there is a single exception to the rule. "If your goal is longer shelf life, rather than greater potency and flavor, it is ideal to harvest from mid-day to afternoon," says expert gardener Edwin Dysinger. "This is because during the day, as the herbs photosynthesize, they manufacture carbohydrates (sugars) as a byproduct. Higher carbohydrate levels in the leaves result in better post-harvest storage." On extremely hot summer days, you may still need to adjust your harvesting time to earlier. Even if you're planning for storage as opposed to using right away, the sun can scorch or wilt the leaves. Best Time to Harvest Herbs The best time to harvest your herbs is in the morning, just after the dew has dried and before the sun gets too hot. While your culinary and DIY endeavors will benefit from the exceptional flavor, there are a few other reasons for this. "In addition to having higher levels of essential oils in the morning, levels of vitamins, antioxidants, and polyphenols are also higher and decrease as the day progresses with prolonged exposure to the sun," says Dysinger. How to Harvest Herbs for Maximum Flavor Now that you have the time of day down, there are a few other factors to consider for an optimal harvest. Dysinger notes that for leafy herbs that eventually flower, it's best to harvest before those blooms appear. Not only will it impact the taste if they flower, but leave production will decrease, too. "Regular picking of leaves will help to prolong the time before flowering," he says. "If you want to do a larger harvest for preservation and storage, leave between one-half and two-thirds of the plant intact. This will enable it to have the strength to regrow quickly for more harvests." Well-timed plucking and harvesting are imperative, as is giving your herbs the best possible growing conditions. Ruben notes that well-draining soil, ample sunlight, and the right levels of water are key—and so is pruning. "Regular pruning encourages bushier growth and more tender leaves," she says. If you have cooler patches around your garden, consider bringing in some herbs that grow in shade, like cilantro or sweet cicely. Don't forget to take a look at herb companion plants for successful growth and to overwinter your plants so you can keep the cycle going next season. 5 Tips for Flavorful Herbs Here are a few expert-approved tips for keeping your herbs full of flavor: Harvest in the morning. Do so after the dew dries and before the sun reaches its peak. This will retain flavor, antioxidants, and oils. Watch the fertilizer. Ruben notes that too much fertilizer can dilute the flavor of herbs too. "Growing herbs in nutrient-rich but not overly fertile soil, and harvesting them at the right time, will help ensure they’re flavorful and aromatic," she says. Understand your herbs' needs. Make sure that they're receiving the right amount of light or shade, water, and nutrients; even herbs that love the sun might need shade on extremely hot days. Prevent bolting. Don't allow certain herbs (like basil) to flower if you intend to harvest—this can put a damper on the taste. Know your herb. Learn which parts are edible for each herb type you have. You'll be able to make the most of every bit of flavor this way.

The most popular cherry grown by commercial farmers is also available for growing in home gardens. In this article, gardening expert Wendy Moulton shares how to care for fantastic ‘Bing’ cherry trees! The sweet fragrance of white cherry blossoms in spring will burst into rich, large fruits in summer with their tasty, sweet flesh. In autumn, the green serrated leaves turn golden – truly a tree for all seasons. It is, however, the cherries that they are known for. ‘Bing’ cherry trees produce deep red heart-shaped fruits with a sweet, delicious taste and small seeds, giving you more cherry for your pie. These vigorous growers are perfect for temperate climates and will produce up to 50 pounds of fruit per year for many years to come. The prolific fruit on this tree, the large size of the cherries, and the deep red color all make this the variety to plant. It requires a pollinator tree planted nearby, which adds to the variation in cherries you can grow in a home garden. Here, I’ll share the requirements ‘Bing’ cherries need to perform at their best. What Is It? Prunus avium ‘Bing’ is America’s most produced variety of cherry in the commercial market. Its origins have a colorful history, starting in the mid-1800s when the Lewelling family traveled west across the country from Iowa to Oregon, bringing with them 700 fruit trees. They started the first nursery on the West Coast and planted orchards of prunes, apples, and cherries, which is believed was the beginning of Oregon’s fruit-growing industry. The ‘Bing’ cherry tree was named for Chinese horticulturalist and foreman at the Lewelling orchards, Ah Bing. His legacy lives on in this award-winning cherry cultivar. For the nearly 150 years that the ‘Bing’ cherry has been in production, it has set the standard by which other cultivars are judged. Native Area Originally from Germany, these trees are descendants of the ‘Napoleon Bigarreau’ variety. The ‘Bing’ cherry was bred in Milwaukie, Oregon, from original trees brought from Iowa by the Henderson Luelling. Characteristics ‘Bing’ is a tall tree with a rounded canopy that can grow up to 35 feet and 25 feet wide. Dwarf varieties are more compact, with a mature height of around 15 feet and 12 feet wide. The leaves are long, serrated, dark green for most of the year, and turn golden yellow in the fall. The tree will be full of pretty, fragrant spring blossoms that form the sought-after large fruits, a deep red when ripe in the summer. This tree is a vigorous grower and a prolific producer of quality, firm cherries. ‘Bing’ requires another pollinator cherry close by to set fruit; it is not self-pollinating. The best-recommended varieties to plant as pollinators are ‘Sam’, ‘Van’, ‘Rainier’, and ‘Stella’. Planting Find a position in full sun and with enough space for the mature size of a ‘Bing’ cherry—at least 25 feet—and a pollinator cherry. Locate it away from other plants and buildings in a spot with plenty of sunlight. Dig a hole at least twice the width and height of the root ball so that the roots have a chance to expand and sit in the ground well to hold the weight of the tree. A stake is necessary, particularly in windy areas. Add the tree and backfill the soil, pressing it down as you go to remove any air pockets in the soil and prevent any bacterial infections from getting to the roots. Create a basin around the tree’s base to help direct water toward the roots. After planting, water the plant well and add a layer of mulch, making sure that the mulch does not touch the tree’s bark.

‘Gala’ apples are tasty, sweet, and juicy! Learn how to grow your own ‘Gala’ apple tree, and discover new ways to use apples in the kitchen. Follow this guide from gardener Jerad Bryant to enjoy a bountiful harvest each year. Why grow a ‘Gala’ apple tree? They are one of the best apples for the home gardener. They are tough trees in the landscape and reliable producers of annual crops. In general, apple trees of all types are excellent fruit trees in temperate zones. I often see them growing wild in the Pacific Northwest, and their resilience in natural areas is impressive. Each year, they provide flower nectar for pollinators, delicious fruit for humans, and seeds that birds love to eat. Want to grow ‘Gala’ apples? This guide has everything you need to grow a big and lush fruit tree. What is a ‘Gala’ Apple? The ‘Gala’ variety is an iconic apple cultivar from the 1920s. This semi-dwarf tree reaches over 15’ tall in maturity. When grafted onto dwarf rootstock, it grows to a mature height of 10’ tall. Both the dwarf and semi-dwarfs’ short heights make them perfect specimens for small and large gardens alike. Growers love this variety because it reliably produces an annual bountiful crop. Most apple varieties are alternate-bearing, meaning they produce a large crop of apples one year, and then they conserve their energy and produce fewer apples the next year. ‘Gala’ defies this trend by creating many juicy apples each growing season. Apple trees are the most widely adapted fruit trees, and they are important to many cultures worldwide. Where I’m from, we bake apples into pies, make apple jelly, and eat apples fresh off the tree. Native Area The original ancestor of apple trees is Malus domestica, the common apple. Native to parts of Central Asia and Afghanistan, it is a deciduous tree that often grows to 30’ tall in the wild. Over centuries, apple growers selected and grew the apples they loved to eat. With time, this selection process developed thousands of different apple cultivars that readily adapt to new environments. ‘Gala’ is a cross between ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ varieties. After performing well in New Zealand in the 1930s, nursery growers in the U.S. planted orchards full of this cultivar in the 1970s. Now, ‘Gala’ is one of the top apples grown in the U.K. and the U.S. Characteristics All apple trees share some commonalities. They are deciduous fruit trees with delicate white-pink blossoms and glossy green leaves. Their flowers and fruit are incredibly fragrant, and their fruit is round. ‘Gala’ apples are golden yellow with red coloration over the yellow. Apples grow bisexual flowers with both male and female reproductive organs in the same flower. Although they have perfect flowers with both pollen and ovules, apples are not incredibly self-pollinating. Most varieties, including ‘Gala,’ require another cultivar near them that blooms at the same time, like ‘Fuji’ or ‘Granny Smith.’ Do you lack space for two trees in the garden? Place a bouquet of blooming crabapple or apple blossoms at the base of your flowering ‘Gala’ tree. This helps the pollinators near your tree access different apple pollen and leads to successful pollination and fruiting without having two full-sized trees. Propagation Grow ‘Gala’ apple trees from cuttings. Apple seeds are highly variable and grow offspring that are different from the parent tree. Ensure you have the ‘Gala’ variety and take cuttings off a healthy, mature tree. Growing from cuttings is time-intensive, and it may take up to six months for roots to show. Skip the waiting process and find grafted trees for your climate at your local nursery, or order them online from a reputable source.