Can I keep herbs fresh by spraying them with fertilizer?

Can I keep herbs fresh by spraying them with fertilizer? - Purple Petaled Flowers in Mortar and Pestle

I tend to use a lot of fresh herbs for cooking so over time with trial and error I have come up with this:

It is possible to keep herbs fresh (Parsley and Dill mostly) for around a week or more but putting them on an EMPTY jar (without water) and spraying water on them, then a plastic bag would loosely cover it. Since I use herbs bit by bit every day so I re-spray water on them every other day or so. The herbs are almost entirely green and crispy, with virtually no difference from fresh.

If I mixed water with fertilizer and sprayed it on the plants would they keep alive indefinitely or long time?

EDIT: I know that once a vegetable is picked it will start metabolizing its own nutrients at certain rate before it goes bad.

Now if I place herbs' stem ends in a pot with soil (well-fertilized), will it stop it from metabolizing itself? Since it can get nutrients from soil?



Best Answer

Dousing your herbs with fertilizer is not going to preserve your herbs, and could make you sick as many fertilizers are toxic.

If you want really fresh herbs you can keep them in pots on a windowsill, otherwise your spraying water method is about as good as you are likely to get.




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Do herbs need fertilizer?

Do Herbs Need Fertilizer? Herbs are not heavy feeders, so you don't need to fertilize them as often as other plants in your garden.

What fertilizer is best for herbs?

For herbs, usually all that is needed is a good all-natural organic fertilizer which can be mixed in with the potting mix prior to planting. If your plants loose their color or look a little peeked during the growing season, apply a good liquid fish and kelp fertilizer at half the recommended strength every few weeks.

How do you fertilize herb plants?

Though most herbs don't require much fertilizer, at some point they will need it. Herbs produce the most oils when they are given a steady feeding of a slow acting fertilizer such as fish emulsion, bone meal, cottonseed meal or blood meal. Add it to the soil at time of planting or potting.

How do you keep herbs fresh after picking?

Arrange the herbs lengthwise in a single layer on a slightly damp paper towel. Loosely roll up the herbs and transfer to a resealable plastic bag or in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator. This technique also works well with sage, savory, and chives.



3 Ways to Preserve Fresh Herbs For Cooking




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