Welcome to TEG, Diane
!
You have chosen a couple of easy herbs to start with. Actually, all herbs are pretty easy. After all, it's not as if they are
real food plants . . . culinary herbs are for fun!
Dill grows quickly, makes seeds, drops seeds, and it's gone. Often, you are just starting to make plans for its use and . . . it's gone. For pickles, the dill is often gone before the cucumbers show up . . . !
If you are hoping to use the dill for pickles, you can cut it as it begins to set seed, rinse it off, and hang it somewhere airy but out of the sun to dry. I bet it would work to freeze instead of drying but I've not tried that. After the dill is thoroughly dry, it can be bagged for later use - like when you actually have the cucumbers
.
Basil leaves can be harvested as Lesa said but you can also use the flower buds. In fact, you really, really
want to use the flower buds. Not only are they the most flavorful part of the plant but leaving them on the plant will bring the basil to the seed-producing stage and its season will wind down to a close. As long as you keep picking the flower buds off, the plant should keep producing more leaves . . . and flowers
.
It will go right up until the cold weather hits. Basil doesn't like the cold . . .
Steve
