Have you ever fallen in love with a bunch of beautifully fresh, vibrant parsley only to discover, two days later, a sad handful of wilted herbs gone bad too soon? There’s nothing more disappointing than a pile of pathetic greens in the veggie drawer.

Here’s the best tip ever for storing fresh herbs for a very long time:

1. As soon as you get the herbs home, remove the rubber band around the stalks and pull off all the loose, wilted bottom leaves from the stalks. (See below.)

2. Place the herbs, like a bouquet of flowers, into a drinking glass or other upright storage container.

3. Fill container with water so the stems are in the water, but the leaves are not.

4. Place glass and herbs in a plastic bag and tie loosely the top, or use a rubber band to close the top of the bag.

5. Store upright, in the refrigerator.

6. Change the water every couple of days. Be sure to remove any wilted, slimy stems when you replace the water.

I’m not kidding—I’ve had herbs stay fresh and delicious in my fridge for 7 weeks. It’s unbelievable. This method works well with all fresh leafy green herbs.