Drying Garden Herbs

Herbs are grown for many different reasons: culinary, medicinal, cosmetics, and aromatherapy. In most cases, you want to preserve them to make them most useful and for easy storage and this is done by drying. Drying garden herbs can be done by many different techniques such as the following: bag drying, tray drying, air drying and the most recent, microwave drying.

Several flowering herbs also yield seeds to harvest. Simply give the flowers ample time to dry, then wrap some paper around the flower and pour the seeds into a container. The leaves can also be preserved with just a few more steps.

In order for herbs to be dried out, the stems have to sit in water for a while, first you have to take off the flowers and roots from the stalk and make sure they are all clean and free of any debris, then into the water they go so anything that was left over will be loosened, last they need to be dried by being left out on a linen or paper towel.

Once the stalks are dry, place them in a paper bag with the root end sticking out of the bottom. Tie this end up and set the bag right side up on it’s base with the plant then being upside down. Nature will move the oil from the stems down into the plant’s leaves, giving them their natural flavor or smell.

Leaves will become brittle in about a week or two if the air has been moderately dry and without excessive moisture. Do not break your dried herbs at this stage. Gently separate them and put them in an airtight jar for storage. Later, you can use these dried herbs in potpourri or crumble them for delicious seasonings.

For drying garden herbs on a tray, carefully pull the leaf stem off the stalk and lay them spread out on your tray. Place the tray in a dark area with good air circulation. The tray needs to be removed everyday so the leaves can be turned over to assure they are drying evenly. After several days they should be dried sufficiently to use.

To save time, you can even dry your herbs in a microwave. Place them onto a paper towel or plate. This will aid absorption more than a microwave-safe plate. Place the machine on medium power and nuke for a few minutes. Exact times vary depending on the type and amount of herb, but two to three minutes should work for most.

Check relative dryness by rubbing a leaf between your forefinger and thumb. The leaf ought to be brittle, crumbling with little pressure. If not, try it again at half-minute intervals until you have found the right dryness for your intentions.

Warning: After a certain time, you’re no longer just drying. The way microwaves work is to agitate water molecules in food, which in turn causes the water to get hot and evaporate. When there is no more moisture in the plants, you’re no longer drying and might be hurting your microwave. If the power level is set too high or runs for to long, you can accidentally cook the herb. Trial and error will help you discover the right heat and time for drying garden herbs.