Drying Herbs

Category Drying

Many useful herbs to dry can be bought at the market, grown in your garden, and collected in the wild. This guide is about drying herbs.

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Article: Drying and Storing Herbs

By EllenB [857 Posts, 1 Comment]1 found this helpful

October 2, 2008

Most herbs dry easily, and if properly preserved, will retain their flavor and aroma long enough to carry you into the next growing season. As with a lot of gardening, timing is everything. Here are some tips for gathering, drying and keeping them fresh while in storage.

Tips for Gathering Herbs

Don't harvest your perennial herbs to heavily in their first year. Give them time to settle in. Once established, gardeners in warmer zones can harvest up to 2/3 of the foliage at a time-once in the spring and again in the summer. Gardeners in cold climates should only take 1/3 of the foliage each time and stop harvesting 5-6 weeks before the first expected fall frost so roots have time to store food for the winter.

Harvest your herbs early in the morning, just after the dew has dried, but before the sun warms them up too much. This is when the volatile oils are at their peak.

Once harvested, remove insects and any damaged leaves. To keep the volatile oils from dissipating, try to keep herbs out of strong light while preparing them for storage.

Culinary herbs will have the best flavor if harvested just before their buds have opened (when harvesting leaves), as soon as the buds have fully opened (when harvesting flowers), after the seeds have turned from green to brown (when harvesting seeds), or at the end of the growing season (when harvesting roots). Stems can be harvested as needed early in the morning on a dry day.

To cut stems cleanly and avoid damaging the plant, always use a sharp shears or scissors. Select only the highest quality foliage and blossoms when harvesting.

Catch ripe seeds as they fall by tying a piece of cheesecloth or an old nylon stocking around the seed heads. Avoid plastic bags. They can trap condensed moisture which can lead to mold.

Tips for Drying Herbs

The best place for drying herbs is someplace dry and dark, with good ventilation. Attics, closets, the tops of appliances like hot water heaters or refrigerators, or inside a gas oven (with a pilot light) are all ideal locations. Some people also use the interior of their cars while parked in the shade.

If necessary, you can speed up the drying process by using fans or dehumidifiers. You can also use your oven (set on the lowest temperature setting possible) but keep in mind that herbs will dry very quickly, and should be monitored closely.

Herbs can also be dried in the microwave oven. Sandwich them between paper towels and place a cup of water next to them. Set the microwave to run for 1 minute on the lowest setting. After one minute, check their progress. If you see sparks or if the leaves or stems are starting to turn black, try drying them for shorter increments of time.

Long-stemmed herbs (lavender, mint, yarrow) are easiest to dry in small bunches tied with a string or small rubber band. Hang bunches from hangers or nails to dry them. If your drying herbs in area prone to dust (like a barn or attic), cover the bunches with small paper bags. If you prefer not to hang them, separate the stems and lay them across drying racks, or spread them out on cookie sheets.

Seed heads can be blanched in boiling water to remove any unseen insects before being hung up to dry. To dry them, cover the heads with paper bags or cheesecloth to catch the seeds as they fall.

Leaves and flowers can be left on their stems to dry. Roots should be given a quick cleaning with a stiff bristled brush and cut into 1 inch slices. Lay the slices in a single layer on racks or trays to dry.

Flowers and leaves will turn crispy when they are finished drying. Root slices are finished with they turn hard and woody.

Tips for Storing Herbs

Decorative herbs can be secured with ribbon and hung in bunches around the kitchen or elsewhere in the home.

Herbs used for culinary purposes should be placed in airtight glass or metal containers or in plastic bags. Keep them cool, dry, and away from bright light.

Herbs can also be stored in the freezer. Harvest them at their peak, clean them, and place them (either chopped up or whole) into airtight containers or freezer bags. When you're ready to use them, simply break off as much as you need and return the rest to the freezer.

Another easy and convenient method for freezing herbs (and especially good for entertaining) is to fill ice cube trays with water and chopped herbs. For example, add cubes of lemon verbena to a pitcher of lemon aid. For the holidays, try freezing fun shaped cookie cutters with chopped herbs and water You can wrap the cookie cutters with foil to keep in the water.

Many herbs tend to look alike once they are frozen or dried. You'll thank yourself later if you take the time to label your containers carefully before storage.

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Tip: Drying Herbs

February 1, 20060 found this helpful

Question:

I have lots of herbs growing. When is the best time to harvest them for drying and storage?

Aggie

Answer:

Aggie,

Each herb is different, but here are a few general rules for drying and storing herbs:

Herbs used for their foliage (leaves) should be harvested before they flower. If grown primarily for their essential oils (flavor and aroma), they will have the greatest concentration of oils after they produce flower buds, but before the buds open.
If you're harvesting herbs for their seeds, collect the seed pods as they start to turn brown or gray, but before they open.
Herbs collected for their flowers should be harvested just prior to peak flowering.
Herbs grown for their roots should be harvested late in the season after the foliage turns brown.

As a general rule, you can start harvesting when the plant has enough foliage to sustain growth. Harvest in the early part of the day and harvest no more than 2/3 of the plant at one time. Perennial herbs should not be harvested later than one month prior to the first frost to ensure they have time to store resources for winter.

The best way to dry herbs is to hang them and let them air dry. Clean herbs under running water if necessary. Shake off excess water and remove any dead or damaged foliage. Tie stems into small bundles and hang upside down to dry in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight. To catch seeds or petals, cover the flower end of the stems with a paper bag (with air holes). Other methods of drying include laying herbs across screens or drying them on the lowest settings of a food dehydrator or conventional oven or if you have the time and patience, drying them for short 1 to 2 minutes increments in a microwave (after a few days of air drying). When dry, leaves will be brittle and crumble easily. Store them in airtight glass or plastic containers (or bags) in a dark, dry location like a pantry or cupboard.

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Using a Microwave for Drying Herbs

June 20, 20160 found this helpful

This is a guide about using a microwave for drying herbs. There are a number of ways you can make your own dried herbs.

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Questions

Ask a QuestionHere are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community or ask a new question.

Question: How Do I Dry Herbs?

By Paula [2 Posts, 1 Comment]0 found this helpful

August 19, 2010

I grew some wonderful lemon basil this summer. How do I dry it so I can enjoy it in the winter time? Many thanks for this great site. I have learned so much!
~Stitch~

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By Paula from Niagara Falls, Ontario

Answers

By Trish [6 Posts, 34 Comments]

August 20, 20100 found this helpful

Paula, I dry a variety of herbs and Lemon Basil is one of them. I pick the leaves early in the day after all dew or moisture is gone. I place a paper towel in the microwave on the turntable. Next, I spread out the leaves into one layer and try to not put one on top of the other. My microwave has different power levels and I use level #3. Start with 3 minutes then check. They should begin to look wilted. Microwave again for another 3 minutes on level 3. By this time, mine is usually done. It will be shriveled and crispy. I then let cool and then store in clean pint jars with a tight fitting lid. Moisture is the enemy of dried herbs and can cause mold to form so be sure to keep airtight. You might have to experiment with different time amounts and different temperatures. But this is what I do and it works well for me. Good Luck, Banty

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By Loretta [18 Posts, 125 Comments]

August 20, 20100 found this helpful

I have grown sweet basil, purple basil and the very flavorful Thai basil, all of which are really yummy. I have a dehydrator, and have tried them that way, on the temp recommended, which is about 105, as i recall, same as my Greek oregano, but if you want it to taste really good, and have an idea how much you will generally use at a time, take the clean, dry, basil, put the fresh leaves, as many as you expect to use, in a fold of alum. Foil. Make as many folds of alum. Foil as you need, but work fast, and get them in a zip type bag, lay them flat in the freezer, and as you pick, just keep making small packets of leaves, put them in the bag, and you will have really fresh tasting basil when you pull it out. You have to get it out and cut or tear it quickly, and put it in the food, or use it as a garnish, but the scent, and flavor will still be fresh, and no dulling of color like there is when it is dried.

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By alison [3 Posts, 42 Comments]

August 21, 20100 found this helpful

All you really need to do is set them out and let em dry naturally the best type of drying out herbs and em upside down on a piece of string on something up high like a lamp or something else that's able to be high enough so the water can drip out

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Answer this Question...

Question: Have I Waited Too Long To Harvest My Herbs?

By Becky Tillman [10 Posts, 11 Comments]0 found this helpful

November 2, 2006

Question:

All of my herbs have gone to seed. I was wanting to bring some inside for the winter. Have I waited too long?

Hardiness Zone: 8a

Becky from Charlotte, NC

Answer:

Becky,

It depends on what you're growing. I'm not sure if you're talking about harvesting the leaves, stems and seeds, or bringing the entire plant in for the winter. Some herbs, like basil for example, tend to taste bitter if harvested after the plant sets seeds. The same is true for most herbs that are harvested for their foliage. Once they bolt (set seed) their flavor is altered. As a general rule, herbs that will be used for their foliage should be harvested before they bolt. Herbs grown for seed should be harvested as their seedpods change from green to brown, but before the seeds drop or shatter. Herbs that will be harvested for their flowers should be harvested just before the flowers are fully open, and herbs that will be harvested for their roots can be harvested in the fall as soon as the foliage dies back. If your herbs still have foliage, try harvesting a few and drying them or adding them to dishes to test their flavor. If they taste fine to you, there is no harm in harvesting them this late.

Ellen

Answers

By Holly [364 Posts, 1,258 Comments]

August 28, 20060 found this helpful

If they have gone to seed, there might be a bitter taste.

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By Lynda (Guest Post)

August 29, 20060 found this helpful

Likely. If drying for storage the best time to harvest is when leaves are large and green, not dry. Wrap a medium bundle in large twist tie and hang upside
down in shade for about 10 days, then strip best
leaves and seed off stems inside large white plastic new garbage bag. After tossing all stems, pick out leaves and place in airtight containers for storage, sealing with scotch tape, marking date on top and labeling.

The residue is usually the seeds in the bottom of the sack, mixed with remnant leaf/stem particles. If possible, separate them by sifting in a flour sifter or finer sifter.

Store seeds in old envelopes, seal, lable and
date, writing any special instructions, descriptions you might not remember.

If all you got is seed and tiny dried up leaves, just use them anyway, being extra careful to remove all stems, and learn for the next year's use.

Store seed in a cool,dry place, not plastic bag. Beware of bugs attracted and able to eat into the paper.

My experience is mostly with Tarragon, Basil,
Garlic, Oregano, Lemon Balm, Curry, and the more common herbs over the years. I keep only what will grow with the least care. I've had the most luck here in N. Texas with these I've listed.

Good luck and God's blessings to you.

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By Melissa M. [27 Posts, 121 Comments]

January 26, 20090 found this helpful

I harvest my herbs all through the season for drying. I also cut off the flowering stem to promote more leaf growth, however I do leave some of the flowers so the butterflies and bees have something to feed on.

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