Herb Gardening - How to Preserve and Dry Your Herbs

All herbs are grown with a purpose in mind, whether it is to beautify a garden, season a favorite recipe, create a medicinal supplement or be used an aromatic potpourri. Whatever the reason may be, each of these uses requires the herbs to be preserved in a proper manner. Most of the time, this process is drying.

Traditional drying methods include bag drying, air drying and tray drying, however, in today’s technological modern times, the microwave and other methods have been implemented as well.

Bag
Several herbs produce flowers, which also contain seeds which are harvested. For these particular herbs, the bag drying method works best. Simply place the flower on a piece of paper and allow time to dry. After the flower is completely dried, curl the paper and pour the seeds into a bag. The process for leaf preservation however, requires a few more steps to complete.

In order to properly preserve the leaves, remove the flower, roots and all. Then, rinse them under running water to get as much of the remaining dirt off as you can. The next step is to allow the roots to soak in water for a couple of hours; this will ensure that any soil left over will be rinsed away. Finally, place the flower onto a cotton or paper towel and allow to air dry.

After the plant is completely dry, place it head first into a paper bag, ensuring that the stalk is sticking an inch or two out and that the flower head is removed. Next, tie the bag securely around the stalks and place it upside down. As the bag is upside down with the stalks pointing upwards, the oils will begin move downwards to saturate the leaves with all their flavorful or aromatic goodness.

At the end of one or two weeks, the leaves will begin to become brittle. It is important not to crumble them at this point of the process. Simply separate them from the stalk and place them in an air-tight container. Now you have the ability to add a fresh scent or tasty flavor with a simple crumbling action any time you wish.

Tray
The process of tray drying is a very simple one. First, all you need are the leaves and leave stems, the stalks can be discarded. Then, simply lay them across the tray making sure not to overlap. Finally, place the tray in a dark, well ventilated area and allow time to dry. You will need to remove the tray once per day in order to flip each leaf; this will ensure an even drying process. After a few short days, you should have leaves that are ready to be added to any potpourri or delicious dish.

Microwave
In today’s modern and hectic world, anyone looking to preserve their herbs, but are pressed for time, may wish to try the modern marvel of the microwave oven. Simply place the leaves on a piece of paper towel, the paper towel will allow for more moisture absorption. Then, set the oven for medium power and dry for a few minutes. While drying times may vary due to the variety of herb and amount, the typical drying time that seems to work best is about two to three minutes.

In order to check for the proper dryness for your particular use, a quick rub of the leaf between your thumb and forefinger will display all you need to know. If the leaf is brittle and crumbles without hardly any pressure, it is ready, if not, a few more sets of thirty second interval drying times will help you reach the consistency you are looking for.

There are a few precautions that come with using a microwave oven for drying purposes. Microwave ovens are designed to cook by heating the water molecules in the food. If the power on the microwave is set too high or the cooking time is longer than it should be, you may accidentally be harming your microwave as well as unwillingly cooking your herbs. Using a little caution along with a little trial and error will help ensure the best time for your particular needs.

         

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