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GROW THE HERBS AND NOW HARVEST THEM AND DRY
The smell of lavender herbs drifting across the field just waiting for the harvesting
and drying to turn them into lavender soap balls and other such things as bath oils and
body powders. A little information that I discovered, there are actually lavender
farmers who raise large crops and turn them into everyday products.Later on this web page I will provide information on visiting one of these farms where the lavender plants grow,harvest and are drying.
The next question often ask by beginning gardeners as well as established gardeners,when do I pick my plants? It is by far the best to harvest your herbs in the morning when the dew has dryed. Again it is those valuable oils that lose their flavor and fragrance when exposed to heat. Morning dew in of itself is not the end all but wet leaves require a long drying period before you can store them.When picking a large quantity of plants use an open basket or container to give the fresh herbs plenty of air circulation. The absolute worst thing you can do is stuff them into a plastic bag where your picked plants will deteriorate rapidly.It is never wise to cut more stems than you can easily dry. NOT ALL CAN BE HUNG TO DRY
Before we get into the specifics you must know that not all plants were meant to be
hung for drying. Some you remove the leaves from the stems before drying.
This class includes basil,dill,lemon balm,lovage,mint,sage,lemon verbena and
tarragon. The ones with smaller leaves can be dried on the stem. This
class includes thyme,rosemary,oregano and marjoram. You must strip the leaves from the
stems after drying is complete.
The leaves should be dry in three or four days. However if you are battling extreme humidity you may need to resort to oven drying. The easiest method to accomplish this is by grabbing a cookie sheet and setting your oven at 125 degrees for a few minutes and make sure to check on the progress within a minute after placing in the oven. An overdone is like an overdone meatloaf.If your plants turn brown or black try heating them for shorter periods of time. In the hanging of plants,a great many people are going to be thinking where am I going to hang these most gardeners do not have a ready made barn with rafters or a house with exposed rafters. A very simple method is to tie your herbs in bunches with string and attaching the bunches to a ordinary wire clothes hanger.You can tie more than one bunch to each hanger which in fact will save you lots of space. This way if you use a laundry room or other such utility room this area will not only give you the proper humidity but it is much easier to hang your drying plants.When the bunches are cripsy dry remove the leaves from the stems. I have found this method to work for me.If you want to know about growing see my growing herbs web page. Growing herbs will give you the idea click here OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL METHODS OF DRYING
I have never tried these methods of drying but rest assured since I am writing this web site I fully intend to experiment with these methods and report back in my garden tips section about their success. I guess some gardeners do not have an area where dust is not a problem or maybe this is just the method that was learned by some.
Since I live out in the country, I would have never had the opportunity
to devise this procedure.
Apparently you take a brown bag after you have washed and dried the whole branch.You can tie any number of stems together up to a maximum of 10. Then place the bundle into a brown paper bag with the stems extending out the open end and hang in a dark warm place. If the temperature is within the range of 70 to 80 degrees, you should have dryed plants within 2 to 4 weeks. My problem has always been with the implementation of these ideas like where do I have a dark warm place that is 70 to 80 degrees. I will have to study that question Here is one I have only read about. The use of silica sand which I deduce from my research is the same method used to dry flowers. Silica sand apparently draws the moisture out of the plants you are working with but maintains the leaves in their original shape. The container just has to be large enough to allow for all of the plants to be buried in sand. Position a shallow layer of silica sand in the bottom of the container,then make an arrangement of the herbs on top of the sand wihout overlapping them. Then cover the plants with an additional amount of silica so there is no exposure. It will still take 2-4 weeks until the herbs are dry and remove from the sand ready to store in glass containers. There are other procedures for preserving herbs. A number of them can be frozen with their freshness intact upon thawing. You must harvest them and given a good washing prior to this method. The herbs should be blanched in boiling water for several minutes followed by a rapid cool down using ice cubes.After draining put them in a plastic bag and freeze them. Herbs,like chives,parsley,and basil can be mixed into a smooth pulp with a little water in the blender. This can then be frozen in an ice cube tray. You can actually store them later in plastic storage bags and use to flavor your soups and sauces.
PROPER STORAGE
I would not store my plants in an open jar as I have pictured here. It is best to
use air tight containers and keep the herbs away from bright light.You can find
in most stores that sell kitchen equipment those air tight jars with a lid that
seals tightly when pushed down or canning jars and tins can be used as well.The
dried plants can also be put in resealable plastic bags with all the air squeezed out before sealing them. Here is one I messed up for being in a hurry. I forgot to
label my containers and of course you must realize that all dried herbs look alike.
Another thought just occurred to me,if using your herbs for cooking ,crush them or
push them through a coarse strainer.If you are using the particular plant for tea,
then leaves and blossoms maybe saved whole.
I mentioned early on this page that I would provide you with a lavender farm that you might visit and especially if you are on the East Coast or coming East. A great time to visit in the summertime Cape Cod. Sun,ocean breeze and a lavender farm. Go to Cape Cod Lavender farm and it will amaze you. See the link below. Have you missed our great newsletter? It contains more gardening information from the care of roses to bulb forcing aomething new each month and it is FREE. go to cape cod lavender farm
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