Drying Herbs and BotanicalsDrying your herbs and botanicals is important for prolonging the potency of the plant. There are several methods of drying these natural ingredients. The one that requires no equipment is hang drying. There is nothing like beautiful herbs and flowers hung to dry.
The method is quite simple. Gather your flowers and herbs in bundles of 5-8 stems. Each bundle should include only one type of herb or botanical. Tie the stems with string or a rubber band. Label the bundle with the name of the plant and the date of the harvest. You can get the merchandise tags sold at office supply stores, or simply tie on a small piece of sturdy paper for labeling. Hang your plants upside down in a dimly lit room with good ventilation. The temperature of the room should be 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Hang drying may take a few days to a few weeks for the plants to fully dry. Plants or flowers with high moisture content may take longer.
Screen drying herbs and botanicals is another simple method for drying freshly harvested plants. You can purchase screens or make one yourself. They can be metal, non-metal, or consist of nylon netting. To make one yourself, use sturdy strips of wood cut to the desired length. Nail or screw the wood together to form a square. Using a staple gun, stretching some nylon netting or screening, found in home repair stores, tightly over the wood square and staple the netting to the wood. Trim the excess and you have a nice screen for drying your plants.
To screen dry your plants, gently remove the leaves, flowers, or roots from the stems. Place them in one layer on the screen allowing plenty of space between each piece to receive plenty of air circulation. Place your screens in a dimly lit, well-ventilated room. Whether hang drying or screen drying, a good choice for a well-ventilated, dimly lit room can include a closet, attic, or unused room. Keep plants neat and organized with plenty of room between plants for proper air circulation.
Other methods of drying plants include the use of a food dehydrator, a conventional oven, or a microwave oven. If using a food dehydrator, follow instructions included with the appliance. Do not allow the temperature to go above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, or you risk scorching the plant effectually ruining it. The use of the oven or microwave should be restricted to very small amounts of herbs or botanicals. For microwave use, sandwich herbs between two paper towels and microwave for 1-2 minutes. For conventional ovens, place herbs or botanicals on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Set oven temperature at the lowest possible setting and watch carefully as the plants are drying.
How do you know when the plants have reached their optimum dryness? Leaves should be brittle, but shouldn’t completely fall apart when you touch them. Flowers should feel dry and possible powdery with a slight crispness. Roots will be hard with the slightest hint of pliability.
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