Gardening · Herbalism · Homesteading · Preserving

Air Drying Herbs and Flowers

Drying herbs and flowers is easy to do, and takes little work to put away a years worth. And you don’t need a dehydrator either. My method is very simple: Take a clean brown grocery bag outside and pick, tossing into the bag as you do. Then fold over the top to keep light and dust out, and let air dry. I gently shake the bag(s) daily to move the flowers and leaves around. You get a nicer color this way, and no heat means all the natural essential oils stay. Heat can destroy them.

Once dried I store the smaller items in mason jars.

Larger items, such as Comfrey leaves I store in plastic storage bags, gently placed in so they don’t crumble.

Best use is to store out of light, in a dry area that doesn’t overheat in summer. Use within a year for best quality.

Pick Chamomile early in the day, before the sun hits it.

Chamomile is not only great as a relaxing tea, it can be brewed and used as a hair rinse for blonde hair.

Calendula flower.

Rosemary can be brewed strong, cooled and used as a hair rinse for dark hair.

Sage flowers.

Sage being picked.

Comfrey. Bees love the flowers.

The back of Comfrey leaves are fascinating in the patterns. Dry it and save for making strong brews to soak skin in, if needed.

Dry what you grow, or friends grow, and dry what you use – both in culinary and medicinal uses. Then you won’t ever have to to buy herbs where you don’t know where they were grown.

~Sarah