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Herbal Wisdom:  Drying herbs  |
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Fannie
True Blue Farmgirl
67 Posts
North Huntingdon
PA
USA
67 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 19 2011 : 02:56:59 AM
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I'm new at growing herbs. When do you know it is time to start drying them? I have Basil and Dill.
Fannie
Farm Girl #2746 |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2011 : 09:11:03 AM
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I pick the leaves and put them in a dehydrator. I know you can also tie them and hang them upside down in a cool, dry spot.
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farmgirl sister #922
I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds.
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
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mickib
True Blue Farmgirl
267 Posts
Michele
Coeur d'Alene
Idaho
267 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2011 : 10:10:06 AM
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| I think with most herbs you want to pick them before they flower. I don't know much about dill. I also know that I always wait too long and they've flowered by the time I get to them and mostly they're still ok. And although it's not very farmgirly, I dry mine in the microwave! It's quick and they seem to hold their color and flavor better. |
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Fannie
True Blue Farmgirl
67 Posts
North Huntingdon
PA
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2011 : 04:57:09 AM
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Thanks, I'll give both ideas a try. This is my first time growing herbs. I'm surprised they did as well as they did.
Fannie
Farm Girl #2746 |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2011 : 05:19:41 AM
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 One other tip on harvesting your herbs, pick them in the morning after the evenings dew has dried but before the heat of the day. This is when they have the most of their essential oils still on the leaves.
I do my herb harvesting between 9am - 11am. Also, if I see flower buds forming, I pinch them off so the plant will continue to develop more leaves for harvesting. ( I will allow my plants to flower and set seeds, this way I can harvest the seeds for planting or in some cases, the seeds are just as good as the plant for flavoring soups and stews)
Depending on the herb, I use my dehydrator for most, hang some to air dry ( in a cool, darkened area. . no direct sunlight, and a small fan on low to keep the air circulating) If you are going to hang your herbs to dry, keep and eye on your local weather. . . if it's going to be humid for several days, either put off harvesting until the air is drier or use the dehydrator instead.
Have fun!!
Joanna #566
JojoNH
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JudyT
True Blue Farmgirl
196 Posts
Judy
Southwest
Wisconsin
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2012 : 1:26:55 PM
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I'm new to growing herbs as well and know nothing about growing them. I would like to have my herbs all summer, then dry them for the winter, is that possible?
Judy~Farmgirl Sister #599
I've lived in an urban area most my life, but now I'm living in a rural area up on a ridge in the Ocooch Mountains in Southwest Wisconsin, sharing my life at...http://dailyyarnsnmore.com |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
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ruthie218
True Blue Farmgirl
1425 Posts
Ruthie Ann
Indiana
USA
1425 Posts |
Posted - Jun 03 2012 : 07:33:37 AM
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Im new at drying herbs . I just found a dehydrator at the resale shop for a 1.00. Im wondering how long it takes to dry herbs in the dehydrator?
Ruthie Ann
http://simpleindianagirl.blogspot.com/
Farmgirl sister#4072 |
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JudyT
True Blue Farmgirl
196 Posts
Judy
Southwest
Wisconsin
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - Jun 07 2012 : 6:21:06 PM
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Thanks Joanna!
Judy~Farmgirl Sister #599
I've lived in an urban area most my life, but now I'm living in a rural area up on a ridge in the Ocooch Mountains in Southwest Wisconsin, sharing my life at...http://dailyyarnsnmore.com |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Jun 08 2012 : 09:51:56 AM
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Hiya, Fannie. I second the advice about "harvesting" in late morning. For the two herbs you specifically mentioned, here's what I do. Dill is so fragile that when it dries, you can lose a lot of good stuff if you just hang it up the way you would hang sage or rosemary. So I put mine in a big paper grocery bag, fold it up, and leave it somewhere relatively cool and dry. After a while, you can shake the bag and all the little dill bits will fall off inside the bag and you can jar them.
My experience is that basil doesn't really dry well. I know they sell it in stores and all, but to me, if it isn't fresh, I don't bother with it. The closest I can come to having "fresh" basil in winter is to freeze it in water. Put clean leaves in ice-cube trays and melt them as needed. You can also make pesto with basil and freeze that in small containers.
Welcome to the wonderful world of growing your own herbs!
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Hazel
True Blue Farmgirl
82 Posts
Jen
Bridgeport
Pa
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2012 : 3:10:34 PM
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| I've been growing herbs for 2 years now and so far it's gone very very well! I also recommend harvesting just after the sun dries the dew off them, they seem the best then. I personally don't use a dehydrator but heard it does work great! I actually use paper lunch bags! I punch holes in them, label them and stick the herbs right in! I then tie the bags shut with twine and hang it on a nail int the wall in my sunroom. I hope to redo the sunroom this winter and hang those long strips with pegs n them to make it more organized! They take one to two weeks to dry this way depending on the herb. Basil take the longest of all the herbs I've grown. After they are dry, I carefully remove the leaves from the stem and then leave the leaves on a paper towel in the war, air of my sun room... Just to be sure they are dry. I keep all the stems in a small planter so I can burn them in the harvest fire on Halloween! It's been an amazing experience! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Herbal Wisdom: Drying herbs |
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Drying herbs
