What to Do with All Your Herbs? Try Different Methods of Drying

Now that it's the middle of the summer season, your herbs are growing like weeds and probably blooming if you didn't pinch them back. What do you do with all those herbs? If your herbs are planted outside, you can't possibly use all the leaves and blooms fresh before the 1st freeze sets in but one way is to dry them.

How do you dry herbs? There are several methods of drying. Here in this article I will discuss the different methods of drying herbs plus tell you how and what methods I use including a few tips; so you can have the seasonings and vinaigrettes for those delicious dishes your family likes or what ever you choose to do with them, herb bouquets, sashays, etc.

The first things you have to do are to cut and hang to dry. You want to cut some of your herbs that you know you will be using for seasonings before they have bloomed. If you let them bloom they have lost a lot of their flavor. Others that you have let bloom, you can use for other things.

When cutting your herbs make sure you cut the stems long enough that you can tie together at the base of where you have cut. Cutting just a couple inches won't do it.
After you have all your herbs cut then fill your sink with cool water. Take the herbs and swish them around in the cool water for a few seconds. This will get any dirt and tiny critters off the leaves.

Next take them and lay on paper towels to catch all the water dripping off. After a few minutes you can gather the herbs into bunches and tie with string or I use rubber bands at the base of the stems where you cut them off the mother plant. The reason I use rubber bands is that when the herbs dry they will shrink and the rubber bands shrink with them.

The next step is to hang. You have to have a place that is well ventilated, dry and they won't get knocked around. I have always used my garage for this. I had my husband put up a long dowel rod, hanging from the ceiling in the garage, for drying my herbs.

If you want you can put your bunched herbs into brown paper bags before you hang them. There are two reasons for this: 1. To keep the dust off and 2. If you want to collect any seeds. Take string or what ever you like, tie it to the bunched herbs and then tie to the rod. The herbs are now hanging upside down.

There are several other methods of drying that I have listed below. The only one I haven't tried is the floral press because I don't have one. I do know that they work very well for very delicate plants.

Try the different methods and I'm you will find the one or maybe a couple that you prefer to use for your herbs.

The Oven Method

Your oven can dry very well. Your house will also smell wonderful.
1. Set your oven at the lowest setting.
2. You can swish your herbs in a sink of water but too much water can dilute the flavor. So take a stiff brush and brush the leaves, gently, to remove any dirt.
3. Spread your herbs out on cookie sheets then put the sheets on the middle rack of your oven. Leave the oven door open just a little to help in circulation. Make sure you just don't pile the herbs on the cookie sheets, spread them out. Check your herbs now and then stirring so they'll dry evenly. They are dry when they crumble when you squeeze a bit.

Refrigerator Method

Coriander leaves, rosemary and parsley can be dried using the refrigerator method.
1. Put your unwashed herbs in a paper bag - Do Not Us Plastic - if you do you will open up a bag of mold!
2. Close the bag tightly and leave in the refrigerator for about a month. Put a Do Not Disturb sign on it or Hands Off.

Your herbs will be dried, retain their green color and smell great! So will your frig!

Microwave Method

For drying herbs in the microwave make sure you pick on a very sunny day, not a cloud in the sky and no chance for rain. Humid days can cause herbs to reabsorb moisture after they have left the microwave.

1. Again, brush any dirt from the leaves and stems.
2. Use about a handful of herbs and place them between paper towels and place them in your microwave.
3. Microwave on HIGH for approximately 3 minutes.
Turn your herbs every 30 seconds if your microwave doesn't have a turntable.
4. If your herbs are not completely dry, then zap them for 20 seconds more, being careful not to let them get to hot or they will taste scorched.

If you want to use your herbs for crafts then this method is the best.
Using Desiccant Powders

Desiccant powders are a slower method but your herbs dried this way will be beautiful, retain their color and form, especially very delicate herbs. Silica gel can be purchased at any craft store.

1. Pick your herbs that have flowers on them. Cut off the stem right next to the flower. Insert a piece of florist's wire into the center of the flower; bend one end to form a small circle to keep it from pulling through the flower. You must insert the wire before drying to prevent damage to the flower.

2. If you are using silica gel, choose a container with a tight fitting lid. Spread a thin layer of silica gel on the bottom of the container. Gently nestle the flowers into the gel. Take care that the blossoms do not touch each other.

3. Carefully and gently sprinkle the silica gel over the flowers until they are completely covered.

4. Seal the container. Drying should be complete in 2 to 7 days. Check daily to ensure they won't get over-dried.

5. When thoroughly dried, remove the flowers from the silica gel carefully. If a petal or leaf should happen to fall off, you can use white glue to reattach it.

There are a couple of other items you can use for drying this way. They is borax, clean sand mixed with borax and plain Kitty Litter. If you choose to use one of these items then do not put a lid on the container. I have tried these and the only difference is the time involved for drying. It takes longer.

Floral Press Method

You have to have a floral press in order to do this. You can purchase floral presses at a craft store or at a floral supply.

1. Place your fresh herbs between two sheets of newsprint or other unglazed paper like specimen sheets. Do not let the herbs touch each other on the specimen sheet. It is almost impossible to separate pressed herbs or other pressed plants.

2. The moisture controlled by the number of newsprint sheets that are placed between the specimen sheets. The moisture content of the herbs you want to dry determines the number of newsprint sheets.

3. After you have all your herbs you want to press and the newsprint sheets in your floral press, replace the top of the press and tighten the wing nuts. Keep the press in a warm, dry room, and tighten wing nuts each day for several days. This causes the newsprint sheets to draw our more moisture.

4. Check the floral press about one week later, sometimes it takes longer depending on what you are pressing. You may leave the herbs in the press, or you can remove them carefully, leaving it between the newsprint sheets and placing the pages in a big envelope or box with a heavy weight on top.

Pressed, dried materials are very fragile so handle with care!

Telephone Book Method

This is the method I use for pressing. I use old phone books, the white pages not the yellow pages and no slick or waxed pages. Guess you can call this press flower recycling.

1. If you choose to use your telephone book, never use a new one. When pressing leaves or flowers they can and will stain the pages.

2. Use the same method of layering your leaves or flowers with newsprint or other unglazed paper as in the floral press.

3. Start from the back of the telephone book and place what your pressing between the pages. If you have a lot to press, work your way to the front of the telephone book.

4. When you have all you want to press in place then put your telephone book in a warm, dry place, and put a heavy weight on top. This weight causes pressure that helps remove moisture faster. I place mine in the garage on a shelf so it won't be disturbed, with several other old books on top; them I put one of my son's weights on top of the old books.

Whichever method you try for drying your herbs; will be trial and error at first but you will get the hang of it.

Any of these methods are also great for any type of flower drying.