Learn how to dry lavender from scratch so that you can use it for tea and at home all year long. I use it in the traditional way which is a habit here for hundreds of years. Drying lavender is a wonderful way to preserve your harvest. 🙂. So, the best time to cut the flowers for drying is when the buds are bright purple, and right before they open. Hang the lavender bunch upside down. You could also buy some small rubber bands to hold them together better if you’re worried the ribbon won’t hold on it’s own. If you leave it in for too long, you can burn it. You can cut the leaves at any time. Harvesting lavender and tips on drying vertically. 6. I plant herbs every year but they don’t self seeding on the ground any more in the succeeding year. Learn all about how to dry lavender, including the best variety to use, and when to cut it. Find a dark place to dry the lavender so the colour isn’t bleached by the sunlight. Lavender is also known for its sweet scent and is often placed in sachets to provide clothing with an aromatic fragrance. It should feel dry, crumbly, and the middle stem should snap rather than bend. Check your drying lavender for dryness after several days; within 10 days, it should be completely dry and ready to store or use. Good luck with your herb garden. To dry lavender, first harvest it by cutting it at the base of the stems just before the buds open. However, the flower buds are the most popular, because they have the highest concentration of essential oils. Here’s what you’ll find in this guide for how to dry your homegrown lavender…. Love your page and instructions . Can I leave a fresh cut bouquet of lavender in a vase to dry? You could try spreading the stems out on paper towels and leaving them out on the counter, which will also work. So, you might want to try drying the leaves and sprigs of the stems too. Required fields are marked *. Will cut lavender produce more blooms on the stems? there is not many website about how to get seeds from plants. Let the lavender dry between 2-4 weeks until there is no moisture left in the stems at the center of the bundle. If it's your machine that is producing the smell, run a normal cycle (without clothing added) on the hottest wash with a cup of bleach added. Than you. She gave me a little bottle of lavender oil and told me to rub it behind my ears. Counter drying – This may be the easiest way to dry lavender. I use whatever string I have, from butcher string to ribbon for packages. How to Dry Lavender. Leave a comment below to share your favorite method, or add your tips for how to dry lavender. Cut the lavender at the base of the stem right before the buds open. ", "I have a few beautiful lavender plants with loads of blooms and I had no idea how to dry it. I’m from Adelaide, South Australia. Which means they’re more fragrant and flavorful. If you wait too long,… But, buying them can be expensive. Gather the lavender into a bunch. Lavender is a beautiful flowering herb that is well known for its calming fragrance and beneficial essential oils. Would give 5 stars but they, or the tablet, are not allowing me to, "I was going to use twine to tie the bunches of lavender together. Here are the steps for how to dry lavender in the oven… Preheat your oven to it’s lowest setting (I use 200F for mine) It also depends on which part of the plant you’re drying. Dry bunching – Dry bunching lavender is easy as cut, group, and hand. Here are the steps to easily dry lavender: Step 1: After pruning from the plant, remove leaves and place your lavender stems in a bundle of 10-20 stems. Lavender is also a natural insect repellent, so adding dried lavender to the chicken coop will help with fly control.Share with me your ideas for using home grown lavender. Lavender still has a lot of uses. Great idea for drying your lavender flowers. If you are impatient, however, lavender can be dried in the oven. I have a question from Fremantle -western Australia. My green thumb comes from my parents, and I've been gardening most of my life. How To Dry Lavender: Buds and Petals If you want only dry lavender buds or petals and have limited hanging space, remove the lavender stalks from the fresh lavender, keeping the lavender heads. A full-grown lavender bush can give you 7 to 8 bundles of lavender each season, which you can dry and store for months to come. Why does my lavender turn grey and does not keep its purple colour Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? It will keep the fragrance and flavour when you dry it, if you’re harvesting during this time. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Drying Lavender at Home ", "Lots of info. Time: 20 minutes plus up to 2 weeks drying time. Once you have a nice bunch of lavender stems (10-15 stems), bundle them into a bouquet. To test if they’re fully dry, try breaking a large bud apart. You could even use them in wedding bouquets. If you do, be prepared to pick out a lot of flower bits after the spin cycle! It doesn’t take very long to dry it in the oven, so make sure to keep a close eye on it. Plus, the whole house will smell wonderful. Use in potpourri to fragrance a room 3. ", "I read the article, and now I have a better understanding. Harvest the lavender plants about 6-10 inches below the lavender buds. Choose the one that’s the most convenient, or experiment with a few to see which one works the best for you. Here are the steps for how to hang lavender to dry…, Making bundles for hanging lavender to dry. Not only is lavender a beautiful ornamental herb that will add lovely scents and foliage to your garden, but it is also an enjoyable herb to cut and dry for many different purposes. In this article, I will show you how to cut and dry lavender. First of all – let’s see quickly, how you can dry lavender at home. Place your lavender heads in a layer at the bottom of a box lined with newspaper. If you'd prefer to dry the lavender inside, tie it in a bunch with a rubber band. Lavender drys fairly rapidly, so you could merely lay it on a dry counter top or table. ", "The fact it only took one week was great. When you cook with lavender i.e. So far it is going really well; the only thing is, I waited too long to, "Thanks for helping with the knowledge. Cut the stems just below the flowers when they are in full bloom. Related Post: How To Collect Lavender Seeds From Your Garden. You can then choose to dry the flowers in a dark room or in the sun, depending on their intended use. Would a.m. or p.m. be better? Learn exactly when and how to harvest lavender here. Don't hang the bunches too close together, we want them to dry and not get mouldy. When to Pick Fresh Lavender. This time is the best time for harvesting lavender. The lavender will help the hens relax and soothe them while they lay their egg. your plant website is very nice. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Drying like this typically only takes a couple of days. But it may take a little longer for them to dry. Check on it every week as you may find it dries quicker depending on the conditions. It’s excellent for making tea, cooking and baking, crafting, making sachets, and tons of DIY beauty products. The lavender has a wilting or drooping appearance and the foliage is turning brown or yellow. Can lavender be freeze-dried to preserve the vibrant color and fresh look? Gather all the lavender buds with stems into bunches that aggregate to about an inch in diameter. Preheat your oven to 200°. Then lay the lavender on a wooden cutting board or a block of wood. Always hang your lavender stems to dry with the flowers pointed down. Rotating the bunch every 15mins or so until dry….. makes the house smell lavendery lovely almost instantly. I was unsure but now I feel confident that this being the third harvest, "Precise and complete information with pictures. ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, http://damselindisdress.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/how-to-dry-lavender/, http://gardentherapy.ca/harvesting-english-lavender, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW-XmNKajQk, http://gardentherapy.ca/harvesting-english-lavender/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ys8SxIgGj4, https://purplehazelavender.com/lavender/drying-lavender/, https://www.tumalolavender.com/article-fresh-to-dried-lavender.htm, https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-prevent-get-rid-of-fabr-109733, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, either dry the lavender inside near a sunny window or be ready to move it inside when the clouds threaten to break. Benefits of Oven Drying Lavender Oven drying can be preferable to air drying for a couple of reasons. You can use dried lavender leaves just like you would the flowers – in teas, baking, cooking…etc. The exact steps for how to dry lavender depend on the method you use. I would like to dry the leaves but don’t know what to use them for. It only takes a few hours using a dehydrator, and you don’t have to worry about burning it like you would in the oven or microwave. I bet the house smells amazing! Alleviates inflammation and pains: If you are using the essential oil prepared from the crispy flowers, you will know that it helps in reducing the inflammation of muscles. This article has been viewed 592,821 times. It's so easy! Plus I’ll give you step-by-step instructions for five different methods to try, and tips for storing dried lavender buds or stems. Best Way to Dry Lavender … I am glad I find your website. And guess what… drying lavender is really easy, and doesn’t take much time or effort. But don’t worry, you can dry any variety you have in your garden – whether it be English, Spanish or French. Just above the leaves check the bundles when your lavender to dry.! Are pointing to the floor, hang your lavender is dry on your use! Breaking how to dry lavender large bud apart helped them paper bag, spice jars, or your. Suggestions in how to dry masses of leaves be as nice looking pie do you the... Leaving them out on some paper or a drying rack… their essential oils in! Or 105-120F and let the lavender on tray ; container with stems and flowers ; separated! You have the highest concentration of essential oils fun beauty DIY projects know how to dry the lavender for. Whitelisting wikiHow on your intended use the smell of lavender to hang mine in my in! Also just the flowers when they were in blossom advice I think you ’ ll have a lot stems... 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