"Dry and Store Fresh Garden Herbs" refers to the process of preserving fresh herbs from a garden through drying and proper storage methods. This ensures that the herbs can be kept for an extended period while retaining their flavors and aromatic qualities.
Herbs, essential to human civilization for centuries, play dual roles in our lives by enhancing culinary experiences and supporting traditional medicine and overall well-being.
These aromatic plants, valued for their flavors, scents, and healing attributes, hold a significant place in cultures globally. Whether elevating the taste of dishes or providing natural remedies for various elements, herbs remain captivating contributors to our daily existence.
This exploration takes a closer look at their multifaceted uses, cultivation practices, and the intricate cultural and medicinal importance that renders them a captivating subject worthy of study and appreciation.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TIME TO HARVEST HERBS FOR DRYING
The ideal time to harvest herbs for drying is when they are at their peak of flavor and fragrance. This usually occurs during the peak of the growing season, when the days are long and the weather is warm.
Timing:
Herbs are the best harvesting for drying before they flower, as this essential oils are most concentrated. For most herbs, this mean harvesting in the morning in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun is too intense.
Stage of Growth:
Harvesting herbs when they are at their peak flavor and aroma. this often occurs when the plants have developed a good amount of foliage but haven't yet begun to flowers. Leaves should be mature but not old or yellowed.
Weather condition:
The weather conditions are important to consider when the sun is not too intense harvesting herbs early in the morning before the sun has a chance to warm the leaves.
Method:
To encourage bushy growth, allow the plant to recover quickly, it is important to cut herds above a leaf node or set the leaves using clean, sharp scissors or garden shears. It is recommended to avoid cutting more than one-third of the time to ensure its continued healthy and vitality.
Consideration of Individual Herbs:
It is important to note that each herb has unique harvesting and drying requirements. For instance, basil should be harvested just before it flowers for for maximum flavor and aroma, while oregano can be harvested at ant point during the growing season.
Harvesting for Seed:
If you're interested saving the seeds for the future planting allow the herbs to flower and seeds for harvesting when they are fully mature.
MATERIALS NEEDED FOR HARVESTING
TOOLS / EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS
Paper bag
paper towels
containers labels
STEPS
HOW TO DRY FRESH HERBS
Choose the most flavorful herbs for harvesting.
Wash the herbs under running water to eliminate any dirt or insects.
Dry the herbs gently using a paper towel or employ a salad spinner to remove excess water.
Spread them in a single layer or bundle the herbs in a small group.
After bundling the herbs secure then with string or rubber.
Suspend bundles upside down in an area that is dark, dry, and well-ventilated. Steer clear of locations with direct sunlight, as it may lead to a reduction in flavor and color.
7. Arrange the herbs on a clean, dry surface, ensuring proper air circulation. Rotate the herbs periodically to guarantee uniform drying.
8. For dehydrator, set the oven to the lowest temperature with the door slightly ajar. Monitor regularly to avoid over-drying. Herbs are deemed ready when they easily crumble.
What is the best way to dry fresh herbs?
The best way to dry fresh herbs depends on the type of herb and your personal preferences. Here are some common methods for drying fresh herbs:
Air Drying:
Gather small bunches of herbs and tie them together at the stems with string or rubber bands.
Hang the herb bundles upside down in a warm, well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight.
Allow the herbs to air dry for 1-2 weeks, or until they are completely dry and crumble.
Once dry, remove the leaves from the stems and store them in an airtight container.
Oven Drying:
Preheat your oven to lowest setting (usually around 150°F or 65°C).
Spread the fresh herbs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined it in a proper way. Place the baking sheet in the oven and prop the oven door open slightly to allow the moisture to escape.
Bake the herbs for 1-2 hours, or until they are completely dry and crumble easily.
Remove the herbs from the oven and allow them to cool before storing them in an airtight container.
Just in case you want to consume only fresh herbs, here are the benefits. Fresh herbs are often considered better than dried herbs for several reasons:
Aroma:
Fresh herbs have a fragrant aroma that can enhance the overall sensory experience of a dish. The aromatic compounds in fresh herbs are more pronounced than in dried herbs, adding depth and complexity to dishes.
Flavor:
Fresh herbs are more vibrant and intense flavor compared to dried herbs. The process of drying can cause some of the essential oils responsible for flavor to evaporate, resulting in a less potential taste.
Nutritional Value:
Fresh herbs generally retain more of their nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, compared to dried herbs. While fresh and dried herbs can contribute beneficial compounds to dishes, fresh herbs are often considered more nutrient-dense.
Texture:
Fresh herbs have a crisp texture that can provide a pleasing contrast to dishes. Dried herbs, by contrast, can be brittle and lack the same texture as their fresh counterparts.
What can I do with fresh herbs?
Fresh herbs can be used in a wide variety of culinary applications to add flavor, aroma, and visual appeal to dishes. Here are some ideas for what you can do with fresh herbs:
Add to salads:
Fresh herbs, such as coriander, cilantro, basil, and parsley, can add flavor and texture to salads. You can also use fresh herbs to make salad dressings.
Add to meat:
Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano can be used to flavor meat before cooking, adding depth and complexity to the dish.
Make tea:
Fresh herbs like mint and lemon verbena can be used to make tea, adding flavor and aroma to the drink.
8 HERBS THAT ARE BEST FOR DRYING
1. Summer savory (Satureja hortensis)
Plant name: | Summer savory |
Light requirements: | Full sun |
Water requirements: | Moderate to low |
Growing zone: | Zones 1 to 11 |
Approximate drying time? | 2 to 4 weeks |
Summer savory is a less commonly used culinary herb, but it adds nuance and a deep, slightly spicy flavor to soups, casseroles, and other dishes too. While summer savory can be used in just about any recipe where you’d normally add thyme, this herb really comes alive when paired with fish and poultry. Unlike winter savory, summer savory grows as an annual, and it tends to be easy to find at plant nurseries.
While you can dry summer savory and the other herbs on this list with a dehydrator, woody-stemmed herbs have low moisture content, which means they dry well in bundles. When hang drying summer savory, be sure to locate your herbs out of direct sunlight as the sun can cause herbs to discolor. If you’re worried about your herbs dropping leaves as they dry, hang your herbs loosely inside a small paper bag to catch any falling stems and leaves.
2. Winter savory (Satureja montana)
Winter savory is a perennial type of savory and is also a good candidate for air drying.
Plant name: | Winter savory |
Light requirements: | Full sun |
Water requirements: | Moderate to low |
Growing zone: | Zones 6 to 9 |
Approximate drying time? | 2 to 4 weeks |
Winter savory is a bit harder to find than summer savory, but you can usually track this plant down at local plant nurseries. If you’re having trouble finding winter savory plants, you can always take cuttings if your friends happen to grow this herb, or you can grow winter savory from seed. When in bloom, winter savory flowers are magnets for bees, while the plant’s edible leaves are rich and savory with notes of mint, thyme, and marjoram.
Like summer savory, winter savory doesn’t have a lot of moisture in its leaves, so it’s a good candidate for air drying. While you can hang dry this plant, you can also spread it out on a single layer on a mesh drying rack and allow it to dry out of direct sunlight. For another electricity-free herb drying option, you can place winter savory or other herbs on a sheet pan in your car on a hot day and allow the herbs to dry naturally in the heat!
3. Sage (Salvia officinalis)
You'll know sage (and other herbs) are dry enough to use and store if they crumble in your hands.
Plant name: | Sage |
Light requirements: | Full sun |
Water requirements: | Moderate to low |
Growing zone: | Zones 4 to 10 |
Approximate drying time? | 1 to 2 weeks |
A must-have around the holidays, sage has a warm and earthy flavor that works well with roasted vegetables and meats, but it can also be used in less traditional dishes like pizza. Culinary sage typically has green leaves, but you can find more colorful cultivars like purple sage or tricolor sage to add more vibrancy to your herb beds. While sage is mostly known for its leaves, this plant also blooms prolifically, and its sweet, purple flowers will beckon bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden space.
If you want to use sage throughout the winter months, you can freeze the leaves in airtight baggies, or you can dry the leaves and store them in your spice cabinet. Sage leaves can be dried on wire racks, or you can bundle 5 to 10 stems of sage together with a rubber band or twine and hang them out of direct sunlight. Sage leaves will be completely dry and ready for storage when you can easily crumble them between your fingers.
4. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme doesn't like much water when its growing, so it does not have a high moisture content when cut.
Plant name: | Thyme |
Light requirements: | Full sun |
Water requirements: | Low |
Growing zone: | Zones 5 to 9 |
Approximate drying time? | 3 days to 2 weeks |
Another favorite herb for cozy autumn and winter fare, thyme is a compact plant that can be cultivated in container gardens, patio spaces, or larger garden beds. Thyme doesn’t need much water as it grows, making it relatively low maintenance, and it can even grow on sunny windowsills if you have the space for it. Garden thyme is the most popular thyme variety for cooking, but you can also grow more unique cultivars like lemon thyme and orange thyme.
Like many other herbs, thyme can be harvested a little bit at a time throughout the growing season, or you can take a larger harvest of leaves in early summer. Just keep in mind that thyme is a perennial plant, and it usually overwinters well, so there’s no need to harvest the entire plant in the fall. Thyme bundles can be hung in dry spaces in your home, or you can dry this herb on sheet pans if you’re worried about the dried leaves scattering.
5. Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
Plant name: | Marjoram |
Light requirements: | Full sun |
Water requirements: | Low |
Growing zone: | Zones 9 to 10 |
Approximate drying time? | 1 to 2 weeks |
Citrusy, earthy, and a bit woodsy in flavor, marjoram tastes a bit like oregano and thyme, but it has a flavor all its own. Compared to plants like sage, marjoram isn’t as commonly grown in home gardens, but we hope that changes because marjoram is incredibly tasty and easy to keep. Plus, marjoram is highly coveted by pollinators if you allow it to flower!
While marjoram grows perennially in zones 9 and 10, this herb is cultivated as an annual in cooler spots. That means that if you live in an area where marjoram won’t overwinter, you’ll probably want to harvest your entire plant before the weather gets too cold in fall. It’s usually easy to dry marjoram with the stems and leaves intact and then smooth the leaves off the stems after the herb has finished drying.
6. Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
Parsley dries well when air dried, but if you want to keep more color and uniformity, it will do well in a dehydrator, too.
Plant name: | Parsley |
Light requirements: | Full sun to part shade |
Water requirements: | High to moderate |
Growing zone: | Zones 2 to 11 |
Approximate drying time? | 2 weeks |
Often used as a garnish, parsley also makes a refreshing addition to salads and vegetable bowls, and it can even be blended into colorful sauces like chimichurri. But if you have more fresh parsley than you know what to do with, you’ll probably want to preserve your harvest to prevent your homegrown herbs from going to waste. Like many other herbs, parsley does freeze well, but it’s also a breeze to dry, and it stores well in spice cabinets.
While parsley technically has tender stems, this herb can dry well with hang drying as long as you keep the herb out of direct light as it dries. That said, parsley can also be dried in a food hydrator, microwave, or your oven set at the lowest setting, so it’s really up to you how you choose to dry this herb. While hang drying is effective, you may get more uniformly colored dried herbs if you dry parsley quickly in a dehydrator.
7. Dill (Anethum graveolens)
The trick to air drying dill is to make sure your bundles are not too thick.
Plant name: | Dill |
Light requirements: | Full sun to part shade |
Water requirements: | High to moderate |
Growing zone: | Zones 2 to 11 |
Approximate drying time? | 2 weeks |
Like parsley, dill has tender stems, and it can be dried either with a dehydrator or hang drying. If you decide to air dry dill, make sure your herb bundles aren’t so thick that they don’t allow air to circulate. Instead, only bundle up a few stems of dill together and space the herb bundles apart from each other so air can flow properly.
As a cool-weather herb, dill plants aren’t ideal for summer gardens, and spring-planted herb generally bolts at the first signs of heat. When dill bolts, the plant’s flavor changes, which is why many gardeners harvest their entire dill plants in early summer. However, if you decide to leave dill plants in your garden over the summer months, these plants will attract pollinators, and they also serve as host plants for swallowtail butterflies!
8. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Chamomile is famously used to craft herbal teas, but chamomile flowers can also be steeped into jams and jellies or baked into desserts. With a mild yet refreshing floral flavor, chamomile has a truly unique taste, and the dainty flowers can also be used as garnishes or to make crafts. If you like the thought of using chamomile in non-edible ways, you can use this herb to make soaps, bath salt blends, salves, and other beauty products too!
Plant name: | Chamomile |
Light requirements: | Full sun to part shade |
Water requirements: | Moderate |
Growing zone: | Zones 2 to 9 |
Approximate drying time? | 1 to 2 weeks |
Drying your own herbs is a wonderful way to preserve your garden harvest and enjoy the freshest ingredients in your recipes throughout the seasons. And while dehydrators have their place, hang drying herbs is the most traditional way to preserve herbs, and it works well for most woody-stemmed and sturdy plants.
Once you get the hang of drying herbs, you can also expand this process to preserve cut flowers like yarrow, baby’s breath, and echinops!
After drying your herbs, you can add them to your spice rack, blend them into recipes or brew them into teas. Some of the herbs we’ve covered today work well in hot and cold beverages.
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