Improvised Herb Drying Rack

Today I harvested peppermint, apple mint, lemon balm and alfalfa from my herb garden and collected wild red raspberry leaves from the woods. I also picked some red clover flowers from the meadow surrounding my garden.

This is the third summer we have been in our new home and I finally have my life together enough to dry some herbs for winter teas and herbal remedies. My only problem was where to hang the leafy herbs to dry. My kitchen has a very low ceiling and the one room that would be suitable has way to much direct sunlight. I don't have a rack that would work. After puzzling this over for a while I spotted the broken stepladder that was by the tree house when we moved in. The perfect herb drying rack! I wiped it down and brought it inside.

Drying herbs for tea, cooking, and medicinal use is simple and easy.

Perennial leafy plants are usually best harvested just as the flower buds are starting to open. This is when herbs like mint, thyme, lemon balm, and yarrow, etc are at their peak for flavor and medicinal value. Gather flowers such as calendula and red clover when flowers are fully open but before they they start to fade.

1) Gather the herbs on a clear dry day after the dew has dried. Inspect the leaves for insects, dirt and dead leaves. I pick off any brown leaves, and remove any insects. If there is a small amount of dirt I usually just brush it off. If there is a large amount of dirt that doesn't easily brush off, I usually discard that portion of the plant. I try to avoid washing the leaves if I don't have to as hanging them up wet can lead to mold problems.

2) Bunch the herbs into airy bundles. Air needs to be able to flow to the center of each bundle, otherwise the inner leaves could mold. You should be able to see through your bundle when you hold it up.

3) Hang the bundles to dry in a dry well ventilated place that is out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight causes the herbs to loose both color and flavor.

4) It will usually take 3-5 days for the herbs to dry. Drying time depends partly on humidity and partly on how much moisture is in the plants.

5) Once the herbs are dry, take them down and put them away as soon as you can. Though having bunches of dried herbs hanging in your kitchen may look pretty and decorative, heat, moisture, light, and air are all working on leaching the color and flavor out of the dried herbs. Also if they stay up too long they will start to collect dust. Gently strip the leaves or flowers off the stems (I usually do this into a large bowl or five gallon bucket). Discard any woody stems.

6) Store in air tight containers away from any heat sources. If you are using glass jars, place them in a dark cupboard or pantry. Heat and light are the enemies of flavor and color.  

This post is part of Garden Life at No Ordinary Homestead and the Barn Hop over at Homestead Revival.