Drying your herbal bounty

Simple ways to dry your foraged plants. Before you forage, please see my previous post about ethical foraging here.

This time of year is filled with the ability to forage so many plants! Get out there and gather some of your own for medicines, herb wands, teas, and more! This post will help you to keep some of that bounty to use throughout the year.

The simplest way to dry your herbs is to use a cardboard box top.

It is very inexpensive, generally free. I got this cardboard tray from a local greenhouse this Spring after buying some plants. I kept it and utilized it for a drying “rack”

You can do the same. Make sure the area is dry and away from direct sunlight. Flip or move your plants every few days as they dry to ensure they don’t get any wet spots.

The next way to dry your herbs is to utilize your existing wall space. Use natural yarn or strong string. I used thumbtacks to secure mine. But you could use hooks or even tape.

I like using clothespins so I can move around and add. But you could also use ribbon to tie the bundles.

This is a beautiful way to not only dry, but showcase your foraging. When these beauties are dry, then you can put them in storage containers and add the next foraged goodies to the drying line. This is an artistic way to decorate with the seasons.

Another favorite way to dry is by adding hooks to the underside of mantles or shelves. You can add your plants after tying into bundles and hanging upside down. I like to tie my bundles and add a loop to hang onto the hooks. After the season is over, I already have hooks for the stockings to hang. :)

Another great way to dry your herbs is by using a dehydrator.

I utilize my dehydrator racks to dry whenever it is not is use. This is a great way to get the items dried while using the resources I already have.

I take the front cover off my dehydrator and remove some of the racks to create more space for air to travel around the plants.

Just like with the other methods, I will add to storage jars when the herbs are completely dry.

Bread tabs are a wonderful way to add a waterproof tag onto your herbs and also re-use an item. I keep this old tray to hold all my bread tabs, twist-ties, and rubberbands to use for identifying my herbs. You can write what the item is with sharpie on the tab and then re-use it each year. I hang it on the bundle around the string holding the herbs together.

Here is an herb bundle that will be used for an herb wand. Please come back for that post about ways to cleanse your home and a fun socially distanced way to meet up with friends and celebrate the changing of the seasons.

Here are the dried herbs ready to be added to medicines, potions, tinctures, teas, vinegars, etc.

Please email me with any posts you’d like to see. Thanks for coming by today!