Herbs, Herbs, and more Herbs

I have recently had the pleasure of being asked to give a presentation on herbs. To that end I wrote up a few things there were of interest to this particular audience. To make the information readily available I've decided to post the information here in installments. The first installment is the most frequently asked question I get. How does one harvest and store herbs. My preference is usually to dry the herbs as it is the easiest. Below is what I wrote up to present. I was trying to keep it short and to the point. There will be much more information to come including information on specific herbs. These are basically my notes  

Drying and Storing Herbs

Collect herbs when they are at their best. Roots should be full of life. The roots should not be full of bugs or woody. Leaves should look vibrantly tender and fresh with no discoloration. Leaves should not be harvested when the plant is in bloom. Flowers should be plucked when they are just about to bud into full beauty.

Herbs are best gathered according to season and time of day. Early morning and early evening are generally best. Gather herbs that are free from moisture which will prolong the drying time.

Roots: 

Roots are generally harvested in the Fall. In a wet season wait until things have dried out a bit. Wet roots are soggy and hard to dry. They are also less concentrated in their saps and juices. Old roots become woody and tough and are undesirable. Do not soak roots to clean them. Use a vegetable scrubbing brush and a little water. To dry roots slice them into small pieces first. You may dry them in full sun, by a wood stove, or in a food dryer or dehydrator. They usually take 2-3 weeks to dry. Do not store them until you are absolutely sure they are completely dry or they will be ruined. They should crack, not bend.

Drying leaves and flowers: 

Dry in a warm shaded area out of direct sunlight. 85-95 degrees is best. Good ventilation is a must. A fan may be helpful. There should be very little moisture in the air. Attics and upstairs rooms are often better for drying. Your herbs may be bundled by species and hung upside down in your warm, dry room. Be sure to check your bundles of herbs and when completely dry store them in a clean dry glass jar in a dark place. It should take between 4 days to a week for your herbs to be completely dry depending on the humidity. The leaves should crackle. A dehydrator is an acceptable method to dry leaves and flowers too.

In the Fall 2011 issue of The Herb Quarterly another drying method has been presented on page 25. This is to loosely pack your herbs in a brown paper bag, close with a clothespin and put the bag in your parked car. On very hot days the trunk is the best place to put them; otherwise put it on the dashboard. Shake the bag to check dryness and, according to the article, they should be dry within a day or two. Another method of car drying would be in single layers in baskets. This is recommended for comfrey and basil as they tend to blacken otherwise. I would not recommend drying valerian this way unless you want your car to smell so bad it wards off thieves and everyone else. Pick up a copy of The Herb Quarterly for more information on this and lots more dealing with herbs. It is a great resource!