The most simple way to dry fresh lavender is to let it hang dry. Collect handful-size bouquets, secure the stems together with twine or a rubber band, and hang them upside down to passively dry. If you harvested a lot of lavender at once, it is best to create and hang several small bunches rather than one large one.
Can lavender leaves be dried?
As for how to dry lavender, it’s easy! Of the different types of lavender, go for the English or French varieties, since they contain plenty of oils. You can dry either the flowers, or the leaves and sprigs. Make sure you cut the lavender buds from the plant before the flowers open.
How do you harvest and dry lavender leaves?
The simplest method for drying lavender is to hang the bunches upside down. As you cut each bunch from the plant, tie it together at the cut end with a rubber band or piece of twine. Hang the bunches upside down from hooks or nails in a cool, dark area.
What can you do with fresh lavender leaves?
Lavender Leaves :: Ideas and Recipes
- Vinegar. Steep in vinegar and use in vinaigrettes or as a cleaning product.
- Simple Syrup. Simmer a couple stems in a simple syrup and add to lemonade, iced tea or cocktails.
- Tea.
- Mixed with Fresh Cheese.
- Scented Sugar.
- Cookies.
- Cake.
- Dried Herb Mixture.
When should you cut lavender for drying?
Cutting the Flowers. Wait until 40% to 50% of the plant has flowered buds. Usually, this is in early to mid-spring. You might be able to tell that the lavender is ready by looking for tons of bees as they fly around to pollinate each plant.
Should you wash lavender before drying?
Make sure that the lavender is free from dirt and any bugs. Spread them out on the trays and place in the dehydrator. Make sure that they are not touching for the best results. Set on the lowest setting.
How do you dry lavender at home?
Hang the lavender bunches in a warm, dry location with good air circulation. An open window or fan nearby will help. Drying lavender in a dark place (out of direct sunlight) will improve color retention. The time it takes to fully dry can vary from a couple of weeks to over a month, depending on your climate.
How do you dry lavender leaves quickly?
Hanging bunches, and using a drying rack are the two slowest methods. It can take a few days or more for your lavender to dry completely. If you want to dry lavender faster, then use a dehydrator, the oven, or the microwave. It only takes a short time for it to dry using these methods.
Where can I dry lavender leaves?
Hang bundles upside down to dry in a dark, warm spot. Protect drying lavender from sunlight to retain best color, and place a sheet beneath the bundles to catch any buds or blooms that might fall. You should have dried lavender bunches in about seven to 10 days, depending on humidity.
How do you hang lavender to dry?
Leave it in the sun outside or in a sunny spot in your house for about a week, or until the flowers crumble easily. If you’d prefer to dry the lavender inside, tie it in a bunch with a rubber band. Then hang it upside down in a dark, dry place, like your garage, for 2-4 weeks.
Does dried lavender smell?
Generally, dried Lavender will keep its delightful fragrance for a season. Lavenders with higher oil content, such as Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’, will stay fragrant longer. Squeeze or crush the flowers to release the scent.
Can you eat the leaves of lavender?
Both the flowers and leaves can be eaten and have a pleasant yet slightly bitter flavor. Lavender grows throughout southern Europe, Australia and the United States. Dried lavender has only a few calories per tablespoon and is free of fat and cholesterol.
What part of the lavender plant is used for tea?
buds
The most common way lavender is consumed is by brewing a tea from its buds. Brewing lavender buds into a tea helps release the oils and scents.
How long does dried lavender last?
Most lavender will keep a very strong fragrance for an entire season when dried, but when you store and care for it correctly you can extend that life upwards of 10 years.
How do you make dried lavender smell stronger?
If you’ve had it a little while and would like to refresh the fragrance, put it in a bag and give it a really good squeeze. This will release more of the naturally fragrant oils. You’ll find you can do this a few times to pep up the natural scent.
Will lavender grow back after cutting?
“It’s true that lavender doesn’t regenerate if you cut hard back like this, but you can often find signs of young shoots sprouting from those lower, woody stems. This is a good indication that hard pruning could help to regenerate the plant.
Can you dry out lavender in the oven?
The Oven Method
Here are the simple steps for drying lavender in the oven: Set the oven to low heat at around 100 degrees Celsius. Spread a thin layer of lavender on a baking tray and place it in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the stalks are completely brittle.
How do you dry lavender in a bag?
The best way to dry lavender is to cut handfuls that are not too large and hang the bunches in a warm and dry place with good circulation and little to no direct sunlight. Warm and dry spaces will help the lavender dry more quickly and too much direct sunlight can fade your lavender quickly.
What can I do with lavender stems?
Cut stems short and use them as fire starters for your outdoor fire pit, fireplace, or stove. As stems are full of oil, they are good fire starters. I use them all the time for my fireplace. Cut them very short and use them as part of the lavender potpourri.
Why do you hang lavender upside down?
The darkness helps the lavender retain its color, and drying lavender upside-down helps lavender retain its blossom shape.
What to do with lavender after it blooms?
When these shoots have finished flowering, you should consistently prune back to the bushy, leafed part of the plant. Most hobby gardeners follow a one-third-two-third rule when pruning Lavender. This stipulates you prune back the plants by a third in the summer and two thirds in the spring.