Herbs

Frenchbean 6/23/2013, 1:24 pm

Can someone who knows about herbs help me please.
1. Can all herbs be dried and used later.
2. How is it best to dry herbs
3. How long do they keep for
4. What is the best way to store them
5. When is the best time to divide herbs and replant them.

Thank you so much

**sanderson** 6/23/2013, 1:53 pm

My experience:
1. Anything in your kitchen spice and herb rack can be sun dried. Dry til crisp. Then crumble or grind with mortar and pestle.
2. I solar dried in my dehydrator boxes. Totally screened to exclude flies.
3. I have some tins from the Viet Nam war era! Just not as potent as fresh ones.
4. I store in baby food mini plastic tubs or jars. Or in zip lock baggies if it something I use a lot. Just make sure you label!
5. Don't know. Someone else will have to answer this!

Frenchbean 6/23/2013, 3:22 pm

Sanderson

I guess I'll have to wait for the sun. Which doesn't look like its coming any time soon over here

**sanderson** 6/23/2013, 4:15 pm

When the dehydrator boxes are full or there is inclement weather, I cheat. I place them on old baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Set in the sun if warm, or Pop them in the oven on the lowest setting (160 F degrees for my oven) to give them a start at drying. Maybe 15-30 minutes. Then remove from oven, place cake rack over the herbs, then cover with thin clean cloth Check twice a day, tossing if I have a thick layer. We have rainy / overcast / foggy / cool days here, also. Only about 30-60 days or so. Ten inches of annual rain is a good year.

Here's a staged photo I just took. Staged with a little oregano I stripped from my plant.
Herbs Herb_d10

Frenchbean 6/23/2013, 5:12 pm

Sanderson

for taking the time to take a photo for me. I get it now. Thought about putting them in the oven but wasen't sure. Its so good to talk thinking

plantoid 6/23/2013, 7:33 pm

Frenchbean wrote:Can someone who knows about herbs help me please.
1. Can all herbs be dried and used later.
2. How is it best to dry herbs
3. How long do they keep for
4. What is the best way to store them
5. When is the best time to divide herbs and replant them.

Thank you so much

Number five ..
Tell us all what the herbs are and we can tell you how or point you in the right direction ( Google is wonderful Smile

so are my gardening books )

**sanderson** 6/23/2013, 11:17 pm

Frenchbean, My pleasure. Being retired is great.

Thinking back to last summer, did I put them in the pre-heated oven and then turn the heat off so they wouldn't cook???? :scratch:

Just to start the dehydration process. You don't want to cook them or to turn dark. Test and learn. Smile

Blossom137 12/13/2020, 6:20 am

Hello there! I also wanted to ask you about the others methods of drying herbs. What else, instead of solar drying, can be used? Can I just dry it in my oven? Or putting them on the radiator and waiting until they get dry? What do you think?

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