How to Dry Your Fresh Garden Herbs?

If you are faced with an abundance of fresh herbs, and don't know what to do with it,
drying the herbs is the surest way to minimize food waste and have herbs on hand
that still pack a load of flavor in your favorite recipes. Don't waste and instead make
those excess herbs work for you.

First of all, you have to know basics of herb drying

When herbs are dried, they are safe from bacteria, mold and yeast, and will remain
potent for at least six to 12 months. To remove moisture, all you need is air
circulation. Some warmth can also help. The six methods detailed here fit the bill.

Washing herbs usually isn’t necessary if they are grown organically. Harvest herbs in
mid-morning before newly developed essential oils have been burned off by the sun,
but after the dew has dried. Remove old, dead, diseased or wilted leaves.

When you harvest herbs for their seeds, the seed heads should be turning brown and
hardening, but not yet ready to shatter. To harvest herbs for their flowers — such as
chamomile flowers or thyme spikes —  snip flower buds off the plants close to the
first day the buds open.

Next, you have to know what are the drying methods

No matter which drying method you choose, effective drying relies on abundant dry,
fresh air more than heat. A well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight is ideal. If you
live in a humid area, the process may be slower, and mold can be a problem. If mold
is an issue, we recommend using a small commercial dehydrator.

Hanging Dry
To hang dry herbs, tie sprigs or branches into small bunches (large, dense bunches
can develop mold and discolored leaves). Hang the bunches up to dry, leaves
downward, wrapped loosely in muslin or thin paper bags to keep out dust and to
catch falling leaves or seeds. Avoid using plastic bags because of mold development.

Allow seven to ten days to dry, depending on the size of the branches and humidity.
Wondering if they’re completely dry? If the leaves sound like crisp cornflakes when
crushed, they’re good to go.

You also can air-dry herb seeds like fennel, parsley, caraway and coriander. Seed
heads tend to ripen unevenly, so once most of the head is brown, harvest it with
about two feet of stem (or as long a stem as possible). Bundle four to five stems
together, then cover the heads with muslin or a paper bag and hang them upside
down.

Rack Drying
You can speed up drying by spacing out individual sprigs or leaves of herbs on racks.
To make a drying rack, stretch muslin, cheesecloth or netting over a wooden frame
and fix it in place. Place the tray in an airing cupboard, in the warming drawer of an
oven or in a warm, airy spot out of direct sunlight. Turn leaves frequently to ensure
even drying, which should take two or three days.

Oven Drying
The leaves of herbs such as sage, mint, rosemary, thyme and parsley, stripped from
their stalks, are perfect for oven drying. Space out leaves on a muslin-covered tray in
an oven set to the lowest possible temperature (higher temperatures diminish the
fragrant essential oils) with the door ajar to allow moisture to escape. Turn the leaves
over after 30 minutes to ensure even drying; they will be quite dry within an hour.
Leave in the oven until cool.

Microwave Drying
Microwaving works well when drying small quantities of herbs. Separate the leaves
from the stems, rinse if necessary and let air dry. Place a single layer of leaves on a
paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Lay another paper towel on top, and
microwave on high for one minute. Watch closely, and stop if you smell the herbs
burning. Continue heating at 30-second intervals, if needed, until the herbs are fully
dry.

Last, how to dry fresh herbs?

Gather Clippings
Gather your clippings and place them in a paper bag.

Monitor After Two Weeks

Check in about two weeks to see how things are progressing. Keep checking weekly
until your herbs are dry enough to crumble and ready to store.

Remove Dry or Diseased Leaves

Remove any dry or diseased leaves from the cut herbs. Yellowed leaves and leaves
spotted by disease are not worth drying. Their flavor has already been diminished by
the stress of the season.

Shake Branches
Shake the branches gently to remove any insects. There are always hitchhikers, and
since you won't be thoroughly washing the stems, get rid of as many as you can right
now.

Make Sure Herbs Are Dry

If you've picked your herbs while the plants are dry, you should be able to simply
shake off any excess soil. Rinse with cool water only if necessary and pat dry with
paper towels. Hang or lay the herb branches out where they will get plenty of air
circulation so they can dry out quickly. Wet herbs will mold and rot.

Remove Lower Leaves

Remove the lower leaves along the bottom inch or so of the stem. You can use these
leaves fresh or dry them separately.

Bundle Stems Together

Bundle four to six stems together and tie as a bunch. You can either use a string or a
rubber band. The bundles will shrink as they dry and the rubber band will loosen, so
check periodically to make sure that the bundle is not slipping. If you are trying to dry
herbs that have a high water content, make small bundles so they get air flow
between the branches and do not rot.

Punch Holes in the Bag

Punch or cut holes in a paper bag, then label the bag with the name of the herb you
are drying.

Place Herb Upside Down

Place the herb bundle upside down into the bag. You can include the loose leaves
you removed from the bottom inch of the stems if you like.

Secure Bag
Secure the bag by gathering the end around the bundle and tie it closed. Make sure
the herbs are not crowded inside the bag.

Hang Bag Upside Down

Hang the bag upside down in a warm, airy room.

What's more, you should own a best dryer.

ECO Farm 5 Trays Herb Drying Machine

The ECO Farm herb dryer features all food grade safe plastic construction, a clear
housing to monitor food.

This Food Grade Safe Plastic (BPA free) herb dryer is built to ensure ‘Super’ long
lasting reliability & easy cleanup. The temp ranges allow for precision drying.

When using the herb dryer always follow the manual directions, for the correct
drying temperature of desired food & prepping if need be. Do not overlap food on
trays, this will disrupt air flow & proper drying.
 HerbsNOW Herb Dryer

The HerbsNOW dryer gives you the perfect environment to dry your weed every time.
Using advanced technology, HerbsNOW provides you with a pre-set, ideal
temperature that has been tested exclusively for drying cannabis.

Multi-directional airflow, along with open-weave trays ensures each bud is dried
consistently. This also means you do not need to rotate or touch the buds during the
drying process.

HerbsNOW provides all of this in a captured environment, meaning you get

high-quality, consistent drying in a small, enclosed space. Take back all of the space
you’ve needed for hang drying because HerbsNOW only needs one square foot to
give you consistent drying every time.
ECO Farm Weed Dryer

How long does it take to dry weed? Typically it can take a week or more until it’s
fully dried. Not to mention, drying marijuana takes up a lot of valuable space. Space
that could be used to expand your grow.

Why not save time, space, and ultimately money when you’re drying your cannabis?
ECO Farm takes up a little over one square foot and can dry at least 6 ounces in that
small space.

The ECO Farm dryer provides a controlled drying environment, meaning your weed is
perfectly dried in less time than it takes to hang dry. All while retaining potency,
terpenes, and flavor.