How To Dry Herbs Naturally At Home
Photo of hang drying herbs on brown background by Plato Terentev on Pexels
Updated 2024.07.24
Looking for a way to dry fresh herbs quickly, at home and without an oven or dehydrator? Below are three ways to preserve your herbs naturally -
Preserving fresh herbs from the garden can provide you with herbal remedies, dish seasonings and teas you can use during the off season.
The easiest way to preserve fresh herbs is to dry them.
The good news is that herb preservation can be a pretty low cost activity; you don’t need any fancy equipment to dry herbs. You don’t need a dehydrator or an oven.
You only need a little bit of time and a dry, warm place.
To start drying your herbs, clip your herb stalks from the garden, leaving at least ⅓ of the plant intact, so it can regrow. Cut right above the last leaf nodule you want to remain.
Gather all your herb clippings and rinse them off in a stream of water to remove any insects and insect eggs. Dry the stalks by pressing them between two paper or cloth towels.
Now your herbs are ready to dry!
Below are three methods you can use to dry fresh herbs at home:
Photo How to dry herbs naturally at home: 3 easy methods to dry fresh herbs text over hang drying herbs by Plato Terentev on Pexels
1 - Air dry herbs outside
On a warm, calm, dry day, find a flat surface outdoors where you can lay your herbs out for at least 4-6 hours in filtered part-shade light.
Do not dry herbs outside in direct full sunlight, especially on very hot days as the leaves can burn or bleach. If the day is overcast, you may leave your herbs out in “direct sunlight,” while checking on them hourly.
Once you have found your spot, lay all your herbs out on paper towels or a cut-to-lay-flat paper grocery bag.
Give each herb stalk some space between the one next to it so that all stalks are laying flat and not overlapping each other.
When the herb leaves and stalks are crispy and dry to the touch, they are done. If they do not dry the first day or it starts to rain, take them inside at night, and lay them out to dry another morning or afternoon.
2 - Dry herbs in a paper bag in the car
Take your cleaned herbs and loosely place them in a paper grocery bag, or large paper lunch bag, sealing the top of the bag by rolling it up or stapling it shut. Don't forget to label the bags. You might think you'll remember or be able to tell, but once they are dry, it can be difficult to tell the difference between various mints and herbs.
Place the paper grocery bag in the back window or seat of your vehicle, whichever side gets the most sunlight during the day. Park your car facing north.
Crack the car window a bit, and leave alone for at least 24 hours then check on them to see if they are dry to the touch.
Repeat this process for another 24 hours if needed. How much time you need to leave the herbs in the paperbag will depend on the season, the humidity and temperature where you are. When your herbs are crispy but not burned, they are done.
3 - Dry herbs by hanging them loosely upside down
Take your dried, cleaned herbs and place them into loose bundles where the stems are no bigger than the hole you can make with your thumb and index finger when touching them together. Loosely tie twine or cotton string around the base stalk of each bundle, finishing the tie with enough room to hang the bundle from a hook.
Tie as many bundles as you have herbs and space, and hang the bundles' leaves facing downward from any hooks you have in your home that are available - garage tool hooks, kitchen hooks you normally use to hang pots, plant hooks to hang baskets inside. Shower curtain hooks in an unused bathroom.
Leave hanging bundles for a week, checking to see if they are dry and around the twine, to see if the stems still have moisture. If the stems still have moisture, loosen your bundles or make them smaller by breaking them up, and leave the bundles hanging for one more week.
Okay, so there are three ways to dry herbs from your garden naturally. Now for a few commonly asked questions about the process:
Photo of bunches of herbs hanging upside down on string by KoolShooters on Pexels
How long does it take to dry herbs?
If drying herbs on a hot sunny day, it can take as little as 4-6 hours. Using the paper bag or hanging methods, you are looking at anywhere between one day and a week depending on how dry and warm it is where the herbs are drying.
What herbs can you hang dry?
Any herb that has a high amount of edible leaf, flower and stem content can be hung to dry. Vegetables with large air pockets, such as peppers, can also be hung to dry.
Vegetables with high water content, like tomatoes and cucumbers, usually do not do well with natural drying methods, unless sliced very thinly beforehand, as they are prone to rot.
Do you wash herbs before drying?
Yes, wash your herbs before drying them to rinse off insects and insect eggs.The one caveat here is if you are drying flowers. With some flowers, like elderflowers, it's the pollen you want so you just want them to sit a bit to allow the bugs to get away. Do not shake vigorously, either.
How do you store dried herbs?
Leaves/flowers once dried can be broken off gently from stems and stored in a sealed container. This process is called garbling.
Store your herbs in an airtight container in a cool dark place, such as in a canning jar in a pantry. Most dried herbs will keep this way for a year or longer. You can determine freshness by the color of your herbs and the scent of your herbs. If they have lost color or scent, their potency is waning.
Drying your own herbs can be a great way to maximize your harvest, save money and make use of the resources available to you. For these reasons, it can be a fun and empowering experience that you enjoy.
While drying your herbs, consider using the time thinking about the ways you can use your preserved harvest in the future, to get even more ideas on how to incorporate your herbs into your life.
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