| How To Dry Herbs to Make Tea Drying herbs for teas. |
| Please see our Laundry Tips and Clothes Washing Guide for more tips and ideas! |
| These handy tips are brought to you by the Best Drying Rack company, your source for the world's best drying rack |
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Safe herbs for brewing tea
Chamomile
Catnip
Horehound
Lemon Balm
Lemongrass
Rose Hips
Sassafras
Chamomile
Catnip
Horehound
Lemon Balm
Lemongrass
Rose Hips
Sassafras
Drying
Hang your herbs by the rubber band or string onto your drying rack.
Drying times vary from a few days to a couple weeks. You will know your herbs are dry when they
crumble easily.
Locate your drying rack in a dark warm room, garage or walk in closet. Or you may place your herbs in
a covered porch or patio if herbs are bundled in paper bags even out side under a shade tree will work
if you are willing to bring them inside every evening. Your goal is to keep herbs out of direct sunlight yet
in a place with good air circulation.
Your herbs are dry when the leave easily crumble.
Seeds will be released during the drying process place newspaper under your drying rack to keep
seeds off the floor and to make gathering easier for next years garden.
If you dried your herbs by the bag method your seeds should be already collected for you in the bottom
of the bag. Simply cut the sides off your bag where the wholes begin. Fold the bottom of your bag
together. Tape your bag closed and label your bag for easy storage and planting next spring.
Storing
Store your herbs in small glass jars with tight fitting lids. Keep the jars out of the light, away from heat
and out of your refrigerator.
How to make herbal tea
Using a metal tea-ball to hold a healthy pinch of your dried herbs, immerse the tea-ball in a mug of
boiling water and let it steep to the color and strength you prefer.
Enjoy your herbal tea all year round!
Hang your herbs by the rubber band or string onto your drying rack.
Drying times vary from a few days to a couple weeks. You will know your herbs are dry when they
crumble easily.
Locate your drying rack in a dark warm room, garage or walk in closet. Or you may place your herbs in
a covered porch or patio if herbs are bundled in paper bags even out side under a shade tree will work
if you are willing to bring them inside every evening. Your goal is to keep herbs out of direct sunlight yet
in a place with good air circulation.
Your herbs are dry when the leave easily crumble.
Seeds will be released during the drying process place newspaper under your drying rack to keep
seeds off the floor and to make gathering easier for next years garden.
If you dried your herbs by the bag method your seeds should be already collected for you in the bottom
of the bag. Simply cut the sides off your bag where the wholes begin. Fold the bottom of your bag
together. Tape your bag closed and label your bag for easy storage and planting next spring.
Storing
Store your herbs in small glass jars with tight fitting lids. Keep the jars out of the light, away from heat
and out of your refrigerator.
How to make herbal tea
Using a metal tea-ball to hold a healthy pinch of your dried herbs, immerse the tea-ball in a mug of
boiling water and let it steep to the color and strength you prefer.
Enjoy your herbal tea all year round!
OR
Paper Bag Method
Using paper lunch sacks that you have
prepared by cutting a couple dozen half
inch holes in on the sides of the bag,
not the bottom or within 1 inch of the
bottom, place your herbs in the sack.
You will want the 1 to 2 inch of your
stalks to be outside of the opening of
your bag. Then using your rubber
band or a piece of string secure the
open end of bag to the stalks.
Do not bundle different herbs together
as their flavors and fragrances will
transfer to each other during the drying
process.
Paper Bag Method
Using paper lunch sacks that you have
prepared by cutting a couple dozen half
inch holes in on the sides of the bag,
not the bottom or within 1 inch of the
bottom, place your herbs in the sack.
You will want the 1 to 2 inch of your
stalks to be outside of the opening of
your bag. Then using your rubber
band or a piece of string secure the
open end of bag to the stalks.
Do not bundle different herbs together
as their flavors and fragrances will
transfer to each other during the drying
process.
| Also see our other free guides on How to Dry Flowers and also How to Dry Herbs |
Harvesting
Using a very sharp knife or garden scissors cut your stems. Do not pick them as it will cause bruising on
the stem and a place for decomposition to start. Leave an extra inch or two at the bottom of your herbs
for bundling.
Harvest your herbs in the late morning when all the dew has had a chance to dry. This helps to prevent
mildew. Gently shake herbs to remove any bugs.
Visually inspect herbs. Remove any damaged leaves or flowers with your sharp knife before drying.
Bundling
Open Method
Using a rubber band near the cut end of the herbs, gather 5 to 7 stalks together and attach together.
You want your bundled end to be very secure as stalks shrink during the drying process. Yet you want
the other end loose enough to ensure air flow through out the bundle.
Using a very sharp knife or garden scissors cut your stems. Do not pick them as it will cause bruising on
the stem and a place for decomposition to start. Leave an extra inch or two at the bottom of your herbs
for bundling.
Harvest your herbs in the late morning when all the dew has had a chance to dry. This helps to prevent
mildew. Gently shake herbs to remove any bugs.
Visually inspect herbs. Remove any damaged leaves or flowers with your sharp knife before drying.
Bundling
Open Method
Using a rubber band near the cut end of the herbs, gather 5 to 7 stalks together and attach together.
You want your bundled end to be very secure as stalks shrink during the drying process. Yet you want
the other end loose enough to ensure air flow through out the bundle.
