Dry Lavender

Delicate, fragrant lavender is easy to dry and preserve so that it may be use in scented sachets or as part of a dried flower arrangement. To dry lavender, it's important to harvest the flowers at the right moment, when their color is most brilliant and their scent strongest. You can then choose to dry the flowers in a dark room or in the sun, depending on their intended use. Read on to learn how to dry lavender two different ways.

Steps

Drying Lavender in a Dark Room

  1. Harvest the lavender before it's fully in bloom. Cut the lavender at the base of the stem when the buds are just opening. This will ensure that the dried lavender will retain a strong floral scent and remain it's bright purple color.[1]
  2. Cut matured lavender flowers just above the leaves. Aim to get the longest stem possible on the flower. In harvesting lavender you are also pruning the plant, which helps it grow strong throughout the winter.[2]
  3. Gather the lavender into a bunch. Once you've harvested a good handful, gather it into a bunch. Tap the bottoms of the stems against your palm to line them up neatly.
  4. Tie the stems with a rubber band. Wind the rubber bands toward the base of the stems. Keep winding until the stems are tightly secured, but not crushed.[3] Using a rubber band instead of string or ribbon will ensure that the stems won't slip from the tie as they shrink during the drying process.
  5. Find a dark place to dry the lavender. Drying lavender slowly in the dark is the best way to preserve its color, since the sun will fade the purple flowers. Look for a dry, dark place that doesn't get much sunlight, such as your shed, garage, or a shaded place under your eaves.
  6. Hang the lavender bunch upside down. Loop a strand of the rubber band over a hook or nail. You can also tie a string from the rubber band to a hook or rack to hang the lavender.
  7. Let the lavender dry for 2 - 4 weeks. Check every so often to see when the lavender is dry. When you brush the flowers, they should fall easily from the stems. You can leave the flowers on the stems or brush them off to use in sachets or for baking.

Drying Lavender in the Sun

  1. Harvest the lavender. Harvest lavender just before the buds open. Cut at the base of the stems to preserve as much stem as possible.
  2. Lay the lavender on a block of wood. A cutting board or another large piece of wood is perfect for drying lavender in the sun. If you use a metal tray, the lavender will get too hot; if you use plastic, you might have a melted mess on your hands.
  3. Place the lavender in a sunny spot. Move the cutting board or wood block to a place that gets plenty of sun, either indoors or outdoors. Drying lavender this way is a much quicker process than drying it in the dark, but be prepared for the sun to fade the lavender to a very pale purple color.
    • If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, either dry the lavender inside near a sunny window or be ready to move it inside when the clouds threaten to break.
  4. Allow the sun to completely dry the lavender. It should take under a week for the hot sun to dry the lavender. Check every few days to see whether the lavender is dry. When it's ready, the flowers should crumble easily from the stems.

Tips

  • If you use half-hitch knots, you can re-use your piece of string numerous times.
  • Lavender can discourage moths, so hanging the lavender in your clothes cupboards will not only smell nice to you, but could also save your clothes from insect attack.
  • Drying time is weather-dependent. If you live in a humid area, they may take longer to dry out.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://damselindisdress.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/how-to-dry-lavender/
  2. ↑ http://gardentherapy.ca/harvesting-english-lavender
  3. ↑ http://gardentherapy.ca/harvesting-english-lavender/
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