How to Harvest and Dry Medicinal Herbs

It is safest to buy medicinal herbs from registered producers, for instance through specialist herbal pharmacies. That said, freshly grown lavender from the garden or a pot of basil deserves to be preserved rather than left to fade. Fresh leaves may be picked for immediate use at any time during the growing season. For herbs you intend to store, harvest at the height of the season.

Gather leaves in the morning once the dew has lifted, since direct sun diminishes their beneficial compounds. Leaves are at their freshest while the plant is young, right up to flowering. Pick only healthy leaves, free from pallor, yellowing, or insect damage. The best moment to harvest the whole plant is just before the flowers open. Collect blossoms at midday in settled dry weather; pick them once they have opened. Gather seeds in warm, dry conditions when ripe, yet before they begin to shed. Lift roots in autumn after the aboveground parts have dried back and withered. At that time the roots hold a concentrated store of active constituents. Dig annual roots once their life cycle has finished near the end of the year, and lift perennial roots in their second or third year of growth.

Only those who know wild plants well should harvest them, in order to avoid any confusion with poisonous species. Do not gather medicinal herbs near roads or polluted areas.

Place cut plants, leaves, and flowers gently in a basket with a flat bottom or in a wooden crate. Do not put them in a sack or bag, since they may become crushed, bruised, or damp.

Drying in Bundles

Tie stems with string and hang them upside down. Space them well so that air can circulate.

Do not tie more than nine stems together in a single bundle. If the area is dusty, protect the bundles with a paper bag without a bottom.

Warm, Dry, Dark, and Well Ventilated Place

Dry herbs in a warm, dry, dark space with good ventilation. During the first 24 hours, an ideal temperature is 32°C, then maintain 24 to 26°C. At lower temperatures, drying takes longer.

Roots Can Be Dried in the Oven

Drying is complete when leaves feel papery and brittle, yet not so fragile that they crumble to dust at a touch. Roots require a higher temperature (around 50°C), and they can be dried in the oven as well, turning them regularly until they become crisp.