Leaves are often the first part of plants that most of us dry. They form the basis for many culinary recipes and teas, and are the foundation of many herbal crafts. It is necessary to ensure that the taste and color of herbal leaves are preserved and to avoid mold on the leaves. This is important both aesthetically and for your health. For drying belladonna leaves correctly, it is best to collect them after the dew has dried, but before the hottest part of the day. Keep the leaves away from direct sunlight when you collect them to avoid accelerating decay. There’s no need to wash herbal leaves; often, a quick shake to remove dust or a brush to remove insects is all that’s necessary.
Another way to dry herb leaves is in bunches, with tied stems or held together with rubber bands. I find using elastic bands better, as sometimes herbs shrink as they dry, and they might slip out of twine. Herb bunches can also be dried in the same manner, except they are bundled into paper bags for tying. This helps protect your herbs from direct sunlight and dust. I find that for small leaves, like savory, any dry leaves that fall off will always remain in the bag.
Herbal leaves can also be dried in a dehydrator. This speeds up the drying process, reducing it from a week or more at room temperature to a day or two in the dehydrator. Leaves dried this way retain their bright green color more often; even delicate basil will dry well at low temperatures in a dehydrator.
Finally, the simplest way to dry herbal leaves is to lay them in a single layer on newspaper. This is a quick way to get a herbal harvest in before bad weather sets in. Make sure to place the newspaper away from direct sunlight. Check the leaves frequently within the first 24 hours, as most of the moisture is lost during this time. Continue to turn or shuffle the harvest so the leaves don’t overlap, as this could lead to mold development.
Drying Herb Flowers
Herb flowers are very delicate and require a gentle touch. They can be dried just like herb leaves but are treated with light pressure, like bruises, and without removing petals, which will ensure that mold doesn’t develop.
Properly dried herb flowers retain their color and scent. If only the petals are needed, I find it easier to allow the flower to dry for a day, then remove the petals to finish drying. This gives the flowers a little time to loosen their petals for easier removal.
Drying Herb Seeds
Keep herb seeds from year to year. Since most herb seeds are organic and non-GMO, you’ll preserve ideal seeds tailored to your growing zone.
Seeds for drying herbs: remove seed heads and allow them to dry in a single layer. Newspaper works well for this. Avoid any more than the slightest breeze when drying seeds. There’s nothing worse than an annual gust blowing on your coriander seed crop.
Seeds will dry quite quickly, within a few weeks. In most cases, you can take dry seeds, and I often take them dry enough to rub the seeds from the seed heads and pour them into jars with lids for another month to remove any excess moisture that may remain for them to evaporate. Then I tightly close the jar and place it in a cool, dark place until I need them.
Drying Herb Roots
For many of us, drying herb roots isn’t as common as drying leaves and flowers. This is unfortunate, as herbal roots are very nutritious and beneficial. Before the drying process, roots should be cleaned, and root hairs removed. When dry, it’s almost impossible to remove the dust and dirt that gets into the nooks and crannies as the root dries. I use a vegetable brush with plenty of fresh water to clean the roots of my harvest.
Some roots need to be divided when they are still fresh, such as marshmallow, requiring peeling. This will be impossible if there’s a crust after drying. Larger roots will need to be cut into several parts while still fresh. If a root needs to be finely chopped and then dried, use a coffee grinder to grind it into powder. The root of comfrey should be cut in this way. I had clients who told me that this was wrong for comfrey root and they made jam out of it. Looking further, I think they used a cheap meat grinder with plastic blades.
Finally, the sliced roots in any direction need to be dried in a single layer. I prefer to dry the roots in a dehydrator to ensure that there is no moisture left inside the thick root. But this is my personal preference. You can effectively dry them on newspaper or on a screen, but in that case, careful observation is needed.