Drying Lavender: Five Mistakes to Avoid

2022-07-24T07:18:28.157Z

There is no art to drying lavender flowers and leaves, but some common mistakes result in loss of flavor or mold growth.

The compost does not have to smell of lavender - the dried herb is much better kept in your own four walls.

So just cut off the lavender and put it on the heater?

It's not that easy if you want to preserve the full fragrance.

But if you avoid a few mistakes, you can dry them in no time at all.

Drying lavender - Mistake #1: Harvesting at the wrong time

Lavender should be tied up in bunches and hung in the air to dry.

If all the flowers have already faded, you have missed the ideal time.

This is not bad, but leads to a loss of flavor.

It is best to harvest when there are only a few fresh blossoms on the branch and many buds are still visible.

The best time of day is midday, when the plants are likely to be dry.

Drying lavender - Mistake #2: Wet flowers or leaves

Harvest only dry parts of the plant.

Dew, rain or irrigation water can cause the lavender to simply wilt or even go moldy when trying to dry it.

Especially if you want to process the parts of the plant further, for example to make lavender oil yourself, the branches or flowers should be as dry as possible.

Of course, you shouldn't wash them beforehand.

This applies to all herbs that you want to dry.

Drying lavender - Mistake #3: In the sun

What once bloomed blue quickly turns grey: Anyone who thinks that just because the lavender plant loves the sun so much that drying it in the sun is the most gentle method is unfortunately mistaken.

The sun fades the flowers and many fragrant essential oils evaporate.

Drying in the oven or over the heater is also unfavorable.

It is best to dry lavender on a string in an airy and rather dark place.

Drying lavender - Mistake #4: Not long enough

The lavender should be given up to two weeks to dry completely.

If the flowers crumble when you squeeze them, they're done.

If they are filled into containers too early, there is a risk of mold growth again, which unfortunately cannot be seen at first glance.

In any case, the lavender should not smell musty.

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Drying lavender - Mistake #5: The wrong type of lavender

This raises the question of what to do with the dried lavender.

As a precaution, only real lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) should be used for tea or as edible flowers for recipes such as lavender butter or desserts.

Spike lavender and French lavender are also good for purely scented applications such as scented sachets or potpourris.

All types of lavender are suitable for decoration.

10 plants that tolerate heat - from flowers to vegetables

A colorful perennial from the steppe: the Maideneye loves the sun.

Verbena reduces evaporation with small leaves.

It is very popular with butterflies.

Paprika and chili plants originally come from Central and South America and need a lot of warmth and light.

The flowers of the purslane only open when the sun shines, the fleshy leaves store water for dry times.

The black radish can store water in the thick tuber.

If it's dry for a long time, it gets sharper.

The tropical climbing plant Dipladenia or Mandevilla flowers in white, pink and red. It also looks good on a south-facing balcony.The tropical climbing plant Dipladenia or Mandevilla flowers in white, pink and red. It also looks good on a south-facing balcony.

Of course, the eggplant also needs to be watered, but it also required a lot of heat.Of course, the eggplant also needs to be watered, but it also needed a lot of heat.

The steppe sage survives, as the name suggests, long heat and dry periods. The steppe sage, as the name suggests, survives long heat and dry periods.

A prairie plant for the balcony and garden: the magnificent candle blooms until the first frost.A prairie plant for the balcony and garden: the magnificent candle blooms until the first frost.

The onion also gets by with a little water.

But if you get more, the tubers will get bigger. The onion also gets by with a little water.

But if she gets more, the tubers will get bigger.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-07-24