Drying lavender is one great way of preserving it, especially if it’s your harvest. In this article, you’ll learn how to dry lavender, which variety you can use, which part should be dried, and a few more tips on how you can preserve your harvest.
Lavender is one flowering herb that has a calming and relaxing scent. It also contains beneficial oils, which is why many people use it. If you have this herb in your garden, you might want to know how to dry lavender so you can have access to it whenever you need some.
Once you’ve dried it, you can use it for baking, cooking, tea, crafting, and a few more DIY activities.
Before you dry lavender, what variety is best?
There are different lavender varieties, such as the following.
- Ballerina, Spanish Lavender (Lavandula Stoechas)
- Kew Red, Spanish Lavender
- Anouk, Spanish Lavender
- Betty’s Blue, English Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia)
- Lavenite Petite, English Lavender
- Hidcote, English Lavender
- Impress Purple, Hybrid (Lavandula x Intermedia)
- Hidcole Hiant, Hybrid
- Grosso, Hybrid
- Portuguese Lavender (Lavandula Latifola)
- Egyptian Lavender (Lavandula Multifidia)
- French Lavender (Lavandula Dentata)
There are three types of lavender, Spanish, English, and Hybrid. But English lavender varieties are perfect for drying. It’s because it contains more oils than any other variety.
Which part of lavender can be dried?
You can dry all parts of the lavender, but the flower buds are the most famous part people usually dry because it’s on the flower buds you can mostly extract more oils. Buds are indeed flavorful and fragrant, so it makes sense if you dry this part.
You can also dry the leaves and stem springs because they’re fragrant. Plus, leaves make great use for crafting and cooking!
How to cut lavender before drying?
Whether you want to dry the buds or leaves, the process is the same. But the first step you should know is how to cut it before drying.
So, before you dry lavender, here’s how you can cut and prepare it.
- Make sure that the flowers are clean and dry before you begin cutting. If they’re still moist, they’ll start to mold and rot before they’ve even dried.
- Make sure you have a sharp pair of scissors or pruners on hand. It’s best not to use a knife or blade when cutting lavender. This will help prevent accidental injury while also helping the flowers retain their shape while drying.
- Be sure that you only cut fully open stems. If they’re closed up, it can cause them to stick together in bunches when they dry out and make it more difficult for them to cure properly later on, which means their scent won’t be as strong.
How to dry lavender through the hanging method?
Hanging is one of the most common ways to dry lavender.
- The flowers are first arranged in small bundles and hung upside down in a cool, dry place with excellent air circulation.
- You can use rope or ribbon to hang the flowers from hooks or nails in the ceiling, but if there are no beams for hanging, try using thin twine or fishing lines and tying them in bundles of about 20 stems each.
- The trick is not to let them touch each other so they can dry properly.
- If you have a sunny window with no direct sunlight hitting it, that’s another great place to hang your dried lavender. Just make sure that there is plenty of air moving through the room so that mold doesn’t form on any of your flowers before they’ve dried out completely.
- Typically, this method takes one week or more for lavender to dry.
- Make sure to check them every day.
How to dry lavender through a drying rack?
A dry rack is a simple and useful tool that can help you dry your lavender quickly and easily. It’s a simple rack that allows air to flow through, so you won’t have to worry about mildew or mold forming in your drying process. The airflow also makes sure that the lavender retains its scent as it dries.
Here’s how you can do it.
- Get your lavender stems and lay them out on the rack while ensuring they’re not touching each other.
- Lay out your dry rack where it will get plenty of air circulation throughout the day but not direct sunlight.
- Make sure to check it every day in case they mold or dry quickly.
How to dry lavender through a dehydrator?
If you have a dehydrator, you can also dry lavender. Here’s what you need to do.
- Lay out a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and spread the flowers evenly on top of it.
- You’ll want them about 1/4″ apart from each other so they don’t touch each other when drying later on. That way, they’ll dry evenly instead of getting moldy or otherwise spoiling before you can use them in whatever way you want!
- Place this tray into your dehydrator or even just an oven set on low heat, and turn it on for about 12 hours until all of the moisture has evaporated from the lavender leaves.
- You’ll know when this happens because they’ll become brittle and crunchy instead of soft like fresh.
How to store dried lavender?
Dried lavender is a great way to add beautiful color and scent to your home, but keeping the plants looking their best can be tricky. Follow these simple steps for storing dried lavender, and it’ll stay beautiful for months!
- First, make sure you’re storing them in an airtight container. If there are any holes or gaps in the container, you’ll lose some of your precious supply of dried lavender.
- Next, ensure that the container you choose has no dust or dirt. Dust and dirt can get into the container and damage the flowers or leaves. Once you’ve found a clean container, place it in a dry place with plenty of air circulation, like an empty cupboard.
- Finally, store your dried lavender in a cool place! Heat causes moisture buildup and mold growth, damaging your plants and ruining their color.
Dry your lavender harvest today!
Drying lavender at home is easy and fun, and it’s a nice way to save money on your favorite scented candles.
If you’ve made it this far, we’re really happy. We hope this guide has answered some of your questions about how to dry lavender at home. We know it can be super daunting to try something new, but we think you’ll find it worth the effort!