Use these tips for harvesting and drying lavender at the right time.
Now it’s time to figure out how to harvest lavender from your garden at the best time.
Use this guide to harvest and dry lavender for the best flower color and scent.
Credit:Helen Norman
When to Harvest Lavender
Time your lavender harvest based on how you plan to use the herb.
To harvestlavender for tea, pick the flowers before they fully open.
Wait until most of the blossoms have opened to harvest lavender for essential oil.
Credit:Helen Norman
Harvest lavender on a sunny day after the morning dew has dried.
No part of the plant should be exposed to rain within 24 hours before being picked.
Disregard the leaves because they have a somewhat medicinal fragrance, and theyre not recommended for cooking.
Thisdrying methodpreserves the color of the flower buds and helps prevent mold from growing on the lavender.
Its important to keep air circulating when drying lavender.
Asimple fancan help circulate air in drying spaces such as a dark closet or basement.
Depending on the drying conditions, it can take up to six weeks for the bundles to dry.
Youll know when a stem is fully dried if it breaks when its bent.
Oven drying is not recommended because the oven’s heat releases essential oil from the flower buds.
Scrape stubborn buds from the stalks with your fingers to remove them.
Pour the lavender buds into a strainer to get the cleanest buds for cooking and crafting.
Dried lavender buds to be used in foodwill keep the best in airtight glass containers.
Loose buds used for crafts can be stored in resealable bags.
Tips for Growing Lavender
You cangrow lavender outdoorsin your garden orindoors in a potfor year-round use.
