Microwave Oven
Place one layer of plant materials between two paper towels, setting timer
for 2 or 3 minutes. Give additional 30-second shots as necessary. Jot down for future reference how much drying time was needed for each variety.
Conventional Oven
Set temperature no higher than 100° and heat materials on a baking sheet
until crisp. (My old oven goes no lower than 150°, so I keep oven door ajar.)
Food Dehydrator
Set temperature between 95° and 100°.Gas Oven With Constant-Burn Pilot Light
door open while heating at the lowest temperature setting that will keep the flame burning.
After 2 or 3 minutes, turn off oven, place baking sheet of materials in, close oven door and forget it until you have to heat the oven for cooking. Then you'd better remember that they're in there!
Dehydrating Oast
The oast (drying oven) that my husband built into our former broom closet
is my favorite place for drying my harvests. It's 14" high, 14" wide, and 26" deep. Shallow ledges along the sides of its front will suspend three flower presses (also made by him) with room for a fourth to rest on the floor of the oast. In a corner at the back, he anchored a ceramic base for a light bulb. A 60-watt bulb heats the top front of the oast to an ideal 110°, the lower front to 95°. Hardware cloth (an aluminum mesh available from hardware stores) is used for 'shelves' when I dry roses in their whole form. Miniature roses are placed upright on the mesh; larger types are hung head down, their stems pushed through the mesh and secured with small binder clips from the stationer's. Atop the flower presses and/or the hardware cloth shelves, styrofoam trays (from packaged meats) filled with materials can rest.
Storage
Place each type/color of blossoms in a separate glass jar with a screw top, so you can
see what you have of what when it comes time to mix a recipe. During the first week after drying the materials, check every few days to be sure they're still crisp. If not, it's back to Square One, the drying tray!
Tips
Spread a white towel on your working surface on which to dump the day's haul of plants to dry or press. That makes it easy to spot the creepy crawlers and UFO's that came along for a free ride. You can use the corner of the towel to help the destroyer types along on their journey to That Great Bug Heaven In The Sky; but be a sport and free the praying mantis, ladybug, or any other carnivore that was tending the garden for you.
Bugs
Once in awhile a tiny beetle will escape your attention and will manage to survive the
heat of the drying process. You may not even notice the little dude in the mixing and aging heat of the drying process. Then when you've capped the glass container and stand admiring your beautiful creation, up he jumps! Not to worry. Don't empty the container. Leave the jar capped and stick it in the freezer for a couple of days. End of problem. (Although you should check contents for any moisture from the freezer and re-heat if necessary.)
Here's a quick checklist of good ways to preserve the herbs you are growing:
Dryingworks well for basil, dill, fennel, lovage, mint, oregano, parsley, hot peppers,
rosemary, sage, savory, scented geraniums, tarragon, and thyme.
Freezingworks well with basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, lemon balm, parsley, hot
peppers, sorrel, sweet cicely, and tarragon.
l
l
