All about garden herbs

[WIchickMama]

I air-dry the butterfly pea flowers. I do have a dehydrator but it's a pain to pull it out. Takes up a lot of counter space... When I dried some basil last week, I just did it in the oven instead. I will probably do some lemon balm and Stevia in the oven too....

do you have a set time in the oven and temp or do you just watch?

 

[tripletfeb]

Basil - I have dehydrated a little bit already. I absolutely LOVE the smell of it. After I handle the basil I am constantly smelling my hands like an addict huffing glue. I need to make some soap with this stuff. It's amazing...

Rosemary - I planted a new start this year so it really isn't big enough to do a lot with it yet. However we eat a lot of chicken... And it is usually prepared a specific way which doesn't involve rosemary so I may never get to use it like I intended. I do want to make some essential oils though and this is one I'm eyeballing. Eventually.

Parsley - so far the only things that have gotten to partake of this are my buns and caterpillars. My plant looks rather sorry and not appetizing in the least.

I put rosemary in my chicken noodle soup and on pork loin

 

[TJAnonymous]

do you have a set time in the oven and temp or do you just watch?

I set my oven as low as it will go which is 170 degrees. Then I set a timer for 25 minutes. Basil leaves are pretty big so I'm not worried about them burning. When I do the Stevia, I will check them after 15 minutes or so. After I remove them from the oven, I let them sit in my office for a day which is dark and cool. They are usually sufficiently dried and I transfer them to a mason jar.

 

[chickengr]

Anyone grow an herb and then decide you don't want /need it anymore?

I have realized that some of the stuff I'm growing I simply never actually use.... Like lemongrass and lemon balm. I really want to make essential oils with these but I never seem to actually DO it so I'm just wasting space.

Wondering if anyone else has grown something and then later regretted it?

I mix spearmint and lemon balm to make a tisane. it is really good in winter months. you can add some honey too.

 

[chickengr]

Got my lastest issue of Mother Earth News--they have a ton of herbal/medicinal books in their 'shop' section, might look into those.

I have not regretted anything that I have planted, if anything the plants look pretty and add to the landscape, but I have acres to work with so might be different for someone with less room.

Anyone just air dry their herbs or do most use a dehydrator? I am thinking about a dehydrator but don't want to spend the $$ right now, so was wondering about hanging them. I worry about dust--dusty in the country and in an old farmhouse

I air dry herbs in a cheesecloth bags (I make them).

 

[WIchickMama]

I air dry herbs in a cheesecloth bags (I make them).

Good idea! I can do this

 

[esturtz27]

Ah, yes, when you accidentally mace your whole house. Fun times

Lol! Thank goodness the DH and I have both been thru a cs chamber hahaha! I don't know why I didn't take a second to realize capsaicin is the main ingredient in pepper spray! Thankfully the dogs stayed outside that day and we had a tent because there was no sleeping in the house that night.

Now I know why they hang dry peppers.

 

[esturtz27]

I mix spearmint and lemon balm to make a tisane. it is really good in winter months. you can add some honey too.

That sounds like a perfect tisane for winter months!

 

[esturtz27]

Got my lastest issue of Mother Earth News--they have a ton of herbal/medicinal books in their 'shop' section, might look into those.

I have not regretted anything that I have planted, if anything the plants look pretty and add to the landscape, but I have acres to work with so might be different for someone with less room.

Anyone just air dry their herbs or do most use a dehydrator? I am thinking about a dehydrator but don't want to spend the $$ right now, so was wondering about hanging them. I worry about dust--dusty in the country and in an old farmhouse

I can air dry on my porch in the dryer autumn weeks and when winter is not too cold and dry. Otherwise it's too humid here. Though in the autumn it's makes it feel very hmmm harvest-y lol but I do have better luck with my dehydrator

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Anyone grow an herb and then decide you don't want /need it anymore?

I have realized that some of the stuff I'm growing I simply never actually use.... Like lemongrass and lemon balm. I really want to make essential oils with these but I never seem to actually DO it so I'm just wasting space.

Wondering if anyone else has grown something and then later regretted it?

I ended up growing quite a bit of mint...I've dried several handfuls that I put in the chicken run but only thing I've really used it for otherwise has been in cucumber mint water which was delish and very refreshing during hot summer days! But not sure what else to do with it all!
Any suggestions?

wondering about hanging them.

I hang my basil, Oregano, mint in handfuls from the kitchen light over the table....til grandson in a highchair decided they were done and pulled some down

. After I handle the basil I am constantly smelling my hands like an addict huffing glue. I need to make some soap with this stuff. It's amazing...

Same here! My oldest grandson almost 4 even does it! He cracks me up at how perceptive he is!!!