How to Harvest & Dry Your Own Herbs

Herbs can be super expensive at the store. Once you start growing your own, you will never want to buy them again! The process is fairly simple, and there is a huge sense of pride in growing them yourself. You’ll also notice that your homegrown herbs are brighter and have a fresher flavor than their store bought cousins. 

In this resource guide, you’ll learn how to harvest your own herbs. You will know when it’s time to harvest. I’ll share some reasons why you should (or shouldn’t!) wash herbs before drying and some tips on using a dehydrator for herbs such as lemon balm, mint, and others.

If you’d like to skip to the short version on how to dry herbs, pop down to the end of this article. I also have a quick video link at the bottom that shows my method. If you enjoy more details, start reading here. 

When to Harvest

Spring and early summer is typically the best time to harvest your herbs. There are many reasons for this. 

1. Plants are new, fresh, and at their height of greatness!
2. Most pests and diseases haven’t become a problem yet, so your plant will be cleaner, stronger, and easier to harvest. 
3. Since the weather is still fairly cool, the plants haven’t been damaged yet by the sun or overheating. 
4. Harvesting them earlier in the season will encourage more growth, which will lead to both continued harvests throughout the season, as well as healthier plants, long term.

Make sure to harvest before the herb starts to flower. Once the herb starts to flower, it puts its energy into its blossoms instead of its leaves. Before the blossoms come, the plant will be at its peak for harvesting.

What to Harvest

Deciding which herbs to grow and preserve depends on a number of things.

1. Choose herbs that grow well in your climate. Here are some good ones for the Pacific Northwest:

• Parsley
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Tarragon
• Fennel
• Dill
• Lavender
• Chamomile
• Lovage
• Lemon Balm
• Lemon Verbena

2. Decide what you would like to grow. You definitely want to grow what you like! But you may also want to consider what would save you the most money at the grocery store. Herbs can be very expensive, and growing them yourself is a great way to save some coin!

How to Harvest

Harvesting herbs might be much easier than you thought. The process is fairly simple, and can be used with most herbs. 

Cutting

Head out on a spring or early summer morning, after the dew has dried, with your trusty scissors or pruners. Morning time is optimal, but you will be just fine if you do it later in the day. You’ll want to cut the herb near the bottom of the plant, making sure to still leave a few sets of leaves growing at the base.

Cutting the stem just above a set of leaves stimulates the plant to grow more, kind of like when we get a haircut. Leaving the leaves is essential, because the new shoots will sprout between those leaves and the stem. 

Gather only the healthy parts of the plant, and discard any yellow, brown, or diseased leaves. Also check for pests and insects. If you see any, discard those, as well. 

To Wash Or Not To Wash

This is a very personal choice. Some people feel much more comfortable taking the time to wash their herbs before drying to remove any impurities. If you do wash your herbs, just make sure to dry them thoroughly before you start the drying process, so you don’t have any danger of mold or fungus. If you use chemicals in your garden, I would definitely recommend washing them. 

For the most part, my choice is to not wash my herbs before drying for a few reasons. First, I garden using organic methods, so I believe my plants are pretty safe. I also tend to come from the “Dirt Don’t Hurt” side of life, and leaving them just as they are doesn’t bother me. Keeping them dry before the dehydrating process begins also helps deter mold from forming. Many herbs need to dry quickly, so I don’t like to add moisture to the process. 

Do your own research, and make the choice that feels best to you!

Drying

There are two main methods for drying your plants: using a dehydrator and hanging to dry. 

Drying with a Dehydrator

If you use a dehydrator, follow your manufacturer’s instructions, as the time and temperature for different herbs will vary. Dehydrators work great if you need to dry your herbs quickly or if you have a smaller harvest. For many herbs a good place to start is 140 degrees. I start with a couple hours and check in on them. Time will vary a lot based on your plants. Mine usually take around 10 hours. Dehydrators are also a great option if you don’t want bundles of herbs drying all over your house at harvest time!

Hanging to Dry

Hanging herbs to dry is usually my chosen method. Something about seeing bundles of herbs hanging around my house and porch just makes me happy. Also (as I’ve mentioned before) I am a lazy gardener, and it’s a quicker and easier method for me. Lastly, my harvests tend to be on the larger side, so the dehydrator fills up too quickly to be a very effective option for me. 

How to Do It

The String

Get yourself some string or kitchen twine, and cut it into lengths of 1-2 feet. Tie a strong loop on each end of the string.

The Hanging

Gather all the herbs you harvested and put them into bundles of about an inch thick at the stems, making sure the cut sides are all together. Lay your string on a flat surface, and put one of your herb bundles on the string. Take a loop from one end, and put it through the other loop. Pull it nice and tight. This will help keep the herbs from slipping out as they shrink while they are drying. 

Hang your bundle by one of the loops in a place where it can dry nicely. I have hooks on my porch and the ceiling in my house. I’ve also been known to use curtain rods, and even key hooks, as I start to run out of space during harvest season! Purchasing a drying rack is a great investment, too, if you are planning on doing a lot of harvesting. For the one I use, click on this affiliate link. This is an affiliate ink, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

The Drying

Herbs can vary in how long they take to dry, based on the plant, the weather, and the other conditions of its environment. It typically takes 1-2 weeks, but could take longer, or be ready sooner. Instead of using time, I go by touch. If the herbs feel limp or soft, they are not ready. You want them to feel dry and crunchy. They should crumble in your hand when you touch them and you should not feel any moisture. 

Preserving

Once your herbs are dry, remove the string, and take the leaves (or flowers, if you are using lavender or chamomile) off the stems. This is an easy, but tedious process if your harvests are larger. Thyme takes longer to remove from the stems, but mint or lemon balm is pretty quick and easy. 

To Grind Or Not To Grind

Some people leave their leaves whole to store to preserve more of the medicinal qualities. The pros for this are the health benefits and a quicker processing time at harvest. The cons are that it takes up more space, and will need to be ground up individually before each use. This is just another judgement call, do what works best for you. I do both methods. 

To Grind

Larger amounts of herbs can be ground in a food processor or blender. Smaller amounts can be done in a Ninja or Magic Bullet. Spice grinders or coffee grinders work, too, as long as they are clean and free of odor residue from other things. Grind it to a fine consistency that matches what you’ve seen from your store bought herbs. 

Storing

I keep my herbs in clean dry mason jars. Make sure they are COMPLETELY dry! Any moisture can cause them to mold, and all your hard work will be lost. I use grease pencils that make it easy to label and quick to wipe off, too. If you’d like to order some yourself, click this affiliate link. This is an affiliate ink, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. You can also keep them in old empty containers of herbs from the store. Keep your herbs in a cool dark place, like a cupboard. I use mine all year round until the next batch of herbs is ready to harvest. I share extra with family, neighbors, and friends. Putting your herbs in fancy little jars also makes a great gift. 

Using

Use your herbs in cooking and recipes just as you’ve used the store bought kinds. If you are using them for tea, here is an affiliate link for one of my favorite tea infuser mugs. This is an affiliate ink, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

I’m sure you will find with practice, that this is an easy way to save money, improve your health, and give yourself the pride of growing your own herbs. It becomes a fun little tradition each year, and is a great activity to do with kids, family, and friends helping you. 

Getting Started

Try starting small with only one herb this year, and then add more on as you go. Once you get comfortable with the process, it will be easy to add more in without feeling overwhelmed. I hope you harvest some herbs soon! If you do, please tag me, I would love to see your bounty!

The Quick Version

• Cut herbs near base of plant, leaving a few sets of leaves to encourage growth
• Bundle together about an inch thick with tips together
• Tie and hang by stems to dry on your porch or inside your home
• Leave for 1-2 weeks, or until leaves are dry and crunchy
• Remove from stems
• Grind or leave whole and store in jars for the year

To see a quick video of the drying process, click here or here.

Click this link to see how to use this process to make your own Raspberry Leaf Tea, which is great for building strong blood, and is especially beneficial to women.

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