Drying to preserve potency
Once the herb is harvested, the next step (according to James Green) is to “prolong its potency”. So, you can just eat it…getting all of the medicinal constituents, the flavonoids and minerals right there, already heading to the digestive system to be “processed”. You can “process” the plant by infusing the herbs as a tincture, oil, vinegar, oxymel, elixir, or honey. And you can simply dry the herb.
When drying an herb, how fast or slow is your herb drying? If you dry your herb too fast, most likely using too much heat, your herb will roast and lose its potency. Drying an herb too slow can either lead to molding or self-destruct by enzymatic actions.
How to dry herbs
Before drying your herbs, make sure to wash off any soil that may have been harvested with it. Shake or pat water off of herb to lessen moisture.
Dry your plant matter in a warm, shaded, well ventilated area, ideal temperature is 90-110 degrees Fahrenheit
Do not bruise your leaves
Minimal to no humidity is IDEAL
Protect your herbs from direct sunlight (this can wilt or over-heat or take energy from the plant, changing its potency)
Well-dried herbs keep their color– they do not change into a hay brown or brownish green!
Different Drying Methods
Dehydrator: Place herbs in single layer on drying racks and stack on shelves. Turn dehydrator to 95-100°F and leave on until herbs feel dry and crisp. (This could take up to 2-3 days).
Bundling Herbs for Drying: Make small bundles. Wrap with rubber bands. Hang on clothesline and have them well-spaced in shaded location with warm air circulation. To prevent dust, cover with a paper bag, with small holes cut in it for ventilation.
Drying Screens or Baskets: Place herbs in single layer and space somewhat apart so they get good air circulation. I like to place my herbs on clean window screens and then store them on a wooden clothing/drying rack in front of the wood stove. I make sure that there is about 10-12 inches in between my screens. Again, allowing for good air flow.
Drying Different Plant Parts
It takes about 1-3 days for most of my herbs to dry in a dehydrator, and this all depends on the type of plant, what part I am working with and how I prepare it prior to placing it in dehydrator (leaving it whole versus chopping it into smaller pieces).
Aerial parts of plants will dry according to the type of plant. Demulcent/mucilaginous/”wet” plants will take longer due to the amount of moisture inside the plant.
Flowers dry relatively fast and do not need high temperatures.
Barks can take longer time if they are not peeled or stripped into thin pieces.
Roots take the longest to dry and need to either have higher temperatures, longer drying time or by chopped into small pieces to ensure shorter dry time.
STORING YOUR DRIED HERBS:
Dried herbs will be nice and crisp (or crunchy depending on the plant), dry to the touch and bright in color. Roots and bark might feel hard/solid- without ability to make any indentations with your fingernails. It is critical to make sure your herb is dried before storing it. It is also important to know that the herbs are not hot or warm from when you take them out of the dehydrator (I generally let my herbs “cool down” by letting them sit for a few hours after turning the dehydrator OFF).
Dried herbs keep best in glass jars with tight-fitting lids. However, they can also be stored in non-clear, thick plastic sealed bags or even vacuum-sealed bags.
The key is to store your herbs without exposure to air, light, moisture and heat.