How to Dry Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is an easy-growing, fragrant plant related to the mint family. It is commonly used in teas, salves, and in oils for everything from helping a queasy stomach to a facial cleanser. The leaves are best harvested in the summer when they are at their oily, fragrant best. Harvest the leaves just before the plant flowers; you will notice obvious, closed flower buds on the plant if you pay attention. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Harvest basket
- Kitchen or gardening scissors
- Paper towels
- Twine or string
- Glass jar with lid
Instructions
-
-
1
Harvest several stems with small kitchen or gardening scissors, being careful not bruise the delicate leaves. You can harvest the entire plant if you like by pulling the whole plant up and out of the ground.
-
2
Gently shake the leaves free of any dirt or insects that may be hanging on. Don't worry about washing these plants; you don't want to add more moisture to the leaves, and anything left on the plant will fall off during the drying process.
-
-
3
Lay the leaves on a paper towel and cover with an additional paper towel. Gently press down on the leaves to blot up any moisture that is remaining on the plant.
-
4
Bunch a bundle of five or six stems and tie a piece of twine around the end of the bundle.
-
5
Hang them stems, upside down, in a dry, airy corner of the room. Lemon balm tends to hold a lot of moisture, so you want them to dry as quickly as possible or mold could set in and ruin your small crop. If you have a wood stove, hanging them behind the stove is ideal. Hanging them over a heater vent will also work well.
-
6
Pull the leaves from the stems after the leaves have dried, in two to four days. Crumble the leaves over a bowl and place your dried herbs in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
-
1
