How to Grow and Dry Herbs

Many people are interested in growing and drying their own herbs for culinary, aromatic, medicinal and ornamental uses. The "Handbook on Herbs" by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden lists 73 different herbs. There are many types of growing methods available. Some novice growers start with rosemary, sage, basil, dill, mint, thyme, chives and parsley. Cultivating an herb garden and drying the herbs for personal use is easy and can be done by any basic gardener.

Things You'll Need

• Seeds
• Sand
• Gravel
• Sterilized potting soil
• Scissors
• Paper towels
• Paper bag
• Paper clip
• Rubber band

Instructions

Outdoor Herb Gardening

1. Research the types of herbs you want to grow, when to plant them and the germination time. Decide whether to plant them directly in the ground or in a potted or hanging container. Consider sunlight, drainage and soil fertility, as herbs will not grow in wet soil. Individual herbs will need about 12 x 18-inch plots.

2. Plow the soil to a fine texture and water lightly to wet the dirt. Sow the seeds in shallow rows, spacing them apart per the specific herb's instructions and firm the soil over them.

3. Know that larger seeds can be covered with more soil than fine seeds. Cover fine seeds with moist paper to ensure the soil is moist during the germination period.

4. Follow the watering instructions and use a fine spray to prevent soil erosion.

Indoor Herb Gardening

1. Choose a south or west window location for your indoor garden. Decide what types of herbs you want to grow and their individual sunlight and soil requirements.

2. Put one inch of gravel in the bottom of the growing container. Combine two parts of sterilized potting soil and one part course sand, and add 1 tsp. of ground limestone per 5-inch pot to make the soil sweet.

3. Water the soil lightly to wet the dirt. Sow the seeds shallowly and firm the soil over them.

4. Follow the watering instructions and always water with a fine spray to prevent soil erosion. Re-pot the herbs yearly and place perennial herbs outdoors in the summer to get more sun.

Drying the Herbs

1. Cut the herbs (cut annual varieties at the ground level and perennials about 1/3 down from the top of the main stem) before they flower and in the morning after the dew has dried. Wash them with cold running water and lay them on a paper towel to dry.

2. Tie the stems together with string and place them in a paper bag with the stem ends at the bag opening. Use a rubber band to close the bag. Hook one end of a paper clip through the rubber band and use the other end to hang the bag from a line.

3. Remove the herbs from the paper bag in two to three weeks, crumble the dried herbs and place them in a shallow pan. Put them in an oven set to warm for two hours.

References

• Herb Gardening
• Growing Herbs in the Home Garden