How to Dry Lavender

Fragrant and delicate lavender flowers are easy to dry and store, they are used to make fragrant bags or decorate dried flowers. To dry lavender, it is important to harvest the flowers at the right time, when their color is most vibrant and the scent is most intense. You can dry lavender in a dark room or in the sun, depending on the intended use. Read the article to learn how to dry lavender in two different methods.

Table of Contents

Drying Lavender in a Dark Room

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Harvest lavender before the flowers bloom. Cut the lavender at the base of the flower stalk when the bud has just opened. This will help the dried flowers retain their strong scent and bright purple color. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Cut mature lavender just above the leaves. Aim for the flower stalk as long as possible. While harvesting lavender, you should prune the plant to help it grow better in winter. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Plants need leaves and stalks to continue growing after harvest, so don’t touch the leaves and stalks.

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Harvest lavender in bunches. Once you have harvested a handful of rosemary, bunch it up. Use your hand to gently tap the bottom of the stem to make the bouquet more flat and neat.

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Tie the flower stalk with a rubber band. Column lavender in bunches with a maximum diameter of 2cm so that they dry evenly, to prevent mold growth. Wrap the rubber band down towards the base of the flower stalk. Continue wrapping until the flower stalk is firmly tied, but not flattened. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Using rubber bands instead of fabric or ribbons will help prevent the flower stalks from slipping off as they wilt during the drying process.

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Find a shady place to dry lavender. Drying lavender in the shade is the best way to preserve the color of the flower, as the sun can fade the purple color of the flower. Find a dry and dark place, out of direct sunlight, like a hut, garage, or shade under an awning.

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Hang the lavender bouquet down. Attach part of the rubber band to a hook or nail. You can attach another rope to the rubber band, then attach it to a hook or bracket to hang the lavender on.

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Let the lavender dry for 2-4 weeks. Check often to see when the lavender is dry. When you lightly touch the flowers, they will fall off the stem. You can keep the flower on the stem or remove the flower from the stem to make a fragrant bag or make a cake.

Drying Lavender in the Sun

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Harvest lavender. Harvest as soon as the buds open. Cut at the base of the flower stalk to keep more stalks.

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Place the lavender on the wooden block. It is better to use a large board or piece of wood to dry in the sun. If you use a metal tray, the lavender will get hot; if you use a piece of plastic, it may melt and damage the lavender.

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Place lavender in a sunny spot. Place the plank or piece of wood in a sunny spot, be it indoors or outside. Drying lavender this way is quicker than drying in the dark, but sunlight will fade the purple color of the flower.

If you live in a rainy area, you should dry lavender indoors near a sunny window or dry it outside, but bring it indoors as soon as the clouds come.

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Let the sun dry the lavender completely. It will take a week to dry. Check every few days to see if the lavender is dry. When the flowers have dried, they will fall off the stalk.

Advice

If you tie the rope loosely, you can reuse the rope many times.
Lavender can keep bugs out, so hanging lavender in your closet will not only help you smell good, but it will also prevent insects from biting your clothes.
Drying time depends on the weather. If you live in a humid area, it can take a long time for your lavender to dry.

Steps

Drying Lavender in a Dark Room

Drying Lavender in the Sun

Advice

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