A Simple Guide to Drying and Storing Herbs (the Lavender Way)

Ashley Place
2 days ago
2 min read

When the garden slows down for the season, it’s time to switch gears and savor the harvest. Drying herbs is one of those simple, timeless rituals that keeps summer’s brightness alive through the colder months. Whether it’s lavender, mint, rosemary, or thyme, drying them properly means you can hold onto both their fragrance and their potency long after the frost arrives.

At Pumpkin Blossom Farm, we think of this process as a kind of meditation — slow, steady, and deeply satisfying. Here’s how to do it the lavender way:

Glass jars filled with dried herbs and lavender on a wooden shelf. The setting is rustic and calm, with rich greens and purples.

The best time to cut herbs is just before they flower, when the essential oils are most concentrated. Choose a dry morning just after the dew has lifted, but before the day’s heat.

Gather herbs with clean shears, avoiding any leaves that are discolored or damaged. Leave a few inches of stem so you can tie and hang them easily.

Lavender tip: Cut the stems when only a few of the buds have bloomed — this timing preserves the strongest scent for drying.

Bundles of lavender hang from a wooden beam in a sunlit room, creating a rustic and calming atmosphere with soft purple tones.

Group small bundles of herbs together and tie them loosely with twine or string. Overcrowding can trap moisture and cause mold, so keep bundles modest — about the width of two fingers.

Hang them upside down in a warm, dark, and well-ventilated area. A spare room, attic, or covered porch works beautifully. Avoid direct sunlight, which can fade both color and scent.

If you’re short on hanging space, you can also dry herbs by laying them flat on mesh screens or parchment-lined trays.

Drying takes patience — at least 1–2 weeks, depending on humidity. You’ll know they’re ready when the leaves crumble easily between your fingers and the stems snap cleanly.

This is the point where your space will smell incredible. The air becomes perfumed, earthy, and calm — like walking the fields in high summer.

Once fully dry, strip leaves or buds from the stems and store them in airtight glass jars or tins. Label each with the herb’s name and date — a small ritual that makes your kitchen feel like an apothecary.

Keep them in a cool, dark cupboard away from heat and sunlight. Properly dried herbs will hold their aroma and potency for up to a year.

Lavender note: Store whole buds if you can — they release scent longer than crushed pieces.

Dried herbs add warmth to everything from teas to baked goods, bath salts, or simmer pots. A handful of lavender and rosemary in a small pot of water on the stove fills the house with the softest fall scent.

It’s a reminder that nature gives us what we need in every season — even when the fields are quiet.

Drying herbs isn’t just about preservation; it’s about slowing down, paying attention, and honoring what you’ve grown. It’s a ritual that bridges summer and winter — one that keeps beauty and calm close at hand, long after the last bloom fades.