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Im drying loads of herbs for winter! 2010 Forageing Thread

chelle

Warren Veteran
Hi all!:wave:

Soi exciting - just wait till my OH opens the airing cupboard!:lol::lol::lol:

Ive got bundles of Lemonbalm and parsley hanging in there!:lol:
And a box underneath with rosemary cuttings!:lol:

Ive collected all the rosepetals in the garden & zipped them in the microwave till crisp....had to kill some tiny bug things!:shock: Plus it was quicker than leaving them to dry!

Now Im waiting for my marigolds to grow....and sussing out the garden for anything else to dry for winter!

Ooooh - have what to me is Daisy's - now can I dry those - cause it looks like chamomile? But who knows what type of Daisy/chamomile it is?:?
 
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My fingers are sore from picking brambles to dry for my boys :lol:

And luckily the roses have bloomed really well this year - have got lots of paper bags filled with dried rose petals - my boys are addicted to them, fresh or dried.

Todays bramble pick, ready to dry:

photocomppurpleandBBmarchingband010.jpg
 
Chamomile & mayweed species are all safe for buns. You can recognise them by their fine feathery leaves.
http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=e...ch+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

I wouldn't use any other "daisy looking" plants. some eg. oxeye daisy aren't safe for buns.

oooh thanks you! i think I have the Oxeye....theres a clump of green leaves all together & a few spindly stalks with daisys on them.....how annoying!:evil: Might dig them up & replace with the right ones now!:D
 
My fingers are sore from picking brambles to dry for my boys :lol:

And luckily the roses have bloomed really well this year - have got lots of paper bags filled with dried rose petals - my boys are addicted to them, fresh or dried.

Todays bramble pick, ready to dry:

photocomppurpleandBBmarchingband010.jpg


poor fingers!:shock:
ooooh - they look great!:D
Do you wash them all?

Can you not use the stems?
Cause of the thorns?

Ive got the whole stems of the lemonbalms & the rosemary...is this ok? Or should i take the leaves off once dry?
And not give them the stems?
 
poor fingers!:shock:
ooooh - they look great!:D
Do you wash them all?

Can you not use the stems?
Cause of the thorns?

Ive got the whole stems of the lemonbalms & the rosemary...is this ok? Or should i take the leaves off once dry?
And not give them the stems?

I pick the leaves off cos I don't like the thorny stalks (although they turn up in bags of hay!) but some of the stalks were soooo thorny. I picked them after we'd had rain - saves washing them :lol: (and only from higher up so that they hadn't had any dog wee on them)

I should think the stems of the herbs would be fine - my boys eat the stems of the basil plants quite happily. And I'm drying the calendula stalks and leaves for them too.
 
I pick the leaves off cos I don't like the thorny stalks (although they turn up in bags of hay!) but some of the stalks were soooo thorny. I picked them after we'd had rain - saves washing them :lol: (and only from higher up so that they hadn't had any dog wee on them)

I should think the stems of the herbs would be fine - my boys eat the stems of the basil plants quite happily. And I'm drying the calendula stalks and leaves for them too.


:lol::lol::lol: Im gonna pick after the rain too! Great idea!
I'll leave the stalks on then....
ooooh - calendula -thats marigolds hey? Ive got some growing...I thought I could just dry the flowers...they are just great and easy to dry...guess I could do the whole plant too...well leave the root out maybe!:roll:

Im thinking of going to buy some more herbs just to dry them all!:lol:

Gonna get a book so help me cause i didnt grow up in this country so dont know whats what ....then Im gonna go crazy mad drying everything! The winters last forever here....:shock:
 
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oooh thanks you! i think I have the Oxeye....theres a clump of green leaves all together & a few spindly stalks with daisys on them.....how annoying!:evil: Might dig them up & replace with the right ones now!:D

If you find some that just have the yellow dome & no white petals (pineapple mayweed) - nab them for yourself. The young small domes make a lovely slightly pineapple flavoured herb tea!

chell, the English marigolds calendula, are so easy to grow. If you cut off the flower & it's stalk, they'll keep on trying to flower & grow bushier;) then take the top of the plant in autumn. It's a bit late for this year, but if watered well you'll probably get some flowers.

ETA We can make our own plant/herb mix infinately cheaper than the bought ones AND have some fun. I'm waiting for the reciepes to start on RU.
 
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I know this might sound daft but do you just pick leaves etc of safe plants and let them dry "out in the open" as it were. I never thought about doing that i have bunny safe plants in my garden they always munch them fresh.
 
If you find some that just have the yellow dome & no white petals (pineapple mayweed) - nab them for yourself. The young small domes make a lovely slightly pineapple flavoured herb tea!

chell, the English marigolds calendula, are so easy to grow. If you cut off the flower & it's stalk, they'll keep on trying to flower & grow bushier;) then take the top of the plant in autumn. It's a bit late for this year, but if watered well you'll probably get some flowers.

ETA We can make our own plant/herb mix infinately cheaper than the bought ones AND have some fun. I'm waiting for the reciepes to start on RU.

My daisy thing shave petals that are white...so thinking they not the pineapple mayweed.....the tea sounds really nice!mmmmmmm......:)

I planted my marigolds all round my parsley & basil ....so they should hopefull flower loads! What do you mean about taking the top of the plant in autumn?

Its def. more fun & cheaper I reckon....Ive been slinking about the shops sussing out what they have in their natural forage goodie bags & then rushing off home to look in the garden!:roll::lol:
Recipe ideas should be fun! I may just bung it all together....but may be nice to have seperate bags....hee heee....like calming ones for those stressful bunny days! or comforting ones!:D
 
I know this might sound daft but do you just pick leaves etc of safe plants and let them dry "out in the open" as it were. I never thought about doing that i have bunny safe plants in my garden they always munch them fresh.

I lay mine out on trays either in the greenhouse or on top of the hutches in the aviary - the sun dries them really quickly :D
 
I know this might sound daft but do you just pick leaves etc of safe plants and let them dry "out in the open" as it were. I never thought about doing that i have bunny safe plants in my garden they always munch them fresh.

:D Yeah if its sunny - make sure they dont blow away - so you could place them between some mesh.....as long as it doesnt rain youll be fine....

Ive cut long stalks of parsley & lemonbalm and washed them ...then shook them out & left them for a while to dry - laid on our decking - then gathered them into bunches and have hung them i our airing cupboard....

I also snipped aload of roesmary - twigs & all - and laid them in a carboard box in the airing cupboard too.

Some people have a hydrator - which is apparently great if you do loads...I dont have one....just what Ive read.

oooh - i also gathered loads of rose petals - which you can dry out laying flat on some tissue...I put mine on some paper towelling and popped it into the microwave for 1 min or until crisp...they done then ready for storage and sprinking over the hay etc....
Ive a few questions about rose-hips - Ive put a threas in Diet section - so hopefully someone can help with that & then you can use them too....but not a treat to be given often.:D

There is SO much you can dry & its way cheaper if you do it yourself....and it keeps for ages - so Im doing it now for winter when thers not much fresh stuff about:p
 
I lay mine out on trays either in the greenhouse or on top of the hutches in the aviary - the sun dries them really quickly :D

:lol::lol::lol: look how long my reply was!:lol::lol::lol:

Blackberry - how do you store yours?

Are they sealed - read somewhere that those bags that suck the air out keep them fresh etc etc:?

Would it go mouldy in the loft?
Our shed will get cold & damp...its old.....:oops:
 
:lol::lol::lol: look how long my reply was!:lol::lol::lol:

Blackberry - how do you store yours?

Are they sealed - read somewhere that those bags that suck the air out keep them fresh etc etc:?

Would it go mouldy in the loft?
Our shed will get cold & damp...its old.....:oops:

I bought some strong brown paper bags off ebay, and when they're full I staple the top of each one over and store them in a cardboard box on shelves in the garage. That way they can 'breathe' - don't know about plastic bags - I guess if the air was sucked out condensation wouldn't get in, but it might crush the plants? :?
 
I bought some strong brown paper bags off ebay, and when they're full I staple the top of each one over and store them in a cardboard box on shelves in the garage. That way they can 'breathe' - don't know about plastic bags - I guess if the air was sucked out condensation wouldn't get in, but it might crush the plants? :?


I did try once with some mint and it went mouldy very fast. I wondered if you could freeze mint and preserve it that way.:? but not to sure. Thank you both for your tips tho i'm going to have a go tomorrow.:D
 
Oooo we can't use plasic for home dried. They still give off moisture, especially with temp changes, & will go mouldy. Paper bags & thin layers in cardboard boxes with paper between are good. I store mine in the loft cos the wooden shed gets a lot of condensation in it in Autumn & Winter.

Chell, I meant to cut off the whole marigold in Autumn & dry the lot, leaves & stems.
 
I'm really loving these threads and learning so much, I've been out and picked alsorts but have never tried drying them for winter good idea, are they left to dry in a cool place or warm? :D
 
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