Storing herbs seed or leaves? - Ask Extension
I read through your article and was confused on a couple points. In the air drying section, it talked about putting the whole herb in a paper bag and ...
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Storing herbs seed or leaves? #778342
Asked November 24, 2021, 8:43 PM EST
I read through your article and was confused on a couple points. In the air drying section, it talked about putting the whole herb in a paper bag and letting the seeds fall to the bottom. However, in the storing section, it talked about storing whole leaves. Is the difference based on the plant you are harvesting or whether you are collecting seed for replanting? I want to grow the herbs, enjoy some during summer but also dry and store for the long winter next year.
Kandiyohi County Minnesota
Expert Response
Yes, the difference is in the herb you are drying, for example, dill and coriander have very obvious seeds that will fall into the bottom of the bag. Other herbs such as tarragon or mint have insignificant seeds that won’t make a mess when dried.
I usually use the paper bag drying method for tarragon, dill (before it seeds), oregano, and thyme. Herbs such as basil do better freezing in oil.