You’ve grown stunning lavender—now it’s time to benefit from the fruits (or flowers) of your labor. Harvesting, drying, and utilizing lavender makes all of your arduous work worthwhile. From understanding precisely when to chop the stems to exploring artistic methods to take pleasure in them, right here’s what you must know.
When you haven’t began rising your personal lavender but, I extremely advocate having a look at my posts on Methods to Develop Lavender and Methods to Select the Greatest Lavender Selection. These guides will set you up for fulfillment—particularly in the event you’re gardening in sizzling summer time climates.
When & Methods to Harvest Lavender
- Harvest when the primary few flowers on the buds on a stem have opened. This candy spot captures peak perfume and oil content material.
- Snip your lavender after the dew evaporates however earlier than the noon solar intensifies.
- Use clear scissors or pruners, chopping simply above the leafy a part of the stem. (Keep away from the woody, brown part.)
Drying & Storing Lavender
- Tie small handfuls of stems with twine or rubber bands and hold them the wrong way up in a dry, shady space.
- An excessive amount of mild can bleach the blooms and cut back their pure oils.
- In arid climates, lavender could dry in as little as every week. The stems ought to snap simply when absolutely dried.
- As soon as it’s dry, retailer buds in hermetic containers away from vibrant mild to protect coloration and scent for as much as a yr.
Favourite Methods to Use Lavender
Culinary Makes use of:
- Provence herbs: Mix dried lavender with rosemary, thyme, oregano, and marjoram for a basic French seasoning.
- Lavender Sugar or Syrup: Infuse sugar or easy syrup for lemonade, cocktails, baked items, or ice cream.
- Candy vs. Savory: Royal Velvet and different English varieties are perfect for desserts; lavandins like ‘Provence’ are nice in savory dishes.
When you love including a floral contact to recipes, remember to try my submit on rising and utilizing edible flowers – it’s stuffed with concepts for including blossoms to your dishes.
Leisure & Self-Care:
Craft Tasks:
Share the Love
Experiment with completely different varieties, harvest instances, and inventive makes use of—you’ll rapidly see why lavender stays a beloved herb for cooks, crafters, and gardeners alike.