Harvesting & Drying Lavender
I can’t believe it’s November and for the first day of it we had 75 degree temps. (The standard joke in Michigan is if you don’t like the weather wait a minute because it will change). My windows were open, the breeze was flowing through, and I noticed a late bloom of Lavender in my whiskey barrels.
I knew the frost would get it so I decided to harvest and dry the few stems I had left before that happened. I was able to get 3 harvests this season, the third being much smaller but I’ll enjoy them no matter the size.
- Cut lavender on a dry day when the flowers just start to open.
- Make sure you use a sharp garden knife or sharp scissors to cut the stems in the green area not the woody stem.
- Remove the leaves.
- Gather lavender into several small bunches.
- Tie a string around the stems or place in a single layer on a screen.
- Hang the stems in a warm dark area, but not humid, from the attached string.
- To avoid losing any flower you can place a brown paper bag around each bundle.
- Let dry for 2-4 weeks.
- Shake or rub lavender buds into a clean dry bowl or the brown paper bag.
- Use lavender buds how you wish.
My favorite way to use my last lavender harvest is to make Lavender Vacuum Aromatherapy Pellets. This also makes for a great gift for all your gardening buddies, or friends that enjoy essential oils. It’s time to start thinking about Christmas gifts and this would make a heavenly hostess gift.
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I really want to plant lavender here next spring! Love the smell. 3 harvests are great!
Tammy I hear some places can get up to 10 harvests a year. That must be a place that never gets frost.
I love lavender!! I know Dawn…nothing to complain about our Mi weather and I am hoping Tuesday has no rain so everyone will get out and vote!!!
Jeanie I can’t believe how nice our November is so far, but I know snow will be here soon. I will vote no matter what the weather is 🙂
Thanks for the tips Dawn….I planted one lavender plant and we shall see how it does!
Shirley we must have had the perfect weather for lavender this year. All my plants are new this spring and they produced like crazy. Good luck with yours 🙂
I’ve been drying my lavender all wrong, Dawn. Lol. I’m going to pin your instructions so I do it right next year.
Jen use your old to make the vacuum pellest. It will make your house smell heavenly!
I do love this idea…I have a canister vacuum but perhaps if I only put a little bit each time it will last for some time.
Jen yes all you need is a little anyway, the smell will last a long time.
This is great Dawn. I love Lavender. Great tips.
Happy Friday and have a wonderful week end./
Kris
Kris thank you for stopping in, still no frost here in my neck of the woods. I hope we get snow soon.
Thanks so much for these tips.
I pretty much have lavender year round and I use it in vignettes, but I had no idea how to do it right.
Carol I bet you could get up to 10 harvests living where you are, and it would be so pretty all year long. Still no frost at my place so the plant is looking pretty and smells nice even without the flowers anymore.
I live in the Northeast and we have cold snowy winters.
Do you have to get new lavender plants every year or are they perennial?
Nancy
Nancy I live in Michigan so it’s very cold here too. The Lavender plants are perennials, so they come back every year:)
Thanks so much for that Dawn. My lavender plant hasn’t done much in the past but lately it’s gone crazy with blooms so I want to capture that so your post has come at the right time for me. 🙂
Thanks again,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth mine is going crazy too but we are having unseasonably warm temps, so Im assuming that’s the reason.