How Do I Dry Lavender?

The origins of the word lavender can be traced to the Greek word for wash ~ lavare. Lavender has been witness to all the upheavals of the Roman and Greek empires because it was used as an odor-buster in those lavish castles and baths.

Cut some lavender and bundle them together, not bigger than something that would not fit in your clenched fist. Bind them together using a rubber band and hang them upside down in a cool place that is not directly hit by sunlight. As the lavender dries it will shrink and the elasticity of the rubber band will adjust accordingly.

This will help to dry the lavender stems and bring out its inherent fragrances. The bundle should not come in contact with the wall or floor; prolonged contact will damage the lavender. After 7 to 10 days it will be dry enough to use in your bath or any other part of the house.

Drying lavender, requires a open dry space preferably a barn or outside shed. The lavender should be cut to a similar length
packed into a bunch,not too large as it won't dry well, maximum about 20 stems.
You should then bind it with string or raffia,leaving a long loop to tie it onto a pole across the ceiling or hooks on a wall.
It should be hung upside down for a month or so. It will not stay the brilliant lavender color, it will mellow a little.
French lavender is more successful for drying because it has a more formed flower head and does not shed as much, so it looks better.
The commercial lavender that you buy of a bright colour has been treated with chemicals and requires a complete process.
I have always found naturally dried lavender the best.
If you want it pressed for a picture, place it flat in a heavy book
between two pieces of tissue paper for several months. It can then be used to frame or make cards.

Lavender is an herb whose seeds, leaves and flowers are used as flavouring agents in food or has medicinal properties. Lavender is also used in cosmetics, dyes and perfumes. Lavender belongs to the mint family and is primarily used for fragrance and personal care products. There are different types of lavender and they are catalogued as English lavender, French lavender, Italian lavender, and Spanish lavender.  

The simplest method of drying lavender is to cut it into bundles that will fit in the hand and secure them with a rubber band. Then this bundle or bundles should be hung upside down in some dark and dry place which helps it to retain its colour. It should be left that for a period of one week or ten days. One would be able to discern whether it is dried or not because dried lavender would not have moisture and the stems would not be supple as before. Dried lavender is used for several purposes like decoration and making of floral crafts and also for some culinary use.