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Friday, June 3, 2011

Drying Lavender

Hey everyone-Happy Fresh Cut Friday! I have a little different spin on it this month, I just picked lavender to dry. Here are my first two bundles!

There will be a few more cuttings from this first crop and then I'll get a second smaller bloom.
I dry it to make sachets, but mostly I like to crumble it up and use it as a vacuum cleaner freshener.
I'd love to make lavender water to spray linens but it looks like that has to be made from the essential oils, not just the flowers. If anyone knows differently please do share!
What do you do with lavender?
Have a happy day:@)

PS-Some folks are asking about the lavender:
  • I buy it as an established plant and they sell it as an herb.
  • I plant it outside in the garden in well drained soil, it likes full sun and not too much water. Kinda thrives on abuse actually.
  • The biggest key is to prune them in the fall, keep them mounded. I did not do that and they have "sprawled", this does not seem to hurt the plant but they are much prettier and take up less room in the mound shape.
  • Harvesting, as soon as the first few flowers on the bottom of the stem begin to open they can be picked.
  • Pick them mid-morning after the dew has evaporated off and before the hot afternoon sun.
  • Tie the ends together and hang them upside down in a dark dry place until the flowers dry. Depending on the humidity it can take a few weeks or longer.
  • Keep a piece of newspaper or something under them to catch any buds that fall off so you can use them.
  • After dry simply rub the buds off gently. Add to sachets or use in cooking.
  • The stems and leaves can either be broken up and used with the buds in sachets or you can toss them into your chiminea or onto the grill for a smoky lavender flavor. 
  • Or suck them up in the vacuum as I do:@)
Also joining:
Inspiration Friday
Farmgirl Friday

48 comments:

  1. I love lavender. I make my lavender water with essential oil. That's the only way I've ever done it.

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  2. Oooh...how wonderful! My pot of lavender doesn't produce that much! Nothing is frenchier than lavender! Happy weekend!...hugs...Debie

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  3. Lucky you, does it grow anywhere? Did you plant it from seed?

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  4. I have been wanting to get some lavender. I keep telling myself when I redo the flower beds. It smells so wonderful! I do believe that Michael Lee made a post about lavender water. You should see how she did it. Have a wonderful weekend lovely lady!

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  5. Ahhhhh, *smells computer screen*

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  6. Gorgeous, Lynn! I will be lucky to get a couple blooms off my lavender.

    My cousin's daughter keeps a spray bottle of vinegar water to clean the kitchen counters and stove. She says she puts a sprig of lavender in it to freshen the scent.

    I made lavender shortbread cookies for Michael's publishing party. Just this week, I received a recipe from Taste of Home for lavender lemonade.

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  7. I have tried to grow lavender so that I could dry it. But the sun hear just beats it up so much. I do have LOTS of Rosemary! Your Lavender is so pretty.

    Thank you so much for joining in for Fresh-Cut Friday! :)

    ~Liz

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  8. Oh, I love lavender! I have a lavender linen spray that I use on my pillowcases and can't imagine there is even a tiny bit of oil in it. My crop is coming along but it will be another few weeks before it blooms.

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  9. Oh, I'm so jealous! I grew lavender at my last house, but can't seem to get it to grow where I live now :(

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  10. Beautiful! Love the smell of lavender such a stress reliever!

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  11. Lavender!...oh I can almost smell it!..so lovely,but it doesn't grow to well in southeast Georgia, I'm jealous!...I know that as great a cook as you are,you could cook us up something wonderful,maybe some lavender cookies!
    ~JO
    LazyonLoblolly

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  12. Good morning Lynn, I must grow some lavender. I love the smell of it. I bought some in a bottle for ironing and when it ran out I couldn't find it again. Sigh. In the vacuum is a great idea.
    We are having a great vacation here in Maine.

    Thanks for your visit.
    Hugs, Jeanne

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  13. I ike what you said in your profile...the day job puts food on the table...but doesn't do anything for the soul...that is why I began to blog..it fills the creative and soul sustaining and nourishing parts of me...I found you through Deb's Farmgirl Friday...Do tell a little bit about the lavender...what you grow it in...and how you dry it..I planted seeds but they just didn't thrive...should I sow some outside in the soil? I started them indoors in peat pots...but they never made it outside...

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  14. I have a pot of lavender and I dry most of it for potpourri or sachets. I use some dried in a spice blend with marjoram, thyme, parsley and chervil (when I can find chervil) and it is good on chicken. xo,

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  15. I know what I will be doing with lavender now...use it as a vacuum freshener, great tip!

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  16. I love lavender and dare I say it? I've killed a plant by buying it and leaving it in its pot for too long because I couldn't figure out the perfect place to plant it!! It's shameful I know...

    I actually have one in the backyard ready to be planted now. It's O.K., I know where she's going!

    Blessings, Debbie

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  17. Beautiful... I bet they smell heavenly! I love lavender. I need some :)

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  18. After readong a few posts about Lavender farms and festivals I have been telling myself I need to do this. I have the land and it would make my yard smell wonderful.
    I saw a recipe today and thought you'd like to try it http://momsofalltrades.blogspot.com/2011/05/cookies-with-bacon.html

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  19. I love Fresh Cut Friday!
    I love lavender!

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  20. I love the scent of lavender. Last June Bob and I toured local lavender farms and spent hours in the fields and tasting various foods and drinks made with it. It was a great day. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Blessings...Mary

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  21. Lavender for me is Provence. In Menton, there was a very steep staircase up to my campsite. To find the strength to climb up so I picked twigs to smell. It strengthened me! Wish you a nice weekend! Zinnia

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  22. I love love love Lavender! We have a Lavender farm near us on Cape Cod... Cape Cod Lavender Farm... Just walking around there is pure delight! I've always wanted to " do" something with lavender,but right now I only grow it.. I have several of the English Lavender ( Hilcote) in one of my gardens and I so love it! Thanks for this wonderful post!
    Wish it was scratch and sniff!!!
    Deb

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  23. what a great post...so happy to have my computer back and am able to stop by for a visit...at last !!!!!

    kary and teddy

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  24. Gorgeous...I can't wait until mine is big enough to harvest.

    Blessings Kelsie

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  25. Your lavenders looks so good. I can smell them from here...Christine

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  26. I enjoy my lavender best in the garden and only cut a bit to make decorative wands. I use culinary lavender for my shortbread and lemonade and when it's gone, will start to harvest some of my own.
    Most of mine I started from seed and it has a high germination rate.
    Always nice to see someone else that loves this plant too.
    Judith

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  27. Great post because I just cut some of mine for the first time.

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  28. I love lavender but have never tried to grow it..if it likes less water and hot sun, maybe I can do it here. Think I might plant some in a pot and see how it does. Thanks for the tips.
    xoxo bj

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  29. Thank you for the update..I will refer back..thanks for stopping at my blog....and leaving a comment, I sure do appreciate it..

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  30. Lavender is lovely! I keep a little sachet in my pillow case :)

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  31. Lovely! And the pic is perfect!

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  32. What a great and informative post. I have a big lavender bush, but have never harvested it. Such a pitty, because I just love the aroma of lavender. Thanks to this great post I'll have lavender for sachets this year!
    Yvonne

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  33. LOVE the smell of lavender!!!

    Thanks for the info!
    Leontien

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  34. How wonderful that you have blooms to pick. My plant hasn't bloomed this year. Fingers crossed that it will. ~ Sarah

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  35. I love lavender, but it is almost impossible to overwinter it here.

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  36. LOL! That is so true that they thrive on "abuse"! Mine have been slow in coming this year because of the ridiculous amounts of rain we have had but they are starting to get bigger and I can't wait. I have never used them as a vacuum freshener but I will have to try that! Thanks so much for linking this up to Inspiration Friday! :-)
    Vanessa

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  37. How pretty! I need to plant some in one of my beds. Where do u buy the plants?

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  38. Not only is it beautiful, but it smells good, too. I love your "I Smell Bacon" recipe index.
    :)
    D

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  39. I used to make the lavender wands to sell at craft shows. The color is so glorious. And what a lot of uses you shared here.

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  40. Oh there is nothing like fresh cut lavender. The smell is heavenly.

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  41. I just saw that you are a Philly girl from Someplace in Thyme... I am in NJ now.. but was in South Philly for 12 years...now off to Florida...
    Glad I found you... love your blog!
    Smiles~
    Cricket @ gypsea nurse

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  42. Lavender is my fav and have many bushes...it reseeds itself and comes up in strange places, like between the bricks on the patio!!! I also harvest it, dry it and use for potpourri and sachets....waiting for mine to bloom...hugs...cleo

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  43. I love Lavender. I dont grow it, but maybe I should give it a try. Is it hard to grow? I do buy Lavender linen spray and room spray from a favorite gift shop. I also have bought sachet filled to the brim with fresh lavender. Yours looks lovely. I need some! LOL!

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  44. Wow ~ gorgeous!!! I bet your house smells gooooooooood!!
    Have a fantastic week.

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  45. What a perfect post for me. I just bought my first lavander plant.

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  46. I love this post! I have made rose petal jam/spread with lavender and I enjoy it on everything from scones to ice cream. I have also used it in sachets to prevent moths and it makes closets and rooms smell delightful.
    Wonderful post. Your lavender looks so healthy. I enjoy Fresh Cut Friday and all the lovely blooms.

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