How do I harvest and dry my chamomile?

Question

I am a first time gardener, and I have some idea of what to do...but I don't know if I need to make any preperation for drying, or if I should hang dry stalks. I realy need some help because I can't find any answers in herb books.
Thank you so much for your aid in my gardening.
God bless you
K.K.

Answer 1

The easiest way to do this is to use a chamomile rake, a short, scoop-like rake that you drag across the plants, and it just harvests the flowers. You can find them in most gardening catalogs, Johnny's Selected Seeds I know for sure has them. Barring that, though, you just want the flowers, so just pick of as many as you need, just pinch them off below the flower, and spread them out on an old window screen in a dry, well-ventilated corner of your house or garage. Food dehydrators also work well for this. Let them dry for a week or two, and store them in a not completely air tight container-don't use plastic bags, as the chamomile can mold without a small amount of airflow. There you go, good luck!

Answer 2

Stalk drying is always your best bet. Make sure that it is not to bulky, and it is being stored in a non-moist area, often hanging it in closets or in a basement is your best bet. Anywhere it is dry and dark will dry it to it's full potential. You could invest in dehydrators that do it for you as well...

Answer 3

If you want it for tea or medicinal purposes, all you need is the flower head.

Answer 4

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