This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.

❗Mistaken plant identification may cause death.

1 serving of fresh herb is usually equivalent to 2 servings or 3 servings of dried herb. Herbs may or may not lose potency when dried, depending on plant type.

Foraging Safely

◦ Consult a reliable plant identification guide and online resources available.
◦ Focus on all the plant’s features: Leaves, flowers, stems, and root structure if possible.
◦ When in doubt, don’t harvest. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Drying Herbs

Dry in High Humidity: Dehydrate in a food dehydrator at 95°F to 115°F for 4 to 8 hours.

Dry in Low Humidity: Bundle together the harvested branches and tie together. Cover with a hole-punched paper bag (to ensure adequate ventilation and sufficient evaporation of water) to prevent dusty leaves and prevent the sun from bleaching the color. Fully dried when branches no longer bendy, approximately 2 weeks.

Harvesting Flowers, Leaves, and Roots

Harvest herbs in the morning after the dew has dried. This helps preserve the essential oils and other volatile compounds in the leaves. The hot afternoon sun dissipates the essential oils and other volatile compounds.

Lightly rinse fresh flowers and leaves with cool water before drying them to remove dirt, dust, fertilizer residue, and insects. Scrub roots to remove dirt, fertilizer, residue, and insects. Once clean, gently pat dry the with a washcloth and either use fresh or dehydrate and store in airtight containers.

Flowers: If harvested fresh for culinary, use within 1 hour of harvest. Harvest flowers when fully opened at their peak. Avoid harvesting buggy, wilting and fallen flowers.
Leaves: Harvest leaves prior to flowering to avoid bitter tasting leaves, in most cases. Younger leaves are generally considered more tender and flavorful compared to older, tougher leaves. Avoid leaves that are drooping, buggy, and diseased.
Roots: Harvest times for roots vary for each plant. Either harvest in early Spring prior to new growth for the least bitterness, or in late Fall, when the roots store energy, for a more robust flavor. Root crops such as beets, carrots, radishes, etc., may be harvested at the peak of their growth.

Harvesting Seeds

Flowering: Allow the plant to blossom, which usually happens in the Spring, Summer, or Fall.
Seedhead Development: As the flowers mature and then fade, seedheads form in their place and contain seeds. This process can take several weeks.
Seedhead Drying: Wait for the seedheads to dry completely on the plant. The environment will determine how much time it takes for seedheads to dry. Successful seed harvesting requires waiting for flower colors to fade and usually turn brown (sometimes flowers turn dark green or orange.). Crunchy, dry flowers or open seed pods indicate the spent flowers have formed seeds. Seedheads are usually formed in the Summer, Fall, or Winter.
Seed Collection: Carefully remove the seedheads or fruits from stalks and break them apart over a container to collect the seeds. Allow the seeds to dry indoors, away from humidity, for 5 days to 7 days (depending on environmental humidity.). Once seeds have dried, store in an airtight container. Keep container in a fridge (not a fridge that freezes!) to extend seed lifespan to be up to 2 years.
Seed Separation (Optional): The seeds might have debris from the seedhead mixed with them. Separate any chaff (the outer casing that surrounds a seed which is usually a dry, scaly husk) from the seeds by gently winnowing them (blowing them in a light breeze) or sifting them through a fine mesh screen.
Challenges and Considerations:
Seed Viability: Consider the germination rate for the plant variety
when planting seeds. This will help to determine how many seeds to sow
according to their percentage of rate of successful germination.
Germination Time: Seeds may take a few days all the way to several
months for successful germination. Some varieties require stratification for the seeds to properly germinate, which may be exposure to water or cold temperatures for a short amount of time.
Alternative Propagation: Dividing established plants is a much easier
and is very reliable for propagating new plants.