Cutting, Tying and Drying Lavender

I like to use my own lavender in the beauty products that I make as well as for cooking. Since I use no pesticides or fertilizers in my garden I know that it's safe. Lavender is great for the garden, it invites bees and keeps away invasive pests such as aphids. If you can grow your own lavender you definitely should.

Lavender is harvested just as the buds are beginning to open. Unfortunately this year I was away for a month, and London had very hot and dry weather. My lavender was a bit overdue by the time I got home, but there was still plenty that I could use.

1. The first step is to gather the flower stems into bunches and cut them.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Next, strip off the leaves and pull out any bad stems.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Separate the stems into short, medium and long piles.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Line up the flower heads and tie into bunches. You should tie directly under the flower heads as well as several inches down the stems.
   
   
5. Dip the tied flowers into slightly soapy, cold, water, I use a non-toxic Ecover. Then rinse them under water and blot dry with paper toweling.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Hang to dry. Note that after a week or so you will have to retie the strings, because the stems will shrink a bit as they dry
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

In about a month the flowers will be dry enough to start using. There are many uses for lavender and many recipes out on the web. I use them in my lavender and rose body scrub, I grind them into salt and sprinkle over boiled potatoes and simmer them in milk for a bed time treat.