Drying Lavender for its many uses at home

The ideal time to dry lavender is when the flowering of the plant is in its height. The buds have the optimum capacity to hold fragrance during this period. As you start with your project ensure that it is done in the mid morning. It is preferably the time when the dew drops on the plant have evaporated and the sun is also not so strong as to dry up the essential oil for the day. When you plan for drying lavender you are at your freedom to dry either the buds or flowers or even a bunch of lavender boughs. You need to know some more information on this to be successful with your work.

Toolsr
Some of the primary tools that you need in order to dry and store lavender successfully are gardening shears, sachets, air tight containers, newspapers and rubber bands. You can also go for paper towels in place of newspapers.

Methodsr
One of the common methods is to gather a few lavender stems, tie them up with elastic bands and hang them upside down. Ensure that the room where you carry on with your work is well ventilated with option of electric fan too. The process will get completed faster if you have any these amenities.

If you do not wish to make your lavender stems bony dry then place them flat on a newspaper. Now, let them dry under the fan, in a cool dark room.

You can also dry lavender in your kitchen with the help of your microwave oven. Place the slashed off stems on a paper plate and subject them to low heat inside the microwave. Check them after a minute or two and turn them around if you see that more drying is needed. Next, continue with the process for two minutes more. Finally, when they have dried up to your satisfaction you need to bring them to room temperature and allow cooling. At the end of drying lavender store them in airtight containers.

Uses Of Dried Lavenderr
The most popular use of dried lavenders is perhaps as herbal tea infusion. The immense therapeutic value of lavender tea is literally posing a challenge to the conventional tea leaves. Dried lavender is immensely beneficial in promoting calmness to the central nervous system. It works wonders when used for inhalation therapy too in curing bronchial congestion, coughs, colds and other respiratory ailments. You need to throw a few dried lavender flowers into boiling water for this purpose and inhale the steam produced. Dried lavenders are also used as natural fragrant and pot pourri arrangements.

You can cure insomnia effectively if you use dried lavender as your regular sleeping aid. For this either you have to take an invigorating warm lavender bath every night before retiring to bed or place a dried lavender sachet under your pillow. Dried lavenders are also widely used as condiments in cookery items, salad dressings and garnishing for confectionaries. You can also include your family in this fun project of drying lavender. There will be nothing more innovative and beneficial than following DIY steps and drying lavender all by your own and gifting the same to your friends and family members.