Dried thyme: methods of harvesting at home - how to dry thyme for the winter

How and when to collect thyme

Many people grow thyme on their own in their garden, but finding it in the wild is also not difficult. Thickets of bushes can be found on slopes and forest edges, in steppe meadows and on rocks. Thyme generally prefers dry, rocky or sandy soils.

The collection of this plant begins from May to August. In this case, only the upper above-ground part of the plant is suitable. Using a knife or sharp scissors, thin young branches with small leaves and flowers are cut, leaving only thick shoots at some distance from the ground. To preserve thickets of bushes for the next years, you need to take care of the roots of the plant and not cut out all the green mass from one bush.

For culinary purposes, thyme is harvested before it blooms, in May - June. Plants that have not yet given color contain the largest amount of aromatic oils, which has a positive effect on the taste of the product.

Medicinal infusions are prepared during the period of mass flowering of the bush. Since ancient times, it was believed that thyme had some magical properties, so it was collected on the days of such church holidays as Trinity and the Dormition of the Virgin. It was believed that it was on these days that thyme acquired unique healing properties.

Harvesting thyme should be done in dry, sunny weather. The best time for this is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., since by this time the plants have already completely dried out from the dew. Moisture can ruin not only the color of dried flower stalks, but also significantly increase the drying time.

Watch the video from the channel “Ekomesto” - Harvesting thyme or thyme and its beneficial properties

Methods for drying thyme

On air

Thyme sprigs along with flowers and leaves are dried. They are laid out on baking sheets or other flat containers. It is best to place a sheet of paper or a piece of thick fabric under the raw materials. The drying area should be dark, dry and accessible to fresh air. Direct sunlight falling on the workpiece can completely deprive the product of useful substances.

To protect raw materials from dust and insects, the top of the pallets is covered with gauze. This fabric is capable of good air permeability, preventing food from being blocked.

The grass needs to be turned over several times a day. If you don’t have time for this manipulation, you can dry the thyme hanging. To do this, form small bunches and hang them in a dry place protected from light.

Another way is to dry it in small portions in mesh bags. Such bags should also be hung along the walls in a dry and dark room.

Natural drying time can vary from 3 to 5 days. This directly depends on weather conditions.

Watch the video from the Green Pharmacy channel - How to dry plants

In an electric dryer

Experienced herbalists do not recommend artificially accelerating the drying time of thyme by using various heating devices. They justify this by the fact that the essential oils found in the plant evaporate when they dry quickly.

If there is no suitable place for drying naturally, and the grass needs urgent drying, then you can resort to using an electric dryer. An important rule that must be followed is that the heating temperature of the device should not exceed 35 degrees. It is best to dry only on the top racks of the device, for example, on the fourth or fifth of the five available.

Drying time in an electric dryer will take approximately 6 – 8 hours.

A video from the Ezidri Master channel will tell you how to dry thyme and sage

In the oven

Drying thyme in the oven is strictly prohibited, since it is not possible to set and constantly control the desired drying temperature, even if you have an electric oven.

How to determine readiness

The stems of a completely dried product become elastic and brittle, even with minor impact. The leaves take on a dark green color, make a rustling sound and are easily separated from the main stem. The flowers also darken slightly and crumble easily when squeezed.

How to store dry thyme

Before storing, leaves for tea are freed from hard stems and sifted.Then the workpiece is transferred into glass or ceramic containers in a layer of no more than 7 centimeters. You can also store thyme in canvas bags.

The shelf life of the dried product is 1 year. After the specified time, thyme reserves should be renewed.