Homegrown herbs are one of the greatest pleasures of any garden
or allotment — but they don't last long once harvested. Drying
your herbs with the Ezidri FD1000 is the fastest, most effective
way to preserve their full flavour and aroma for use all year round.
Why Use a Dehydrator for Drying Herbs?
Traditional air drying takes days or even weeks and often results
in herbs losing much of their colour, aroma and flavour. The Ezidri
FD1000 dries herbs quickly at a precisely controlled low temperature
— preserving the essential oils that give herbs their flavour far
better than any other method.
Which Herbs Can You Dry?
The Ezidri FD1000 is perfect for drying virtually any herb:
- Rosemary — woody stems, dries beautifully and keeps
for months
- Thyme — small leaves, use mesh sheets to prevent
falling through trays
- Basil — dry quickly at low temperature to preserve
colour and flavour
- Mint — spearmint, peppermint and apple mint all
dry brilliantly
- Oregano — intensifies beautifully when dried
- Sage — perfect for stuffings and sauces
- Parsley — flat leaf dries better than curly
- Chives — slice finely before drying
- Lavender — edible and wonderful in baking and
pot pourri
- Bay leaves — dry whole for use in cooking
What You'll Need
- Fresh herbs — harvested in the morning after dew
has evaporated
- Ezidri FD1000 with mesh sheets
How to Dry Herbs with the Ezidri FD1000
1. Harvest herbs in the morning when essential oils
are at their most potent
2. Wash gently and pat completely dry with kitchen paper —
excess moisture will significantly increase drying time
3. Strip leaves from woody stems for herbs like rosemary
and thyme — or dry in small bunches
4. Spread in a single layer on mesh sheets —
do not pack too tightly
5. Set Ezidri FD1000 to 30°C - 40°C —
low temperature is essential to preserve flavour
and colour
6. Dry for 4 to 8 hours until leaves crumble easily
between fingers
7. Cool completely before storing
Dryness Test
Herb leaves should crumble easily between your fingers
when fully dry. If they bend without breaking return
to the Ezidri for another hour.
Storage
Store in airtight glass jars away from light and heat.
Properly dried and stored herbs will retain excellent
flavour for 12 months or more. Label jars with the
herb name and date dried.
Tips for Best Results
- Dry different herbs on separate trays —
strong aromas like mint can transfer to
more delicate herbs
- Harvest before the plant flowers for the
best flavour — once a herb bolts the
flavour diminishes
- The lower the temperature the better the
colour and flavour retention — never exceed
40°C for herbs
- Use mesh sheets for small leaved herbs like
thyme to prevent leaves falling through the trays
Want more ideas for preserving your allotment harvest?
Visit our Allotment and Garden page for more inspiration.