sachets | Better Hens and Gardens

Drying Lavender

The lavender is blooming now, so it’s time to start drying it – I love having it around for sachets and crafts. It’s well known for its insect repellant properties and we love the fragrance.

There’s really nothing difficult about drying lavender - simply gather the flowering stems just as the flowers start to open and hang in small bunches to dry. When cutting the stems, be sure to leave a few inches of green growth on the plant – don’t go all the way down to the woody portion of the stem. When you’ve cut enough blossoms to fill your hand, wrap a rubber band [...]

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Making Lavender Wands (Moth Protection)

As the cold weather returns, and we start getting the woolens out of closets; I’m reminded that lavender is a natural moth repellent, is much safer than moth balls, and needs harvesting now for bouquets, sachets, and lavender wands.

The lavender for bouquets and sachets needs to be dried, but lavender wands should be done now with fresh-supple lavender. Here’s how, along with some pictures of the process.

Gather 13 or more (it needs to be an odd number for the weaving to work right) 15″ long stems of fresh lavender, and strip all the leaves from the stem. Harvesting early in the day, but after the [...]

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