Drying bay leaves

Harvesting and preserving your fruit & veg

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Primrose
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Just been given a bag of fresh prunings from somebody's bay tree. Always used commercial purchased dried ones before.
Do I dry them slowly in the sunshine and then store in an airtight jar?
Any other special precautions or actions to be taken ?
robo
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Primrose I've never dried bay leaves but I would think if you hung them in a dry airy place they should be ok , I've recently built a gazebo down the plot ,I've covered the top with a clear tarpaulin then I put cane rolls on the top to stop the trap bouncing up and down in the wind , it is the perfect place to dry things no side walls and a waterproof top
Monika
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Primrose, don't dry them at all! Wipe the leaves with a slightly damp piece of kitchen towel, dry them quickly and freeze them loose on a baking tray or similar, then pop them into a plastic bag for the freezer. Their aroma is preserved much better than by drying.
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Primrose
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Thank you Monika. It would not have occurred to me to freeze the leaves. They were pruned yesterday apparently and are wilting already but I will prune a little of the base of the prunings and put them in water overnight to try and revive them and freeze them tomorrow.
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