How To Harvest Yarrow

"A weed is simply a plant that you don't know what to do with."

Author Unknown

There is a lot of yarrow growing here on Oak Hill. Usually I harvest enough to make a big batch of infused oil to use throughout the year. I often double- or even triple-infuse the oil with several herbs, which might include plantain, chickweed, comfrey (which I buy since it doesn't grow here yet), and lemon balm. I make the oil into salves or creams, or use it in my homemade soap.

This year I wanted to have a few more options. I'm beginning to use herbs in teas, and I want to make some powdered yarrow to use as a wound powder. Having the fresh herbs is wonderful, but winter does arrive eventually even in Oklahoma, and there are no fresh herbs in winter. So in addition to making the infused oil, I dehydrated some yarrow as well.

I gathered a big armful of yarrow stems. The best time to harvest yarrow, or any other herb, is on a warm, sunny day. Wait until the dew has dried, but don't wait until it's so hot out that the plant's essential oils have dissipated.

I barely walked ten steps to gather all of this. 
I tried to pull out as much foreign material (stuff that isn't yarrow, like grass or other plants) as I could before going in the house, but I did find a few more stems to be separated and thrown out.

I use both the flowers and the leaves. I cut off the flower heads using my kitchen shears.

Then, holding the top of the stem in one hand, I simply run my hand down the stem and all the leaves come off very easily. (Taking this photo was extremely hard - I'm right-handed and so is my camera - so I'm pretending that I'm left-handed here.)

If you find a multi-branched stem, it's easiest to cut them into individual stems before pulling off the leaves.

I ended up with this big bowl full of yarrow leaves and flower heads. 

You can use a dehydrator, or just spread out the herbs on a cookie sheet and dry in a very slow oven. Set the oven as low as it will go; you don't want to burn or cook the herbs, just dry out the moisture. I used my L'Equip dehydrator, and filled all six trays.

The herbs are "done" when the stems snap easily and cleanly.

I filled an entire container with this batch. Label your container (dried herbs tend to look alike, although you'd probably be able to tell from the smell that this is yarrow), and store in a cool, dry, dark place.

Remember, before using this or any herb, please research it fully.
You are responsible for your own health.



What is your favorite dried herb? How do you use it? Please leave a comment.

Other posts in this series:
Plantain
Woolly Mullein
Echinacea
Yarrow
How to Harvest Yarrow
Pokeweed
Lambsquarters
Curly Dock
Vetch
DIY Herb Field Guide



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