John Myers
Chamomile that you have collected yourself or that you have grown in the garden can also be dried without much effort. However, the quality of the dried chamomile and its proportion of active ingredients not only depend on the type of drying, but also on the right time to harvest.
Only the flowers are used
Almost exclusively the flowers are harvested and used. Their proportion of medicinally active substances is highest when the flower is open for between three and five days. In the case of wild collections, this point in time is naturally difficult to predict, but you can estimate it from the average number of fully bloomed flowers: when about two-thirds of the flowers are open, it is time for the harvest.
Dry chamomile flowers
Chamomile flowers are very sensitive and react quickly to pressure and other damage. Therefore you should touch the flower heads as little as possible, washing or rinsing is also taboo. Instead, harvest on a warm, sunny, and dry day. Spread the freshly harvested chamomile flowers over a large area on a clean newspaper in a dark, warm and airy place. An attic, a dry basement, or a garden shed is ideal. (€369.00 at Amazon*)
Dry chamomile blossoms in the oven
Alternatively, drying in the oven is also possible, but you should keep the temperature as low as possible. Spread the flower heads out loosely on baking paper and stick a wooden spoon or a wine cork in the oven door. This measure ensures that escaping moisture can escape. Turn the flowers over from time to time. It is best to store the dried flowers in an airtight container that should be in a dark and cool place. Dried chamomile will keep for about a year.
