BeanDreams: Herb Drying

I gathered up my catnip crop and set it out on a pan in the oven to dry. I love the variations in the colors of the leaves, the shades and hues are really lovely!

I put them in a 150 deg F oven, stirring them up carefully with my hands every ten minutes or so (it's very hot at first, while the leaves are still moist, so be careful!), until they've dried out and become crispy, but not burned. I store the leaves whole, and will crush them to release more scent when the time comes to use them - usually I rub it into the fabric of the blanket the cats like to sleep on.

My kitties prefer the fresh stuff, but it's getting colder now, and the plants won't last outside much longer. I'd bring them inside for the winter, but they wouldn't survive the cats indoors! :) So, dried will have to do until spring again.