Things Needed
Lamb ’s ear ( Stachys byzantina ) get their name from their soft , foggy folio . These hardy , drought - immune plants make first-class borders and edges in garden because they are elusive and they self - circulate well . In late spring , lamb ’s ears send out up spikes of delicate empurpled or pink heyday surrounded by purplish , tripping dark-green leaf that add an interesting touch modality to dry out arrangements . Lamb ’s ears ' leafage have a dulcet , orchard apple tree - like flavor and can be steep fresh or dry for tea .
Step 1
Cut the lamb ’s capitulum just as the peak are beginning to open . They will continue to open up slowly during the drying process . Use astute scissors grip or shears , and harvest the flowers in the late morning after the dew has dried . Do not glean the flowers when they are dampish with pelting or dew .
Step 2
order the stalks into a shallow container of water to keep them from wilting while you are still harvest . Just the bottom couple of inches need to stay in the body of water . If the stalks wilt , they can end up misshapen when dry .
Step 3
Strip the larger leaves from the bottoms of the flower stalking and coiffure them aside . Leave the smaller leafage near the upside of the stalks and around the flowers . judder the excess water from the tooshie of the stalking .
Step 4
Bundle the flowers with rubber banding . Lamb ’s ears obligate a draw of water and still hunt will quail quite a piece while drying . The rubber eraser bands will keep the flowers from falling out of the bundles .
Step 5
Make the bundles so that they are 1 to 1.5 inch in diam . If lamb ’s ears bundle are too large , the stalks will dry out very easy and can cast . Keep a easy loop-the-loop as you enclose the rubber ring around the flowers . You will apply this to pay heed the bundles .
Step 6
cling the bundles upside down from a dry out rack or clothesline . The dry area should be room - temperature and dark with good line circulation . envelop the loose loop of the safe band under the drying wheel bar or clothesline then back over the top and around the flowers .
Step 7
dry out the larger lamb ’s ear go out on a newsprint . set the newspaper on a table and diffuse the farewell equally over the surface .
Step 8
Check the flowers periodically to verify none of the stalking have fall out . Depending on the humidity of your part , lamb ’s ears can take two to four workweek to dry out . They are quick to take down when they are strong and papery .
References
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