When it comes to storing dried medicinal plants, then there are so many important things that you need to consider. The dried medicinal plants are used in various ways like making herbal teas, tinctures, infused oils, etc. If you have started collecting dried herbal plants in huge amounts, then you should ensure that you have properly stored all of them to enjoy their high potency and increase their lifespan.
The main reason for the degradation of dried herbs is oxygen, sunlight, heat, time, and humidity. To maintain the ideal humidity around the herbs, you should place the Integra boost humidity packs inside the jars in which medicinal herbs are stored. The different types of medicinal plants have different storage lives.
The medicinal flowers and leaves lose their efficiency more quickly than the roots and seeds. It is important to find out when the medicinal plants were obtained so that you can choose the highest quality herb.
Also, you should store these medicinal plants properly to ensure their high efficiency. Here, in this article, we are going to discuss various tips and tricks to keep your medicinal plants fresh for a long:
1. Obtain Plants In Whole Form
First of all, you need to consider that the herbs are available in the whole form because they can last long. If you can store the whole herb and grind them as required, then you will get the fresh and string product.
According to the thumb rule, you should store them in a large form for extending their lifespan. Also, some medicinal plants are easy to store in the whole form rather than in small forms.
2. Ensure They Are Totally Dry
When it comes to storing the dried herb, then it is very important to make sure that the herbs are completely dried. This rule is really applicable to those who are harvesting the herbs from the backyard. It is so because the freshly harvested herbs have a huge content of water.
Thus, it is very important to dry these properly before storing them for later use. It is very important to ensure that there is no moisture content left behind before storing them.
The best way to check whether the plants are completely dried or not is by rubbing them between your hands. If they are almost crispy to touch and can easily crumble, then you should make sure that they are properly dried.
3. Place Inside Airtight Containers
Oxygen will start degrading over time. Thus, you should keep your herbs inside airtight containers. It is recommended to choose the glass jars with a screw-top cover. You should avoid using plastic containers because they can transfer chemicals into your medicinal plants.
4. Keep Away From Direct Sunlight
The sunlight hitting your glass jars may look attractive, but these sun rays can affect the potency of your medicinal plants. Therefore, you should store them in a place where direct sunlight cannot reach them.
Also, it is a good idea to choose dark-colored glass jars to block the sunlight. You should keep the jars inside the closed cabinets to protect them from direct sunlight.
5. Keep In A Cool And Dry Location
If you want to extend the shelf life of the medicinal plant, then you should store your herbs in a cool and dry place. You should not store them near the stove or the steamy area.
You should store these jars in the coolest and dry location of your house. You should place the Integra boost humidiccant inside the jar of herbs to maintain the right level of moisture inside the jar.
6. Label Harvest
While storing the medicinal herbs, it is important to keep track of how old are these plants. It is a very important habit that you need to develop. When you will put the new herb on the shelf, then it is important to label its name and time of harvest. Things that you should mention in the label are Names. Botanical Name, Harvest Date, Purchase Date and Discard Date.
Final Words
The different medicinal plants have different shelf lives. But properly dried and stored herbs will never go bad. Though they may become less potent with time and you can replace them with the new one.
Most herbalists look for the most potent herbs and it is not that difficult to obtain the highly efficient herb. All you need to do is take care of certain things to keep the herbs at their best quality.
You should implement the above-mentioned tips and tricks to extend the lifespan of your medicinal herbs. By labeling your herbs, you can avoid the guesswork. Also, with the help of labels, you can easily find out the right time for replacing the herbs.
