DIFFERENT STORAGE TIPS FOR PRESERVING HERBS

Once the herbs are dry, and as long as they remain in a dry place, they should be good for quite some time. it is generally best to store the herbs in paper sacks in a cool, dry area. The fruits and berries, of course, will be jarred or dried. They are all a blessing from God in heaven.

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It is important that you store your herbs properly for longest shelf life. An alternative to storing them in brown paper sacks is to place them in a tight container, not made of plastic (which contains formaldehyde). The container can be a waxed carton if it is given a wax seal; but glass bottles are best (unless you are able to seal a steel can). ***Never store anything in aluminum***. The stored herbs should be labeled, dated, and well-organized in the herbal medicine chest or cabinet. If the particular herb will not be used within a year, then fill the jar to the top, to crowd out oxygen, and then seal it with wax.

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Herbal oils must be stored in brown bottles, sealed tightly, and kept out of the sun and extreme heat. Powdered forms of herbs will keep up to a year or more and retain fairly full potency, when stored in fairly cool place. Powdered herbs generally do not need refrigeration. At room temperature, they will keep 6 months. When hermetically sealed with wax, they will keep 2 or 3 years. Herbal powders containing oils (such as cayenne) cannot be stored even a short time in paper, but must be waxed sealed in a tight container. Tinctures are best kept in tightly capped 3-oz. colored glass bottles.