The harvesting method has a significant impact on the edibility and taste of lavender, primarily concerning the timing of the harvest and the care taken during the process. The goal for culinary lavender is to capture the flowers at their peak flavor and aroma, while minimizing undesirable compounds and damage.
Here's how harvesting method influences culinary lavender:
1. Optimal Harvesting Time (Crucial for Taste and Potency): This is arguably the most important factor. The concentration of essential oils, and thus the flavor, varies significantly depending on the bloom stage.
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For Culinary Use (Flower Buds): The ideal time to harvest lavender for culinary purposes is generally when the flower buds are plump, showing full color, but have not yet fully opened. Some sources suggest when about 25-50% of the tiny individual flowers on a spike have opened.
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Why this stage? At this point, the essential oils are highly concentrated in the buds, and the flavor is typically at its most intense, sweet, and delicate, with minimal bitter or camphoraceous notes. If harvested too early, the flavor can be weak.
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Avoiding Over-bloom: Harvesting after the flowers are fully open or starting to fade can lead to a less potent flavor, a greater chance of bitterness, and a higher risk of the delicate flowers shedding during drying and processing.
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Time of Day: Harvest in the early morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the heat of the day intensifies. The essential oils are most concentrated in the plant at this time. Harvesting in the hot afternoon can cause some of the volatile oils to dissipate, leading to a less flavorful product.
2. Cutting Technique and What to Harvest:
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Focus on the Flower Spikes/Buds: For culinary use, you are primarily interested in the flower buds. While some recipes might use tender leaves, the stems are rarely used directly for flavor (except perhaps as skewers for aroma).
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Clean Cuts: Use sharp, clean pruning shears or scissors to make clean cuts. This minimizes damage to the plant, promoting healthy regrowth for future harvests. Crushing or tearing the stems can release unwanted flavors from the stems into the harvested material.
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Length of Stem: Cut the stems long enough to comfortably bundle and hang for drying (typically 6-10 inches below the buds), but avoid cutting into the old, woody growth of the plant, as lavender does not regenerate well from woody stems. For culinary purposes, you'll later strip the buds from the stems anyway.
3. Gentle Handling:
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Preserving Essential Oils: Lavender flowers are delicate. Rough handling, crushing, or excessive bruising during harvest can cause the essential oils to escape prematurely or degrade, leading to a loss of flavor and aroma.
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Minimize Debris: Try to harvest clean flower spikes, minimizing the inclusion of leaves or stem bits if your primary goal is clean buds for culinary use. These other parts can contribute a stronger, more bitter flavor, as discussed previously.
4. Immediate Post-Harvest Care (Leading into Curing):
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Prompt Drying: After harvesting, it's crucial to begin the drying process promptly. Delaying drying can lead to mold development (if stored wet) or loss of essential oils (if left in sun/heat).
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Proper Drying Method: As discussed in previous answers, drying upside down in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area is optimal. This allows essential oils to draw down into the buds and prevents light-induced degradation and color loss, all of which preserve the desired taste.
By meticulously following optimal harvesting practices, especially regarding timing and gentle handling, growers and home gardeners can ensure that the lavender they use for culinary purposes boasts the most vibrant, sweet, and delicate floral flavor, free from undesirable bitter or harsh notes.
Lavender Farm in Door County Wisconsin. You can buy lavender products online at islandlavender.com