Herb Drying Tray

Creating an inexpensive herb drying tray allows you to air dry some of your herbs and flowers that may fare better on a tray than hanging to dry.

Here are the directions for both table top and hanging herb drying tray. Because I have cats the table top rack would be a bad idea for my herbs so I only do the hanging tray.

Herb Drying Tray

Materials you will need:

large wooden picture frames 8×10, 11×14,

fiberglass screen or cheese cloth  [at least a yard more depending on how many trays you desire]

Scissors

Staple gun

wood glue

8 1×1 inch pieces of wood, bottle caps or wine corks that are at least 1 inch high, for each tray [these are the legs that will lift your tray so air can circulate beneath it.]

You may use old picture frames that are no longer useful to you, pick them up at a dollar store or thrift store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

Remove the glass and cardboard back from the picture frame.

Cut a length of window screen that is slightly larger than your frame.

Turn the frame so it is facing down, and stretch the screen over the back of it. Begin stapling the screen onto the wood on one end, then pull the screening taut before stapling the rest to the frame.

Cut off screening that hangs over the edges of the frame.

On the back of your herb dryer, glue a 1×1 inch piece of wood or what ever you are using to each corner so that when you flip it over it forms a little table.

This will allow the necessary air to circulate freely above and below your drying tray.

Repeat this process with each picture frame [make sure the front of the frame] is flat so you may stack them on top of each other leaving room for air to circulate, this frame may also be hung if you use small bunches of herbs and attach them to the screen with string.

 

Hanging Herb Drying Tray

You will need:

large wooden picture frames 8×10, 11×14,

fiberglass screen or cheese cloth  [at least a yard more depending on how many trays you desire]

Scissors

Staple gun

wood glue

Screw hooks -4 for a 1 level dryer, 12 for a 2 level, etc.

A plant hanging kit [chain and S hooks]

Directions:

Remove the glass and cardboard back from the picture frame.

Cut a length of window screen that is slightly larger than your frame.

Turn the frame so it is facing down, and stretch the screen over the back of it. Begin stapling the screen onto the wood on one end, then pull the screening taut before stapling the rest to the frame.

Cut off screening that hangs over the edges of the frame.

Flip your frame front-side up and screw your screw hooks into the corners. Take advantage of the separation of the corners here for starting off your screw hooks. You could also use a drill to make the starter hole. Screw hooks in all 4 corners…

Take your chain and shorten it if necessary…test it out to make sure that you are happy with the length.

Now take your 4 chains and hook one end of each chain to each of the screw hooks on the 4 corners.
Then take one of your S hooks and connect the other end of all 4 chains in the middle.

Give the S hook a good squeeze so that you can keep all chains hooked up.
Hang and add your herbs!

If you desire a tiered tray all you need to do is add your screw hooks to both the front and back-sides of the frame, in all 4 corners. Add your chain to connect the levels with an S hook or just by opening the chain links.

If using the S hooks, make sure to squeeze them closed so that your levels do not come apart when you are moving or rehanging.