How to Remove Dried Lavender Buds from the Stems

Removing dried lavender buds from stems can be done several ways.  I’m sharing 4 methods for dried lavender bud harvesting and tips for storage.  Be sure to catch number 4 – it’s my favorite and so clever!

We’ve had an abundance of lavender harvest this year, and I’ve been playing with ideas on what I can do with it.  First things first, we hung it to dry and now we needed to remove the dried lavender buds from the stems – also called stripping.  No worries, this will be G rated, and comes with a video  😉

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Watch the above video to see the bud removal in action!

I’ve found 4 handy ways to remove the buds and I want to show them to you for that day when you have a basket full of fragrant, beautiful dried lavender. 

P.S.  This is a smelly job . . . but somebody has to do it 😉

1 – REMOVING LAVENDER BUDS WITH FINGERS

Using your fingers to strip the buds off their stems is a tedious but thorough way to harvest.  If you only have a small amount of lavender on hand (or lots of patience), this is your best bet for getting every bud possible.

You simply run your fingers down the stem, gently removing the buds in the process.

2 – REMOVING LAVENDER BUDS BY SHAKING THEM FROM THE STEMS

The second method is to basically shake the buds from the stems.  You can do this a couple way.

One, tap the bundle against the other hand and over a bucket.

Or two, tap the bundle on the side of the bucket.

When the buds are dry, they shake off pretty easily, though I’ve found some varieties will shake off easier than others, and the older the lavender was when you harvested, the easier they will come off.

This method will work great if you have a large batch of lavender and a controlled environment where the flying buds can easily be swept and kept.  I recommend a large tote where you can get plenty of “wack”.  My images and video of this method was pretty much for demonstration purposes only.

If you want to combine the benefits of aromatherapy with taking out some pent up frustrations . . . this is a win win 😉

3 – REMOVE LAVENDER BUDS BY ROLLING BETWEEN HANDS

With your lavender bound together, you can easily roll it between your hands and the buds just fall off. 

This works so good, but does leave some remaining buds stuck inside the stems in the bundle.  If harvesting quickly is your goal, I’d throw on some music and let ‘er roll.

4 – PILLOWCASE METHOD FOR REMOVING DRIED LAVENDER BUDS FROM STEMS

This handy little pillowcase hack is my method of choice.  It keeps the buds contained, is gentle on my hands and works like a charm.

Simply insert the bundle inside the pillowcase.

Then roll the fabric around the bundle and gently roll back and forth, working your hands up and down the bundle.

You will begin to feel less bulk and know it’s finished.

It’s great to open the pillowcase and see all those buds clumped together and off the stem.  The key is to do it gently and not force too many of the stems to break inside as well.

That’s it!  4 easy ways to remove dried lavender buds. For our basket full of lavender, my husband and I got to work together and finished it up in no time.  He preferred the roll between your hands method, and I stuck with the pillowcase.

I do like to save some whole bundles of dried lavender to use in decor and other DIY or gifting purposes.

HOW TO STORE DRIED LAVENDER BUDS

Once you have all the dried lavender buds removed, it’s best to store them in an airtight container, away from moisture and sunlight.

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For my Amazon affiliate links for the jars in this post, click below.

Smaller Jars

Bigger Jars

You can also buy dried lavender buds on Amazon.

HOW TO USE DRIED LAVENDER BUDS

Now the really fun part – coming up with creative ways to use your lavender.  Admittedly, I’m slightly obsessed with Lavender so I’ve created a whole Pinterest board dedicated to all the ways to use and love lavender.  Check out my Lavender inspiration Pinterest board to discover all the creative beauty I have pinned.  

If you love lavender like I do, you might also like this post I wrote on 20+ ways to enjoy a Lavender Harvest.

Hopefully, I’ll be back real soon to share my own fun DIY with lavender buds, but if you have any great ideas for me please feel free to leave them in the comments below!  I’d love to hear how you enjoy lavender in your own life.

Thank you so much for reading!