Drying Yucca

[Hezz]

Has anyone tried drying their own? I have a couple of stems that I’ve been trying to dry out naturally but this is the wrong time of year for anything to dry where I live. Most insulted by the bleedin’ things doing the opposite and sprouting in several places!! So I cut the smaller of the two stems into rounds and dried them in the oven. Some of the fresher part of the stem could have done with some more time but the older pieces seem to have dried nicely. I couldn’t find any time or temperature recommendations, so if anyone has done so and swear by their efforts, please do share. I think lower and slower is probably better than fast and furious.

I haven’t offered them up to the budgies yet, but Loki gave his the beak of approval, even before I got them threaded up.

[Ira]

I would have just suggested low and slow in the oven too, Hezz

Or follow the latest trend and use an air fryer!

[jellybean]

Sorry I can't help Hezz, I know nothing about plants.

Glad your effort was a hit with Loki.

Is it an eat/nibble or play/shred thing.

Will be interested to see how the buds like it.

[skysmum]

I can't help sorry Hezz , not tried that before. I have a large Yucca which had produced baby Yucca's which i am trying to propagate, not sure how that will go, good luck with the drying.

[Hezz]

Thanks anyway, lovelies. If I know anything, the budgies will treat with ignore, but one success is good, especially as the success is the one with the most destructively energetic beak.

jellybean, it is perfectly edible but I was experimenting as a foraging/shredding thing. The budgies enjoy chewing up their eucalyptus tree bark, but the yucca rounds might be a step too far for them.

skysmum, what a shame I can’t share mine with you. The damn things just won’t die, they grow even in the rubbish pile. I’m not the biggest fan.

Ira, good idea, if I had one. OH is a great collector of kitchen gadgets; I’m not going to give him an excuse for another.

[willowsmum]

I agree with the low and slow in the oven approach Hezz. I've dried tomatoes in the oven at the lowest setting in the past (before I got a dehydrator). I think a full oven took about 6-8 hours if I remember rightly. All I would add is that if you're drying a lot of very wet food/food that produces a lot of moisture then I would recommend opening the oven to release the moisture every so often and rotating the contents for even drying. Some people suggest running the oven with the door cracked slightly open to release moisture and running it only on the pilot light to achieve the lowest possible temp but I haven't tried either. Hope the next batch dries a little better - that'll teach those darn yucca for surviving in the compost!

On the theme of dehydrating if anyone has any suggestions for what to do with 1kg of dried chickweed (yep, it's a HUGE bag full) which I foolishly bought as an out-of-season bud treat and which they won't go near I would be very grateful. It is currently being smuggled into family curries but it's going to take me some time to shift it all

[jellybean]

I bought and grew my own chickweed for my two and they both turned their beaks up at it. Fussy little devil's.

At least you're making some use of yours willowsmum.

[willowsmum]

jellybean More human effort -> less budgie interest, obviously!!

The dried chickweed is being used according to my zero waste policy - it smells and tastes like grass, hence the curry smuggling

[Hezz]

Thanks for your input, willowsmum; I did laugh out loud at both the chickweed being a curry additive and the wholesale purchase with no takers.

I have found that the older parts of the stem have dried and stayed that way much better than the fresher end where the new growths were coming from. I think those could have done with more time in the oven.

[Marianne Marlow]

I grew my own chickweed years ago too and it's still growing on my balcony!

It dies off and then just comes back, with no intervention from me!

Jan 2, 2023 9:41:43 GMT jellybean said:

I bought and grew my own chickweed for my two and they both turned their beaks up at it. Fussy little devil's.

At least you're making some use of yours willowsmum.

[jellybean]

Do your birds not like it either Marianne?

When I was young my Dad used to pick it for the Canaries, they loved it, and Shepherd's Purse.