Susun Weeds Wise Woman Forum

Just wondering what to do with 2 packets of dried well past their use by date. One is Red Clover - use by date is Dec. 2008, the other Nettle Leaf - use by date Aug. 2009. Found them in the back of my pantry so kept in a dry, dark place all these years in their original packaging (only opened once) and since folded over and lackabanded. I'm thinking of making an infusion to use them up but just wondering how useful as a nutritious infusion they would now be, that is, how much nutrients would an infusion supply once 5-7 years past its use by date (according to label on packet). Any replies greatly appreciated.

Any thoughts/comments greatly appreciated. I am an avid reader of this site, but not come across anything relating to use of dried herbs as infusions once dried herbs over 5 years. Thank you.

Rule of thumb I think in general is to sniff them - if they smell good they may have magically kept some of their virtue and be worth infusing. Otherwise, I'd compost them.

I agree with smelling them, additionally what you can do is open the bag and look at the herb... If it seems lifeless and colorless it is no longer good. I have a bag of dried nettle that isn't "expired" but seems lifeless to me. I plan to use Susan's homemade insecticide recipe with it or to try and use it as plant food. The worst that could happen is that it would do nothing-- but no harm would be done. Maybe you could do the same. At the very least you could just return the plant back to the Earth.

Green Blessings