How to extract oil from herbs?

Question

i have mint and lavender in my garden. would boiling them make the leave release the oil?

Answer 1

Check out this site www.gardensablaze.com/HerbOintment.htm

It should help.

Answer 2

What exactly are you planning on using the oils for?  If you are planning on using it for cooking and scenting things (respectively), you are going to be better of to just dry it.  The reason why I say this is because it takes a LOT of fresh material to get a very small amount of oil.  I have done the process myself.  As a researcher, I have distilled mint.  If you have the kind of tools like the professionals, you have a better yield.  However, if you are trying to do it on the stove at home, it's a much different process.

The heating process is rather difficult unless you have a distillation set-up, as seen in this link:

http://library.thinkquest.org/20706/edes...

My suggestion would be that if you don't have to have the oil and can do with the dried materials, go in that direction instead.