Title image above is copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos

First published 1st July 2026

These fruit protection sleeves and bags with their handy drawstrings are far more versatile than ‘just’ protecting fruit. (And they are superb for doing that.)

Recently I found the large sleeve ideal for drying fruit salad /potpourri sage leaves.

Of course the other sizes here, here and here are just as suitable for smaller quantities.

First collect a heaping pile of leaves — honestly it cannot be large enough. it is very important that these leaves be dry, as you do not want mould to grow:


copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos

Pack the bag like no tomorrow — believe me, these can pack, and pack, and pack…


copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos

Place the bag somewhere airy, undercover, and where air can flow all around the bag. You could use the drawstring to hang the bag from a hook for example, or drape it across an object that raises the middle off a shelf.

Jiggle the bag and contents forcefully at least once a day. It is really important that the contents move around as much as possible. If leaves in the middle are not disturbed, they may hold water released from the surrounding leaves as those dry, and become a nucleus for mould growth.

The leaves do begin to dry quite quickly, and you should notice they move just a little more freely in just 24 hours, and more again with each passing day.

Sooner than you think — days not weeks — your packed bag of fragrant green leaves becomes a looser bag of fragrant dried and brown leaves:


copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos