When harvesting the herbs to use, cut off a few healthy stems. Leave 4-6 inches to leave room for more growth.
-Shake off bugs and dirty if there is any
-Rinse in cold water, and dry thoroughly.
-Choose your preservation method to use
Buddle air drying
Gather about 10 stems and tie them up with twine. Hang them to dry for 1-2 weeks. You will know when they are done when the leaves are not soft to touch and crisp. Make sure they are fully dry before storing them, if you store them too soon, they will mold. Store in an airtight container away from light.
Herbs that can be buddle air-dried:
-Rosemary -Lavender -Dill -Summer savory -Sage -Thyme -Bay leaves -oregano
Herbs that have a higher moisture content can be hung in smaller bundles:
-Basil -Oregano -Tarragon -Lemon balm
Air drying
No bundle this is for single leaves on a cookie sheet placed on a paper towel/clean dish towel, down and then a single layer of herbs, layer up to 5 times between paper towels. Allow to air dry for a week. You’ll know they are done when they are not soft anymore and crisp. Store in an airtight container away from light.
Herbs that can be air-dried:
-Rose Mary -Tarragon -Dill -Basil -Sage -Thyme -Any small leaf herbs
Oven Drying
Set the oven to its lowest setting. Place the herbs flat on a cookie sheet and put the sheet on the middle rack of the oven for 2-3 hours. You will know when they are done when the leaves are no longer soft and are crispy.
Dehydrator
For basil, sage, and other large leaf herbs. Harvest a couple of leaves with rosemary, thyme, curry, and other small leaf herbs, harvest the first 3-4 inches off a couple of stems. It’s easier to leave small leaves on the stem while dehydrating. Set the dehydrator to the correct setting and dry for 4-6+ hours.
Herbal ice cubes
These cubes can be thrown into soups, stews, pasta, eggs, etc. Finely chop up herbs you would like to use (about ¼ cup) and about ½ cup olive oil, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze. Once frozen pop them out and store them in a freezer bag.