Dried Herbs

Oregano

Lemon Balm

Drying herbs is a great way to preserve them for winter use and encourage new growth on the plant.

I have hung many herbs from the ceiling and successfully dried them that way. You can use a needle and pull thread through the stems of the plant and create a necklace/loop of stems. Tie the ends and hang from a hook or nail.

Set the oven on a low heat such as 135-150F. Use convection oven setting if you have it to circulate the air around the oven. To let moisture out of the oven, you can leave the door open, or open it frequently to check on the leaves and "turn" them so that all of them dry evenly.

There is no precise time when the leaves should be done. A couple hours should be sufficient for leaves without too much moisture in them. Leaves like basil have much more water in the leaf and will take longer. Just keep an eye on the oven.

Store the herbs in an airtight container. Do not crush the leaves until you plan on using them. Check on them in a day or two to make sure they remain crisp. If they become soft, they still have too much moisture and need to be dried longer. Otherwise, you could start to get mold growth. If dried properly, this should not be an issue.