Harvesting Herbs
Drying
Herb on Stems
Shake off any insects, rinse herbs and pat dry. The herbs should be dried in bunches or laid on screens in a warm, dark, well-ventilated spot. In order to preserve as much of the color, flavor and aroma of the herb, you must dry your herbs out of direct sunlight. If you live in an area with high humidity, dry herbs in an air-conditioned room. The temperature should not be over 90 degrees. If it's too hot, the herbs will cook. The length of time required for drying will vary according to the thickness of the plant parts.
An herb drying screen can be made by stretching and attaching a light material over a frame. Plants can also be spread out on a warm, dry shelf. They must be turned frequently and kept at the correct temperature, not too hot or cold. Or plants can be tied in small bunches and hung head down, in a dry room. Use rubber bands to tie them into loose bundles. The elasticity of the rubber band will adapt to the shrinking size of the herb bundle and will prevent it from falling apart. You can also place herb bundles upside down in a paper bag to catch the dried herbs leaves as they dry. Be creative and hang from peg boards, shelves, or use wire to attach the rubber bands to wherever you can find a spot! It takes about 1 week to dry herbs using this method
Small Herbs
Dry your small leaf herbs like thyme and oregano by placing the small bunches on a drying screen; or what I do is dry in small plastic mesh bags, such as the type used to package garlic. Hang as you would the herb bunches.
Roots
To dry roots such as horseradish, slice thinly and put them in a dehydrator or warm oven to dry until they are hard. Store in an airtight container.
Seeds
To dry seeds, hang the mature plants upside-down with a paper bag tied over them in a dry location. The seeds will be easy to pour out of the bag and into a container. Some seeds may need to be separated from the plants. Line a tray with paper towels and put the dried plants on one side. Work with the plant until you find the best way to get the seeds out (crushing, prying open). When you are
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