Most of you know that this is my first year having a garden. Our little experiment has produced strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, a green pepper, lettuce, and herbs.

As our basil, oregano, and parsley filled their squares of our garden, I trimmed their plants and harvested the herbs. Though not perfect, I present Tracy’s version of drying herbs of basil, oregano, and parsley.

Trimming the Plants

Basil: I learned early in the planting season that basil needs lots of water. Wilting leaves revive quickly with heavy watering and multiply into a thriving plant. The basil plant grows vertical and horizontal, so I used scissors to trim from the perimeter to the core. I left a center section for continued growth.

Oregano: I love the feel of oregano. It has a soft coating on the leaves. The oregano plant has short, thick leaves, grows close to the ground, and spreads horizontally. When harvesting oregano, I trim all but a 3- to 4-inch center because the plant will keep growing.

Parsley: Our curled parsley grows like a fountain. The stalks are thin and tall cascading to the sides. The growth is both vertical and horizontal, so I cut towards the center without bothering the main stem. (I learned that lesson with my lettuce as I cut the main stem and killed the entire plant. Oops!)

Washing the Cuttings

Taking the cuttings, I rinse and wash them in cool water. Since the basil and parsley grow off the ground, they have little soil on the leaves. However, the oregano spreads on the ground, and the soil dries on the leaves. Also, the oregano leaves are smaller than the others making cleaning a bit tricky.

Tracy’s Tip: I found putting the oregano in a bowl of water and rubbing the leaves through my fingers easily dislodges the dirt. To prevent the leaves from wilting, I dry them well with paper towels before leaving them to dry.

Drying the Cuttings

In reading tutorials, the cuttings should dry in a cool, dark place for a few days to a few weeks. My cool, dark place is on my counter. I know, a closet might work better, but I’ll forget about it – out of sight, out of mind. So, I place the rinsed cuttings on paper towels on my counter for a few days.

Once they are partially dry, I stack them on top of each other. I then make a dark place by covering with another paper towel. In about 2-3 weeks, the herbs are dry and ready for storing.

Storing the Cuttings

When the cuttings are dry, I place all the basil cuttings in a bowl. Using a pair of kitchen shears, I cut for about 5 minutes until the basil is in fine pieces. I repeat this process with the oregano, and then again with the parsley.

Once the herbs are cut, I place one herb in a sandwich-size Ziploc bag. I write the name of the herb and the date on the bag with a Sharpie marker. When all the bags are closed and labeled, I store the bags in my pantry on the top shelf.

In getting the most from my garden, I am learning to dry herbs of basil, oregano, and parsley. As a newbie gardener, I am experimenting, so I welcome your tips, tricks, and suggestions.

In using time wisely, I find drying herbs worth my time and energy since the process takes bits of time throughout the process. With room for improvement, I’m enjoying the journey. Happy harvesting!

Question: What are your tips for drying herbs?