Remember that organic vegetable garden my husband and I started back in the spring? We researched, studied, had the raised beds built, bought the right soil, had irrigation installed…and guess what? I would have to say that it was a resounding….failure! We are not really sure what happened or what the problem is. Currently I am taking the Scarlett O’Hara approach….I will think about that tomorrow.

I thought it would be fun to grow kale, onions, and cauliflower…..I should have just stuck to tomatoes and herbs! A few things that thrived are the climbing flowers (like morning glory). They grew and grew and grew and took over the entire trellis. Pictures at the bottom of this post.

I did get a bunch of basil. I mean a bunch! I made pesto with that In July. I did not capture any photos but I promise I will next time I harvest it because…guess what? It is so hot here right now my basil turned into a 2nd crop. You can grab the Pesto Recipe HERE.

This morning I was all prepared for the harvesting and drying of the fresh cut herbs. I cut the rosemary and sage before it got hot. Otherwise the heat would have wilted the leaves after cutting them. My house sure does smell amazing. It has been years since I dried herbs and I was so excited.

How to dry herbs : Sage

(you will know the leaves are dry when they are crumbly) –

1. Leaves are most flavorful when the plant is just blooming. I missed that and picked them at the end of their season. 🙂
2. Inspect for insects or bugs.
3. Wash the leaves thoroughly and put in a colander to drain out the water. Pat dry with a clean towel or use a salad spinner to get rid of any excess water. Remove any brown leaves.
4. Drying –
   1. A food dehydrator is a great tool for drying. Lay out your leaves in a single layer. Check every so often to see when they are dry.
   2. Lay them out on a ventilated surface until they are dry.
   3. Tie them in bunches with string, dental floss or a rubber band. Put them in a paper bag with holes punched in it (use a hole punch, fork, or whatever you have. This keeps them from getting moldy). Hang them upside down in a cool area until they are dry. Like a closet or a pantry.
      1. The paper bag helps protect the leaves from dust and keeps the light out so the leaves don’t fade.
5. It takes about a week for the sage to dry – depending on your climate and the temperature.

How to dry herbs: Rosemary

1. Use scissors or a trimmer to cut off sprigs.
2. Inspect for insects or bugs.
3. Wash the leaves thoroughly and put in a colander to drain out the water. Pat dry with a clean towel or use a salad spinner to get rid of any excess water. Remove any brown sprigs.
4. Drying –
   1. A food dehydrator is a great tool for drying. Lay out your sprigs in a single layer. Check every so often to see when they are dry.
   2. Lay the sprigs in a single layer and place on a baking sheet in the oven. Preheat to the lowest temperature and leave them there for 2-4 hours.
   3. Tie them in bunches with string, dental floss or a rubber band. Put them in a paper bag with holes punched in it (use a hole punch, fork, or whatever you have. This keeps them from getting moldy). Hang them upside down in a cool area until they are dry. Like a closet or a pantry.
      1. The paper bag helps protect the leaves from dust and keeps the light out so they leaves don’t fade.
5. It takes about 2 weeks for the herbs to dry – depending on your climate and the temperature.

I opted for the paper bag method. I have a vague recollection of doing this before. 🙂

Once your leaves and sprigs are dry

• For the sage – crumble the leaves and put them in an air tight container.
• For the rosemary – hold the sprig upside down and run your thumb and finger on either side. The leaves should come right off. Store in an airtight container.

As with most herbs, the shelf life is about 1 year. Since I am drying a LOT this year I will definitely be making gifts.

AND, you can definitely dry plants you buy at the store. There are always rosemary ‘trees’ during Christmas time.

I am REALLY excited about my fresh dried herbs! Go on. Grow some herbs. Then you can cut your herbs, dry them and use them all year long.