Herbs

The best time to pick herbs for drying is just as the flower buds appear, as this is when the leaves contain the most flavour.  Preferably choose a warm dry sunny morning, after the dew has evaporated and before the sun had become too hot.  With large leaved varieties like mint, sage and basil, try to take the leaves off individually and place on a suitable drying rack turning them daily so they dry evenly.  The small leaved herbs like thyme, sweet marjoram and savory can be picked in bunches and tied in bundles for drying, hanging or lying them in a dark airy place like an airing cupboard.  The herbs will take 4 to 10 days to dry.  When they are dry, crumble the large leaves and strip the smaller ones off the branches.  To prolong the life of the dried herbs, store them in airtight containers in a cool dry and dark place.
NB:  Not all herbs are suitable for drying.