After harvest, you will want to dry your tea herbs quickly but with gentle, even heat to preserve their delicate flavors. If you’re using a food dehydrator, place 4- to 6-inch sprigs in a single layer on each tray. You can dry all the trays in several hours. When they are “chip dry,” the leaves can be stripped off and stored in airtight tins or jars. Check the containers for moisture (condensation) within 24 hours and redry if any moisture is visible.
Another way to dry the herbs is in a slow (100° to 125°F) oven for several hours. Keeping the door slightly ajar will allow moisture to escape the oven. You have to check the progress often to determine when the leaves are dry; different herbs dry at different rates. To preserve flavor, it might be better to dry one type of herb at a time. You don’t want your lemon verbena smelling of basil! If your oven doesn’t have a setting this low, heat it to 150°F, turn it off, and then put the herbs in.
A microwave lined with paper towels also works. Just set the timer for a minute or less at a time and keep a vigilant watch to prevent scorching or burning. Leave the microwave door open for a minute or two between each use to keep moisture levels inside down.
A simple drying rack
Although the herbs can be bunched with rubber bands and hang-dried, take care to hang them in a dry place — never in a garage or basement, where they will mold or absorb adverse odors. I prefer to process herbs for dried floral designs by hang-drying, and to process those for teas and culinary uses quickly to get them in an airtight container and not have them hanging around getting dusty. If hanging is your only alternative, place the herb bunches in paper bags that have been slit for ventilation. This will keep them dust-free, although it will slow drying time. Make sure you label each bunch you hang. I once had a friend make a spaghetti sauce with catnip — which, when dried, looks like oregano! Start checking for dryness after 2 weeks. Once the herbs are dry, simply strip off the leaves and place in airtight, clearly labeled containers.