Last summer I grew several different types of herbs on my deck. My garden was new to me and I wasn't sure if I wanted to put the herbs in the ground or in pots on the deck. I opted for pots on the deck, but as the summer progressed, I realized that many of the herbs I had planted were perennials. It seemed like a waste to buy new herbs each year, when they were fully capable of making it through the winter. However, knowing how some of them could spread and take over, I was a bit hesitant to put them in the ground. Practicality won out, though, and before winter came I decided to create an herb section in my garden. Then during the long, long winter, winter I started collecting glass herb and spice containers with the hopes of being able to utilize my homegrown herbs throughout the year.
This summer my oregano has taken off! It was maybe an eighth of the size that it is now when I put it in the ground in the fall. I've been so impressed with it's growth (and slightly alarmed as I imagine having to keep it under control in future years). So this weekend, as I looked at the flowers and seeds forming on it, I decided it was time to start the trimming and drying process.
Herbs are supposed to be dried in a dark cool place. However, I find that half of the fun of drying herbs is seeing them and smelling them...so, I typically hang them in my kitchen, especially when I'm just drying one or two bunches at a time.
It will take a few weeks for them to be crumbly, but I'm excited to watch my jars begin to fill with my own freshly grown and dried herbs!