If you want to preserve herbs, you need to dry them. So that you can use them all year. Herbs can be dried outside but allways in the shadow or inside where it's aired and warm, away from heat source and sun.
Spread herbs in thin layer on cloth or clean paper (not printed or colored). I don't cut herbs before drying, some people do, they cut it in small pieces. To me, it seems better to cut them when they are dry because fresh herbs leak their juice when they are cut. But which method is actually better I don't know.
If you need only leaves but you have picked them with stems, you can remove leaves from stems , drying will be faster.
Don't wash herbs before drying, only roots need to be washed.
Roots, peel and very juicy parts can be dried with the help of heat source, but temparature must not go over 350C. It is good to cut them in small pieces before drying, they will dry faster.
Best way to keep herbs is to put them in paper bags, cardboard boxes or glass jars, avoid plastic and metal. Herbs should be kept away from light. I make little paper bag from clean paper, put dried herb in it, write it's name and year of picking on the bag and then I put that and other bags with herbs in larger cloth bag. I keep it in storage where it is cooler, some herbs that I use more often I keep in kitchen cupboard.
Don't gather to much herbs, because they loose their cureing properties after some time. It is best to keep them just for one year.
