Drying Herbs in a Small Kitchen

Old herbals talk about drying rooms and airy attics. I have a kitchen, one window that gets afternoon sun, and a lot of plants. Here is how it works anyway.

The three rules

Everything about drying herbs comes back to three things: air, shade, and patience. Herbs need moving air so they don't go mouldy, no direct sun so they don't fade, and enough time to dry right through.

What actually works

• A wooden clothes airer above the radiator, for bunches of lemon balm and mint
• Old window screens laid across two chairs, for flower heads like calendula
• Paper bags with the tops folded over, for anything that drops seeds or petals
• The rack above the stove, for citrus peel — it loves the warmth

How to know it's done

Leaves should crumble, not bend. Flower centres should feel crisp right through — calendula is the one that fools people, because the petals dry long before the heart does. If in doubt, leave it another two days. A jar of half-dried herbs will go mouldy in a week, and that is the most disappointing thing in the whole herbal year.

Label every jar with the plant and the date. You will think you'll remember. You won't.