drying oregano

[queen of the cobs]

Dear All,

At what point in the 'summer' (ha! whenver that starts) should I chop back my oregano and dry and crush for use over the winter? If I start doing it now, will it send up new growth in the next few months?

I've planted it out in my garden - I hope it will overwinter well.

[queen of the cobs]

meant to say also, can I do the same with chives? Cut them back I mean and then hope they will grow back over the summer? and has anyone had any luck with drying chives? Or do you freeze them?

[Demeter]

Never tried this myself as this is the first year I've managed to coax my chives into producing anything much at all - BUT I'm sure I read recently somewhere (useful, huh? - I think it was in a magazine, possibly an interview with Jekka whatsername?) that chives are usually freeze-dried commercially so not really practical to dry them for home use, but that they do freeze well. Chop them up and freeze in ice cubes?

[Alice]

Queen of the cobs, I never dry my herbs - but freeze them.
Just prepare them for use, chop them up as you wish to use them, spread them out on a tray, put in the freezer for a couple of hours til frozen, then put them in labelled boxes for use. They keep wonderfully well with all the flavour of the real thing. Chives work well like this - and they will regrow - try stopping them.