Even if you don't plan on using your herbs immediately for cooking, you will still need to deal with them within 24 hours. Herbs that are left sitting for a day or more may end up with bruised leaves and begin to deteriorate. This will result in a loss of aromatic and flavorful oil. Even if it seems inconvenient, work in batches so that you will not waste any of your efforts. Especially if you intend to preserve your herbs for later use, you need to clean them first. Bugs can breed and hatch on herbs that have been left to dry out. For plants that have recently seen rain, brushing them off with a dampened cloth should be sufficient. If your plant is dusty, rinse it in cool tap water and then get rid of the excess by using a salad spinner. Gently pat the herbs dry with a towel to finish.  If you can avoid washing the herbs, do so, as this will slow down the preservation process. However, if you live in a region that is particularly dusty due to drought or the natural environment (say a desert or near the beach), you may have no choice.  For root herbs, you will want to scrub off the dirt without soap and then wipe them dry. There are numerous dehydrators available to consumers. You can purchase them online at Amazon or at retailers like Target or Bed Bath & Beyond. Preheat the dehydrator to 95-115 degrees Fahrenheit and place your herbs in a single layer on a provided tray, removing larger leaves from thick stems.Periodically check on your herbs for dryness, and expect that it will take between 1-4 hours for your herbs to fully dry depending on how much moisture the leaves had to begin with. Herb leaves will crumble when dry, but roots will become even harder than before. This process works particularly well for herbs that have really sturdy stems like sage and rosemary. Remove the leaves from the lower portions of the stems so that they won't potentially mold later on, and then gather the stems into bundles about 1 inch in diameter. Tie the bundle together tightly with a rubber band or twist tie, and then hang the bundles upside down in an area away from direct sunlight (to avoid bleaching). Particularly for root herbs that have been chopped, grated, or cut up, you can dry them in your oven. Collect all of the herbs you wish to dry in an oven-safe tray and place that in the oven. Set your oven's temperature to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and when it's heated to the appropriate temperature, turn it off. Open the oven door to allow the air to circulate and the roots to gradually cool off; they should be dry. If your herbs are still storing any moisture in them at this point and you try to store them away, you may end up with moldy, unusable herbs later on. Be sure they're really thoroughly dry by putting them in a jar, closing the lid, and leaving them on a countertop for a day or two. When you open the jar again, check the underbelly of the lid for condensation, which would indicate your herbs are still too moist for storage. Continue dehydrating your herbs as necessary. Store your herbs in an airtight glass container. Mason jars are often recommended. If you have surplus of an herb that isn't ground up, you can use a vacuum sealing apparatus to keep your bulk supply fresher for a longer period of time. You can also freeze fresh herbs for use later on.
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One-sentence summary -- Don't harvest too much. Clean your herbs. Dry out the herbs with a commercial dehydrator. Dry out the herbs by bundling them. Dry out your herbs' roots in an oven. Check that your herbs are completely dry. Properly store your herbs.

Article: If you apply for the examination online, you will be required to pay by credit card. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover are all accepted. If you submit a paper application, you'll need to give your credit card number, or include a cashier's check or money order for the full amount. If you cannot afford to pay the examination fee, there are reduced fee and scholarship programs available through the NAECB. There are over 110 assessment centers throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The exam will be administered on the computer, by appointment only, and on weekdays. You will be required to complete the examination within 3.5 hours.  In order to be allowed to take the test you will need to show the examiner two forms of identification. Before you take your official, timed exam, you can take a practice test. Whether you do the practice exam is up to you but taking it will not cut into your overall time for the official exam. A passing score it between 75 and 100 points out of 100 points. If you don't pass the exam on the first attempt, it's not the end of the world. You can take it again within 12 months of your application date. However, the fee to repeat the examination is $195. You will need to schedule your retake through the NAECB, just as you did for the first test. In order to renew it you will need to prove that you have completed 1000 hours of work in asthma education and you will need to pay a recertification fee. Once you have renewed, your new certificate will be good for 5 years. Information about renewal is available on the NAECB website.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Pay the examination fee, which is $295. Take the examination at an assessment center. Retake the test if you don't pass the first time. Get recertified after 7 years.