Fresh vs. dried herbs has been a question I'd struggled with for years.
It used to be you could only get dried herbs and then, for a home cook, in too large a quantity to remain useful till the container was empty.
I've pretty much addressed this dilemma in two ways:
1. I bought a Klimagro in-door greenhouse (has it's own lights and timer, temperature sensor and control, moisture sensor probe and meter, sliding glass doors and "roof", and a built in fan for air circulation) that fits right in my garden window of my kitchen. Right now, I have basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano, French Tarragon, and a few other herbs growing in it. If a plant gets too tall, like basil is apt to do, I trim the tops and put them in a glass containing water and a touch of sugar on the countertop.
2. I grow fresh herbs in the garden every year, and use a 1000 watt dehydrator to dry the herbs quickly, and then store them using a Foodsaver which removes the air, heat seals the thick plastic bag containing the dried herbs, and put them in the freezer.
Since Basil is so prolific, turns black in the refrigerator, I found that making pesto is a good way to freeze the excess basil, retain the bright green color, and we love to eat pesto anyways. I've heard you could freeze the herbs in an ice cube tray, but I've never tried doing it for lack of incentive.
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