My stevia is great with oregeno around its roots, I have it against the west wall. Maybe that will help. Can't help with sage never tried it.
Tanya

Tanya, is your stevia in a pot or in ground? Mine is in a big pot but I'm wondering now, if it just wasn't getting enough sun. Does the oregano serve as a mulch, keeping moisture available? Don't know why I didn't think of that because I do it with my tall "house" plants. The Pink Princess philo makes an attractive mulch/filler for big pots.
cora

I generally dry my herbs in paper grocery sacks to keep light, dust & bugs off. Just place the clean leaves, still on the branches, in the sack, making sure there's plenty of air space around 'em, fold & clip the top down & either lay the bag on its side or hang up in a warm, dry spot(I use my hot garage) until dry. If the stems are long enough, simply place the leafy parts in the bag & gather the top of the bag around them & hang it up by the stalks.

You can also dry herbs in the oven @ the lowest possible setting. Spread the material out in a single layer on paper towels on a cookie sheet or similar, run the oven @ 150F (warm) for 1 or 2 hours, then turn off for another few hours, then repeat as often as necessary. Leave the door open a crack to allow moisture to escape. Leaves should crumble easily when dry.

Once the herbs are dry, strip the leaves from the branches over a large bowl to minimize the mess & store them in glass jars in a dark cupboard - exposure to too much light will cause them to lose their flavor & color.

I do the paper sack drying. I have a hole punch and punch holes all over each bag so air can circulate. I can usually use the bags several seasons. Can't dry herbs in garage because that's my VERY dusty shop. But my bed room and office closets are scented with sage, basil and tarragon at the moment.

When I was a little girl in Ohio, I remember my grandmother drying corn in the sun. It took several days even though she didn't have to contend with Florida type humidity. She kept the dried kernels in a big glass jar.
cora

I'm on a roll! Harvested the sweet marjoram this morning but it was a small amount. I'm hoping these plants will survive the winter and rally come spring.
I realize a lot of herbs do well from seed each year, but the majoram plant, for instance, was a rare find at the local Ace hardware store and it seemes disinclined to go to seed. I've never seen the seed offered anywhere so Im anxious to save the plant. If anyone in zone 9 has tips for herbs that will survive the winter, I'm all ears.
cora

FWIW, I have a marjoram plant in a terracotta pot (approx. 1 gal.) that's going on year 4. I simply keep adding compost & other amendments(like alfalfa pellets) to the pot a few times yearly & trimming away the dead stuff. I think I used limestone landscape stones in the bottom of the pot for drainage.

I leave it outside & keep it in a semi-sheltered spot w/ full sun for most of the day & move it to a bit more shade during the Summer. It has flowered many times over, but I've never found a seedling sprouting anywhere.It stays approx. 18" wide & maybe 12" high.

I had a large-leaved sage growing the same way until it was smothered out this Summer by rampant winter squash vines = (