Placing them in an air conditioned room is also good. I Also dry all my herbs in a brown paper bag. Keeps the dust out and they dry beautifully. This is the same way I dry seeds.

Cathy thanks, yes I have done that and it works well.

I really didn't ask the right question. How do I dry them so they stay perfectly flat? That is the question I have. Thanks again,,,,Rosie

I don't really understand why they must be flat. You say you want to use whole leaves for tea but I don't see why they need to be flat whole leaves. They'll shrivel when drying but once you pour the boiling water onto them they'll uncurl. They would take up more storage space than rubbed leaves but all that means is that you need a bigger container. I am trying to envisage making a mug of tea using whole flat leaves several inches long. Wouldn't they possibly poke up out of the water or not fit in crosswise? Curled up leaves would sit nicely in the bottom of the mug and get maximum steeping.

However, if you really want flat leaves i can only think of pressing them individually like flowers.

Alternatively, do what you do now and invest in a tea strainer or tea egg.

Well, it is really a matter of storage. I figured if I cut them in 1/2 and dried them flat, more would fit in the jar and I would not need so many jars.

I guess the only way I can do this is to dry them and let them curl, break them up into flakes and use a tea strainer. Maybe they are just too fragile to dry whole. Thanks for the response! Rosie

UPDATE!!!! I took the leaves off of the stems, dropped them in a metal pan and put them in my oven to dry. Pilot light is always on so there is always just a little warmth in there. It works well.

Within a few days they were bone dry. I gently put them in a quart canning jar and capped it. None of them crumbled and even though curled they filled the jar up to the tippy top!

Guess you can't improve on some things!!!! Guess I don't need flat!!! Thanks!!! Rosie