Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum L. ‘Kapoor’) was grown in Athens, Georgia during 2018 and 2019 to evaluate the effects of drying method on final moisture content, presence of fungal contaminants, and color retention of harvested holy basil. Methods included passive solar convection, room equipped with dehumidifier and fans, commercial food dehydrator, and as a control, a shaded barn. All treatments removed water more effectively than the control. Drying method had no effect on fungal colony count. In a second experiment, in which harvested holy basil was washed or unwashed, washing fresh plant material reduced fungal colony count. Colorimetric analysis detected consistent differences between all methods compared to the control. No differences were found in pixel intensity. Results suggest holy basil growers can affect market quality by changing postharvest handling practices.