Basics about collecting medicinal plants

HerbariumSlow livingSeasonal MagicBack to NatureLife in the mountains

28 Aug

Nowadays, you can get hold of dried medicinal plants very easily, you can find them in pharmacies, drugstores and supermarkets, but there are still people who want to continue collecting them themselves.

So what is important to know to get started?

The amount of medicinal substances in plants varies according to the growing season, and therefore we need to know when it is correct to collect individual parts of plants.

Flowers

• At the beginning of flowering, few blooms (do not collect withered and damaged ones)

• We collect in dry weather around noon, when the flowers contain the most active substances (wet mornings and early evenings are not suitable)

• Do not press the flowers after picking so that they do not steam

Leafs

• They are collected in the morning when the dew evaporates

• We collect fully developed leaves

• Before the plant begins to flower, or at the time of flowering, it contains the most active substances

• Only young and healthy leaves

• We do not collect ground and dirty leaves

Stem

• We collect in the season as leaves

• Harvest by trimming or cutting off leaves to regenerate the plant

Roots, tubers and rhizomes

• They are collected in the evening

• We dig after the end of the growing season, when they contain the most active substances, it is in autumn or early spring

• Part of the root is left in the ground so that the plant can regenerate

• We first wash the roots from earth and dirt, then let them dry

The crust

• We harvest in early spring, when the sap begins to flow, or in autumn, when the leaves fall

• We collect in wet weather, when it peels off most easily

Fruits and seeds

• We collect only when they are fully ripe

Drying and storage

• Dry in one layer on a towel on a plate or tray so that they do not steam

• It can also be dried in an oven at 30°C or in a fruit dryer

• Longer herbs in a bundle hung with the stem upwards

• We dry in the shade and in a dust-free environment, not in the kitchen where it is humid and grease sticks

• We don't turn them over so they don't crumble

• Do not dry in the sun

• Drying of herbs takes place in summer for 4 to 8 days and in spring and autumn for 1-2 weeks, drying of succulent parts in summer for 1-2 weeks, in spring and autumn for 3-4 weeks

• Store separately in paper or canvas bags, boxes, closed glass jars in a shady place or in dark glass and in a dry, ventilated place

• Label with the name of the plant and the date of collection and do not keep longer than a year

• Moisture, temperature fluctuations, light, dust have an adverse effect - the plant should retain its original color. Discard dark and stained ones

Tips & tricks

Always go to unpolluted places to collect medicinal herbs - away from roads and city streets, as well as away from lawns, patios and sprinklers.

First, shake the plant to dislodge insects and check the underside of the leaves for insects. Do not collect plants in plastic bags, choose a basket or a canvas or paper bag so that your plants do not steam and start to rot. Try not to mix the plants when harvesting, and if you do, pick more than once. Never harvest plants in the rain, but it is good if it rains a few days before harvesting, you don't need to wash them afterwards. When picking poisonous plants, make sure you don't have open sores on your hands or pick with gloves and don't touch your nose, eyes and mouth before washing your hands.

Clean the plants after harvesting, if they need to be washed, do it very gently and either dry them lightly with a absorbent cloth, being careful not to squeeze them unnecessarily. Trim or cut off unnecessary, withered or damaged ones, or tear them off with your hands.

When collecting, do not forget to think about the area in which you are collecting the herbs. In a higher degree of nature protection and in protected areas, especially in the territory of national parks, the collection of medicinal plants is prohibited.