When to harvest thyme to dry for the winter - advice from experienced herbalists

Tell me when to harvest thyme for drying for the winter? In recent years, she began to get involved in traditional medicine, which was facilitated by the exacerbation of some diseases. I loved thyme before, using it mainly for herbal tea. Recently I read that this herb helps in the treatment of bronchitis and works well for stomach diseases. I just had such problems with age. We live on the edge of the village, behind it are fields and a forest, in which there are many medicinal herbs, I have already gone on "exploration". So I will stock up on healing raw materials. What time is it best to do, before flowering or after?

Thyme is a unique plant, it will come in handy in the kitchen and in the home pharmacy. There are many useful substances in the fragrant branches and they not only give the dish a new taste, but are also able to heal. To get the most of the herb, it's important to know when to harvest the thyme to dry for the winter. In summer, the question of where to get fragrant leaves is not worth it. Many gardeners are happy to grow it on their plots, and always have fresh herbs on hand. However, it is not difficult to find cute and useful bushes on forest lawns or among fields. Winter is another matter, when only a snow carpet is spread around. Therefore, fans of this plant should stock up on them in advance. Today we will tell you how and when to do it.

When to harvest thyme to dry for the winter

Harvesting of the aerial part of the plant (namely, it is necessary) should be carried out using a knife or secateurs. It is necessary to cut off the branches, skipping thick lignified shoots growing close to the ground. You cannot pull out thyme by the root - this way you can completely destroy curative perennial.

The harvest period depends on the purpose for which it is carried out:

1. If the herb is needed exclusively for tea or as a spicy seasoning for dishes, it can be cut off in late spring.
2. For the preparation of medicinal potions, it is better to wait until the thyme begins to bloom. It is at this time that it contains a maximum of useful substances. The flowering process itself is quite long and throughout the summer there will be an opportunity to stock up on raw materials.

Herbalists believe that the most healing will be the thyme collected on the Trinity and the Dormition of the Virgin.

How to dry grass

Since leaves, shoots, and flowers are useful, it is convenient to harvest whole twigs for the winter. To do this, tie them into bundles and hang them in a ventilated room. You can simply spread the grass out on paper, remembering to turn it over periodically. The leaves or flowers of thyme are dried in the same way.

As soon as the grass darkens and begins to crumble in your hands, it means that it is dry. You can store such raw materials in fabric bags or cardboard boxes for up to 2 years. However, experienced herbalists recommend that you renew your stocks next season by stocking up on fresh thyme.

Harvesting thyme - video