Here's how to do it right

The right harvest time

A good drying goes well harvest ahead at the right time. Harvest the leaves of the plant between May and September! The seeds are ripe between late September and October. The flowers are collected less frequently. They bloom between July and September.

How do you harvest the nettles?

The easiest way to harvest nettles is with scissors and a pair of gloves. Drag Gardening gloves or old winter gloves as protection from burning hair! Cut the nettles on the stems just above the ground.

Dry the leaves, seeds and roots

Now it's time to dry the plant parts:

• Hang up shoots in bundles, e.g. B. in the attic
• dry in a shady and airy place
• alternatively dry on sieves or cloths
• never dry in the sun (bleach, burn, lose active ingredients)

It is better not to hang up the roots to dry, but to place them on a sieve in an automatic dehydrator. Beforehand, they are cut into pieces about 3 to 5 cm in size to speed up the drying process.

Recognition of complete drying and storage options

Are the parts of the plant really dry (leaves rustle and crumble when rubbed; Roots have got deep furrows), they can be safely stored, for example in a can, a bag or a jar with a screw cap. The storage location should be dark and dry. The right place to store it later determines the shelf life.

What can dried nettles be used for?

The leaves, seeds, roots and flowers are dry? What can you do with them now? As medicated known parts of plants can be used for:

• tea
• Herb sauces
• Smoothies
• Soups
• Manure
• Infusions
• Tinctures
• as a feed additive for pets