The aromatic herb refines sweet desserts, sauces or punch bowls in spring. You can find out when and how to harvest woodruff correctly here.
Woodruff (Galium odoratum), also called fragrant bedstraw, gives off a subtle scent in the garden. In fact, we only perceive the characteristic smell after the leaves have been picked and slightly wilted. Then woodruff unfolds its typical aroma and heralds spring in the kitchen. In the next sections, you will find out when the green herb is ready for harvest and what you should be aware of.
who Woodruff grown in the garden has to be patient until the harvest. The shade-loving herb is only harvested in the second year, as the harvest would otherwise be at the expense of the woodruff's roots. From the second year on, however, you can harvest diligently in the spring - the herb can be used in a variety of ways, for example in a may punch, as a syrup, as a tea or as a moth repeller.
Tip: Don't you want to wait that long? Then keep an eye out for woodruff in our woods. The perennial forest plant is mainly found in shady beech forests as a ground cover.
When is the woodruff harvest time?
Woodruff for consumption is harvested before flowering and therefore between March and April. Later in the year, the plants contain coumarin glycosides that are difficult to tolerate, but these do not speak against their use as bouquets or moth bags.
When harvesting woodruff, timing is crucial, because the aromatic herb should only be harvested within a certain period of time. This is due to coumarin glycosides, which are present everywhere in the plant and which, if consumed in excess, can lead to complaints such as headaches and liver problems. The content is highest during flowering, which is why it is important to harvest the woodruff right before flowering if it is to be used in food or drinks. As already mentioned, the best time is between March and April. Then the beautiful white flowers of the woodruff appear and should only be harvested when the Woodruff used for other purposes - for example as a decorative bouquet or scented sachet against moths shall be.
How do you properly harvest woodruff?
When harvesting, the stems and leaves are cut off directly above the ground with a knife or scissors. The roots and rhizomes are left in the ground, because the plant will sprout again from these. You only need three grams of woodruff for the widespread May punch.
Tip: You can also find delicious woodruff in our forests. Especially in shady beech forests, it likes to cover the ground. Before picking, however, make sure that the plant is clearly identified in order to avoid confusion with other forest plants.
Woodruff store and preserve
Even if the woodruff is a real herald of spring, with proper conservation it can be used as a healing and healing agent all year round Aromatic plant be used.
After you have freshly harvested the woodruff, you should let it wither overnight so that the contained coumarin glycosides can be converted into coumarin and the woodruff its typical aroma developed. Before this transformation, carried out by enzymes, the herb actually hardly smells. You can then lay it out in a warm place and turn it over several times until the plant is completely dry. This should be done in a dark place as the light may discolor the leaves. But you can also tie the herb in a bundle and hang it on a thread in an airy place. Both variants will lead you to the result. When the woodruff is completely dry, it can be stored in jars that should be hermetically sealed.
If you have to move quickly after the harvest and you don't have time to let the herb wither overnight, you can also put the harvested stems in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Freezing also unfolds the aroma. The freezer compartment is also suitable for storage. The woodruff can be used all year round and the intensity of the aroma is lost more slowly than in the glass.
Would you like to find out more about the fragrant forest plant? Then see our Review article many more details about the woodruff.