Here's how to do it right

How to harvest ginkgo leaves for drying?

To harvest the leaves of the ginkgo for drying, it is best to do the following:

• young, fresh leaves choose
• no leaves with symptoms of illness
• no leaves with spots
• no discolored leaves
• no dirty sheets

Pick them Leaves with stem from the tree and collect them in a basket or similar container - the foliage should be as little as possible airy be kept.

This is the best time to harvest ginkgo leaves spring, when the foliage is still young and tender. However, be careful not to harvest leaves from trees on busy roads - these are often contaminated with pollutants.

How to gently dry ginkgo leaves?

There are various possibilitiesto dry ginkgo leaves. These depend on what exactly you intend to do with the dried leaves.

• Press: You can dry ginkgo leaves in a press or between two thick books. To do this, place the sheets between two layers of blotting paper and put a weight on them. After a week or two, the leaves are dry and can be used whole.
• Drying: If you use the ginkgo leaves only dry If you want, but you don't care so much about shape and color retention, you can dry them at 75°C in the oven, in a food dehydrator, or air dry in a dark and warm place.

How Long Do Dried Ginkgo Leaves Keep?

Provided you store them properly, ginkgo leaves will last about once they dry nine to twelve months. To do this, you should cancel them as follows:

• Pour into a well-closable container, e.g. B. a glass jar
• Glass jars should be dark, as light destroys the ingredients
• keep dry, cool and dark

In addition, you should not remove the leaves with your bare hands, but use a clean spoon or something similar. This means that neither dirt nor rotting bacteria or germs can get in and infect the remaining leaves. Before each withdrawal, you should also smell test take: If the ginkgo leaves smell musty, they should be disposed of.

What can you do with dried ginkgo leaves?

Traditionally, dried ginkgo is used as a tea leaf in its country of origin, China. ginkgo tea many health-promoting properties are attributed. And this is how you prepare it:

• mash dried ginkgo leaves
• use one teaspoon of crushed ginkgo leaves per cup
• top up with boiling water
• approx. leave for five to six minutes

Due to its characteristic shape, the ginkgo leaf is also often used as a Crafts and designs taken. To do this, you need to press the sheet as it dries, as described in the question above.

Can I freeze ginkgo leaves instead of drying them?

If you wanted to brew a tea from the collected ginkgo leaves, you should dry them beforehand. Basically, you can also choose from the fresh or frozen Make a tea from the leaves of the ginkgo. The disadvantage of freezing, however, is that it takes a long time high energy expenditure requires - drying the leaves and storing them in this way, on the other hand, does not cost any energy and is therefore better for the climate and the environment.