The withered inflorescences of the yarrow have an attractive appearance in the dried form even outdoors until spring. But there are also many good reasons to harvest and process different parts of yarrow for controlled drying.

Dried yarrow can be used, for example, as a spice or for medicinal purposes

Choosing the right time to harvest

For best results, prune the shoot tips and inflorescences intended for drying from July to September. Then the essential oils in the plant parts of the yarrow are present in a particularly high concentration. You should also choose the hottest possible day during a dry period or midday for harvesting. This will make it correspondingly easier to dry the harvested shoots and flowers without the risk of mold.

Create perfect conditions for the drying process

You should avoid drying in a very hot oven or in the blazing sun, as the essential oils in the cut yarrow can otherwise evaporate. You can either spread out the material to be dried in a single layer on paper or hang small bouquets upside down in a well-ventilated, dry place to dry. If possible, choose a semi-shady spot that has adequate air circulation. After drying, yarrow shoots should be easily crumbled between your fingers and stored in an airtight, dry container.

The use of dried yarrow as a dietary supplement, medicinal and decorative material

There are many possible uses for dried yarrow, you can use them dried for the following purposes, for example:

  • as a natural autumn decoration
  • as an interesting flavor ingredient in food
  • as a medicinal plant in natural medicine

The whole inflorescences are hung upside down to dry so that they get the necessary stability for drying bouquets and autumn arrangements. The edible herb and the flowers of the yarrow are traditionally used in the form of teas, sitz baths and tinctures as a gentle natural medicine against various women's complaints, digestive irregularities and in detoxification and fasting cures.

tips

It is particularly practical if you cut off the inflorescences of the yarrow to dry immediately after the first flowering period in June. In most cases, the plants in the garden are stimulated to bloom again in the same year.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

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Category:

Herbs