St. John's wort is a well-known medicinal herb. It can be a support for depression, bad mood, nervousness, indigestion and for badly healing wounds and swellings. How to harvest and then process it, read below.
After harvesting, the St. John's wort is dried
What is harvested?
You can basically harvest all parts of St. John's wort. But it is gentler on the plant if you only harvest the flowers. The entire herb above ground, including stems and leaves, can also be harvested. The berries are usually not collected.
When is harvested?
The active ingredient content in the plant is highest during the flowering period. Therefore, the perfect harvest period has come from late June to July. It is ideal to harvest the herb in the morning on dry days.
Cut and dry the cabbage
You can cut off all of the aboveground herb (or just the flowers) using scissors or a knife, or simply collect with your bare hands. It is recommended not to cut off more than about 20 cm - i.e. the upper shoots with the flowers. This will not weaken the plant too much.
The shoots are then tied into small bouquets and dried:
- hang upside down
- do not dry in the sun
- hang in a dry, airy and dark place
- Drying time: 1 to 2 weeks
- Alternative: dry in the dehydrator at 40 °C
Uses: tea, tinctures, oils and more
Whether fresh or dried, the leaves and flowers can be used in many ways. Here are a few ideas:
- Tea: the whole herb or the flowers - flowers taste more intense
- Drinks: the whole herb
- Oils: the flowers (they contain the main active ingredient hypericin)
- booze
- liqueur
- herbal spice mixes
tips
Due to its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, St. John's wort oil is said to help with neurodermatitis and psoriasis, among other things.