- First of all: Harvest at the right time
- Clean and bundle before drying
- Where and how is the best way to dry the herb?
- Possible uses for the dried St. John's wort
Which gardener does not know it: At a certain time there are masses of the same variety to harvest. There are heaps of cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, etc. Even with St. John's wort, not everything can often be used immediately. Therefore, you are well advised to dry the herb.
St. John's wort should be dried upside down in a shady spot
First of all: Harvest at the right time
If you are looking for a high potency, you should harvest the St. John's wort at the right time and then dry it. The active ingredient content is at its highest during the flowering period, which usually begins towards the end of June. Then it's harvest time!
It's quicker if you use pruning shears or a sickle for harvesting. It all depends on how many plants you want to harvest! Cut the herb just above the ground. Alternatively, you can also just collect the flowers.
Clean and bundle before drying
Before you start drying, the St. John's wort should be cleaned of dirt or other dirt. Don't do this under a jet of water! The water extracts flavors from the herb. If you want the St. John's wort to air dry, do not cut it up, but tie it into bundles with a piece of string.
Where and how is the best way to dry the herb?
In general, St. John's wort should always be dried gently. This means that it should not be exposed to sunlight or temperatures above 40 °C. Dehydrators and open ovens are suitable for drying. But the herb also dries well in the air.
You can hang the bundles upside down in a dark (shady) and airy place like the attic. Drying takes about 2 weeks. The collected blossoms can also be spread out openly and dried, for example on a baking sheet or newspaper.
Possible uses for the dried St. John's wort
You can use the dried herb or flowers for various preparations and medicinal purposes. Here are a few suggestions:
- for tea
- for smoking
- for making ointments
- for the preparation of tinctures
- for smoothies
- as a herbal spice for salads, soups and stews
tips
A tea made from St. John's wort can be combined with hops, lemon balm and/or lavender flowers. It has a sleep-inducing and calming effect.
The garden journal freshness ABC
How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?
The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:
- as a free PDF file to print out yourself