When to dry mint for the winter - the rules for harvesting a fragrant plant

Mint is a perennial herb with a rich aroma, which has long been used in cooking, cosmetology and traditional medicine. To enjoy aromatic and healthy mint tea, you need to consider how and when to dry mint for the winter in order to preserve the maximum of useful substances in the medicinal plant.

Common varieties of mint

Mint belongs to the herbaceous perennial plants of the Lamiaceae family. In nature, there are more than 25 varieties of this plant, known for its rich menthol aroma and many medicinal properties.

Depending on the variety, mint can reach 30-150 cm, have reptiles or erect stems, elongated, oblong, round or oval leaves. When mint is dried for the winter depends on its variety.

Common varieties of mint:

1. Pepper - long casts of this plant have a rich menthol aroma, therefore they are dried and used in cooking and herbal medicine.
2. Lugovaya is a wild variety, reaching 70-80 cm in height. Harvested in mid-July.
3. Curly - differs in an unusual, openwork shape of leaves, which are harvested for the winter. The plant, reaching 70-90 cm in height, is most often grown in suburban areas.
4. Garden - a perennial with stems 40-60 cm high. Garden mint leaves are collected for drying several times per season.
5. Menthol is a cultivated plant grown in gardens and summer cottages. Most often, dried raw materials are used in cooking and cosmetology.

Mint can be found almost everywhere - this plant grows in pastures, fields and meadows, along the banks of water bodies and roads. Also, various varieties of mint are grown in home gardens and in flower pots, on the windowsills.

When to dry mint for the winter and collection rules

When planning the harvest of a fragrant plant, you need to consider when to harvest mint for drying for the winter. Errors in the collection and drying of plant materials does not allow it to retain most of the biologically active components.

The first 3-4 leaves appear on mint stems in early spring. During this period, they can be plucked and used fresh for making tea. The best time to cut mint for drying for the winter is the middle or end of July - the concentration of essential oils and other beneficial elements reaches a maximum and the plant will bring the greatest benefit.

Rules for collecting mint for drying:

1. The height of the stems from which the leaves are torn off should be at least 20-30 cm.
2. For winter harvesting, you should not pluck leaves that are too young - they dry out a lot and lose a significant part of their beneficial properties.
3. The cut of the stems must be done at the very surface of the soil, it cannot be cut off.
4. Mint stems are cut no more than 1/3 of their length. For this purpose, it is convenient to use a sharp knife or a regular garden pruner.
5. Mint is best picked in warm, dry weather. Drops of dew or rain on the leaves will cause them to rot quickly during drying.
6. If necessary, the collected raw materials must be wrapped in a slightly damp cloth. This will help keep the leaves fresh and firm.
7. If the plant was harvested in an ecologically clean area, it does not need to be washed before drying. If the leaves are dirty and dusty, they should be rinsed under running water and allowed to dry.

When collecting a medicinal plant, one should take into account not only when the mint is dried for the winter, but also where it is best to collect it. The grass should not be picked near highways, industrial plants and enterprises, cemeteries, dumps.

Forest glades, meadows, fields and other ecologically clean places are considered the best option for collecting mint.

When to harvest mint - before or after flowering

To preserve all the beneficial properties of the plant, you need to consider when to dry mint - before flowering or after. It depends on its further application. If plant materials are used for the preparation of essential oils, medicinal decoctions and tinctures, they are harvested during the period of full bloom.

At this time, mint inflorescences contain an increased concentration of essential oils. This rule of winter harvesting also applies if the question arises when to dry melissa for winter.

If the aromatic mint is harvested for culinary purposes and tea making, it is best to pick it before the flower buds form. At this time, the stems still retain their elasticity, the leaves are large and fragrant, which makes it possible to prepare high-quality raw materials.

When to dry mint for the winter at home

Drying mint at home is carried out in various ways - in the fresh air, in a special electric dryer or oven. The collected plant materials can be dried under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area.

Drying mint naturally:

1. Divide the collected plant materials into small bunches and tie each with a thread around the stems.
2. Hang the prepared bundles with the leaves down in a dry, warm and dark place. Mint should be dried in a well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight.
3. Leave the mint bunches to dry for 3 weeks, checking periodically.

You can dry mint in another way, sprinkling it in a thin, even layer on cotton cloth or clean paper. The leaves need to be turned over periodically so that they are completely dry.

In the oven

Mint can be dried in the oven. In this case, you can dry the plant much faster, but it will lose some of its beneficial properties. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with mint leaves and stems.

Send the baking sheet with plant materials in the oven, setting the temperature to about 80 ° C. Mint must be dried with the door ajar, no more than 20-30 minutes. Raw materials need to be checked every 5 minutes so that the plant does not dry out.

In the microwave

Drying mint in the microwave takes a minimum of time. Place the harvested plant parts in a single layer on a plate and place in the microwave. Dry the mint for 10-15 minutes - these intervals help control the process. The length of the drying time depends on the number and size of the plucked leaves.

In an electric dryer

Drying a plant in a special electric dryer has several advantages. Dried peppermint retains its rich aroma and does not lose its beneficial properties.

With this device, you can dry a large amount of raw materials at the same time:

• spread the leaves and stems of mint on the wire rack of the electric dryer in one layer;
• turn on the device by setting the minimum temperature regime (no more than 35 ° С);
• stir up raw materials from time to time and check readiness.

Depending on the amount of plant material, it will take 4-5 hours to completely dry it.

Storing dried mint

The use of dried mint for culinary, medicinal or cosmetic purposes is possible only if it is stored correctly.

To do this, you need to remember a few rules.:

• it is best to store mint in glass or plastic containers with sealed lids;
• for storage, you can use fabric bags;
• leaves can be stored either whole or ground into powder;
• the container with mint should be made in a warm and dry place, away from sunlight;
• if all conditions are met, the shelf life of mint is up to 12 months.

Peppermint is an aromatic medicinal plant that is used in cooking, folk medicine and cosmetology. Proper harvesting and drying helps preserve all the beneficial properties of mint and provide the family with valuable medicinal raw materials for the whole year.

How to collect and when to dry mint for the winter at home - video