How to dry thyme at home
The flowers of this herb attract the attention of bees with a fragrant smell. Since it has a healing effect, people collect it and use it as a folk remedy for diseases, such as influenza, nervous diseases, eye diseases, and for its taste also as a seasoning for dishes, such as sauces, pickles. But, in order to stock up for the winter, you need to know not only how to dry thyme, but also when to harvest it.
How to harvest thyme correctly
Another, more familiar name for this herb is thyme. It can be found both on mountain slopes and fields, and in suburban areas, where it is grown for decoration. The picking time depends on what the grass is harvested for.
How to properly dry thyme at home – there are several ways. Each hostess can independently choose a more convenient one for herself.
To properly dry thyme for medicinal purposes, it must be harvested during flowering. And this happens from mid-June to September. But the best days will be church holidays and daytime from 10 to 17 hours in sunny weather.
If the goal is to make tea and use it as a seasoning for dishes, then the collection should be carried out before flowering. Since at this time essential oils are concentrated in the grass as much as possible.
If the grass is planted on the site on its own, then it can bloom not earlier than August or in general only next year.
When collecting, it is important to carefully cut the plant, since if you try to break it off, it will break out by the root.
How to dry thyme properly
Thyme can be bought ready-made at the pharmacy. But a spice cooked with your own hands will be more fragrant. There are various options for properly drying thyme at home.
For these purposes, you can use modern equipment for drying herbs and vegetables. But it is best to use the old, proven by our ancestors, methods.
- The collected grass is formed into bunches and hung in a well-ventilated place. Desirable without direct sunlight.
- Thyme is spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Periodically, it needs to be agitated for good drying.
Thus, the grass will be dry after 4 days. But, if you need to speed up this process, you can use the oven. However, the temperature should not be more than 35 degrees, since essential oils volatilize with them, it is advisable to keep it around 25.
You can store it both in bunches, provided that there are all the possibilities for this, or grind it to get rid of the stems. You can also grind it completely using a blender or mortar.
Almost any container is suitable for storage:
- ceramic jars;
- glass containers with a tight lid;
- dense fabric bags;
- small cardboard boxes.
Store in a dry place for no more than 2 years.
Since the herb loses its medicinal properties over time, it is best to stock up every year. In this case, it will be more fragrant and healthy. The drying process does not take much time and effort, so it is better to take care of the new arrival of this wonderful spice every year. And how to dry thyme correctly, there are several ways from which each housewife will choose the most convenient for herself.