Harvested plant material must be dried. Immediately after returning from the collection of herbal raw materials should be spread a thin layer on paper or meshes with small holes. The room in which dried herbs should be roomy (light draft), and must reign in the twilight.Light destroys the tocopherols, fitochinony, irydoidy and other chemicals, and we must strive to ensure that the loss of medicinal ingredients are minimal, minimal. This will be accomplished when drying will be short-lived, and will take place at the right temperature.
All of these conditions certainly meets airy loft or shed. Warming the roof from the sun helps to warm the attic and it is often in high temperatures (25-45 ° C). The dry and warm air very well deprive herbal raw water, and here's the whole point. The room in which the herbs do not dry it may be no foreign odors that herbs can easily absorb-losing therapeutic value.
Some ingredients can be associated in bundles and hang them on strings, especially those that are easy brewing or that płukaliśmy in the water, because they were contaminated with mud or sand. From time to time lying on the tables or grids of raw material must be moving, that is, the lower layer was brought to the surface. However, this must be done gently so as not to obłamać buds, leaves and flowers that the first dry and are very fragile and are a valuable part of the herb. Nets which spread the herbs can not be made of wire, which corrodes, it is unacceptable that in the raw material were filings rust. Nets can therefore be made of plastic. They should have adequate holes - from 2 to 10 mm, which is dependent on the type of material.
Flowers and buds should be dried on nets with holes 1-2 mm. Stretch mesh on wooden frames, which in turn placed on special racks. You can also build their own racks, which replace wsuwanymi shelf with a grid framework. Of course herbs can be dried successfully on the tables lined with clean paper, but not newspapers, which can penetrate the scents of herbs and toxins inks. Bury sun-drying of raw materials, although in many books, this method is recommended for fruit, roots, bark.
Raw materials can be dried in the open air, but in the shade, or if you eat them annoying gray water permeable paper that prevent direct contact with the raw sunlight. The sun is a harmful factor for herbal raw materials (factor lowering the value of) what they already knew the Assyrians in ancient times.
Fruit should be dried at 60-80 degrees Celsius, because it prevents oxidation of ascorbic acid and other compounds and subsequent mold fruit. You can warm up to this temperature oven, then insert at the fruits, roots, rhizomes or other materials placed on trays. If you dry it, many species of herbs at the same time you need to attach to each of them a note, which should contain: date of harvest and name of the raw material that is not a mistake occurred.
If you brought the raw material is contaminated with sand or mud (other pollutants, such as the droppings of insects and molluscs are, of course - unacceptable!), Then we can quickly rinsed in running water, shake the water droplets and very thin (single) layer spread out on screens, on a double layer of paper or, better hang on a string. Herbal raw materials do not in any way hold the water, because it causes decay, brewing, mold material and washing of the body active.
Flowers, buds and seeds may not be at all wet.
The roots and rhizomes vigorous wash in running water from the ground to help you be a delicate brush. During the washing and sorting of raw materials we reject unhealthy, that is rotten, with spots, much damaged by pests. Roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs after brushing cut into small pieces, preferably in thin strips, and facilitate a largely dry the material. How to identify whether the material is dry and of good quality?. Well, properly dried raw material in the crook of breaking with a crash and crumble in your hand with a swish. This rule does not apply to certain flowers, such as primrose. It should be natural, kind, pleasant scent and natural color, not dark or yellow spots. Raw material for rotten or stale odor should be discarded because of anything is not suitable.
The dried herbal materials in order to be maximally used must be absolutely crushed. How do we do?. Best just to grind the raw materials after drying the meat grinder (top sieve with holes with a diameter of 8-10 mm). Best to make the razor just for this purpose.Raw vegetable and mixed by a meat grinder are superbly chipped and ready for use. Herbs uncrushed or only moderately badly broken brewing (extracted badly not only water but also other solvents), which makes their healing power is not used but wasted.
Shredded raw materials must be packed so that their therapeutic value has not diminished during storage. I recommend to store the raw herbs in tightly sealed glass jars or plastic containers and tin, in which once were food products, such as tea, coffee, cocoa. Each package label must be affixed with the name of the raw material in Latin and Polish, and the date when the material has been collected and packed. You can also put on the label indication for use of the material, operation and method of preparation of an aqueous extract and the dosage. For the herbs enclosed in sealed containers not penetrate odors, moisture-l pests (such as the European corn - larvae, mkliki, gambler, and some species of moles, the most dangerous are the European corn caterpillars, which hatch from eggs endured by the perfect insect - butterfly imago, ie; larvae of European corn can pierce even the cardboard boxes, paper bags and with ease; contaminate raw faeces zawilgocają him, attacking nearly all raw materials, especially rich in carbohydrates, does not cling to goldenrod, mullein herb, and other materials which contain small spikes that can damage their body .)
Herbs can also be stored in plastic bags. So packed and marked arrange the raw herbs in the cupboard, in which nothing but herbs should not be. A cabinet should include a list of currently held herbs, of course, when we have a large number. Periodically review the herbs, whether or not they have invaded the insects or whether as a result of inadequate drying pleśnieją. Herbal medicine cabinet should take care of one person. The room in which we store herbs must be dry and clean. Shelf life of dried flowers, herbs, buds and leaves at least 2 years, roots, bark, rhizomes, fruits and seeds - about 3-4 years. After this time the material loses its power to heal.When the herbs are stored in paper bags or other airtight containers is the warranty period is one year less than the specified!
