Throughout our vast country, on wooded glades and sandy slopes, this low-growing shrub meets almost all summer. Thyme has many names, it is called the Bogorodskaya grass, and savory, and chabrik, and thyme, and a lemon scent. As a medicinal plant, it has been known since ancient times. It is important to know the time of harvesting the thyme herb, so that the potions prepared from it are obtained as effective as possible.
Thyme Benefits
People have long noticed that the plant helps against many diseases. It is harvested in nearby forests and even grown on a personal plot, planted in a well-lit, windless place. In addition to using thyme (its more common name is thyme) for medical purposes, it is actively used by cooks for cooking. Thyme can be bought at any pharmacy, but raw materials collected by hand and dried at home will bring much more benefit. We'll figure it out when they collect thyme. This plant gives green mass all summer, starting in April and ending in October, when almost all perennials go to rest until next spring. The timing of the collection of thyme depends on the purpose for which it is going to be used.
Pick time
Finding this modest weed in the wild is easy if you know where the thyme grows. Its thickets are found in meadows and forest edges, in dry stony places with sandy soil. Thyme blooms very beautifully and fragrantly, starting in May and ending in August. Thyme is mainly harvested when inflorescences appear in droves and extensive lilac carpets are spread underfoot. In the process of harvesting, beginners usually have questions related to how to collect and dry raw materials. In this article we will try to highlight all the nuances and secrets that you should be aware of. They collect grass in warm, sunny and dry weather during the day, from eight to five in the evening. You need to collect plants at the moment when they have already dried out from dew, otherwise wet raw materials will grow moldy. This weed can be used immediately after harvest to make tea. For these purposes, it can be torn without waiting for flowering, since not only the thyme flowers, but also its leaves have a persistent aroma. When harvested thyme for drying, consider below.
What part of the plant to use
Only the ground part of the plant is suitable for use. To collect thyme, you need to use a knife or sickle with a sharp blade. With this knife, young intact twigs, leaves and inflorescences are carefully cut. In no case should you pull out the plant with the root. Also, thick woody shoots close to the ground, too, should not be cut. It is best to collect thyme during the mass flowering in June or July. In the regions where thyme grows, people believed that this plant has magical properties, so it was collected during church holidays: Trinity, Assumption of the Virgin. It was believed that the plant collected on these days will have the most healing properties. For culinary purposes, as well as for making tea, thyme can be harvested before it blooms, this is May or June. Not yet faded plants contain the largest amount of essential oils, which adds flavoring nuances to cooked dishes.
Drying of raw materials
When harvested thyme for drying, we examined. Now let us dwell in more detail on the drying process itself. For best results, thyme is not dried in the open sun. This is done in the shade and in a well-ventilated area, usually an attic or attic. In a dryer, it is better not to dry the thyme, because with this procedure all the useful essential oils that this plant contains in large quantities evaporate. It is also strictly forbidden to use an oven for drying thyme, since it is very difficult to establish a constant temperature and control it. The collected grass should be laid out on a piece of clean cloth (it is better if it is cotton or linen) or on a baking sheet, with thick paper, can also be hung in small bundles. From above, to protect against insects and dust, you need to cover the grass with gauze. The raw materials are regularly mixed, but very carefully, being careful not to damage it. Finished, well-dried leaves should be easily detached from the stem. Drying time in natural conditions can be from three to five days, depending on the weather. After thorough drying, the thyme is sorted out, separating unsuitable material (some plants may turn black or bloom) and put into clean cotton bags for storage.
Thyme Storage
If you intend to store the plant for a long time (no more than two years), glass containers are suitable. Raw materials are considered dried if the stems of the plant become brittle, even with little impact. The leaves become dark green in color and easily detach from the stem, the inflorescences darken and crumble when squeezed. When the thyme is harvested, we examined the drying and storage process. Now it’s worth saying a few more words about the benefits this plant brings.
The healing properties of thyme
Since ancient times, thyme has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent for the whole body. In addition, it is an excellent antiseptic that destroys most of the microbes. Thyme broth is prescribed for acute respiratory infections as an excellent expectorant, especially effective for chronic bronchitis. It is also used as an anesthetic, for patients suffering from headaches and joint pains, or for women suffering from menstrual pains. Thyme also has a mild sedative effect, has a calming effect on the nervous system and improves sleep quality. It can be used as a medicine for regeneration in case of minor wounds and bruises.
What can I cook from a plant
From thyme make tinctures for oral administration, for inhalation and wellness compresses. Thyme is prescribed and for people suffering from hard drinking, it is believed that it helps to relieve withdrawal symptoms. Patients prone to gout attacks or articular rheumatism are prescribed thyme baths that relieve pain. Tea with thyme helps get rid of bad breath. It improves the functioning of the stomach, freshens the breath, and also helps get rid of heartburn. For migraines, it is necessary to rinse the head with a decoction of thyme or apply leaves to the forehead. In diseases of the bladder, brewed thyme is very effective. For the prevention of colds, essential oils based on thyme are used. In cold weather, this plant will become an indispensable assistant in the prevention of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, but only if you knew how to properly prepare thyme for the winter and followed all the recommendations of specialists.
Cooking method
To brew herbs, it is necessary to pour a tablespoon of dry raw materials with a glass of boiling water, let it brew and take one teaspoon three times a day. Insisting grass is best in a thermos. The preparation of alcohol tincture is also not particularly difficult, you need 70% alcohol (100 ml) and dry raw thyme. The grass needs to be insisted for several days. Take a tincture of fifteen drops three times a day before or after a meal. When making a decoction, one spoonful of dry grass is poured with two glasses of boiling water, everything is heated over a small fire for several minutes, allowed to infuse and filter. Accepted for colds or inflammations in half a glass once a day. Thyme can be taken as regular tea, brewing in a teapot and adding honey or sugar to taste directly in a mug with a drink. For a general healing effect, take with thyme and bath once a week. To prepare such a bath take 40 gr. dry herbs and pour four liters of boiling water. Insist for fifteen minutes, then filter and add to the bath.
Like any medicinal plant, thyme has its contraindications. Before using thyme-based medications, you should consult your doctor.
We told in detail when the thyme is harvested.