Medicinal plants, including dioecious nettles , can be easily purchased at the pharmacy. But some people prefer to make phytopreparations on their own, controlling the processes of fermentation and drying of raw materials. To conduct them, you need to know clearly when to collect nettles and in what places, as well as some features of harvesting plants.
When is it better to collect nettles for treatment?
For therapeutic purposes, roots, leaves with stems and seeds of the described grass are used. Each of the parts of the dioecious nettle is harvested in due course.
The roots should be excavated before or after the flowering period - early spring (March) or late summer (August-September).
The most demanded leaves and stems of nettle are cut from the middle-end of May to August, on sunny, dry days. In summer the grass blooms and accumulates a maximum of useful components.
Plant seeds can be harvested only 3 weeks after the end of the flowering period - around September.
Here's how to collect nettles correctly:
- Choose a place remote from civilization, especially roads, cemeteries and dumps.
- Be sure to protect your hands with dense gloves.
- After digging up the roots, they must be thoroughly washed with water and dried.
- Collection of leaves involves preliminary drying - sloping or cut stems of nettle should be left under the sun for 4 hours. After that, you can remove the sheets and send them to dry.
- To obtain seeds, the plants allow ripe plants to ripen, and then thresh.
When to collect nettles for hair and skin care?
Councils for harvesting the herb under consideration are also relevant for cosmetology.
If nettle (leaves) will be used in raw form, you can start collecting it already in the early spring after the melting of snow. This raw material is also suitable for use in cooking.