John Myers
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You can dry stinging nettle to use the leaves later for tea or as a medicinal herb. It is best to collect the plant fresh from the meadow, as far away from the roadside as possible so that there are no pollutants on it.
Collect the right nettles to dry
Before you can dry nettles, you must first collect them. Pack thick gardening gloves and wear long clothes. Otherwise, you can burn yourself on the hair of the plant and have red and painful skin afterward.
- The stinging nettle grows on almost every corner, so you can also find it in courtyards or on the side of paths. However, look for a place where there are a few exhaust fumes as possible from the streets.
- You can now grasp the plants firmly by the stem and rip them out with a jerk. Or you can take a pair of secateurs and cut off the stems you need to dry.
- Collecting individual leaves is also a common method.
- Stow the collected stalks or leaves well in a bag, newspaper, or cloth so that you don’t burn yourself when you take them out at home.
Wash and dry nettles
At home, you should thoroughly clean the plant under running water to remove all environmental dirt. Then shake them out and pat dry with a cloth.
- Now always take a bunch of stems together and place them in a shady spot where there is enough air. It is important that the place is not overheated and that there is no direct sunlight on the leaves.
- For example, a clothesline that you stretch across a window or in the attic is well suited. This is where you hang the bundles until they dry.
- You can also place the nettle leaves individually on towels to dry and spread them out on a table. A wooden table, for example in the tool shed, is also suitable for drying the leaves.
- It generally takes about 2 weeks to dry.
- The leaves can then easily be crumbled between your fingers. Pack them carefully in a spice jar or spice jar for further use.
- If you store the dried nettles in a dark and dry place, you can use them all year round and make your own nettle tea, for example.
