When to dig up valerian root and how it should be stored
Answer
Valeriana officinalis is a collective species, which includes about 30 similar species, all of which are subject to harvesting. For medicinal purposes, rhizomes and roots of plants are used and used.
Collecting valerian in nature and on the site
If you collect valerian in nature, then you must strictly follow all the rules.
First of all, you need to make sure that the plant you have chosen is valerian, and collecting it will not adversely affect your health and will not lead to poisoning. You should also understand that you can not allow the ingress of particles of other plants, insects or other living creatures in the collection. Collect the plant should only be in places of intensive growth.
For medicinal purposes, plants are used that were collected in the spring or, more often, in the autumn after the growing season. It is at this time that they contain the greatest amount of substances useful to our body.
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- The plant should be carefully dug together with rhizome, quickly washed.
- Large valerian roots are cut and tied up, and then laid out in the fresh air under a canopy. At the same time the layer should not exceed 15 cm.
- After drying, the layer thickness should be reduced to 7 cm and the process should be completed in drying cabinets or ovens.
If Valeriana officinalis was grown on the plot, then you do not need to destroy it completely to collect the roots. To do this, it is enough to cut off about 2/3 of the array, and then plant the plant back into the soil. So the bushes will be able to once again settle down and delight you with a good harvest for several years, without needing new cultivation from seeds. However, it should be noted that such a procedure can be carried out only with plants that are older than one year. Young bushes without consequences can be cut off only by 1/3.
Rules storage valerian
- You can store raw materials for 3 years.
- For proper storage, it is necessary to use glass, well-closing containers, because otherwise the essential oil can quickly evaporate.
- Before you use valerian, you need to once again verify the correctness of its storage. When the box is opened, there should be no foreign smell in the place where it is stored, no rodents or insects, or evidence of their vital activity. If these signs were noticed by you, then it is impossible to use such valerian.
- Also, if you have cats, then you need to take care that they do not get to the roots of the plant: do not nibble and pull away the raw materials.