For winter use, mint is cut from mid-June to mid-August. You can use only leaves for drying, but it is better to prepare twigs with leaves and flowers. Drying in natural conditions without the participation of heating devices and ovens is considered the most correct. So mint will retain all its beneficial properties and aroma.
Peppermint is part of many herbal preparations that help in the treatment of cardiovascular, gynecological, dental, gastrointestinal diseases. It soothes, relieves pain, relieves itching due to its vasodilating, anti-inflammatory, tonic properties. Therefore, every gardener will certainly strive to plant this plant on his site and prepare mint for the whole winter. The main thing is to do this in a timely manner in order to preserve all the healing properties of mint.
When to harvest mint for winter storage
As soon as the first sprouts of mint appear in the spring, 2-3 leaves can be plucked to brew fragrant tea, because it is a prophylactic agent for headaches, frequent colds, and gastrointestinal disorders. However, for harvesting, you need to wait until mid-June, when the plant will increase its volume. July is the peak of the season, when the green mass has grown, and the plant has gained the maximum mint aroma. All summer months are the period for cutting mint, and this should be done repeatedly, 1-3 times a month, depending on how old the plant has been in its place.
From the second year of life, mint grows in a thick carpet on one area, and it can be 4-5 years without transplanting. Longer growth is possible, but, as a rule, the plant begins to be affected by diseases. Some people believe that to harvest mint, you need to wait until the budding and flowering period. However, the leaves with twigs, like inflorescences, have all the healing properties. Do not cut the stems in rainy weather or early in the morning when there are still drops of dew on the leaves. As a result of drying, the color will be unnatural, brownish.
Peppermint Drying Methods
Cut stems with leaves and flowers can be collected in bunches and hung in a ventilated area without direct sunlight. To do this, you can use a barn, an attic, an ordinary room where the draft "walks". The sun is harmful to the aromatic substances inherent in mint. It is not forbidden to spread the raw material in a thin layer on a clean cloth or paper. Sometimes an oven is used for quick drying, but experts do not advise using it. In this case, mint will lose a significant proportion of nutrients. I must say that even in bunches, it dries very quickly. If the mint is spread out on the floor, and not suspended, then it is recommended to turn it over 2-3 times during the drying period.
Dried mint can be stored with twigs over the winter, or you can peel off the leaves and flowers and put them in a cloth bag, cardboard box, or glass jar with a lid. Some procurers grind the dried product into powder, but it should be borne in mind that in the crushed form, mint loses its beneficial properties faster and you need to remove it in a tightly closing container. Dried sprigs of mint or mint powder should not be stored for more than 2 years, since after this period its medicinal properties decrease.
