Content
The quality of the prepared raw materials depends on the ability to collect oregano and to dry it correctly. The most useful and tasty drink from it is obtained from gardeners who adhere to a certain number of rules.
Oregano varieties for harvesting for the winter for tea
In addition to specific varieties, gardeners also distinguish types of oregano. This is due to the fact that the plant is ubiquitous, but has acquired individual regional characteristics:
- Dwarf oregano looks like marjoram, acquires a bright taste and smell only if it is planted in a sunny place. It often grows as a ground cover crop. Differs in unpretentiousness in care, pleasant aroma, pink buds.
The dwarf variety contains relatively few essential oils.
- Italian oregano is a hybrid characterized by good winter hardiness and spicy-sweet aroma.
The Latin name for Italian oregano is Origanum x majoricum
- Mexican oregano has a long flowering period.
The buds of the Mexican species are tubular, reddish-pink in color
Most often, gardeners buy oregano. It grows well in Russia. It is a perennial, reaching a height of 90 cm. Its inflorescences are lilac, pinkish, less often white.
Stems are straight, with four edges, pubescent, branched on top. Leaves are ovoid, with a pointed end.
The buds of oregano are small, collected in shields, outwardly resembling a panicle
There are varieties whose purpose is to decorate the garden. Species such as the Northern Lights and Dushka are popular as spices. It is recommended to purchase the following varieties for tea:
- Honey scent;
- Swan;
- Fragrant bunch;
- Fairy.
When choosing a variety, you need to take into account the duration of flowering, the peculiarities of care and planting.
When and where to collect oregano
If there is no plant bed in the garden, then it can be harvested in the wild. The timing depends on the region of growth of the culture. Collecting oregano in the south is best done in July. The farther north the region, the later the flowering begins, so in some areas the plant can be harvested until September.
In order to properly harvest oregano, it is important to adhere to the following principles:
- the meadow with oregano should be well lit by the sun;
- it is forbidden to pull up the culture along with the root, otherwise the risk of plant degeneration in its natural habitat increases:
- you should not cut flowers along roads, next to buildings, factories;
- the bush must be clean, free of dirt and cobwebs.
The quality of raw materials depends on the literacy of the procedure. Harvest is subject to intact, healthy stems with blossoming buds. You need to cut branches at a height of 25-50 cm from the ground. Do not break off the stems, as there is a high risk of damage to the rhizome. The best option would be to use a pruner or scissors.
If the flowering shrub is covered with dirt, then it should be washed and left in the sun until it dries completely. Do not pick up wet branches, they may grow mold in the future.
During collection, you need to carefully inspect the plant: it is impossible for insects or debris to remain in it.
Preparing oregano for drying
To obtain high-quality raw materials, not only the stage of collecting the plant is important, but also its further processing.
It is customary to dry the whole branches.If oregano is crushed, then it will partially lose its nutrients. It is allowed to wipe the leaves and buds with a damp cloth to remove dust. It is recommended to remove the affected parts of the culture.
Preparation consists in collecting the stems in bunches of 7-15 branches. The resulting bouquet needs to be tied with a thread. It is recommended to separate the leaves from the flowers if the gardener plans to add culture not only to tea, but also to dishes as a spice.
How to dry oregano
The choice of method is at the discretion of the grower. To obtain high-quality raw materials, it is necessary to adhere to the work algorithm.
On open air
The maximum shelf life is for the oregano that has been processed correctly. The most common drying method is open air. This method allows you to preserve the beneficial substances of the plant and its aroma. The duration of the procedure is 3-6 days.
There are several ways to dry oregano outdoors after harvesting:
- Cover the horizontal surface with paper. For this, it is best to use a sieve, wire rack or trays, cutting boards, boxes. After collecting, spread the grass in layers, no more than 6-8 cm thick. Twice a day, oregano must be agitated to ensure it dries evenly.
- Vertical drying on rungs or ropes. Hanging bunches of oregano after collection is necessary tops down. Periodically, the raw materials should be inspected, changed places.
When drying vertically, ensure that the grass has access to air, so there should be a small distance between the bundles.
Open air does not imply direct sunlight. The room must be clean, well ventilated, with a humidity of no more than 50-60%. Most often, gardeners prefer balconies, attics or awnings.
In the oven
This method of harvesting oregano is not the best option. In case of violation of the temperature regime, there is a high risk of spoilage of raw materials. Drying herbs in the oven is popular with gardeners seeking to shorten the procedure. Most often, all manipulations take from one to three hours.
Algorithm of actions:
- Line a baking sheet or wire rack with baking parchment.
- Spread the oregano evenly over the surface after harvesting.
- Set the temperature on the timer to no higher than 40 ° С.
- Dry the oregano after harvesting for 20 minutes, not completely closing the door. If the stove is gas, then the gap should be at least 14-20 cm.When using an electric oven, the distance can be reduced to 4-5 cm.
- Turn off the oven and allow the grass to cool completely. To do this, periodically turn the shoots over.
Even with a low temperature in the oven, there is a risk that the grass will partially lose its properties and aroma.
In an electric dryer or dehydrator
This method is optimal for processing the grass after harvest. The duration of the procedure is 2-4 hours. But before starting work, you should make sure that the device has a "grass" mode, or there is a possibility of manual temperature control.
Algorithm of actions:
- Lay stems or small branches in one layer on the device's grates.
- Set the temperature to no more than 35-40 ° C.
- Change the position of the grates every 30 minutes to ensure that the raw materials dry evenly after collection.
- At the end of the work, leave the grass until it cools down.
Do not fill the grids of the device tightly, as this will slow down the circulation of air between the layers and lead to a disruption of the process.
How to store dried oregano
Most often, after harvesting, gardeners dry the grass and leave it in its original form indoors. To do this, it is enough to cover it with insect repellent gauze. But this method is irrational: if moisture gets in, the grass will deteriorate.
It is recommended to process the raw materials after harvesting and drying: chop the oregano with your fingers, discarding the thick stems.You can separate the flowers from the leaves to add the plant not only to tea, but also as a spice in dishes.
The optimal storage containers are fabric bags, cardboard or wooden boxes, ceramic containers.
It is not recommended to store oregano together with herbs if there is no confidence in the possibility of their combination with each other.
It should be borne in mind that the maximum shelf life does not exceed 1.5 years. If rot, an unpleasant odor or insects appear, further use of the dried plant is impossible.
Conclusion
If you correctly collect oregano and store it, you can enjoy fragrant tea and delicious dishes all winter. The culture grows safely both in the wild and on the site, so the collection and procurement of raw materials does not cause difficulties. The quality of the product obtained depends on the literacy of the work performed.
