How to collect and dry red clover at home - harvesting clover for the winter

Where to find clover

There are many varieties of clover. The color scheme of the plant's buds can be red, white, or less often variegated. Red (meadow) clover is most often used for medicinal purposes and in cooking. It belongs to the legume family and grows in large quantities in meadows, fields, along rivers and roads. This plant can often be found on green mountain slopes. Clover can also be cultivated in your own garden plot.

How and when to collect

The choice of place to collect raw materials must be approached very responsibly. This should be a clean place, preferably deep in the forest, away from roads and garbage dumps, as well as industrial enterprises.

The green mass of clover is harvested in May, before it begins to bloom.The foliage is collected separately, immediately torn off from the stem.

The inflorescences are torn during the period of active flowering, when the buds have fully blossomed. Red clover begins to bloom in June and ends in August-September, so there is quite a lot of time to prepare raw materials. During collection, it is recommended to tear off the heads of the inflorescences with a pair of green leaves.

To go to the forest you need to choose sunny and dry weather. If there is heavy dew in the morning, then you need to collect the clover no earlier than lunch, since the wet plant will turn brown during drying and lose all its beneficial properties.

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How to dry flowers

The collected clover heads are placed on trays or sieves in one layer. The place for drying should be dry, well ventilated and quite dark, since the beneficial properties of the herb disappear under the influence of sunlight. The attic space is perfect for drying.

At the initial stage, the clover will need to be turned at least once a day. After the flowers have dried thoroughly, this procedure can be omitted.

If weather conditions do not allow you to dry flowers in the fresh air, you can use an electric dryer for vegetables and fruits. To do this, place flower heads on the grates, distributing them evenly. The device is set to a heating temperature of 40 degrees and dried until ready. To make drying more uniform, the dryer trays are periodically swapped. Flowers dry completely in 6 – 7 hours.

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How to dry leaves

Green leaves are dried in the shade under a canopy, laid out in a small layer so that they dry faster. There is no need to wash the raw materials before drying.

If there is high humidity outside, then the best option would be to dry the grass using an electric dryer at a temperature of 40 degrees, or in the oven. To prevent the leaves from drying out in the oven, the heating temperature should be set to the minimum value and the door should be kept a quarter open. After 2 - 3 hours, the clover leaves will be completely dry.

How to store dried clover

Flower heads are stored in glass jars, cardboard boxes or paper bags. The main thing is to protect the product from humid air and sunlight.

Before storage, clover greens are ground into powder and stored in dark glass jars. In cooking, this seasoning is used by adding it to any first or second courses, as well as to baked goods.