Date of the last update: 04.08.2022
Early spring is an ideal time for foraging herbs and weeds. With spring sunshine there are more and more valuable healing plants cropping up. Quite often, even when passing by, we fail to notice what is there sprouting around us, and there is a real herbal pharmacy growing out there! Polish meadows abound in wonderful plants. Just look around and see them growing just at your fingertips.
Table of Contents:
- What is the best place to forage herbs?
- Which herbs to choose for spring infusions?
- How to make a cleansing spring infusion?
- Preparing infusions from dried plants
You can read this article in 5 minutes.
What is the best place to forage herbs?
Away from the hustle and bustle of cities and streets. Better take a longer walk and go out of town, preferably to a ruderal area where there are no cars at all. This way you can be sure that the herbs and plants you forage are unpolluted and free from harmful substances which may accumulate in the roots or the plant itself, while at the same time you can enjoy spending time in the fresh air.
Which herbs to choose for spring infusions?
The list is very long, while meadows and glades abound in variety. There are several interesting plants perfect for medicinal purposes and to be used in the kitchen. March and April are the months when all nature awakens to life and numerous herbal treasures are easily available.
Nettle
April. The first nettles are already coming up, but their quality and the amount of valuable ingredients will be at its peak in May. The young leaves are the richest in nutrients and medicinal substances. Nettle has an anti-inflammatory effect, cleanses the body and strengthens it after winter. What is more, it has a tonic effect on the nervous system. A wonderful anticoagulant, nettle improves circulation, acts as an anti-atherosclerotic agent and even suppresses the autoimmune system. Rich in vitamins and minerals, nettle infusion will beautifully strengthen your hair and nails.
Ground ivy
It is hard to overlook this plant. For some it is often an unwanted guest in the garden, for others it is a precious herb. Its dark blue or purple flowers stand out against the green leaves. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, while drinking ground ivy infusions will help improve the appearance of the skin. Ground ivy helps the digestive system and supports liver cleansing.
Dandelion
This is a very valuable yet underestimated weed. Young dandelion leaves have a cleansing, detoxifying and diuretic effect, which is ideal for spring cleanse. It is a wonderful herb for people who need a natural detox. Dandelion infusion supports liver function, removes excess water from the body and simultaneously helps treating anaemia thanks to the presence of folic acid, among other precious components.
Coltsfoot
This herb is one of the best and oldest natural remedies for coughs, acting as an expectorant. Coltsfoot contains a substance called mucilage and tannins, and thus is a wonderful herb which helps in bronchial diseases such as asthma, bronchitis or persistent cough. Our throat will certainly appreciate infusions of spring flowers and leaves. Its anti-inflammatory and throat-coating properties will bring relief to sore throat and coughs.
Daisies
These spring flowers hide several healing properties. They are anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, they cleanse toxins from the body, support digestion and enhance both liver and kidney function. With its detoxifying properties, the daisy flower infusion strengthens your body.
How to make a cleansing spring infusion?
With plenty of herbs and weeds at hand, we have so many options to create herbal blends to support our bodies. Nettle, daisies, coltsfoot, dandelion, raspberry leaves and ground ivy are just a few plants which we can find in the meadows in April.
Fresh nettle infusion
A purifying nettle tea is very simple to prepare. Remember to rinse the fresh leaves and chop them coarsely before use. Pour boiling water over a heaped teaspoon of nettle leaves and let sit to brew. Just one minute is enough for the valuable substances to permeate into the tea. If you extend the brewing time to 10 minutes, the colour and aroma of the infusion will be much more intense and it will have a stronger diuretic effect.
Purifying herbal infusion
- Nettle
- Dandelion
- Coltsfoot
Herbal infusions can be prepared from both fresh and dried herbs. If you got lucky and had and abundant harvest of these weeds, it is a good idea to prepare a herbal mix for the whole year and reach for it at times when you particularly need a detox. By combining herbs with similar properties, you can enhance their effects and achieve synergy.
Check out also: Health from nature, or how to make hemp maceration extract?
Preparing infusions from dried plants
- Spread out fresh plants to dry naturally in a well-ventilated and dark place, you can also use a mushroom drier.
- combine all the herbs in equal proportions of 50g each. Store preferably in a brown glass jar, remember to label it.
- When you feel like a herbal infusion, pour a teaspoon of the herbal mixture and add in boiling water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
A herbal infusion tastes just as good when made from freshly picked weeds. Simply rinse the herbs, chop them coarsely and pour boiling water over them. After a few minutes, it is ready to drink. Enjoy!
