Would you like to freeze or dry the dandelion?

Would you like to freeze or dry the dandelion?

Better to dry the leaves and flowers

The collected leaves and flowers should preferably be dried if the quantities are too much. The leaves are tied in bundles and hung upside down in a shady and airy place. If this is not possible, the leaves can also be dried in a dehydrator at temperatures between 30 and 40 ° C.

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The same applies to the flowers. Since they are difficult to hang up (the stems with the milky juice should be removed), it is better to spread them out and air dry or in a dehydrator. This should be done quickly so that the flowers no longer have the opportunity to close.

Frozen and thawed leaves are mushy

But why is it not advisable to freeze the dandelion leaves? There are several reasons for this. The leaf structure is too soft. If the leaves were thawed again, they would be much limp and very wet. That doesn't look very appetizing. Pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs, who otherwise like to eat dandelions, are usually not interested in thawed dandelions.

If you really want to freeze dandelion leaves, you should do it this way:

  • clean
  • cut into small pieces
  • Fill in ice cube trays with water
  • or chopped up in freezer bags
  • freeze
  • suitable as a condiment for soups and stews

The roots are suitable for freezing

The roots of dandelions, on the other hand, are suitable for freezing. They largely retain their firm consistency. Before freezing, they should be washed and cut into pieces about 1 cm thick. Alternatively, you can rub them finely with a rasp and freeze them in a freezer bag.

Tips

To get the best quality you should orient yourself to the ideal harvest time for the leaves and flowers!

The garden journal freshness-ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

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