Lemongrass Chinese how to store berries. Fresh lemongrass berries in sugar. Schisandra shelter for the winter

A woody liana up to 18 m long. The lemongrass fruit is a cylindrical berry with an elongated receptacle, on which there are about 40 spherical fruits. The fruits of lemongrass in appearance resemble red currant berries. Bright red, rounded, juicy, very sour and of a peculiar taste, the fruits of Schisandra chinensis are collected in clusters of 5-15 pieces.

AT lemongrass fruits contain up to 20% organic acids (citric, malic, tartaric) and only 1.5% sugars, vitamins C, B6 B2, P, PP, provitamin A. Minerals are represented by iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese.

FROM Lemongrass seeds, bark, stems and fruits are rich in essential oil. AT oriental medicine lemongrass fruits are valued on a par with ginseng. They have a tonic effect, relieve fatigue and increase efficiency.

And compotes, syrups, fruit drinks, drinks, candy fillings and juices are prepared from lemongrass fruits. Lemongrass juice is used as a natural dye and substitute for citric acid.

Schisandra chinensis natural juice (1)

FROM Wash fresh berries thoroughly in running water, let it drain and squeeze in a juicer. Or you can mash the berries with a wooden spoon in an enamel bowl and squeeze the juice in a nylon bag. Pouring juice into sterilized jars, close them with plastic lids and store in the refrigerator. Cans or bottles of juice can also be pasteurized:

• with a capacity of 0.5 l - 10 min.
• with a capacity of 1 l - 12-15 min.
• with a capacity of 2 l - 18-20 min.

Juice is added to tea or coffee 1-1.5 teaspoons 2 times a day with a decrease in tone and overwork.

Schisandra chinensis natural juice (2)

T Squeeze thoroughly washed berries in a juicer. Pour the remaining pomace with hot water 1:1 and squeeze the juice again. Mix the juice of the first and second extractions, filter, pour into an enamel pan, heat up to 95 ° C and pour into half-liter jars while hot. Sterilize jars, seal tightly and refrigerate.

Dried Schisandra chinensis berries

FROM dried berries are easy to dry in the oven at 60 ° C for 3-4 days.

Preparation of lemongrass for tea

FROM pick healthy leaves and young (one- and two-year-old) shoots in August, chop, decompose thin layer on paper and dry in a shaded, well-ventilated place. Store in a dark place in plastic bags.

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Hello dear readers. This year, finally, after a couple of years ago, during the passage of the spring fell, all fruit and berry delights burned down, lemongrass grew and began to bear fruit again. And by the way, very handy. It rained in our Far East, I caught a cold, and lemongrass jam is the first remedy in the fight against similar ailment.

This plant is even compared for its healing properties with ginseng. Schisandra berries are excellent, normalize arterial pressure, invigorate and give strength. So, before going to bed, you should refrain from drinking lemongrass jam. It is so useful that it deserves a separate discussion on this topic, which I will definitely raise in the near future. I’ll just tell you how much its healing properties help with colds.

In the past summer season, by the way, I was not lazy and prepared well for the long winter. I made all sorts of different jams and, of course, did not forget about. How without it?

In our area, lemongrass begins to ripen in late August and early September. Its bright red clusters hide in dense foliage, hoping that they will pass by being boiled in sugar syrup. But it was not there.

Like in the jungle, making their way through the vines, the Far East guard lemongrass. They are not afraid of the midges of the oceans, when it matures, they patiently wait. As soon as the berries turned a little red, the hunters with the basket are right there. Brass basins rang, and now they put jam in jars. In winter, they will get the elixir of health. They will kiss him once more and increase the livestock of the tribe. After all, our lemongrass.

Chinese Lemon Berries Jam

When weighing, I got 870 grams of sorted lemongrass berries. This is the amount I needed:

• 1300 grams of sugar;
• half a glass of natural apple juice.

For jam, it is better to use reddened, but not fully ripe berries. They need to be slightly firm.

Recipe with photo step by step

1. I wash lemongrass under running water without removing it from the branches. I let the water drain.



2. I sort through, separating the berries from the twigs, removing debris and all sorts of insects. Look closely at the photo where all the ingredients flaunt together. By leaflet ladybug crawling. He himself noticed only now that the insect got into the frame, thereby deciding to perpetuate himself.
3. I fall asleep, lemongrass with sugar.



4. I mix and keep in this form for 12 hours. Not much juice comes out. It absorbs all of the sugar.



5. Next, to cook jam, you need to add to lemongrass Apple juice. At worst, ordinary water.



6. I heat it up on low heat. At the same time, I constantly stir the sugar-berry mass. The syrup is formed quite quickly. After boiling, continue to cook for 5-7 minutes.



7. I set the bowl aside. I cover with a towel and wait for the jam to cool. Then bring it back to a boil and let it cool. I clog jars for the winter, not really caring about their sterility. Washed and doused with boiling water. This is quite enough for the jam to be perfectly preserved until spring or even for a longer time - 2-3 years.



There are recipes in which lemongrass berries are rubbed through a sieve and then jam is made from them. But I like it more when there are bones in the jam. They somewhat do not annoy with their presence. On the contrary, after heat treatment, they acquire a specific taste, become pliable, thereby giving their individuality to the delicacy.

What is useful

Lemongrass fruits contain organic acids, giving them a very sour taste, saponins, which remove cholesterol from the body. In all parts of the plant, compounds with tonic and stimulating properties were found - schizandrin and schizandrol. Lemongrass contains an essential oil, thanks to which the crushed leaves, bark, flowers exude the aroma of lemon (hence the name of the plant). The leaves contain 5 times more vitamin C than the fruits.
Fruits, seeds, roots, leaves, shoots and bark have long been used in Chinese, Japanese and Russian folk medicine as a stimulant and tonic for the central nervous system. Schisandra preparations - tablets from berries, decoctions from leaves and bark, powder and tablets from seeds - help to increase working capacity and relieve fatigue, increase visual acuity, improve heart function and breathing. Studies have found that a tincture of seeds and fruits equalizes blood pressure, lowers blood sugar, expands peripheral blood vessels, treats nervous and mental states helps to heal old wounds and trophic ulcers. Nice results obtained by treatment with seed powder chronic gastritis. Fruit juice is also used (one tablespoon 3 times a day) - acidity increases gastric juice pain disappears.

It's important to know

Schisandra chinensis is a perennial vine. There are four types of plants: monoecious, female, male and with unstable sexualization over the years, that is, in some years they have only male flowers, in others - with male and female. When entering into fruiting, the plants have mainly male flowers, female flowers are formed with the growth of the vine in height. Lemongrass is mainly propagated by seeds and division of the bush.

Secret of success - reliable support and moderate humidity

For planting lemongrass, a well-lit place is selected, protected from cold north and east winds. It is planted near the walls of garden houses or utility rooms, arbors, along fences. Planting under trees is not recommended. On the site, you can install a trellis as a support for the liana, and plant vegetables and strawberries nearby. Lemongrass is planted in the spring - in April, before the buds begin to swell. It prefers moderately moist soils. In the first two years, the aerial part of lemongrass grows weakly, goes increased growth roots. In the 3rd-4th year, many shoots appear, from which 3-6 of the strongest are selected on each bush, the rest are removed. Without support, the plant looks like a herbaceous shrub and most often does not bear fruit. Lemongrass is quite durable and favorable conditions can grow and bear fruit up to 40-50 years.

Blanks for the future

When ripe, lemongrass fruits first turn white, and then acquire a bright red color with a carmine tint. They are harvested with brushes fully ripe. Brushes can hang until leaf fall, without crumbling. In one go, you can harvest almost the entire crop. The fruits are poorly stored, moldy and fermented, so they try to put them into processing the same or the next day.
Lemongrass is not only a medicinal plant, but also a food one. Despite the fact that lemongrass fruits are not consumed fresh, they are quite widely used in nutrition. Compotes, syrups, drinks are prepared from them. dried leaves and shoots are used to make a fragrant tonic tea.
fresh berries lemongrass in sugar. The berries separated from the stalks are washed, slightly dried on a sieve or on gauze, covered with double the amount (by weight) of sugar, mixed, laid out in 0.5-liter glass jars, covered with a lid or paper and stored in a cool place. Used as a condiment for tea.
Lemongrass compote. Fresh fruits are placed in 0.5-liter glass jars, pour hot 60% sugar syrup, pasteurized at a temperature of 80 ° C for 10 minutes.
Syrup. Juice is squeezed out of the washed fruits through two layers of gauze, poured into an enamel pan, sugar is added (1.5 kg per 1 liter of juice), heated until the sugar dissolves and poured into boiled bottles. Store in a dark cool place.
Dried fruits. Slightly dried fruits are dried in an oven at a temperature of 60 ° C for 3-4 days. Properly dried fruits have a dark red color.
To home pharmacy. Young leaves and shoots are collected in early August, crushed, laid out in a thin layer and dried in a well-ventilated area. Used for brewing as a tonic tea (10 g per 1 liter of boiling water). Lemongrass leaf tea is considered one of the best substitutes natural tea and has, in addition, the aroma of lemon, well relieves fatigue, soothes and restores strength.

Chinese lemongrass grows not only in China, but also in healing properties the Chinese told, and it is they who need to be thanked for this wonderful plant from a hundred diseases. In lemongrass, almost all parts of the plant are healing and useful, and not only berries, but also leaves with young shoots can be harvested for the winter.

Drying lemongrass berries

Schisandra berries are harvested at the end of summer - at the beginning of September. Arm yourself with scissors, and cut the entire bunch without cutting off the berries. Put lemongrass clusters in a wicker basket and try to avoid contact of berries with metal objects. Oxides of lemongrass juice and metal can cause unpleasant and not at all useful compounds.

Schisandra berries are very tender and ooze juice instantly if you press them down a little, so they are dried like that, along with the stalk.

If the harvest is not rich, you can hang the bunches in the kitchen, on wire hooks, until completely dry.

If there are a lot of berries, then they are dried by laying them out in one layer on wooden boards, or special nets for 5-7 days.

After the berries are tied, they should be dried in the oven or in an electric dryer. In an electric dryer, it will take about 6 hours, at a temperature of +50 degrees.

Ready berries acquire a dark, almost black color and a somewhat wrinkled structure.

If the stalks interfere with you, now they can be safely removed without damaging the berry itself.

It is better to store dry lemongrass berries in a wooden or cardboard box so that they do not become moldy.

Drying leaves and shoots of lemongrass

Leaves and young shoots of Chinese lemongrass are also harvested in order to brew delicious lemon-flavored tea in winter. Leaves are harvested immediately after picking berries, and before the start of leaf fall.

Leaves and creepers are crushed with scissors, and dried, scattering not in a thick layer on a drying tray in a dry and warm room.

Lemongrass leaves and sprigs can be brewed as a drink on their own, added to commercial tea, or combined with other herbs. And since lemongrass is medicinal plant, first consult with your doctor about its use.

How to harvest lemongrass berries for the winter, see the video:

Harvesting lemongrass

The bright red berries of lemongrass have a pronounced sour taste and delicate aroma. Our today's article is devoted to the preparation of this valuable natural raw material.

In our region in natural conditions there is Chinese magnolia vine, which came to us, as the name suggests, from China. This liana prefers to settle in mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. Domesticated lemongrass pleases with a good harvest - each plant produces about 7 kg of berries. Bright fruits are an excellent energy drink (a handful of dried berries is enough to feel cheerful all day long - hunters have been using this property for many centuries).

Schisandra berries are harvested in September-October (during the period of full ripening). The brushes are cut with a sharp knife so as not to damage the mother plants (having received an “injury”, the vines can stop bearing fruit). Harvest is stored in enamelware or wicker baskets, but not in galvanized buckets (sour juice oxidizes the surface). The berries are removed from the brushes and processed during the day.

dried lemongrass

Schisandra berries are washed, laid out on a canvas and allowed to dry completely from moisture. Then they are transferred to iron sieves or on baking sheets and dried in an oven (in an oven, in a dryer) at a temperature of 55-60? C, taking a break for 3-4 days after several hours of drying.

frozen lemongrass

Prepared lemongrass berries are frozen on plates in bulk, and then poured into plastic or carton boxes(as an option, in plastic bags). Store the product in the freezer.

lemongrass jam

Pure lemongrass berries are steamed and then ground through a fine sieve. The resulting puree is placed in an enamel basin, sugar (1:1) is added and boiled with constant stirring until thick. The finished jam is laid out in sterilized jars and corked (as an option, the neck of the jar is covered with parchment paper and tied with twine).

lemongrass jam

Jam is cooked in almost the same way, but apple juice is added to the composition (100 ml per 1 kg of puree) and the amount of sugar is increased by half (1.5 kg of sugar is required for each kilogram of berries). The rest of the cooking technology remains the same.

Lemongrass compote

• Lemongrass
• Sugar - 400 g
• Water - 1 l

Schisandra berries are separated from the brush, washed thoroughly, placed in sterilized jars and poured with hot syrup. Half-liter jars with compote are heated at 80 ° C for 10 minutes or sterilized in boiling water for exactly 3 minutes.

Lemongrass juice

The harvest is kept for a couple of days, waiting for the softening of the berries. After that, they are washed and the juice is squeezed out using a manual juicer (it is better not to crush the seeds, because they have a resinous taste). The juice is mixed with sugar in a ratio of 1:2, waiting for the complete dissolution of the sweet grains, poured into dark glass bottles and hermetically sealed. Store the finished product in the cold.

Lemongrass wine


From the pomace remaining after making the juice, wine is made (in passing, seeds are extracted from the crushed fruits). Push-ups are poured cold water and let stand for 2-3 days. The wort is drained, diluted with water and sugar is added (to taste). The wine is allowed to ferment, closed with a water seal, and then drained from the sediment.

Lemongrass seed tincture

The seeds remaining after making the wine are washed from the remnants of the pulp, crushed and poured with alcohol. After a couple of weeks, the product is ready for use (it is drunk in small doses, no more than 30 drops).

lemongrass syrup

Schisandra berries are washed, poured into a glass jar and ground with sugar in a ratio of 1:1. After 7-10 days, the settled syrup is drained, filtered, poured into sterilized bottles and sent to a cold place for storage.

Lemongrass Marmalade

• Lemongrass juice - 1 l
• Pectin - 3 tablespoons
• Sugar - 2-3 tbsp.

Pectin is diluted in heated juice and allowed to stand for about half an hour. Syrup is boiled separately using the indicated amount of sugar and 150 ml of juice. The pectin mixture is poured into the hot syrup, brought to a boil and boiled with constant stirring until thick. Ready marmalade is transferred to sterilized jars and closed.

Harvesting and growing lemongrass may seem like a troublesome process, but this is not entirely true. Liana, rising on a support, takes up a minimum of space, but at the same time provides maximum benefit, decorating the garden and giving valuable medicinal raw materials.

DIY 16

Do it yourself



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How to prepare Ivan tea

How to prepare Ivan tea

Fireweed (Ivan-tea), collection and preparation.

It will not be a revelation to anyone that large quantity tea sold in stores can be called such with a big stretch. But delicious tea huge quantities once exported abroad, it is easy to prepare with your own hands without spending a penny of money on it. And believe me, the benefits of it will be much more.

Ivan tea, useful properties

As you guessed, I mean Ivan tea, the beneficial properties of which have been known since ancient times. Before proceeding to the description, I want to say that I have been preparing Ivan tea in the following ways for about 5 years. I don’t presume to judge how useful Ivan tea is for men, as many say, but the fact that it contains an incredible amount of various vitamins and minerals, and in terms of vitamin C content, significantly exceeds lemon, says a lot. Add here the strongest antioxidant properties and get a real elixir of health.
And by adding lemongrass berries to Ivan-tea, we get natural energy drink which will help relieve fatigue and drowsiness while driving.

Collection of Ivan tea

When to collect Ivan tea

It is worth recalling that it is necessary to collect any grass (willow-herb, chicory, St. John's wort, oregano, etc.) away from the city and highways. Fireweed (Ivan tea) blooms from June to August.



fireweed (ivan tea)

You can collect throughout the entire period. Fireweed inflorescences are an excellent honey plant, so it is better to leave them to the bees. In addition, mature seeds with fluff inside can get into tea with them, and this is very unpleasant.

If you really want to decorate tea with flowers and add additional fragrant notes, you need to collect them at the beginning of Ivan-tea flowering. The flowers are dried separately without fermentation.

With your left hand, hold the stem just below the inflorescence. With the right we hold the stem in the palm of our hand and draw it from top to bottom.



how to collect Ivan tea

All the leaves of Ivan-tea are in the palm of your hand.



How to collect Ivan tea

We put them in a bag. Collect as many leaves as you can handle. If it so happened that you did not calculate your capabilities and do not have time to process the leaves, put them in a bag in the refrigerator, otherwise they may dry out.

Leaves should not be washed, but it happens that aphids settle on them. In this case, pour the leaves into a container of water (more convenient in the bath), rinse well and remove with a colander.

wilting

We spread a clean cloth in the shade and lay out the leaves on it.



Withering continues for several hours. If the sheet was washed, then the time increases. In order for the leaves not to dry out, it is necessary to stir them periodically. After they become lethargic,



we continue the process of harvesting willow-tea. Two methods can be applied here. Tea prepared in the first way is similar to large-leaf tea (on the right), while in the second way it looks like granulated tea (on the left).



Freezing (freezing) willow-tea

Another way to prepare a sheet for curling is freezing.
The collected leaf of willow-tea is placed in freezer for a day or more. Then, as needed, it is taken out, defrosted and twisted. There is an opinion that in the old days the collected leaves of Ivan-tea were lowered for storage in the cellar on ice. And only after a while, gradually processed.

But the method has both advantages and disadvantages.

First, about the merits. Freezing - defrosting willow-tea allows you to skip the withering process. The leaf of willow-tea after this procedure is very well twisted and has a uniform dark color. The sheet is taken out of the freezer in small batches, as a result of which processing can be stretched for a very long time.

Now for the disadvantages. Passing the temperature barrier with an interval of -1° to -5°C and vice versa, in the process of freezing and thawing, ice crystals destroy cell membranes and fibers, and the juice flows out. In addition, the separation of water from the protein leads to a change in its structure (denaturation). The simplest example of protein denaturation can be observed during the preparation of scrambled eggs. When a clear and sticky protein becomes milky white and brittle. But that's not all - when defrosting, it irrevocably oxidizes most of vitamin C.

Ivan tea, preparation (method No. 1)

The first method is the most laborious. Many people recommend rolling the leaves between the palms. This method requires a lot of effort. It is much more convenient to twist on a glass cutting board with a ribbed surface. We take a few leaves and turn them into "sausages".

The action is similar to rolling out the dough with a rolling pin.



ivan tea cooking

This is necessary in order to destroy the fiber of the leaves and start the fermentation process. After curling, the leaves become dark green.



At this stage, you can add to the leaves various herbs(St. John's wort, matryoshka, lime blossom, basil, etc.).

Ivan tea fermentation

We put the "sausages" in a stainless steel saucepan (preferably in an enameled one),



cover with a damp cloth or towel



and leave to ferment in a warm place (not in the oven!).

You can ferment Ivan tea in disposable plastic bags. To do this, we put several "sausages" in a bag, wrap it, and then put the resulting briquettes into a large plastic bag.

The fermentation process can take from 3 hours or more (depending on temperature). With proper fermentation, the grassy smell changes to a pleasant fruity aroma.

How to dry Ivan tea

We cut the "sausages" into slices.



We spread baking paper on a baking sheet and pour the chopped willow-tea.



How to dry Ivan tea

The best results are obtained when drying herbs in a Russian oven or on a sauna heater. If this is not possible, then put the baking sheet in the oven and set the temperature to 90 degrees.

Drying must be controlled and periodically stir the tea. The finished tea looks like any other black large-leaf tea. The color depends on the correct fermentation and drying temperature. Keep in mind that the tea leaves should not crumble. If you are afraid of overdrying the tea, then it is better to dry it at a low temperature.

If there is free space in the oven, then in order to save electricity or gas, the preparation of willow-tea can be combined with the preparation of chicory. It is advisable to place a baking sheet with the roots of the latter in the hottest place in the oven.

Ivan tea, preparation (method No. 2)

(Before choosing this method, I advise you to read the article about antivitamins)
The second way is much easier than the first, since the most difficult stages are mechanized. After the sheet has dried, we pass it through a meat grinder with large cells. (See amendments)



We put the resulting "minced meat" in disposable plastic bags (see amendments)



and put in a warm place for fermentation. The rest of the steps are identical.

I tried this method very recently. I wanted to facilitate the process of fiber destruction without the use of a meat grinder and exclude the interaction of raw materials with metal. It took less than an hour of free time to make a device for twisting tea leaves. It is based on the principle of operation of a roller for twisting tea. Here's what happened in the end.


Even after a minute of twisting, the brewed tea has a rather tart taste and Nice colour. In addition, after drying in the oven, only one day has passed.



And one more plus of this option for harvesting Ivan-tea is that the leaves do not need to be cut (as is the case with "sausages").

To “adjust” the pressure on the willow-tea leaf and roll it more tightly, as on an industrial roller, it is better to use two cups different sizes. That is, first a large cup, then a small one.


Fireweed - Ivan tea, how to brew

Someone says that the taste, properly prepared and brewed willow tea, is similar to Indian - I would not say so. It has its own specific taste. I tried several options for brewing Ivan tea, but settled on one:

I put one tablespoon of tea without a top for 250 ml. water. After 10 minutes, pour into cups and brew again. Ivan tea, prepared in the second way (using a meat grinder) and similar to granulated tea, has a richer color and taste when brewed.

For long-term storage, it is advisable to pack ready-made Ivan-tea in sterilized glass jars.

Planting, care, pruning, harvesting Schisandra chinensis

Choosing the right landing site great importance, since not only the productivity of lemongrass, but also the decorative design of the garden largely depends on this. The place should be open to the sun, but protected from cold and withering winds. It is good to place lemongrass on the south side of the buildings, but it is possible on the east or west side (so that the sun illuminates the plants for half a day). The best soil is loose, rich in humus, drained, with a reaction close to neutral. Therefore, the area intended for planting lemongrass must be thoroughly prepared and deeply cultivated. Heavy, dense, clay soil should be patched up with sand and organic fertilizers, peaty and sandy with clay and organic fertilizers, acidic with lime. Plots with high level groundwater, it is necessary to raise or plant lemongrass on shafts or other elevations.

How to prepare a seat. One plant can be planted in a hole, but lemongrass alone is not recommended. Several plants are best planted in a trench 50 cm wide and no more than 60 cm deep. In the middle of it, at a distance of 1.5 m from each other, it is necessary to drive in metal stakes for attaching the trellis. At the bottom, you need to lay drainage material (gravel, gravel, slag, broken brick, construction debris) with a layer of 30 cm and slightly compact, then fertilized soil. The latter should be prepared in advance: add (per 1 m2) to the dug-out cultivated layer: rotted manure (60-70 kg), sand (three to four buckets), lime (500 g,) phosphorus (150 g a.i.), nitrogen (40-50 g d.c.). The soil with fertilizers must be thoroughly mixed and compacted in a trench. At each seat (after 1m), you need to pour a cone-shaped tubercle from fertile soil and slightly compact it.

How to plant lemongrass. When planting, the strongest shoot of the seedling should be cut into three buds, from which the plant will form, weak shoots should be cut into a ring, the roots should be shortened by 20-25 cm. The root system of seedlings must be treated with a clay mash, adding mullein to it (1 liter per bucket). When planting, the seedling must be placed on a cone-shaped tubercle, spread the roots in all directions and sprinkled with soil. The last one should be slightly compacted, watered abundantly and mulched.

It is best to plant lemongrass in a permanent place. If seedlings are purchased in the fall, then they should be planted at this time. Pigging for the winter worsens the survival rate during spring planting.

Lemon care. In the first two years, the root system develops intensively. It is fibrous and is located at a depth of 8-10 cm. Therefore, it is undesirable to loosen the soil deeply, and mineral and organic fertilizers must be applied superficially in the form of mulch. In the third year, fairly good growth shoots are formed, which must be directed upwards and temporarily tied with twine. They themselves curl around the support. The soil should be weeded and the mulch loosened to a depth of 2-3 cm.

Mineral fertilizers, starting from the third year of planting, must be applied in the form of three top dressings during the growing season. In the spring, before bud break, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be added (40 g of a.i. per 1 m2), after the end of flowering in the period active growth ovaries - nitrogen (20g), potassium and phosphorus (15g each), after harvesting in September - phosphorus and potassium (30g a.i. per 1m2). Fertilizers must be raked into the mulch and watered abundantly.

The form of cultivation of lemongrass affects not only the yield, but also the performance of the brushes. Of the two forms - bushy and vertical (on a trellis) - the latter is better. At the same time, the vines are well lit, and conditions are improved for pollination of flowers by insects. As a result, the length of the brush, the number of fruits and their weight increase. The average weight of one brush is 3.5 g, on a tapestry - 9.8 g. In addition, with a vertical culture, the life span of the plant increases, the vines develop better, it becomes easier to form a crown, and more female flowers are formed.

Supports for lemongrass can be used the same as for actinidia.

Does lemongrass grow without support, but it will bear fruit later and worse. To speed up the entry into the fruiting season, the vine must be lifted onto a support as soon as possible.

Vegetatively propagated lemongrass plants come into fruition after three to four years, grown from seeds - after five to six years.

Pruning lemongrass. At good care during the fruiting period, the vines branch intensively, which thickens the crown and reduces the yield. At the same time, a large number of root suckers. Therefore, cutting and shaping vines is necessary. To reduce thickening in the crown in late autumn (after leaf fall), dried, weak and extra shoots should be cut. It is possible to shorten too long growth of a given year. With a large thickening on the trellis, young growing shoots should be shortened in the summer as well (usually by 10-12 buds), and all root suckers should be cut out annually, old vines should be replaced with young ones. The cutting of old vines does not depend on age, but on the bareness and remoteness of their crowns from the ground.

Decorative lemongrass. It is a fast-growing vine with graceful and juicy green foliage, white, pleasantly smelling beautiful flowers in spring and bright red fruits in autumn. In summer, it creates a pleasant shade and coolness near arches, trellises, pergolas, arbors, trellises, etc. Deserves widespread use in garden plots.

How to collect lemongrass fruits. You need to harvest when you reach full ripeness (for the middle lane - in September-October). Brushes must be plucked or cut off at the base. It is unacceptable to put fruits in metal dishes, as harmful compounds are formed during oxidation in the juice. With good care on fertile soil, 4 kg of fruits can be obtained from one plant, but most often - about 0.7-1 kg.

How to dry fruits. Slightly dried fruits must be sorted out, impurities and stalks removed, spread in a thin layer and dried in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 60-70 ° C (otherwise they turn black). Dried fruits should be hard, coarsely wrinkled, irregular in shape, dark red or almost black, have a spicy, bitter-sour, slightly irritating taste and a slightly aromatic smell. Drying whole juicy fruits at room temperature is ineffective, as they become moldy.

How to dry leaves and young shoots. Optimal time harvesting leaves and young shoots - early August. They should be chopped with secateurs into pieces up to 2-3 cm, spread out in a thin layer and dried in the shade with natural ventilation, stirring regularly. Store in paper bags.

Basically, lemongrass fruits are used for drying. Lemongrass juice can be used to make kvass, syrups, jelly, jam, marmalade, etc. Processed products acquire a good color and have the aroma and taste of fresh lemon.

Diseases and pests of lemongrass. exist in natural conditions. On lemongrass grown in the middle lane, they have not yet been seen.

Photos, cultivation and methods of harvesting lemon mint

Melissa, among other varieties of mint, stands out with citrus notes in the smell and belongs to the mint family. In Europe, where the plant has long been cultivated as a spicy-flavoring crop, lemon balm is called lemon mint. This name has taken root in Russia.

The lemon balm plant, as shown in the photo, reaches a height of 30-100 cm and consists of powerful erect pubescent stems, on which are heart-shaped or oval leaves with noticeable rounded teeth along the edges.

It is in the leaves and upper parts of the shoots that most of the aromatic and useful substances, and pale pink or almost white flowers of lemon balm attract masses of bees every summer.

As a wonderful spice and honey plant, lemon mint is highly valued by gardeners and gardeners. Melissa herb is used in many recipes traditional medicine, and cooks are happy to add fragrant foliage to marinades, vegetables and fish meals. Melissa emphasizes the taste and aroma of baked poultry, sweet pastries and cheeses. Fragrant herbs are indispensable in refreshing and healing tea blends, cocktails.

AT summer days plants generously supply spicy greens, but what to do with the onset of cold weather? How to prepare mint for the winter for tea? Keep the beneficial properties of lemon balm for the whole cold period year can different ways, but above all, it is important to properly harvest lemon balm.

How to prepare mint for tea for the winter?

Cutting fresh greenery is carried out in clear, cool weather, when there is no dew or traces of rain on the plants. The best time for harvesting is in the morning and evening hours, when the scorching rays of the sun will not cause the leaves and upper parts of the stems to wither and lose such a valuable aroma. The highest concentration of essential oils, vitamins and other substances important for the body in the greens of lemon balm accumulates by the time of flowering, therefore, at this time, the greens are cut to prepare mint for winter tea.

As soon as the upper juicy parts of the shoots are collected, the plant material is washed, and the lemon mint greens, as in the photo, are thoroughly dried with paper or linen napkins. You can find recommendations where vegetable raw materials are advised not to wash, but to blanch before drying:

• On the one hand, it will help to keep initially green color leaves, which will positively affect the appearance of dishes and drinks with lemon balm.
• On the other hand, if left too long, lemon balm leaves quickly become soft, lose their firmness, and will completely lose their shape when dried or frozen.

It is rational to blanch lemon mint if it is decided to make syrup, fragrant sugar from it for the winter or freeze it in the form of portioned cubes, since even with short-term heating, the release of juice increases.

Drying lemon mint at home

When preparing mint for tea for the winter, small bunches are formed from the shoots, which are hung away from heaters and direct rays. With a constant flow of air and a dry atmosphere, the grass dries out after a few days.

During drying, it is better to protect the plants from attack by insects and dust by covering the bunches with gauze. If the grass is dried using modern electric dryers, the most gentle modes are used, and, as in the photo, lemon mint is laid out on pallets in an even thin layer and stirred from time to time.

Dried leaves and apical parts of the stems are crushed and laid out in tightly closed glass jars, where lemon balm will be stored all winter.

Can mint be frozen for the winter?

Melissa, like other varieties of mint, can be prepared for the winter by freezing both whole shoots and individual leaves.

To do this, the washed and dried bundles are packed in foil, cling film or sealed tight bags and placed in small portions for storage in the freezer. You can freeze mint for the winter in the form of very convenient ice cubes, which for several months will be useful for flavoring tea, sauces, and obtaining medicinal decoctions.

When frozen, lemon balm completely retains its taste and smell, but the leaves completely lose their shape. Therefore, for the manufacture of such cubes, you can take both greens and juicy stems, after grinding them in a blender.

Harvesting lemon mint for sweet tooth

On the basis of lemon mint, as in the photo, you can prepare very fragrant sugar, which is sure to please not only a lover of sweet tea, but also housewives who indulge their loved ones with fragrant pastries and homemade confectionery. For such an unusual seasoning, they take fresh lemon balm greens and grind it, mixing it with sugar in parallel. For 200 grams of vegetable raw materials, 200 grams of regular sugar are taken. If desired, include lemon peel, thyme herb or other types of mint.

How else can you prepare mint for tea for the winter? Melissa syrup will be no less joy for big and small sweet teeth.

For 100 grams of clean dry or blanched greens, 100 grams of water and 200 grams of sugar are required, half of which is poured with chopped lemon mint and left for 8-12 hours so that the grass gives juice. When the sugar is almost dissolved, pour the lemon balm into the sugar syrup and bring the mixture to a boil. The container with syrup removed from the fire is cooled, the finished product is filtered and poured into sterilized jars or bottles with well-ground lids.

You can store mint syrup in the refrigerator, and use it to add to tea, pastry, cereals and fruit salads.

There are a lot of ways to harvest lemon mint for the winter for tea and other dishes. For example, based on fragrant grass do fragrant oils and sauces. But you can take advantage of the unpretentiousness of the plant and try to grow a bush of lemon mint at home in a pot.

How to grow mint at home?

The easiest way is to separate a part of an adult lemon mint bush in your own garden in the fall, as in the photo, and transfer it, along with a clod of earth, to a spacious pot, where a drainage layer has been previously arranged. To fill the pot, you can take both loose garden soil and ready-made soil for seedlings or green crops.

Melissa does not like acidic soils, therefore, if necessary, dolomite flour is added to the soil.

If it is impossible to get an already rooted plant, do not despair. Melissa gives roots in a few days, if the lower leaves are removed from cuttings 15–20 cm long and the stems are lowered into water with a few drops of a growth stimulator. After about a week, young plants with their own root system are planted in the ground. From now on, at home, in a pot, mint can grow for more than one year, delighting family members with fresh herbs. Subsequently, the plant requires moderate watering, spraying with dry air and its elevated temperature.

The most time-consuming and long way is growing mint at home from seeds.

The best time for sowing is spring, but since it is desirable to get fresh greens in winter, you will have to plant the seeds in the ground at the end of summer or autumn, when daylight hours are reduced every day. In this case, the brightest place on the windowsill is chosen for the lemon balm, and it is even better to arrange additional lighting at home for mint in a pot.

In a container with a soil mixture, shallow grooves are made at a distance of 5–7 cm, the soil is moistened and dry seeds are sown. As necessary, the soil is moistened, and seedlings should be expected in about a week. If the sprouts have risen too closely, they are thinned out or swooped down. In order for lemon mint to form a healthy strong bush, choose the brightest place for lemon balm on a window or balcony.

Watering is carried out up to 3 times a week. To prevent flowering and weakening of the plant, when the shoots of house mint in a pot reach a height of 15–20 cm, the tops of the stems are shortened. Such a measure will lead to the appearance of lateral branches and an increase in the amount of foliage.

If the tops of the stems are cut off to dry or freeze, home-grown lemon balm produces up to three full crops over the winter.

But more often, such a house plant provides the family with fragrant foliage every day for tea, healing cold decoctions, and other popular lemon balm remedies.

Lemon Balm Video

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How to prepare and use Schisandra chinensis herb

Schisandra chinensis herb, its fruits, leaves, vine have long been used in oriental medicine. Since the middle of the last century medicinal properties this amazing plant have become widely used in medical practice in many countries. Most effective drugs considered juice, alcohol tincture, extract and syrup from fruits and seeds. Tea with lemongrass leaves, as well as honey with plant berries, also has good vitamin and tonic properties.

Chinese lemongrass (schizandra) - perennial, which is a vine that wraps around neighboring trees, a feature of which is the refreshing aroma of lemon emanating from crushed leaves and shoots. The plant is not only useful, but also decorative, so many plant it in their summer cottages.

Lemongrass is useful for its tonic and adaptogenic properties, as well as the ability to stimulate the body's internal forces to fight many diseases.

For daily use tonic tea is suitable, and for a more serious effect, you can use juice, tincture or syrup, for external use, lemongrass essential oil is suitable.



Since ancient times, the fruits, leaves and vine of Schisandra chinensis have been used in medicine.

How to properly prepare raw materials

In order to maximize the benefits of lemongrass treatment, it is necessary to be able to properly prepare medicinal raw materials. The plant can be found in the Far Eastern forests, but many successfully cultivate it on their plots. Lemongrass fruits begin to ripen at the end of August, but the collection is best done during their full ripening, which lasts from September until the first frost. Ripe berries are distinguished by juicy pulp and a bitter-sour taste. From one adult plant, you can collect about 3 kg of fruit.

When harvesting, lemongrass fruits are cut with brushes and folded into any non-metallic dish. Within a day after harvesting, the berries must be processed. For several days, the fruits are dried under a canopy, then the pedicels can be separated from them and sorted out. Drying can be done in the oven, the temperature should not exceed 60 degrees. Properly dried raw materials are stored for no more than two years, they are used as an additive in tea, for the preparation of infusions and decoctions.

From freshly picked fruits, you can get juice, which is used in medicinal purposes and also as a food acid. For preparation, the berries are washed and squeezed. The resulting juice is sterilized in jars for 10–15 minutes, after which the container is hermetically sealed. Then, on its basis, you can prepare a syrup. You can make sweet juice, for which 400 g of sugar are taken for 2 glasses of juice. Then proceed as in the first case.

If the juice is squeezed out with a press, then seeds can be obtained from the remaining mass. The crushed berries are moistened and left to ferment. At the end of the process, the mixture is washed under running water and the seeds are separated. Initial drying is carried out at a temperature of up to 40 degrees, and drying - up to 70 degrees.

Lemongrass leaves, like shoots, are harvested in early August - at this time, they accumulate optimal amount useful substances. The leaves are dried in the usual way, in shaded places, spread out in a thin layer. For harvesting shoots, it is better to take unproductive, but not old vines, which should be cut and chopped with a pruner into small pieces. Drying is carried out in a ventilated room or under a canopy. The root is harvested extremely rarely.

Therapeutic action

Lemongrass fruits can be used in fresh, add to tea, prepare juice, jam, syrup, as well as infusions and tinctures. All parts of the plant, harvested for future use, have the ability to:

• relieve fatigue;
• increase physical endurance and mental activity;
• normalize blood pressure with hypotension;
• eliminate oxygen starvation;
• promote wound healing;
• boost immunity.

In Eastern medical teachings, lemongrass is used for anemia, sexual impotence, asthenia, depression, and also for colds and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Tea based on lemongrass leaves has an unusual pleasant aroma, helps to strengthen the immune system, invigorates, helps with colds. To prepare 10–15 g of dry leaves, pour boiling water (1 l) and insist for several minutes. You can add leaves to regular tea, but do not brew in a thermos to avoid loss of flavor.

The so-called "cold tea" can be prepared using dried fruits, which in the amount of a tablespoon are boiled for 10 minutes in a glass of water. After boiling, the mixture is infused for 1 day and drunk during the day.

Another way to cook healthy tea, lies in the fact that the lemongrass vine is placed in a kettle (not electric), in which water will be boiled for brewing. Thus, the water at the heating stage is enriched useful elements and you can brew any black or green tea with it.

Syrup of lemongrass berries helps in the treatment various ailments such as hypotension, drowsiness, potency disorders, as well as intoxications and protracted course chronic diseases. Pharmacy syrup can be added to any desserts and drinks, tea, or taken as an independent product for 1 month, with meals, three times a day.

The syrup can be prepared independently, after squeezing the juice of fresh berries. In order to prepare this product, take 1 liter of lemongrass juice and 1.5 kg of sugar. The mixed mass is heated to completely dissolve the sugar, after which it is poured into sterile jars.

Lemongrass syrup can be prepared differently. First you need to boil the usual sugar syrup (1 kg of sugar, 2 cups of water), and then mix the juice with it in a ratio of 1: 2. After that, you should wait for cooling and pour into glass containers. finished product Keep refrigerated. Such lemongrass syrup can be added to any herbal and regular tea to get a tasty, fragrant and healthy drink.



Schisandra chinensis relieves fatigue, normalizes blood pressure, improves immunity

Pharmacy forms

Lemongrass extract is not difficult to find in the pharmacy chain, it is sold in tablets, and is, without a doubt, useful drug, which the:

• increases the body's resistance to stress;
• contributes to the stabilization and strengthening of cell membranes;
• stimulates the internal forces of the body;
• lowers blood sugar levels;
• stimulates smooth muscles;
• exhibits adaptogenic properties;
• satisfies the body's need for flavonoids.

Schisandra fruit and bark extract can be prepared at home with alcohol, it will show therapeutic effect, but in fact it will be a tincture.

There are basically two types of lemongrass oil - essential and cold-pressed. Both of these products have been successfully used to treat various diseases. Lemongrass essential oil is used in aromatherapy as a tonic, externally as part of massage mixtures improves lymphatic drainage, and is used to prevent varicose veins.

Lemongrass seed oil is taken orally, therefore it is available in capsules. This form of release is often used by athletes and people whose activities are associated with overload, radiation, overheating and other harmful conditions labor. When taking this drug is observed:

• increase in background indicators of the content of adrenaline;
• increased endurance and performance;
• strengthening of immunity even in the conditions of the strongest physical activity, which in athletes often cause immunodeficiency;
• a decrease in the inhibitory and an increase in the activating effect of the regulatory processes of the central nervous system in the cerebral cortex.

In addition, lemongrass in the form of oil is useful as an adaptogen, which significantly increases the body's ability to withstand adverse conditions. external influence. In addition, such a drug is used for sexual disorders, after prolonged illness, with hypotension.

Knowing how lemongrass is useful and how to use it correctly, you can significantly speed up recovery from many diseases. It should be remembered that there are contraindications to the use of the plant, and you can take drugs after consulting a doctor.



Tincture based on fruit extract and lemongrass bark increases the body's resistance to stress

The Chinese lemongrass plant is rarely used in our latitudes for cooking, however, in vain. Lemongrass has many useful properties and a pleasant taste. Today we will tell you how to cook lemongrass.

Lemongrass plant recipe for the winter

Lemongrass with sugar - a recipe for the winter

Peel fresh berries of lemongrass from twigs and put in clean jars, pouring layers of sugar. Sugar is taken 2 times more (by weight) than berries. Harvesting lemongrass with sugar for the winter is in the refrigerator all winter and is used as needed.

How to make juice from Schisandra chinensis

The juice squeezed from the berries is poured into sterilized jars (preferably dark ones) and stored in the refrigerator. Used in vitamin drinks and as an anti-febrile agent.

Dried lemongrass - recipe

Whole berries or pulp left over from squeezing the juice is dried in a non-hot oven and then dried in the air. Berries are consumed whole, chewed in the mouth, and the seeds are ground into powder and used as a remedy.

Lemongrass syrup - cooking recipes

Squeeze lemongrass berries through gauze or in a juicer, add sugar (1: 1.5) to the juice, heat until sugar dissolves over low heat, stirring regularly. Pour the syrup into scalded bottles and store in a dark, cool place.

How to freeze lemongrass - recipe

Berries peeled from twigs are frozen in containers at a temperature of -18°C. Keep 2 years.

How to cook lemongrass recipes

Schisandra chinensis drink - recipe

Pour fresh (or dried) berries with water and boil for 5 minutes after boiling. Add sugar and cool until room temperature. For a glass of berries take 2 liters of water and 150 g of sugar. You can dilute the pre-prepared syrup to your liking.

How to cook lemongrass jelly

Lemongrass syrup is diluted 10 times with water, brought to a boil and diluted starch is poured in. Turn off and stir for a few more minutes until thickened. Usually for 1 liter of jelly you need 2 tbsp. l. starch.

Schisandra chinensis tea - recipe

Green tea and finely chopped dried young shoots and lemongrass leaves pour into a wide thick bowl and pour boiling water. Infuse for 3 minutes and drink as a tonic and regenerating agent that relieves eye fatigue and helps with depression. Usually 1 tsp is brewed. tea leaves and 1 tsp. dry parts of lemongrass per 0.5 l of boiling water.

How to make lemongrass honey - recipe

Dissolve a glass of honey in 1 liter hot water(temperature not higher than 50 ° C), add lemongrass juice (1-1.5 cups), yeast - 20 g and put on fermentation in a warm place. Then they clog tightly and put in a cool place for three weeks for quiet fermentation.

Recipe for cooking meat with Schisandra chinensis juice

Cut hard red meat into slices, pour lemongrass juice diluted 1:3 with water. Withstand the night, salt, fry on the grill over the coals.

Lemongrass juice recipe

Dilute lemongrass juice with water, add a little sugar, bring to a boil and pour diluted into cold water flour. Stir quickly and turn off when the first bubbles appear on the surface.

How to make confectionery lipstick with lemongrass juice - recipe

Dissolve sugar in water and boil covered until thickened. Before the end of cooking, add 2 tsp. lemongrass juice, quickly remove from heat and cool the pan in a bowl of cold water. Beat the cooled mass with a spatula (or a mixer) into a finely crystalline mass. Heat up again and add 1 tbsp. l. lemongrass syrup, stirring all the time. Fudge can be used on donuts, for example, or other sweet pastries.

Lemongrass recipes for the winter: Video

Of course, these are not all recipes for cooking dishes from Chinese lemongrass, we told you how to cook lemongrass in a simple and accessible way for everyone.