From what date are birch brooms harvested? Birch brooms for a bath: features of harvesting, drying and storage

Best methods collection and preparation of brooms from birch leaves remain those that were followed in the old days, when they prepared birch brooms for a bathhouse for the whole next year. Fortunately, these immortalized recipes have survived to this day, passed down from generation to generation.

How to properly prepare birch brooms for a bath?

What you need to know to properly prepare birch brooms for a bath:

• First of all, this means observing the period for collecting birch branches with lush green cover.
• For getting good broom, it is necessary to take into account the color and condition of the leaves.
• Second, most important aspect– this is drying material for brooms.
• The process must take place in a dry room, where there is mandatory ventilation, without direct access sun rays. This is necessary to preserve the healing properties of birch leaves.

For good birch brooms, it is better to choose younger trees or near-trunk shoots. It is advisable for the trees to grow on a sunny hillock or near a pond. Then the brooms will be elastic and last longer.

Before harvesting, it is advisable to study information about birch trees in your region, and also to very carefully observe the growth process of these attractive plants. As soon as the leaves become truly green and not light green, the long-awaited time has come when it’s time to prepare birch brooms for the bathhouse. Nature doesn’t give us much time for this work – only about seven days!

When to prepare brooms for a birch bath?

Birch is a rather capricious plant material that requires the harvester to comply with certain technological rules. The most important thing is the timing for collection. To get a good broom, the picker has a week period between the ripening of the leaf and the appearance of catkins on the tree.

How do birch bath brooms affect your health?

Cleansing the skin of toxins and the entire body as a whole is ensured by the use of birch brooms; they are one of the most used in the steam room. When heated, leaves release healing substances, which improve sweating and, as a result, lung function.

Birch foliage is especially useful for healing the respiratory system (for asthma, bronchitis, and also for smoking). Pairs of birch leaves improve the functioning of small alveoli and bronchi, enhance lung ventilation and sputum discharge.

This article will help you gain a general understanding that harvesting a birch broom is not a complicated process, but it still requires some knowledge. The benefits that can be obtained with a competent approach to knitting a birch broom will pay off the energy spent a hundredfold!

From letters to the editor:

I really love taking a steam bath. A few trips to the steam room - and you seem to look several years younger, feel light and strong. I always buy birch brooms from the old lady near the bathhouse. And so I thought: maybe I should try to prepare brooms for the winter myself. When and how do they do it?

Birch brooms, perhaps, the most popular among Russian steamers. Birch grows everywhere in our country; finding and harvesting it is not very difficult. Besides, we all know about healing properties birch leaves. They help cure respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis. In addition, the substances contained in the leaves have a calming effect on the body, have a beneficial effect on the skin, and alleviate the symptoms of radiculitis.

For broom preparations you need to choose a time when the leaves are fully formed. You cannot cut off branches with very young leaves and leaves that are finishing the growing season - they will not stick to the branches after drying, and in the bathhouse you will very quickly end up with not a birch broom, but a golik (a broom with bare branches).

One experienced steamer once revealed to me the secret of a reliable and fragrant broom - it must be prepared from the end of June until Peter's Day (approximately until mid-July). Brooms stored earlier and much later than this period will fall off.

It is also important to take into account environmental requirements: the harvesting site should be away from dusty roads and industrial enterprises. It is necessary to take care of trees, therefore, if you are harvesting branches from young birch trees, never cut off the top and upper branches, save the lower branches without harming the plant. It's even better if you find a mature weeping birch tree whose branches reach close to the ground. The best brooms are from birch trees, which have a smooth upper surface of the leaves.

My wife and I were harvesting brooms in a lowland area located not far from our site, lushly overgrown with willow, birch and aspen. In the first ten days of July, after breakfast and before the heat set in, we walked into this spontaneously formed forest, alas, now demolished for unknown needs. There they cut the lower branches of young birch trees and carried them, tied in an armful, to their house. And already there, away from mosquitoes and horseflies, sitting comfortably on benches, they formed and tied brooms. The branches were matched one to the other, creating a lush, evenly filled with foliage, broom 50-60 cm long. The thickness of the broom handle was made so that it was comfortable to hold in the hands - and not too thin, but not too thick. Then I securely and very tightly tied the handle bars in two places with twine. This had to be done because, after drying, the wood would “shrink” a little and the binding would weaken. That's why I tied it very carefully.

We tied the prepared brooms in pairs, and I took them to the attic of our garden house where the wire was stretched. I hung them there not very tightly so that they would dry better. A small window was made in the attic, which provided ventilation, but it was still always gloomy there, which was necessary so that the brooms did not fade, losing their color. The roof heated well, the brooms dried well and retained their bright green color. In the bath they steamed and emitted a wonderful birch aroma. It was a pleasure to steam them.

Some vapers prefer oak brooms. Oak leaves from a properly prepared broom also have medicinal properties. They are recommended for increased sweating, people with oily skin, help reduce arterial pressure. However, I think you shouldn’t get carried away with one type of broom; it’s better to alternate them. And it’s even better to prepare combined brooms, combining birch branches, several branches of oak, linden, and eucalyptus in one, if you managed to get it. Then the effect on the body will be combined.

You just need to remember that brooms are prepared from oak branches later. The fact is that this plant usually begins to bloom its foliage later than all its other neighbors. Therefore, they gain full strength later. Usually oak brooms are stored in the second half of July - the first half of August. When harvesting, you need to be very careful with the plant itself - not to cause much damage to it, because oaks grow very slowly and you don’t see them very often.

Sometimes you can see sellers of juniper brooms near the baths. I don’t know where the police are looking - these are relict plants, there are fewer and fewer of them left in our forests. Perhaps now you can see juniper more often in gardens. By purchasing these brooms, you are encouraging forest poachers.

Stock up on brooms, worry about your health, just try to cause minimal harm to nature. Remember that life does not end with us, your children and grandchildren are growing up, leave them the joy of a steam bath too.

E. Valentinov

Photo by Olga Rubtsova

A visit to the bathhouse is not only pleasant, but also useful procedure, and the broom is an integral part of it. There are a huge variety of bath brooms, each of which has a special effect on the body.

However, in order to get the maximum benefit from using brooms, you need to know what time is best to collect them.

Let's look at the most popular types of plants used for making brooms. These include:

• Oak- has an anti-inflammatory effect, helps lower blood pressure, calms and reduces Negative influence stress on the body. recommended for owners problem skin, prone to fat content;
• Birch- perfectly cleanses the skin, promoting the regeneration of the upper layers of the skin. In addition, it helps relieve pain in joints and muscles after prolonged physical activity;
• Juniper- can be used as prophylactic during the cold season, as well as for radiculitis and rheumatism;
• Linden- most often used when colds, providing a bronchodilator and antipyretic effect;
• Rowan- Best used during the day as rowan helps increase activity levels. Can be used by people with weak vessels and problem skin;
• Tansy- just like rowan, tansy helps eliminate loss of strength and fills you with energy. These brooms are especially good for women who have problems with cycle disorders;
• Nettle- This plant can relieve joint pain. It is often used for rheumatism, severe nervous tension and stress;
• Sagebrush- used to treat rheumatism, jaundice and skin lesions. Wormwood vapor has a beneficial effect on the condition of the liver and stomach;
• Eucalyptus- helps very well with a runny nose or cold due to high content essential oils;

Combining several types - beneficial features These brooms directly depend on the plants that make up them. You can collect several types of herbs, relying solely on the characteristics of your own body.

Collecting brooms for a bath: when is the best time to harvest?

Each type of tree has its own time and period for preparing brooms for a bath. You should not collect tree branches in cloudy or rainy weather.

The best time to break bath brooms is early morning until the dew dries.

So, here are the dates for collecting brooms for the bath:

• Collection time birch trees- It is best to collect in early summer immediately after Whitsunday.
• Collection time oak- can be collected throughout the summer.
• Collection time linden trees- in early spring during the flowering period of the tree.
• Collection time mountain ash- collected from June to July.
• Collection time eucalyptus - best time August-November.
• Collection time coniferous species - coniferous species can be harvested all year round.
• Collection time herbs, such as nettle, tansy, wormwood- depending on the type of herbs, such brooms are collected during their flowering period.

Collection rules for deciduous trees

Collection rules for coniferous trees

Since coniferous brooms cannot be stored for a long time, they can be collected all year round.

It is important to note that any herbs and plants cannot be collected near roads and railways, as well as within city limits.

How to tie a strong broom correctly

The knitting rules are the same for both deciduous and coniferous, as well as herbal brooms. In order to get the right broom you need:

• select and lay the thickest branches - they will play the role of a frame;
• it is necessary to place thinner and more flexible branches around them;
• the number of branches can be any, the main thing is to ensure that the handle fits comfortably in the hand and is convenient for swinging.

How to dry properly after harvesting and mating

After you have tied the branches, they need to be hung in a dark, dry place, away from drafts and moisture. Optimal places are attics, garages, sheds and dressing rooms. It is important not to overdry, for example, for hardwood optimal time drying is considered 1.5-2 weeks.

How to make it flat?

It is worth knowing that a good oak, birch or pine broom should have a flat shape and look like a fan!

To give flat shape the branches are placed on thick plywood, giving them the appearance of a fan, and press down on top with a board or sheet of plywood and apply oppression. After a week, the products can be inspected and turned over to dry evenly.

How to prepare brooms for a bath for the winter?

Everything is very simple: the preparation is not carried out for use at the current moment, but taking into account the fact that you will be steaming in the bathhouse all year long. Therefore, harvesting is carried out in anticipation of the winter period.

How and where to store it correctly

• Finished products must be stored in a dry and dark place.
• They must be protected from moisture penetration.
• For better preservation, products can be stored in paper bags or surrounded with fresh hay.

Frozen brooms

In some cases, you can freeze a fresh broom by pre-packing it in a vacuum. Thanks to this method, you can preserve not only the beneficial properties of the plant, but also its aroma. Finished products are frozen at a temperature of -15 degrees. It is best to choose branches with dense foliage or from coniferous plants.

Bamboo brooms

These brooms, as a rule, are not harvested because bamboo does not grow in central Russia. There is absolutely no need to dry them and then steam them before going to the steam room. They are used in the bathhouse quite rarely and mainly for massage. More wide application they received in SPA procedures.

Useful video - review

Check out the video on how to prepare and store bath brooms

Basic errors during procurement

• Failure to meet procurement deadlines. For example, if harvested early, the foliage has not yet become strong, but if harvested late, it can quickly fall off. This is especially true in the future.
• Drying in direct sunlight will “kill” all the beneficial properties.
• Washing branches before mating and collecting them in rainy weather can lead to spoilage.
• Collecting branches with damaged foliage.

Many experts, speaking about how to properly prepare brooms for a bath, always mention that you can make “mixes” by adding stems of various herbs(for example, chamomile, oregano, thyme, mint and other plants to your taste).

It is impossible to get a good broom without following the rules of collection and preparation. Thanks to the tips described above, your visit to the steam room will not only be a pleasure, but will also bring maximum benefits.

How pleasant, and most importantly, useful, it is to take a steam bath with a birch broom! After this procedure you can breathe so easily! However, it is worth remembering that its benefits directly depend on the quality of the broom. Therefore, it is so important to know when birch brooms are harvested. And how to do it right.

The most suitable tree for making a broom, because it is tall, and its branches are flexible and do not break. The most useful brooms are made from young trees that have not yet bloomed. When preparing birch brooms, they look at the leaves - they should be tender, velvety, rough only at the top. Brooms made from birch branches growing on the banks of reservoirs are ideal.

How to properly harvest birch brooms? First, loosely tie the branches and hang the bundles under a canopy in a draft. Direct sunlight should not fall on them. So they should hang for a week and dry well. After this, they are tied, now tightly, and placed on a flat surface in a dry, ventilated place. If you immediately tie the branches tightly, the leaves located in the center will lose color and “burn out.” There are no such brooms characteristic aroma, and their benefits are much less.

When harvested, they are shaped into a fan or broom. The first option is preferable. To form a fan-shaped broom, place it fresh on the floor and turn it over every day until completely dry.

If all the conditions are met when preparing birch brooms, then they will look like this: all the leaves are the same color (matte and green), the broom smells of birch oil, and the smell intensifies sharply when steamed.

When do you need to harvest birch brooms? This is usually done at the beginning of summer - the leaves have already grown and become strong, but the essential oils from the leaves and branches have not yet evaporated. Young shoots are elastic and pleasant to steam with. Since ancient times, brooms were prepared for the feast of the Holy Trinity, that is, on the 49th day after Easter - this is approximately mid-June. If it's rainy these days, you can wait a few days. They collect branches before lunch, but the dew should disappear.

Before knitting a broom, the place where the handle will be is cleared of knots and leaves. Thicker branches are placed inside, and thinner ones around. This will provide the broom with density, making it possible to use it several times.

In villages, brooms are often stored directly in and harvested birch branches are sometimes formed into one large sheaf, from which, as needed, the required number of branches are separated.

Birch broom is a faithful assistant for muscle and joint pain after heavy loads: It soothes, cleanses and heals the skin. main feature namely birch brooms - that they promote the discharge of sputum due to the expansion of the bronchi. By improving lung ventilation, it helps asthmatics and smokers. Birch leaves contain a lot of essential oils and tannins, as well as vitamins C and A. You can wash your hair with the infusion of a broom - dandruff will stop tormenting you, and the hair roots will strengthen.

Prepare birch brooms correctly and enjoy your health!

It is impossible to imagine a Russian bathhouse without a broom. This is an indispensable attribute that is present not only for beauty and to give a certain flavor.

No wonder the proverb says: “The bathhouse soars, the bathhouse rules, the bathhouse will fix everything.” The medicinal purpose of brooms has been known for a very long time; beneficial influence has already been proven to affect human health.

Going to the bathhouse and denying yourself the pleasure of taking a steam bath is not in the rules of amateurs bath procedures. A good broom is highly valued, and experts can accurately indicate the time of its preparation by the size of the leaves. Soft, non-burning steam, plus whipping, similar to a kind of massage, helps get rid of many diseases.

What types of brooms are there?

The most famous and widespread birch brooms. And not because Russia is a land of birch groves. It is easy to breathe in a birch forest, thanks to biological excretion active substances, they purify the air by killing pathogenic viruses.

Brooms are knitted not only from birch; other trees, herbs and shrubs are also suitable for them.

What can you make a broom from:

• Linden;
• Juniper;
• Nettle;
• Currant;
• Cedar;
• Eucalyptus;
• Fir;
• Sagebrush;
• Rowan;
• Tansy;
• Ash;
• Birch.

Preparation of brooms for a bathhouse from birch occurs according to certain rules and in the right time. This is very important because the leaves must contain greatest number phytoncides, vitamins, essential oils. If you cut the branches at the wrong time, then there will be no benefit from it, and sometimes the leaves simply fall off.

The best birch brooms are traditionally prepared for Trinity. They were believed to have a special healing power, since the leaves are young at this time and exude a unique aroma. The collection of raw materials continues from mid-June to mid-July.

Rules for preparing branches for brooms

The best time to harvest birch brooms for a bath is in the morning in dry, sunny weather. If the leaves on the trees are wet, then during the drying process they will darken and fall off. Therefore, harvesting is not carried out in rainy weather.

Rules for cutting branches and choosing trees:

• Birch trees for harvesting are chosen to grow in environmentally friendly places. Far from roads and large populated areas;
• Cut off branches that are closer to the ground. Their length should not exceed 50-60 cm;
• The most suitable are lateral branches from young trees;
• The leaves should be soft, velvety, tender, and the branches should be thin.

The size of the broom is not of fundamental importance, the main thing is that it is comfortable to hold. Some people like small ones, while others like big ones.

Their shape should resemble a fan, not a broom. In order for them to be stored until the next season, it is necessary to comply with the deadlines for preparing birch brooms for the bathhouse.

To get a good broom, it is not enough to choose and prepare the raw materials correctly. This is only half the battle, the second half is observing all the conditions.

Methods for drying and storing brooms

The quality of the final product, as well as its safety, depends on the choice of place for drying. The instructions for choosing a room indicate what conditions it must meet. It is not difficult to comply with them; usually every private household has buildings suitable for this purpose.

Requirements for drying and storage space:

• Dry in the shade, carefully protecting from sunlight. This will prevent the leaves from burning out and curling;
• It is necessary to build a canopy with shelves or special hanging devices;
• Avoid drafts;
• The room should be dry and cool. A barn or attic is ideal for both drying and storage;
• Turn over during drying to ensure even drying.

Their beneficial properties depend on how properly the brooms are stored. Cardboard boxes with holes for fresh air or a hayloft made from dried meadow hay.

Residents big cities having country houses or a dacha with a bathhouse, you don’t always have time to study independent procurement. In addition, not all of them know when it is better to prepare birch brooms for a bathhouse. There is a way out in this situation - you can buy ready-made ones.

This is convenient and eliminates the need to look for the right material, cut branches, knit and dry. All bath accessories and brooms are sold in specialized stores or departments of large shopping centers. The price for them is not high, quite affordable for the average buyer.

The healing properties of birch brooms

Visiting the bathhouse improves health, helping to cope with many diseases. Using a broom greatly enhances this effect ().

Hitting the body with it is a kind of massage; in addition, the movement of hot air helps water-salt metabolism. Such procedures help to train blood vessels, strengthening their walls.

When they prepare birch brooms for a bathhouse, they first of all think about what benefits it will bring.

Which useful material contains birch broom:

• Tannins;
• Vitamin C;
• Essential oils and phytoncides.

All of the above has a calming effect on the body and promotes wound healing. It is very good for relieving inflammation from the skin and muscles, as well as eliminating joint pain.

It is useful to use it for all kinds of diseases respiratory tract. All beneficial substances penetrate the body through the pores on the skin, cleansing them and helping them open.

Note! Before using a birch or any other broom, you should consult a doctor if there is the slightest doubt that your health allows it.

How to knit birch brooms

The most important thing before starting work is to clear the branches from knots where the handle is supposed to be. There should be no leaves here so that it is comfortable to hold on to and the broom does not injure your hands.

It can be big, but you shouldn't make it heavy. First of all, it should be comfortable. The most preferred branch length is 40-80 cm.

The branches are carefully collected and tied with twine, holding them with your left hand. On the side opposite from the leaves, the broom is wrapped with a piece of flat cloth - this prevents chafing of the skin during use. The broom should have a long handle, at least 15-20 cm - this way it will be comfortable to hold it with your hand.

Before starting to knit a broom, the branches are sorted out. It is advisable to sort them according to the length and density of the leaves.

They should be distributed evenly over the entire surface. It is not advisable to use branches where there is very little vegetation or where it is dry.

Conclusion

A broom is an integral attribute of a bathhouse; more than one visit is not complete without it. The unique aroma of birch fills the steam room, improving your mood and well-being. Afterwards it’s nice to plunge into a cool body of water ().

Only a broom assembled according to all the rules will serve a good helper in strengthening protective functions body. The timing of material collection is of paramount importance. The video in this article will go into more detail about the nuances of this process.