"Fruits" of a cedar tree are considered an excellent therapeutic agent used in folk healing. When dried, cones are an inexhaustible raw material for creativity and arts and crafts. However, before using natural material for healing or needlework, it should be properly dried. How to do this at home - find out from the article.
Why dry cedar cones?
Cedar cones are widely used in the field of traditional medicine for the treatment and prevention of various ailments. In this case, we are talking about fresh, young, ripe, covered with a sticky, aromatic resin.
Did you know? Native Americans used pine nuts not only in dishes of national cuisine, but also as expensive exclusive jewelry and even currency. To this day, the Indians make souvenirs made of raw materials, embroidered with nuts, like beads.
- Decoctions and infusions from such raw materials help with diseases such as:
- hypertension;
- digestive tract diseases, in particular ulcers and gastritis;
- diseases of the respiratory tract, including lungs.
Medicines based on the described product are an excellent prophylactic against colds, increase the protective functions of the body, and strengthen the immune system.
Important! Medicines based on the described product can cause digestive disorders, so they should be taken strictly adhering to certain dosages.
But the dried mature raw material is not suitable for treatment.
Dry it, as a rule, for two purposes:
- for better extraction of nuts;
- for further use in arts and crafts.
How to Dry Cones
So, as mentioned above, the main goals of drying cedar cones are convenient and most effective extraction of seeds from them, as well as the preparation of raw materials for crafts. In this case, the process of drying the fruits in both cases will vary slightly.
How to dry cedar cones in the oven
Many people involved in the harvesting of cedar raw materials prefer to dry it with an oven.
To do this, you need:
- cover the baking sheet with foil;
- put on a container in one layer, observing a small interval, cones;
- preheat the oven to temperature + 230 ... + 250 ° С;
- send the product to the oven;
- to ensure the outflow of moist air, and thereby speed up the drying process, the cabinet door should be kept slightly ajar;
- bake raw materials for 45–55 minutes.
Important! It is very important to monitor the process all the time so that, under the influence of high temperatures, dry cones do not ignite.
Fruits that are planned to be used for medicinal purposes, experts advise to dry naturally, by placing them in mesh boxes and placing the container in a dark, dry, well-ventilated room.
Video: How to Dry Cedar Cones
Drying Unripe Cedar Cones
Unripe cedar cones are used, as a rule, in folk medicine for the preparation of drugs. Such a product is not suitable for crafts, because unlike ripe, dried fruits, it has a short shelf life.
The most optimal option for drying unripe raw materials is its natural drying. The product is placed in ventilated boxes and taken out into the air in a shaded place, reliably protecting from direct sunlight.
How to dry cones for crafts
Cedar cones are often used to make various decorative crafts.
However, before sending them for drying, it is recommended to prepare the fruits:
- with a cotton swab dipped in an alcohol solution, treat the cover flakes, carefully removing dust and dirt;
- feed the raw materials into a mixture prepared from equal parts of water and vinegar (5%) for half an hour. This procedure will remove possible larvae of insects and pests.
Did you know? In Siberia, delicious vegetable cream is made from pine nuts, which are three times as nutritious as cow. The fat content of such cream is about 79%.
After that, the product is removed from the solution and dried using one of the most convenient methods:
- In the sun. The raw materials lend themselves well to drying in the open air under the influence of sunlight. It is placed in a container with openings for ventilation or a wicker basket. They are shaken periodically. The disadvantage of this method is that the process can be delayed for a long time, while it requires appropriate weather conditions.
- In the pan. Quickly and conveniently enough, you can dry the product in an ordinary pan. To do this, put it in one layer (with a certain interval) on a cast-iron tank, turn on the fire at maximum power and dry the cones, regularly turning them over. When carrying out manipulations, the lid for the pan is not used.
- In the microwave. For especially “impatient”, the method of drying the product in the microwave is perfect. The plate is covered with a paper towel, the raw materials are placed on top, the microwave oven is turned on at full power and the cones are “cooked” for 1 minute.
Cedar cones are not only an excellent natural, environmentally friendly raw material used in decorative and applied arts, but also a wonderful product that traditional healers use to successfully treat and prevent many diseases. Preparing dried raw materials is quite simple, the main thing is to follow the basic rules mentioned in the article.
