Anise - The Enormous Power Of A Small Seed

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Anise is prized for both its unique aroma and strong healing qualities. The unique smell of anise exudes literally all parts of the plant: fresh leaves, modest white small flowers, inconspicuous seeds. And if, before flowering, you have not yet had time to collect the fragrant greens of the grass, do not rush to mow the stems - wait until they turn yellow to collect the seeds

Site preparation for growing anise

Anise is quite capricious with regard to the composition and quality of the soil. This spice plant prefers:

• Sufficiently sunlit places;

• light structure of the earth;

• well-drained areas;

• humus-rich soils.

Areas with high acidity are not suitable for anise beds. However, this disadvantage can be corrected by liming during digging. To enrich the soil with nutrients, it is useful to introduce such organic components as peat, matured compost or humus - approximately 3-4 kg per 1 sq. M. It is not recommended to use manure under anise.

Reproduction of anise

Anise is sown before winter or in spring after the snow melts, when the soil is saturated with moisture. The seed is embedded in the grooves to a depth of about 2 cm. The seedlings will appear on the surface of the earth after 15-20 days. From this point on, it is important to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the soil, regularly weeding beds with spice from weeds. This procedure performs another important function - loosening the soil, which contributes to the good growth of plants.

Anise is also propagated through seedlings. To do this, seeds pre-soaked in water for several hours are placed in a container with a loose substrate. In such a container, seeds are artificially stratified - in a refrigerator or in the coolest place in an unheated room. Then the seeds are sown in the nursery. With the arrival of stable heat, the seedlings are moved into the ground.

If the anise seeds were immediately embedded in the soil, then the germinated seedlings must be thinned out. Only the strongest specimens are left in the garden. Caring for anise also includes watering and feeding. The soil under the seedlings should not dry out. Anise is a rather hardy plant, it is able to withstand short-term drought and sudden frosts, but it is better not to bring it to this. And in case of an unexpected cold snap, you need to have a shelter at hand.

Anise harvest

The beginning of the flowering period of anise falls in the middle of summer. They try to collect fragrant greens from the stems before this moment arrives. It is used to add spicy flavor to salads and side dishes.

However, this is not all that anise is capable of. To collect the seeds of the plant, they are waiting for the end of September. By this time, the flowering stems will begin to turn yellow. Then they are cut and tied up like miniature sheaves. Plants are left to ripen and then threshed. The resulting seeds are used not only as sowing material. This is a great help in culinary creativity. They are used for flavoring soups and sauces, used for pickling tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as pickling cabbage.

Useful properties of anise

In addition, a decoction of anise seeds has multiple healing properties: it improves the activity of the stomach and intestines, has an antipyretic effect, and is used as a diuretic. In folk medicine, it has been used to relieve asthma attacks and to treat other respiratory ailments. It dilutes phlegm and promotes expectoration. But you always need to remember that you can use any drug, even one grown in your own garden, only as directed by a doctor!