When is the best time to cut birch brooms? Preparing birch brooms for a bath - a simple science

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The main accessory for a Russian steam room has always been held in high esteem. During the times of Kievan Rus, bathhouse brooms were so highly valued that they were accepted as payment for taxes. These were the only potent “medicines” available at that time to help a person fight serious illnesses. They are still relevant today. Agree, a bathhouse with a broom is more pleasant than many modern medical procedures!

The success of treatment depends on the correct selection and preparation of the medicine. We will teach you all the intricacies of the “broom” art, namely

• What types of bath brooms are there?

Let’s list the most valuable and popular types of these “massagers” and talk about their beneficial effects on the human body.

• When to prepare brooms for a bath

Let’s determine for each type its own “golden” hour of preparations. We will indicate the exact time period when to cut the “bouquets” for the bath, so that they have the maximum healing effect.

• How to knit bath brooms correctly

To prevent massage from turning into torture, we will introduce the reader to the correct technique for knitting these bath accessories.

• How to steam a bath broom

Let's point out the nuances proper preparation to the operation of the “massager” and the features of its storage.

You will learn how to choose the right “helper” for a bath and can even make one yourself.

Choose your “recipe for health”, which broom is best for a bath

At the heart of the majority modern medicines There are extracts from herbs and plants, but when they are processed, some of the “benefits” are inevitably lost. The Russian bathhouse uses brooms to more efficiently transport vitamins and other useful substances into the human body; they are carefully “preserved” and sent exactly to the address during the massage. All that remains is to choose a suitable herbal “cocktail” for the prevention or treatment of a particular disease.

Check out the most famous “recipes” of assistants who are often used for therapeutic massage in a Russian bathhouse׃

• BIRCH

Birch is a native Russian tree, which is a real “storehouse” of health, because it is rich in:

• Vitamin C
• Essential oil
• Provitamin A
• Tannins
• Flavonoids

which gives the plant “medicine” anticonvulsant, expectorant, choleretic and diuretic effects.

A birch broom for a bathhouse is unusually flexible; the porous leaves absorb sweat well and, thanks to their roughness, adhere well to a wet body and do not slip off. After the procedure, breathing becomes significantly easier, as a total “cleaning” of the fine bronchial “mesh” occurs. Birch brooms for baths also relieve pain in muscles and joints, and are good for relieving skin inflammation (bites, pustules).

• OAK

Oak is in no way inferior to birch in the range of useful substances, but its “ammunition” is more aimed at combating depression, hypertension and the shortcomings of oily skin. Oak bath brooms are saturated with coloring and tanning agents, which gives the skin a pleasant matte color after a massage. Large leaves perfectly absorb sweat and increase heat, helping to thoroughly steam the body for deep cleansing and relieving skin inflammation. Steamed oak bath brooms emit a persistent aroma that reduces arterial pressure. After the procedure, the person quickly recovers mental strength, since the secreted enzymes also have a calming effect on nervous system.

• LIME

Linden is popularly associated with calm and balance. Linden brooms are a natural “pill” for headaches, as they are used for prevention and treatment vegetative-vascular dystonia, which is the main “culprit” of painful migraines and insomnia. In addition to their calming effect, linden “massagers” gently cleanse the kidneys and heal wounds well.

Linden “bouquets” are successfully used in the fight against colds, since the aroma they emit has a beneficial effect on the condition of the upper respiratory tract person.

• EUCALYPTUS

Eucalyptus tincture is included in the required bath attendant kit and is intended for preparing a watering for the walls in the steam room. The choice is not accidental, since eucalyptus has a powerful antiseptic effect and is used for inhalation and warming up the bronchi.

Eucalyptus broom maximizes the healing effect for the upper respiratory tract, and also saturates the skin with essential oil, which helps fight bruises, sprains and inflammation muscle tissue.

• Nettle

For thrill-seekers, we invite you to try nettle bath brooms. The effect of the massager can be softened by soaking it for 2-3 minutes in hot water, or you can leave a noticeable “biting” effect by only briefly dipping the broom in boiling water.
Thanks to the presence of formic acid, nettle perfectly fights rheumatism, radiculitis and gout, and has a pronounced analgesic effect. Nettle massage gives a powerful tonic effect, cleanses the skin of acne and boils, relieves inflammation and gives it elasticity.

• CONIFEROUS

Juniper and fir are the “orderlies” of the forest, so steamed pine brooms clean and disinfect the air in the bathhouse, filling the room with a characteristic fresh smell. This massage gives strength, strengthens the immune system, treats radiculitis, rheumatism and back pain, and is also an excellent prevention of respiratory diseases.

• RYABINOVY

It is accepted that best time for the bath - evening, as the procedure has a very relaxing effect on the human body. Do you want to steam in the morning and not lose your tone? Then you need a rowan bath broom. It stimulates the nervous system, gives vigor and strength, so even after a parka you can actively and fully get involved in work.

• BAMBOO

For Russian steam room this type The “masseur” is exotic, but nevertheless confidently wins over his “client”. A bamboo bath broom is made from young bamboo shoots or leaves of SASA smoking bamboo. If in the first case it is a “bouquet” of thin sticks, then in the second it is more reminiscent of a classic bath “tool”, since it consists of long narrow leaves.

The main “usefulness” of bamboo is the presence of a huge supply of silicic acid, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair. It is a natural sedative that is widely used in the treatment of depression.

How much does a bath broom cost? This is an accessible and inexpensive accessory, so on average, popular types made from native wood species (birch, oak, linden, etc.) will cost you $3-5. As for more exotic species(pine needles, bamboo), then the price of the “massager” ranges from $10-20.

Secrets of the masters of paired crafts making bath brooms

For those who want to directly participate in the manufacture of the “massager”, we will tell you how to make a bath broom yourself. Having collected a healing “bouquet” with your own hands, you will be 100% confident in its effective action.

Our ancestors also developed a method for making bath attributes, and modern scientists only double-checked, confirmed and clarified some details. How did people without the proper equipment manage to make mistakes in their calculations? They were helped by a deep understanding of nature - something that, unfortunately, modern man, imprisoned in a concrete “jungle,” has lost.

Fortunately, we have preserved detailed developments from our ancestors. Making bath brooms consists of several stages׃

• Choosing the “right” tree

Proper preparation of brooms for a bath requires high-quality selection of the desired plant. It is important to know the type and suitable appearance of the “candidate”, in which area it is better to look for him, so that the future “massager” has the best healing characteristics.

• Procurement of bath accessories on time

For each type of tree, the collection of twigs for a bath is carried out at a certain time of the year, when the plant is especially rich in all the “benefits”. A special drying technique carefully preserves the vitamin reserve and prepares the “massager” for future “work.”

• Knitting brooms for a bath

In order for the bath attendant to end up with not a bouquet or a broom, but an easy-to-use “massager”, you need to know exactly how to knit brooms for a bath. The correct shape of the working part of the “fan” will help to obtain the expected effect from the procedure.

Knowing the nuances of the procurement process, in the future you can engage in self-cooking combined “bouquets” consisting of a couple of plant species that will help in the fight against several ailments at the same time.

When to prepare brooms for a bath? We collect the “right” harvest

So, you live in an area suitable for harvesting. Trees of the desired variety are located far from industrial facilities or busy roads, sparkle with “health” and “boast” of lush foliage. Only then will the brooms for the bath, which will be prepared under such favorable conditions, effectively participate in the healing of your body. Otherwise, foliage clogged with production waste will certainly transfer its “negative” to the steamer.

We will indicate the timing of harvesting branches for the bathhouse for each type of tree׃

• Birch

The preparation of birch brooms for the bath is traditionally carried out on the Trinity holiday (late June - early July), but if the weather is cloudy on this day, then the harvest is postponed until the first sunny day.

Preference is given to weeping birch, which grows near bodies of water. To determine the right tree, touch the foliage with your hand; if it is rough and prickly, it means that the tree has not yet gained useful “power”; soft and velvety greenery is an ideal candidate for collecting. Choose thin branches decorated with lush leaves with big amount kidney

The preparation of oak brooms for the bathhouse is carried out from June to September. Eat folk sign, according to which a suitable tree is selected, burdock should grow densely at the roots. Ideally, they are looking for a “winter” oak (the leaves do not completely fall off in winter), whose leaves are particularly durable.

Harvesting linden brooms for the bathhouse is carried out in early spring, when the tree is in bloom. Remember that linden especially absorbs all the dirt environment, therefore collection cannot be carried out in urban areas.

• Eucalyptus

The preparation of massagers for the eucalyptus bathhouse is organized in late summer - early autumn. A twig-like type of tree is suitable for harvesting, according to appearance resembling a weeping willow.

• Nettle

The plant is collected for a bath broom during the flowering period, when a persistent tart smell emanates from the nettle thickets. Try to cut out plants located in the middle of the nettle “clearing”.

• Bamboo

This foreign guest is brought to our territory from Asian countries, where procurement takes place in the winter.

• Juniper and fir

These are the only “fresh” brooms that are prepared all year round the day before use.

• Rowan

Rowan brooms are prepared at the beginning of summer, choosing branches from the middle of the tree crown.

During harvesting, tree branches should be cut in the morning, after the dew has disappeared, when they are completely dry after a nourishing “shower”.

How to dry bath brooms? I dry freshly cut branches only in the shade, since the sun mercilessly burns everything useful and necessary for the bath procedure from the foliage. They are tied to a rope, then placed under a load for one day and put into storage.

How to store bath brooms? The finished “bouquets” are hung in pairs on a rope in a dark and ventilated room. But often with this method, the shape of the fan becomes deformed over time and takes on the classic appearance of a broom. How to store bath accessories to avoid this effect? The harvested branches are stacked in sheaves and covered with hay. Tie the “bouquet” immediately before use.

Proper storage bath brooms will allow you to save all the useful components that are so necessary for recovery during a massage in the steam room.

The bath not only allows you to wash yourself, but also helps improve your health. High temperatures allow all muscles to completely relax, pores to open and help the body get rid of impurities in the form of waste and toxins that come with food, water, and air.

Literally, after a steam bath, a person becomes younger - the skin becomes more beautiful, acquiring a healthy appearance, metabolism is normalized, and work improves of cardio-vascular system and rises general tone body.

It’s not for nothing that they say: “Whoever takes a steam bath does not grow old for a long time!”

But not only high temperature is important for improving well-being. An accessory such as a broom is no less important.

Today brooms are made from the most different plants- there are juniper, oak, wormwood, tansy, nettle, eucalyptus, rowan, and linden brooms.

But one of the most popular for many centuries in a row is the birch broom. Why is he so good? Let's find out in this article what the benefits of an oak broom are, how to properly prepare, store, and then steam a broom from birch branches.

What are the benefits of birch broom?

A broom in a bathhouse can work real miracles. Branches and leaves steamed in hot water are a source of not only a subtle aroma that fills the steam room, but also a source of many useful substances - phytancides, flavonoids and aromatic essential oils, which have a beneficial effect on all body systems.

Penetrating the skin, they saturate it with useful microelements, restoring beauty and elasticity, and volatile essential oils inhaled with the air improve the function of the skin. respiratory system, cleansing the lungs. This is especially true for smokers and people working in hazardous industries.

Skillful wooing with a broom different parts body, improves subcutaneous blood flow and lymphatic drainage, helping to destroy and remove plugs of waste and toxins that interfere with normal blood circulation and form unpleasant " orange peel" cellulite.

In this case, you do not need to whip the broom hard on the skin. The movements should resemble light pats, and the broom should act as a fan, driving up waves of healing hot air.

After sweating properly with a broom, a person is literally transformed - his mood improves, and he feels a surge of strength. The energy charge after visiting the bathhouse lasts for a long time, keeping the body in good shape.

When to harvest birch brooms?

From time immemorial, a very specific time was chosen for preparing brooms, when it was believed that the plants were in their sap and the benefits from such a broom would be maximum.

As a rule, brooms were collected and knitted on the 50th day after Easter or 2 weeks after Trinity. At this time, the leaves are in their juice and have the strongest and most pleasant aroma.

Birch brooms are harvested in the 2-3rd decade of June before catkins appear on the trees. By this time the leaf should become smooth and velvety.

How to harvest birch brooms?

It is better to choose dry weather for collecting brooms. The brooms collected during the dry period have strong leaves that hold well and do not fly off when drying.

Brooms collected in rainy weather darken, their leaves curl and fall off the branches.

If rainy weather sets in after Trinity, you should not rush, you must wait until it clears up and the rain stops.

It is best to collect branches for brooms away from highways and large cities. If possible, it is better to go to some remote corner where trees are not exposed to harmful substances contained in car exhaust gases and industrial emissions.

To collect branches you will need pruning shears, which should be purchased in advance.

The best branches for brooms are thin ones lower branches, those that grow closer to the ground. They are softer, but still quite durable. If you like to be whipped with a broom, then you can choose branches that are more elastic.

How to knit a birch broom?

For tying a broom, branches 40-80 cm long, without dry knots and with a lot of leaves, are best suited. If you like to steam alone, then it is better to choose longer branches. This will allow you to make a broom with which you can steam your back without outside help.

Before you start tying a broom, the branches need to be cleared of knots, and the lower part of the branches, where the broom handle will be, must be freed from leaves.

Long branches are trimmed with pruning shears.

After this, collect the broom and tie all the branches with ropes.

Exist different ways mating. The main thing is that the broom is strong and does not crumble when used in the bathhouse.

As you can see, tying a broom is not that difficult. After this, the brooms should be thoroughly dried so that they are stored for a long time and the wood and leaves do not deteriorate.

How to properly dry a birch broom?

In order for the brooms to retain their properties, not to deteriorate and become rotten or moldy, they must be thoroughly dried.

In this case, the following rules must be observed:

• the broom should not dry in a draft;
• the broom should not dry in direct sunlight;
• the broom should not be dried in a room with high humidity;
• The broom should be dried in a room with good ventilation.

A wooden shed is perfect for drying brooms, where you can hang them on ropes to dry.

If you live in a city apartment, it is best to purchase a ready-made broom. But you can also dry it on the balcony. To do this, you can hang brooms on clotheslines, protecting them from direct sunlight.

You can dry brooms in a hanging or lying position. In a lying position, the brooms are dried and then stored in the hayloft, turning them over periodically. Such brooms then look flatter and bristle less.

How to choose the right broom when purchasing?

If you don’t have the time or opportunity to collect twigs yourself, knit and then dry brooms, then you can purchase ready-made ones.

But when purchasing, you should carefully choose high-quality specimens so that the broom delivers the greatest benefit.

To do this, you should first pay attention to the size of the leaves. The leaf size of a birch broom should not be more than 3 cm. The leaves on a birch tree reach this size just in time for the best time to harvest brooms.

Leaves should not be curled. Most of the leaves should be even. This indicates that they were dried correctly, following the drying regime. If brooms are dried by heating or in the hot sun, they wither and the leaves curl, losing their shape and beautiful appearance.

Also pay attention to the color of the leaves in the broom. If the leaves have a yellow or brown tint, then such brooms were probably prepared in the fall from branches that had already lost all their healing properties.

How to steam a birch broom correctly?

Why do you need to steam a broom at all? First of all, this is done in order to soften the branches and make them more flexible and less prickly. Soaked twigs and leaves will not damage the skin, will not hurt or scratch. In addition, having absorbed moisture, the broom begins to evaporate medicinal essential oils, and the leaves and bark of birch branches release beneficial substances that saturate the skin when “cooling” with the broom.

But for this, the broom needs to be properly steamed. This is done as follows. First you need to rinse the broom warm water and place in a basin or bucket with cool water for a few minutes.

After this, the broom is taken out of cold water and immersed in water heated to about 40 degrees, where it is left for 5-7 minutes.

After this, add boiling water. To make the water really hot, cover with a lid and let stand for another 10-15 minutes.

A birch broom steamed in this way becomes elastic and begins to exude a subtle aroma. To enhance the pleasant smell, you can hold the broom over the heater, turning it slowly. The heat from the stones will enhance the release of volatile essential oils. contained in birch branches.

How to steam with a birch broom?

You need to steam with a broom so that it acts as a fan, pumping hot air to the skin. You should not whip with a broom. Touching should not be painful or strong. The broom should barely touch the skin. This will stimulate blood flow and saturate the skin with beneficial substances, while simultaneously increasing sweating and the release of waste and toxins accumulated in the body.

Below you can watch a video on how to properly steam with a broom.

What could be better than a Russian bathhouse? The Slavs visit the bathhouse to cleanse the body, provide moral relief and relaxation, and an integral attribute of the procedure is a bathhouse broom. Of course, you can buy a broom at a public bathhouse, but experts prefer to prepare birch, linden, oak or nettle brooms themselves. We will tell you in this article about when and in what timeframes the preparation of bath brooms is carried out.

When are birch brooms prepared for a bath?

The brooms are prepared depending on the type of plant from which the bath accessory is planned to be made. Traditionally, harvesting begins on Trinity Day, the date of which is floating:

1. In 2015 it falls on May 31st.
2. In 2016, Trinity Day is celebrated on June 19th.
3. In 2017, the holiday falls on June 4th.

Birch broom

The first 2 weeks after Trinity, as it says folk wisdom, are most favorable for the procurement of raw materials. The leaves on trees and plants have accumulated juice and contain a high concentration of nutrients.

Depending on the plant species, the broom has a number of distinctive characteristics.

Linden bath broom and nettle broom: beneficial properties and preparation time

The linden broom can be diluted with branches of alder, rowan or willow. Such a broom is prepared from the first days of July to the beginning of August, choosing trees that grow away from the industrial zone. A linden broom strengthens the skin, improves sweating, and helps relieve headaches.

Linden broom

The nettle bath broom is truly healing. It is used to treat joint pain, break up salt deposits, skin diseases and muscle weakness. Nettles are harvested before or during flowering - this is approximately mid-summer. Remember that nettle broom can be used once; if you want to treat radiculitis with it, then stock up on medicinal herbs during the season.

Advice! To prevent the nettle from stinging, give the broom a contrast bath by immersing it in boiling water for 3 minutes, then in cold water for 3 minutes, repeating these steps 2-3 times. To enhance the effect, steam the broom in boiling water and use immediately.

When are oak brooms prepared, and what are they used to treat?

An oak broom is a magical remedy for oily skin, reducing the number of rashes and reducing the intensity of skin secretions. Regular use of an oak broom in a bath will give the skin matte and freshness.

Oak broom

Proper preparation allows you to use a broom from this breed 3 times. The procurement of raw materials begins in mid-August, continuing until mid-September.

Advice! For oak bath brooms, trees are selected under which burdock grows. It is believed that the leaves will not fall off during use.

How and when to harvest birch brooms

For the procurement of raw materials, birch trees growing in wet lowlands are selected. Preparations begin to be collected after Trinity until August 2 (Ilyin’s Day). It is better to cut branches from a young birch tree that has not yet had time to become covered with buds. The branches should be young and flexible, and their length should be about half a meter.

1 birch broom takes about 20-30 branches, which are folded in the shape of a fan so that the leaves lie in the same direction. At the base, the broom is tightly tied with natural rope; remember that the branches will dry out and must initially be firmly fixed. It is best to tie the broom in two places.

The broom has restorative properties, relieves muscle pain after a long workout, heals wounds and soothes irritated skin. Using a birch broom, lung diseases are “knocked out”, which is especially useful for smokers.

Fans of bathing procedures tie brooms as needed, and the collected raw materials are folded in layers so that the upper branches protect the middle ones. Such a sheaf is placed in a barn or on a warm balcony, covered with hay or natural fabric. Direct knitting is done as follows:

Tie the broom tightly before drying

• The branches are selected according to length and laid. Thicker branches are placed inside, thin ones frame the broom. Where the handle will be, the branches are leveled, sharp branches are removed from them.
• A cord is applied and the broom is pulled together.
• Next, a knot is knitted and a handle is formed. The handle is made using twine, then the ends of the branches are additionally wrapped with fabric, which will protect the bathhouse attendant’s hands from calluses.

The size of the broom is a matter of taste, but it should not be less than 40 cm and no more than 80 cm. Otherwise, using the broom will simply be inconvenient.

How to properly dry finished brooms?

Drying is done outside, but the brooms are hung in the shade. In direct sunlight, the leaves curl, wither, and lose their color and aroma. After steaming an “overheated” broom, all the leaves will fall off and empty vines will remain.

It is most preferable to hang brooms on the veranda or under trees on a simple rope. Note that drafts also have Negative influence on the branches of a broom. After drying, the brooms are removed, folded tightly together and sent for storage. As a result, the broom becomes flattened and during bathing procedures one gets the feeling that it is “hugging the body.”

How to steam bath brooms correctly?

Steaming determines the hardness of the broom, and it is carried out in very hot water, but not in boiling water. To obtain stiffness, the broom is dipped in a basin of water for 15-20 minutes, and for lovers of soft brooms, it recommends 40-50 minute steaming. After this procedure, the broom is slightly dried by hanging it over the stove. Bathhouse attendants recommend keeping the broom in cold water for about 20 minutes, and then sharply immersing it in hot water.

Important! The water in which the broom is steamed receives some of the beneficial properties, so it is used for aromatic steam in the bathhouse, rinsing hair and bathing.

If you have overdried the broom, then before using it, you should cover it overnight with a damp towel or put it in a container of cool water.

Storage rules

Places with low humidity and temperature are selected for storage. A barn, garage, or insulated balcony are suitable, because under pressure high temperature the broom loses its freshness and leaves.

Steaming a broom

You can also store a broom using Finnish technology, subjecting it to shock freezing at temperatures above -40 C. The brooms are first packaged in sealed bags, for example, cling film.

The preparation of bath brooms should begin in specified deadlines, otherwise you will get a broom with too young or old leaves that will fall off the branch on the way to the bathhouse. Properly prepared brooms will give you a boost of energy and health until the next season!

Oak broom for a bath: video

Bath brooms: photo

There is nothing complicated in preparing brooms for a bath, but, as in every business, there are some nuances: you need to know when it is better to knit brooms for a bath, which branches to choose, how long they should be, how to preserve brooms for the whole year without losing quality .

When to knit brooms for a bath

Our ancestors prepared raw materials for bath brooms in the first half of June - on Trinity Day after Green Christmastide. If you are far from church calendars and rituals, collect branches in early June, when the foliage has already grown and become stronger, but has not yet become faded and withered.

For church holidays or calendar dates, you can only focus on regions: our country is large. In some places it’s almost summer on Trinity Sunday, and in others the leaves have barely sprung. So it’s better to focus on the condition of the foliage.

When are birch brooms harvested?

Not much time is allotted for harvesting birch brooms: a week at most. You need to have time to prepare birch branches when the leaf has already turned green, and not light green, but before the earrings bloom. If time is missed, the foliage becomes very hard and falls off greatly in the bathhouse. So the harvesting period for birch brooms is very short.

But time is not the only criterion. When choosing branches for a birch broom, you need to be guided by the appearance of the leaf. It should have a thick green color, the plate must be flat. There should be no aphids or other pests or diseases. But, most importantly, there should be no earrings on the branches. And for greater effect, you need to cut birch branches with a broom during the specified period, but after a rain. Only the birch must already be dry, otherwise when steaming the leaf will darken and curl.

More advice from the older generation: cut a broom when the leaf on the birch tree is no larger than an old five-kopeck coin, and it should feel slightly sticky to the touch.

But with sticky leaves you get a “soapy broom”. It has an excellent effect on the skin: it becomes silky and soft. But at the same time, leave the steam room with your skin covered in mucus. Not everyone likes this feeling. So here you have to choose: either more comfortable sensations with more “mature” foliage or elastic skin.

Birch brooms harvested in May smell differently than summer ones: they add a smell very similar to the smell of propolis. At this time, there are light stripes on the skin of the twigs, which release this aroma. Such stripes are not found on all branches; they need to be selected separately. Running your hand along such a branch, you feel the tubercles - these are the very resinous odorous secretions. If anyone hasn't tried it, try it. Very pleasant sensations, although the sheet is sticky at this time.

Some bathhouse lovers especially appreciate birch brooms that grew near water - a river or lake (but not in a swamp). Such plants have long, elastic and flexible branches. Twigs, growing roots or stumps of birch trees are good. They are flexible, elastic and tender.

On trees, the lower climbing shoots are considered the best. They are cut for a broom. It is better not to cut single young ones without side branches, even despite the large, beautiful and dense leaf: it turns out to be a whip. And this is not at all what is required from a bath broom.

If you don’t need to cut more than two or three pieces of a young tree, you can harm the plant. Know when to stop - take care of nature!

Old people who love baths say that even in a birch grove you can’t take branches for a broom from every tree. But only from those whose birch bark on the trunk seems to shine a little. Moreover, the spots on the birch bark are not gray, but rather brownish in color. There are not very many such trees, but they exist. Try to find at least a few and stack the branches separately. Then evaluate the difference and next time you won’t regret it.

When preparing brooms, birch foliage should be dense and smooth. Some people recommend trying a birch leaf with your tongue. If it is rough, the branch is not suitable, if it is smooth and velvety, it is an excellent raw material.

You can navigate by the stem of a young birch leaf. If it has already turned reddish, you can cut it, but if it is green, it’s too early.

The video shows how to choose birch branches and correctly knit brooms from them.

We prepare oak brooms

The harvesting period for oak brooms is longer: starting from the end of June, and some are harvested in August and early September. Depends on the year and region. But even in the same region, it differs greatly from year to year. In some areas you have to hurry: later the foliage is affected by diseases and becomes lethargic or spotted. But sometimes, after disease damage in August-September, the foliage on the oak tree grows back. Then you can also get excellent brooms.

When harvesting an oak broom in the summer, pay attention to the condition of the leaf: it should be an even, dense green color, without spots. The main rule: there should not be an acorn yet. As when harvesting birch, branched shoots with large leaves are taken.

But there are lovers who harvest oak brooms in September. In this case, the leaf turns yellow or yellow. They say it also “works” very well.

For gourmet bathhouses, oak brooms, made from tree branches near which burdock grew, are highly prized. Their shoots are considered the most durable and flexible. Trees should grow in shady corners of the forest and be young: on old ones it is difficult to find non-knotted branches of sufficient length. The foliage should be large and abundant.

The preparation of oak brooms has its own specifics:

• firstly, the cut branches are stored in a shady place for an hour and a half, and only then can they be transported;
• secondly, after the oak broom is tied, you need to put pressure on it to give it the shape of a fan - this shape is the most common, but some people prefer oak brooms of the traditional spherical shape.

When to cut linden brooms

If you want a linden broom with color, you have a week and a half to prepare it. And then at the expense different breeds blooming in different time. But in general, best period It is considered when most of the flowers have already opened. The aroma in the bathhouse is amazing.

Linden with flowers smells amazing, but they won’t be able to “work” properly - the leaf is soft

There is a linden broom and a later preparation. He also has a period of two weeks - from August 15 to September 1. This is what experts say, who claim that previously collected linden branches contain, of course, more useful substances, but the leaf on them is too soft and, when steamed, curls and wrinkles so that it is absolutely impossible to steam with it.

Preparation of coniferous brooms: spruce, juniper

The “widest collection range” is found in coniferous species. There are no restrictions here. In Siberia, coniferous brooms are made both in the most severe frosts and in the summer...

Choose a warm, fine, dry day for harvesting. The branches begin to be cut after the dew has dried. They choose the young and flexible. There are no other recommendations.

How to make nettle brooms

Despite the “terrible” sting, you just need to try the nettle broom. Then you will really enjoy steaming with it. Harvesting them for the winter is problematic, except perhaps inserting a few branches into birch and oak trees. No other way. But you can steam fresh all summer long.

Young shoots without color, about 40-50 cm long, are cut off. They are made short and fluffy. It’s better to work with gloves: it stings. It turns out to be quite soft: only for one person.

There are quite a few ways to steam a nettle broom. Basically, they dip into hot (not boiling water) water for 3-5 seconds, then into cold water. All.

The second option is to dip it in cold water, then after steaming, trample on it in the steam room with your feet, hold it over the steam, adding a ladle of water.

Regardless of how you prepare the broom, they need to “work” on the already steamed body. That is, you first need to steam with birch.

There is one thing about using a nettle broom: it strongly stains the wood. Therefore, it is better not to put it on the shelves. Bring a rug and place it on it.

All other brooms (and what they are like and how they affect the body, read the article “How to steam a broom for a bath”) are collected in the same time frame as birch brooms until August 2.

If you want to knit a broom from herbs, you need to know the timing of its flowering - at this time they have the highest concentration of useful substances.

How to choose branches for a bath broom

Branches are cut from young trees that grow in sunny, non-wetlands, away from roads and enterprises with harmful emissions.

The length of the branches is selected depending on the selected broom size. Usually it is from 40 to 70-80 cm. Whichever is convenient for you. The thickness of the handle is selected in the same way. The diameter rarely exceeds 5 cm - it is difficult to swing too large and heavy, although it is a matter of taste and habit.

The branches should be smooth, free of diseases and dried parts. The foliage is thick and juicy, not too tough. It is advisable to choose branches with two or three branches - the broom will not only be more magnificent and beautiful, it will also be denser and will “capture” steam well. When you walk over your body with such a broom, you do not whip it, but massage it.

How to knit brooms for a bath correctly

Having selected suitable branches, you can immediately collect them into brooms. Some bath lovers advise pre-soaking them for several days in an unlit, well-ventilated place. They say the branches need to be “withered.” It's easier to work with them then.

The shoots are thicker on the inside and thinner on the outside. If there is a bend on the branches (and most often this happens), then the bend should point inward. Also make sure that the matte surface of the sheet is directed inward, and the shiny surface is directed outward. It should turn out that their shiny side is directed in one direction. When folding, give it the shape of a fan or a “bouquet” - they do it in different ways. The fan broom is more common: it seems to hug the body. The feeling is pleasant.

For the handle, remove the foliage from the bottom. Its length is selected individually, but the most optimal, established experimentally, is two palm widths. It is also necessary to expose the butts of the branches so that the brooms are better preserved during use. If everything is done correctly, then one broom can be enough for two trips to the steam room.

When folding the branches, they are turned over and shaken several times so that they are distributed more evenly. For knitting, it is better to use natural materials: thick twine, hemp rope, medical bandage or other similar materials. It is better not to use metal wire: it heats up in the bathhouse and such a broom is very uncomfortable to hold in your hands.

There are several knitting techniques:

Used for knitting and clamps. Some are plastic, some are metal. They quickly tighten the handle and hold it tightly. Moreover, after drying, it will be possible to tighten it. To prevent all these puffs from rubbing your hand, then wrap the handle with thick cotton tape: sold in hardware stores, sometimes in hardware stores or haberdashery stores. You can wrap the handle with thick cotton rope (after using the broom, you can remove it and tie the next one).

There are still many ways to knit brooms. Some people use nautical knots, which make it possible to tighten the rope after drying, others place two parts of the branches crosswise with the butts, then tie them not very tightly, then forcefully connect the two parts and tie them finally at the butt and higher. Almost every master has his own secrets. But they are very reluctant to share them. Try first simple methods, then adjust it as you like. There will be your personal method of knitting a bath broom.

Proper drying

No matter how you knit the brooms, they still need to be dried. They are immediately piled up, one on top of the other. They stay like that for a day or two. They become flat under their own weight. Then they can be tied in pairs and hung on a rope or pole in a dark, well-ventilated room.

If it is possible to hang brooms in the attic, they can be tied in pairs (without cutting off the remaining twine for tying) and hung to dry on poles. The best brooms are made under a double roof: the heat will not “burn” the leaf, but will dry it out. But ventilation must be good. If you don’t have the luxury of your own attic, you can hang the broom on a nail in a well-ventilated place. In any case, you need to find a room where it is not exposed to direct sunlight. Only under such conditions the leaf remains green and does not fall off.

With any drying method, the brooms should not be placed close to one another - there should be free space between them. At first, in order for the branches and foliage to dry evenly, they need to be turned over once or twice a day. When they are completely dry, they can be stored.

How to store bath brooms

Dried brooms can be stacked on a bookcase or shelf (the room again should be dry and well ventilated). But from time to time, the brooms need to be rearranged so that those located at the bottom are in the middle or at the top. Moreover, the brooms should not be exposed to light: the leaf will turn yellow.

If you have your own hayloft, you can stack the brooms on dry hay, placing them loosely next to each other. Cover the top with dry hay. This is how our ancestors kept them.

For apartment dwellers, there is also a storage method: in cardboard box make small holes, place brooms in it without crushing it, alternating handle and crown. In this case, you also need to periodically shift them, lifting the bottom ones up.

You can also store brooms in the refrigerator: they are packed in a plastic bag or wrapped in cling film, placed on the bottom shelf, in a dark, dry corner.

As you can see, tying a bath broom yourself is not difficult. But this is just the beginning. Brooms, even the most wonderful ones, can be ruined by steaming them incorrectly. Read here how to avoid such trouble. Don’t forget to read the article, “How to take a steam bath properly.”

When to prepare bath brooms and how to knit them, how to do it correctly

The Russian bathhouse is famous throughout the world for its unique healing properties, and this fame would not be the same without the use of unique bathhouse brooms during procedures. The article will discuss how to properly prepare brooms for a bathhouse: timing, methods of knitting, nuances of drying and types of trees used.

Optimal time frame for harvesting branches

Since ancient times, it has happened that when preparing bath brooms, they were guided by the holiday of the Trinity. This Orthodox holiday falls on the 50th day after Easter. For both holidays, the date varies slightly from year to year, but usually the time for tying brooms into the bathhouse occurs in June. Christians also focused on the seventh week - the week before the holiday of Trinity. This week was called green (Green Christmastide) and ended with the Slavic holiday of agriculture. Read also: “Everything you need to know about bath brooms.”

If we speak from the point of view of the bathhouse attendant, then brooms are knitted in the summer due to the beginning of flowering of the necessary plants and the abundant growth of herbs. The maximum effectiveness of a broom will be only when its foliage is fresh, juicy and exudes a pleasant lingering smell, while releasing various beneficial human body substances.

The correct timing for tying a bath broom is very important:

• if you cut off the branches early, then when steaming it will become slippery, and the leaves will break off;
• It is also impossible to be late in this process, since by autumn the foliage will begin to lose its strength.

If complied with optimal timing to start mating, the service life of the broom will be long, and the foliage will not fall off during use. Sometimes bath attendants, when talking about when to prepare bath brooms, advise starting this process at least 2 weeks after Trinity, since the early holiday (in early June) takes place at a time when the young foliage has not yet gained its strength.

It is also important to take into account the climatic features of the region where the bath broom is harvested.

When to cut birch and oak branches

If we are talking about how to knit brooms for a birch bath, then there is a clear period of time from the 11th to the 30th, when there are no earrings on the trees yet.

But it is necessary to take into account general state foliage:

• the outer part of the sheet should not be rough, but on the contrary, it should feel soft and velvety to the touch;
• when you try to pull the sheet, only a small part of it should come off, and not the entire plate.

If we talk about the timing of harvesting oak brooms for a bathhouse, then they fall in the second half of July or the beginning of August. By that time, the leaf should not only get stronger, but also acquire a rich green color in comparison with the young color that is characteristic of it at the beginning of summer

If you do not wait the right time, early mating will lead to a decrease in the strength of the oak broom. But you can’t be late either! The deadline for preparing oak brooms for a bathhouse is the time the first acorns appear.

Rules for knitting bath brooms

In addition to the timing of preparing bath brooms, there are a number of other rules that you should know in advance in order to get a strong, durable and most effective bath broom.

You can cut branches only during the dry period, since high humidity will lead to their damage during the drying process. The leaves, when the moisture begins to leave, will darken, curl and fly off. If it rains in the region during the period of harvesting branches for a broom, then it is worth cutting it a little later.

Usually, when knitting brooms for a bathhouse, they go for suitable branches away from city streets to environmentally friendly areas. The branches are pruned before lunch, when the morning dew has already dried. It is worth selecting branches that are 2 years old, which grow lowest to the ground (not to be confused with shoots at the roots).

You can trim them using sharp pruning shears. The length should be about 60 centimeters. By observing these conditions, you can get a high-quality, reliable and effective broom for several procedures.

Why is summer the best time to collect birch brooms for a bath (or oak)? Everything is quite simple. By this time, the leaves not only have time to grow, but also contain optimal quantity essential oil glands. The branches are elastic, which ensures maximum pleasure from lashing them over a steamed human body.

Often brooms are tied using sheaf technology, pre-assembling a structure from prepared branches. An armful of branches is folded in such a way that they are divided into internal and external ones, which protect them. The structure is covered with hay on top and placed in a sheaf in a dry shed for storage. The branches are obtained exclusively for bundling a small broom for each trip to the bathhouse.

If the branches have already been prepared, then they should be tied, having first been laid out on burlap. A set of branches from already withered branches is fastened together. The thickness of the bundle can vary depending on the tastes of the bathhouse visitor, but the broom should be from 40 to 80 centimeters in length so that it is fairly easy to use.

Preparation of branches looks like this:

1. The branches are cleared of knots and leaves in the place where the intended handle will be located. Its length should be approximately a third of the entire broom.
2. Thick branches are placed inside the binding, and thin branches are covered from the outside, bending them slightly inward. The entire knitting should take on a flat shape.
3. It is important to ensure that when folding the foliage is directed in one direction and ultimately the bundle should resemble a fan.

By correctly performing all the steps, you can obtain a broom of sufficient thickness and density. It will be pleasant to the body and will last at least 2-3 trips to the bathhouse.

The handle is processed by wrapping the stripped part of the branches with twine. The entire area is rewound without knots and leaves, and at the end the remaining branches or material are carefully trimmed. Thus, you get a neat handle that will not lead to the formation of calluses in the process of whipping a bathhouse visitor. The optimal length is considered to be a handle of 15 centimeters, in which there is no winding under the very leaves, which allows you to make the broom more voluminous. It fits comfortably in the hand and does not slip out of the hand when clapping.

Many experts, when talking about how to prepare brooms for a bath, recommend adding mint stalks, thyme, chamomile or young shoots of black currant between the branches. This will give the product a wonderful aroma and enhance the healing effect of the procedures.

Sometimes, looking at a photo from a bathhouse, you can see that branches have been added to the broom coniferous trees. It’s worth saying right away that they can only be placed inside, since the needles can damage the skin when whipped.

The weight of the broom is selected according to your own feelings, but, naturally, it should have such a mass that it is easy to hold during procedures.

How to dry branches for bath brooms

There are several ways to dry branches for bath brooms, but they all have one thing in common: you need to place the cut branches in the shade. In the sun, the foliage very quickly curls and burns, and its natural aroma and color disappear. The very first trip to the bathhouse will lead to all the leaves falling off the steamed branches. Read also: "Which bamboo brooms are best to use for a bath - types and features."

The formation of drafts in the drying area of ​​the branches is also unacceptable. Based on all of the above, we can conclude that the branches for the broom should be dried in a dark, dry and cool place. Bunches can be either hung or laid out.

Uniform drying can be ensured by periodically turning the bundles. If the broom has been dried correctly, the foliage will turn green with a matte tint, and the aroma of balsamic oil will be formed, which will intensify when steamed.

In the Russian outback, you can often find the option of drying a bath broom in a fresh sheaf of absolutely dry hay. Brooms are placed in such a sheaf in several layers in a circle. Between the layers is a layer of fragrant hay. The advantage of this drying method is that it preserves the shape of the product and all its basic qualities: smell, color, etc.

If the broom was overexposed during drying, then you should not throw it away, but you just need to steam it longer and put it on the heater before starting the procedures. After a couple of branches will reach the required conditions. After the procedures, you should not leave fallen leaves on the stove.

In modern bath complexes, you can carry out procedures using non-standard brooms, which are previously frozen and placed in vacuum packaging. So non-standard way broom preparations came from Finland.

Similar to freezing vegetables, the broom does not lose its useful qualities and aroma, which allows steaming to bring it into optimal operating condition even from a frozen state.

What not to do when preparing bath brooms

If we are talking about how to properly prepare brooms for a bathhouse, then it is worth pointing out the main mistakes of novice bathhouse attendants, which lead to the rapid fall of leaves and the transformation of a broom into an ordinary bunch of branches.

The most common mistakes:

1. Harvesting was done at the wrong time: if it was too early, then the leaves did not have time to get stronger, and if it was too late, they had already lost their strength.
2. Drying was carried out in open places under the influence of direct sunlight.
3. Wet branches were used, or they were washed before tying, which is absolutely forbidden to do. Dust from the broom can be washed off only after drying and always with boiling water when you first visit the bathhouse.

Bottom line

The article describes in detail how and what kind of brooms need to be prepared for visiting the bathhouse. If you follow all the recommendations presented, the products will last quite effectively for 2-3 procedures and will have the most positive effect on the body of bathhouse visitors.

Preparing birch brooms for a bath - a simple science

A broom is an integral attribute of a Russian bath. Most fans steam bath They believe that the best brooms are made from soft, flexible birch branches.
It is no coincidence that from time immemorial the most common in Rus' was the birch broom for the bathhouse. But everyone's preferences are different. Many people like to steam with oak or linden products. Which one is better? The debate continues to this day...

The harvesting process itself is not too complicated. But in order for the prepared broom to be suitable for the steam room, you must follow certain rules. The preparation of birch brooms for the bathhouse traditionally occurs on Trinity Sunday. But birch does not “ripen” everywhere, and not all types of wood are suitable for brooms. A tall tree with long, thin, straight branches is selected - a weeping birch.

To know for sure whether the branches of this birch are suitable or not, you need to try the leaf with your tongue: if the leaf is rough, the tree is not suitable. The leaf should be velvety and tender. In addition, the taste of the leaf also indicates the harvesting time. As soon as it stops being sweet and begins to taste bitter, it means the time for harvesting has come. Birch trees, from whose branches and leaves brooms will be made, should not grow near roads, near enterprises or in the city center. This should be an ecologically clean area outside the city - clearings, edges, clearings. The preparation of birch brooms for the bathhouse is carried out in the early morning hours after the dew has disappeared. This should be a careful cutting of unnecessary branches. Mostly young, flexible, well-bending branches with small leaves are used.
Cut raw materials should be dried in the shade for an hour.

How to knit a broom

The withered branches at the base are cleared of leaves and twigs and tied with twine. Thick branches are placed in the middle, and thin ones are placed around them. The broom turns out thick. The handle is made 15-20 centimeters long. Tied brooms are placed under pressure to acquire a flat fan shape until completely dry. Then the broom is hung in a ventilated area for a couple of days. It is best to store brooms in the refrigerator, but if this is not possible, then in a well-ventilated cool room: attic, garage, on the balcony - for two years. The preparation of birch brooms for the bathhouse is completed. Now is the time to go to the bathhouse. But you need to take a dry product with you, and not a freshly cooked one.

Steaming the broom

Take a dry birch broom into the bathhouse to steam. By the way, do not steam fresh brooms, as they become limp, become heavy, and can burn the skin. Dry brooms are steamed: lowered for 5 minutes into a basin with cold, warm and, finally, hot water. Cover the basin with hot water and a broom so that it steams. When you feel the aroma of essential oils from the broom, you can remove it. He is ready to work on your body, massaging it and improving blood circulation, cleansing the respiratory system, making breathing easier for asthmatics and smokers, and cleansing the skin well. All that remains is to wish you health and light steam with a birch broom!

Birch broom for a bath - features and independent preparation

The broom is the hallmark of the Russian bathhouse. It is thanks to him that that unique atmosphere and spirit of the steam room is created. Moreover, if this attribute were removed, then a traditional Russian bath would be no different from a sauna.

There is a whole tradition associated with the preparation of brooms, just like with the performance of bathing procedures. Experienced bath attendants they carefully select raw materials, knowing when it is best to prepare birch brooms for the bathhouse. The result is traditional brooms, which have been used in Rus' for bathing procedures from time immemorial.

In this article we will look at when to cut birch brooms for a bath, how to prepare them correctly and how to choose ready-made products.

Traditional brooms

Today, bath attributes are made from branches of various trees and shrubs, but the most widespread are birch and oak. Birch branches are an excellent material that allows you to obtain high quality products.

In addition, the medicinal effect of this tree has been known for centuries, and birch grows almost everywhere, which makes harvesting much easier.

About the harvesting tradition

Many novice bathhouse attendants are interested in preparing birch brooms for a bathhouse.

And regardless of what kind of wood you decide to harvest, there are several recommendations for properly collecting the material:

1. Harvesting is carried out at a certain period every year. As a rule, most bath attendants choose Trinity Day, which falls in mid-July.

Advice! Before you start harvesting, pay attention to the weather. If it rains, the branches are not collected, just like immediately after the rain. Optimal conditions– this is the presence of dew.

1. For carrying out procurement work, it is best to choose the first half of the day. It was at this time that the dew had not yet left the vegetation.
2. If the weather on Trinity Day is rainy, the collection procedure should be postponed for a couple of days.

About the beneficial properties of a bath broom

Brooms are not only mandatory bath attributes.

In addition, they are very useful, which is reflected in the following points:

1. Massage effect.
2. Each type of wood is characterized by certain beneficial substances that have a certain effect on the body (the benefits of birch will be discussed below).
3. Ecological cleanliness.

Advice! If you do not have the opportunity to prepare it yourself, then you can buy a ready-made one. Only preference should be given not to the product on the supermarket shelf, but to a broom made in rural areas according to the technology used by our ancestors, which is passed on from generation to generation.

Features of birch wood

If the broom is made of birch, then the following is added to the properties described above:

1. When using birch brooms, you can cure aches in the joints and muscles caused by rheumatism or increased physical activity.
2. The skin is also cleared of acne and sebaceous plugs.
3. Birch branches heated in hot water release a pleasant smell and substances that are beneficial for asthmatics and smokers, since in this way accumulated harmful substances are removed from the bronchi.

We prepare birch branches

Birch broom is the most popular in urban environments. In addition, it emits a pleasant smell, has softness and a number of medicinal properties. In order to make a birch broom with your own hands, you must first choose the right tree.

Advice! When harvesting, it is best to use weeping birch, which grows along a river or lake. Such a tree has long, flowing branches that slope low to the ground.

Instructions for properly collecting branches are based on several points:

1. Good material is obtained from young birch trees.
2. Before starting assembly, touch the leaves: their outer side should be smooth and tender. If it is rough, look for another tree.
3. Thin and flexible branches are a guarantee of a fragrant broom.
4. It is advisable to collect outside the city. The best place is in the forest.
5. Before drying, the birch must be tied very tightly, but there should be free space between the branches. Otherwise, the leaves may lose their color and healing properties.

Collecting a broom

There are general rules for assembling brooms.

Regardless of whether you choose branches of oak, birch, juniper, linden, or even combine them, you should adhere to the following recommendations in your work:

1. The branches should have fully expanded green leaves.
2. It is desirable that the branch have several branches.
3. Branches 45-60 cm long are suitable for mating.
4. The branch thickness is on average 0.5 cm.

1. The broom should collect such an amount of material that the dressing handle has a diameter of no more than 5 cm. This is dictated by convenience.
2. Cut branches must be tied immediately and then hung in a well-ventilated area to dry.
3. We carry out the dressing in two places, departing from the butt 4-5 cm and 10-12 cm.
4. At the butt the branches are carefully trimmed.

Advice! The best option a combined broom is a combination of linden, oak and birch branches. also in medicinal purposes You can add nettles to oak branches.

1. If properly dried, the leaves remain green and do not fall off the branches.

How to choose ready-made brooms

Since not everyone has the desire and ability to prepare bath equipment themselves, there is an option for them to buy it on the market or directly in the bathhouse (find out here how to properly steam a birch broom for a bathhouse).

However, in order to avoid purchasing a low-quality product, you should know what to look for. It doesn't matter how much a product costs, what matters is how well it is made.

Based on this rule, the highest quality broom may be the one whose price is the lowest.

To determine quality, use the following instructions:

1. First of all, the product should evoke a pleasant tactile sensation and fit comfortably in the hand. The thickness of the handle is very important here, as discussed above. So just hold the product in your hand.
2. Inspect for leaf mold. If mold is noticed, this may indicate improper storage or that the bundle was not made from freshly cut branches. You should not purchase such equipment.
3. Shake the broom. If it is dried according to all the rules, then the leaves will remain on the branches. If the drying was incorrect, the leaves will begin to crumble. If you steam a bad broom, then after some time you will be left with only bare branches.

Birch alternative

Naturally, birch is not the only raw material for creating bath equipment. And although these trees are located everywhere, nevertheless, in some cases it is more convenient to use other raw materials, for example, oak or linden.

Let's look at what healing properties and features the wood most often used in the bathhouse has:

1. Oak. Knittings made from oak branches are no less common than birch branches. Oak products are great for people with oily skin due to the drying effect that tannins have. In addition, oak lowers blood pressure in people suffering from hypertension.

Oak harvesting is carried out in August-September, since it unfolds its leaves later than other trees in the spring. The leaves gain their main strength only towards the end of summer.

Advice! When choosing an oak tree, you need to pay attention to the burdock growing nearby. If there is no burdock nearby, such a tree is not suitable, since the leaves will certainly fly off when dried.

1. Linden. People associate the linden tree with peace and balance. This broom is natural remedy for headaches, used to prevent vegetative-vascular dystonia, which causes insomnia and migraines. In addition to its calming effect, linden perfectly heals wounds and fights colds.

1. Eucalyptus. Every respected bath attendant should have eucalyptus tincture. It is intended for watering the walls in the steam room. And this choice is not accidental, since eucalyptus is credited with powerful antiseptic effect, it is used for warming up the bronchi and inhalations.

Eucalyptus broom allows you to maximize the healing effect by saturating the skin essential oils, which help fight bruises, inflammation of muscle tissue and sprains.

Conclusion

To ensure that bath procedures not only bring pleasure, but also have a healing effect, you need to use the right equipment. Above we looked at how to correctly choose and prepare one of the main bath attributes yourself (see also the article “Mushroom in the bathhouse - folk and modern methods struggle").

Watch the video in this article and you will learn more interesting things.

A broom for a steam room made of oak branches is in second place after birch in popularity among bathhouse lovers. This “second line” is due, perhaps, only to the lower prevalence of the tree (birch is still easier to find in Central and Northern Russia), and oak in its qualities is almost in no way inferior to its “competitor”, and in some positions it even surpasses his.

The timing of harvesting oak brooms for a bath and the procedure for knitting will be discussed below, but in order to know about their main qualities, about what diseases it is useful to use oak, you need to know the characteristics of this type of wood, since these factors are closely interrelated.

What is oak famous for?

This tree is considered the most powerful in terms of energy among all species growing in Russia. There are strong beliefs, by the way, not denied by scientists, that by coming into contact with oak under any life circumstances, a person receives part of its strength, which means that the body has additional potential to fight various ailments.

That is why very often in Rus' they planted oak trees near the house and turned to them for help, asking for health for many years. Today, living in multi-storey buildings and not having a country plot, it is difficult to grow your own “family” oak, so many turn to bonsai. This art allows you to grow an exact copy of a real tree, only in miniature form, in a flowerpot. An oak grown using this technique will always be present in the house, sharing its energy forces.

But this tree is rich not only in powerful energy - it contains in its bark, branches and leaves a large number of substances useful for the human body - gallic and ellagic acids, pectins, pentosans, flavone compounds, starch, sugar, phlobaphene, proteins, tannins and others substances.

For medicinal purposes, they always try to prepare oak raw materials during the period of active sap flow in order to preserve all the beneficial properties in it. Any preparations are dried in a place protected from the sun, and can be stored for five or even more years without losing their medicinal qualities.

Oak bark

Decoctions from oak bark used to strengthen walls blood vessels, reducing excessive sweating, healing burns, purulent wounds, treating gums and getting rid of other inflammatory processes mouth, with serious frostbite of the skin and bleeding hemorrhoids.

Decoctions are also considered an excellent antidote for poisoning with heavy metal salts and mushrooms. They are used as a vitamin remedy for rickets and scurvy, and as a hemostatic agent for internal bleeding.

It should be noted that this is sufficient strong remedy, therefore, before giving it to children to drink, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Oak leaves

For medicinal purposes, young leaves are harvested along with branches. This process is carried out until mid-May, while the leaves are light green. They are dried by hanging under awnings and used throughout the year.

Decoctions are an excellent remedy for cuts and abrasions; they disinfect and help heal ulcers. In addition, they are used in the treatment of children suffering from nocturnal enuresis.

Oak fruits - acorns

Only those acorns that fall from the tree are considered mature. They are collected and dried away from sunlight - in attics or sheds with good ventilation, and final drying is carried out in ovens.

Dry fruits are cleaned, then fried until red, ground in a coffee grinder and consumed like coffee. This drink is useful for various diseases and has the following effects:

• Bactericidal, astringent, antitumor and enveloping properties.
• It strengthens and cleanses the stomach.
• Treats gum disease and soothes toothache.
• Stops bleeding various kinds, including uterine ones.
• Cleanses the body in case of poisoning.

Broom for steam room made of oak branches

All this was told for good reason - all the components of this magnificent tree, except for the listed methods of use, are widely used in “bath practice”. Decoctions are made from bark, leaves and acorns, which are poured onto the heater, and brooms, useful in all respects, are knitted from branches with young leaves.

• The oak broom has fairly wide and strong leaves, so it rather resembles a fan. Thanks to this quality, they are excellent at pumping the heat coming from the heater to the body.

Using a broom is quite comfortable - it seems to be used to scoop up hot steam and direct it towards yourself. This quality can be called the first of its advantages over other breeds used for making bath brooms.

• It is good to massage with the help of an oak broom, since the tannins contained in its leaves and branches have an excellent effect on the skin, making it more elastic.

• In addition, oak brooms reduce excessive sweating, as they cleanse the skin and activate metabolic process. Thanks to this same quality, the skin becomes less oily and reliable protection from inflammation.

• Using an oak broom in a steam room helps to significantly reduce blood pressure, which is very important for people suffering from hypertension.
• To put your nervous system in order, you also need to go to the steam room, taking an oak “bouquet” with you, since the substances it releases have a calming effect.
• This broom is suitable for various massage techniques - they are passed over the entire body, lightly patting the skin with it, pressed against the body, collecting sweat with it, rubbed individual areas, and also make oak branches for flooring on the bench in the steam room.

So that the broom can be used several times, and at the same time it retains all its medicinal properties, the raw materials for it must be properly prepared and dried. A well-prepared oak broom can be used in a steam room three to five times.

Preparing brooms from oak branches

In the southern regions of the country, oak brooms are harvested from mid to late May, while in central Russia this event is held in the second half of June. At this time, the leaves are small in size and have a delicate structure, and the branches have not yet gained thickness or lost flexibility.

You can, of course, harvest throughout the summer, however, the closer to autumn, the stiffer the leaves become and the thicker the branches, so the broom will be heavier and less flexible.

You should not cut the branches too early, since the leaves will be too tender and have not absorbed any useful substances, so steaming will not give the desired therapeutic effect, and the strength of this broom will be extremely low.

Branches for such purposes are taken from the bottom of a large tree, which grows in the thickest part of the oak forest, where it penetrates least of all sunlight. A good guide to choosing a tree for cutting a broom will be the burdocks growing underneath it, which have large, succulent leaves. It is quite difficult to find single branches on old oak trees, so most often a branch with a thick leaf covering with good annual growth is selected. If the young growth on an old branch has the required length of 500 ÷ 550 mm, then it is cut off and subsequently formed into brooms.

Branches are also taken from young oak trees that are only three to four meters high - such trees have the optimal branch thickness and foliage size for a broom.

Winter oak branch

Good brooms are made from “winter oak” - this is the name given to one of the varieties of tree that does not shed its leaves on winter period. The leaves change their hue from green to golden, but do not fly away, but remain firmly on the branches, although the sap flow in them stops. This type of oak does not grow in oak forests, but singly, and most often on high hills or on small hills.

It should be noted that better brooms are obtained from branches from trees growing in oak forests than those cut from single trees.

Rules for collecting branches

Traditional healers and experienced herbalists have developed rules that help preserve cut branches for bath brooms and collected medicinal herbs for a long time:

• All natural raw materials - both branches and herbs - must be harvested in the morning, but only after the dew has disappeared, in dry and clear weather.
• You should not take limp branches that have already been broken off, as when steamed they will absorb more moisture and become heavy.
• The broom is cut only from those branches that have high flexibility - they bend well and do not break.
• When preparing brooms, wood should be treated with the utmost care. You should not cut it down completely or deprive it of large side branches, as this can only harm the plant. If only young shoots are cut off in different places of the oak tree, then this helps it, since thinning out branches is very useful. At the right attitude to the tree, it will supply raw materials for the bathhouse and for medicinal decoctions many years.
• You should not pick off young oak trees, for which the loss of several branches can be disastrous. You need to let the tree take root well and get stronger before using it for your benefit.

Knitting brooms

After cutting the branches, leaves and twigs are removed from their lower part, and then they are laid out on the table in one layer and left for one hour and a half. They should not be left piled in a heap, as such storage can cause the leaves to quickly fall off.

After this time, you can start knitting branches into brooms:

• Each of the branches is shaken, and then they are folded into a “bouquet”. The branches are aligned along the top leaves - they should be located at the same height and create the required density of the broom.
• Branches with thicker trunks are placed in the middle, but there should not be more than three of them in each broom, otherwise the fan will be too hard and can damage the skin. The thickness of the broom handle should not be more than 50 mm, otherwise it will be uncomfortable to hold. The length is usually 100 ÷ 120 mm, and the height of the fan is 450 ÷ 500 mm.
• Further, Bottom part branches left without leaves are compressed and tied with twine in two places - immediately under the leaves and below, forming a broom handle. You need to remember that you can’t tighten the handle too much yet; it will finally be tied when the broom dries out a little.
• Some modern amateurs bathhouses adapted plastic self-locking clamps - “ties” for tying brooms. They tie the branches lightly at first, then, after drying, they tighten them a little, and before using the broom, they tighten them tightly.

• The handles of tied brooms are trimmed with pruning shears. And then the finished bundles are placed under not very heavy oppression. This is necessary so that the brooms acquire a flat fan shape, and the branches do not stick out in different directions. The brooms are left in this form for one to two days.

• After this, the brooms are hung in a ventilated shed or attic. Under no circumstances should you dry them in the sun, as the leaves will be overdried and may simply crumble.

Video: clear example tying an oak broom

Steaming an oak broom

All bath lovers have their own ways of steaming brooms:

A fresh broom is dipped in hot water for one to two minutes, and then you can steam it.

• The simplest and quick way To prepare a dry broom is to immerse the fan in cold water for three to five minutes, and then immediately transfer it to a container with hot water and leave for the same time.
• Another method involves rinsing the broom in cold water and placing it completely in a warm bowl. After immersing the broom, close the container with a lid and leave for 10 ÷ 15 minutes. The main thing here is not to overexpose it in water, otherwise it will become limp and quickly crumble.
• If for some reason the broom is very dry, it is placed for 5 ÷ 7 minutes in warm water, and then pulled out, shaken off and held over hot stones, turning occasionally. Both the fan and the handle will steam well, and the broom should become soft.
• Some bath attendants soak dry brooms in cold water in the morning and leave them in it until late in the evening. Then they are taken out and wrapped in thick cloth overnight. A broom soaked in this way is not only soft, but also gives a very rich forest aroma. In addition, it is enough for several vaping sessions.
• Sometimes steaming occurs in a contrasting way, when the broom fan is moved from cold to hot water, left in each container for 1 ÷ 2 minutes, and before entering the steam room it is doused with boiling water.

• Other bath lovers prefer to prepare a broom the day before going to the steam room. After keeping the brooms in hot water for 15 ÷ 20 minutes, they are wrapped in plastic and left overnight. After entering the steam room, such a broom remains to be heated over the heater - and it is completely ready for bath procedures.

Do not throw water from steamed brooms onto the street. During the stay of the oak leaves in it, it is saturated with useful substances, and a kind of decoction is obtained. It is used to rinse the body, wash the hair, or poured onto the heater to create healing steam. After using this water, hair acquires a pleasant shine and receives a significant dose of vitamins. A decoction of oak leaves also has a positive effect on the skin, thanks to all the natural substances that this plant is rich in.

Naturally, in one trip to the steam room with an oak broom, desired results It is difficult to obtain - you need to do these bath procedures every week for a long time. Only in this case can you significantly improve your physical health and receive energetic strength from this amazing tree.

In conclusion, I would like to say that, despite the unique properties of oak, many bathhouse lovers prefer mixed brooms, consisting of oak and traditional birch branches. This complex combines all the necessary qualities for vaping - birch leaves stick well to the skin, collecting sweat and opening pores, and oak leaves nourish skin vitamins and strength.

Therefore, when preparing brooms, you need to collect different variants, try each of them for yourself and choose the best one.

Having a good broom is only half the battle!

It is better to organize your first trip to a real bathhouse with an experienced person - so as not to unknowingly harm your health. How to steam properly- read in a special publication of our “bath encyclopedia”.

The best time to harvest birch brooms is the beginning of summer. It is popularly believed that you can tear branches from a birch tree for a broom immediately after the Trinity Day, which is also celebrated in June. But this calendar principle cannot be taken as a basis, since weather conditions change every year. Sometimes the heat sets in from the very beginning of May, and sometimes real summer doesn’t arrive until the end of June.

It is the weather that influences the formation of birch foliage. This factor must be taken into account first. Branches for a bath broom must be selected flexible and thin, and most importantly, elastic. Otherwise, the broom in the steam room will either break or whip painfully across the body and cause discomfort instead of pleasure. The leaves on them should be bright green, still quite light. The color indicates the age of the leaves; they should be fresh, not old.

Bath attendants advise determining the suitability of birch foliage for a broom not only by color, but also by taste. A good, correct leaf should not be bitter. If this is the case, don't be upset. You just have to wait a little longer.

The most important thing is that the foliage is young, but already gaining summer energy. Such leaves contain a lot of juice, so a birch broom is well suited for giving a massage in a bathhouse, patting a person on the back with not strong, but frequent movements. A broom tied at this time will last a long time. If you pick branches with already mature leaves, they will fall off very quickly, and you will have to buy a new broom.

There are other types of brooms - oak, fir, eucalyptus. However, birch is the most common tree in Russia. That’s why birch brooms are so popular in Russian baths.

A good broom has a good day

Birch brooms are used in a bathhouse not only to adjust the temperature, but also to add heat directly to the body to steam the skin well. The bathhouse in Rus' has always been the main hospital. Here people got rid of illnesses and illnesses. And birch strengthens the body, disinfects, and helps with colds, kidney and lung diseases. Therefore, it is also important to properly prepare birch brooms so that they do not lose their beneficial properties.

Not only does the time of year matter, but also the time of day when you cut the branches. It is best to do this in the afternoon, towards evening. Morning dew on the leaves causes them to darken. And it’s even better to choose a day that is not rainy, dry. Properly plucked branches can be dried. You just can’t do this in the sun. Drying should occur naturally in a closed room.

A person who has visited a bathhouse at least once knows that you can’t get by without a broom. Only with the help of this integral attribute of the bath can you get not only pleasure from the procedure, but also maximum effect.

Many people believe that they should only visit the bathhouse in the evening, as it relieves fatigue and has a relaxing effect. But if you take a rowan broom with you to the steam room, you can achieve the opposite effect, that is, you can cheer up well. Rowan has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, remarkably tones, charges the body with energy and strength for the whole day.

But of course, the most popular in our country is the birch broom. Its difference from other brooms is that it absorbs water well and does not slip off the body. It is simply necessary for those who have aching joints, but this is not all of its healing properties. Birch helps with diseases of the respiratory system: it cleanses the bronchi, helps with coughs, and removes phlegm.

Oak brooms also have medicinal properties. Hypertensive patients are advised to visit the bathhouse with them. They will also help solve problems associated with excessive oily skin. Oak brooms saves you from stress and depression. Oak is famous