storing a fir broom for a bath

A fir broom is not just another accessory for a bathhouse, but an effective and proven tool for increasing immunity, treating diseases and simply having fun. Remember the smell of New Year. Of course, the main smell of the New Year is the fresh and invigorating aroma of the Christmas tree. Try to imagine this smell, familiar from childhood, increased several times, mentally add humidity, warmth and comfort. Introduced? Well, you already almost know what a fir broom in a steam room. It remains to clarify only a few points: how to make and steam this broom, how to steam it correctly and what is so special about it?

Storing a fir bath broom

In order for the fir bath brooms you collected to retain their beneficial properties and not fall off at all, you should remember some storage rules. In order for fir brooms to last as long as possible, they should be stored tied in twos and hung in a dark, dry room, be it an attic or a barn. The main goal when storing brooms is to prevent them from getting damp. At the same time, it is worth protecting them from direct sunlight, which dries out and burns everything useful. The most effective storage location will be somewhere dry, dark and cool.

A damp fir broom can be seen immediately: it begins to darken and the needles fall off. There is one proven and proven method that allows you to store fir brooms in good condition for a whole year. During the period of collecting fir branches, they are placed in small sheaves for drying, without tying them into brooms. After the brooms are dry, they are generously covered with dry grass, straw or hay. This will protect them from moisture. In this way, branches stored under a layer of dry grass in an attic or shed can be collected into a broom at any time when required. When going to the bathhouse, just tie a broom and go to the steam room.

The second way to store fir brooms is the following: you need to cover the floor of the attic or barn with dried grass, on which the brooms are carefully laid out, like on a sheet. It is important to ensure that the brooms do not touch each other. Then the brooms are covered with dry straw and over the next month the brooms should be turned over at intervals of 2-3 days. A month later, the fir brooms are covered with a layer of fresh grass and are no longer disturbed.

The third storage method, simple and effective, is to wrap the Broom in any rag and put it in the refrigerator; it will last the longest in the refrigerator.

Obviously, sheds and attics are more typical of village farmsteads, which makes it much easier for their owners to store fir brooms. If you live in a city, balconies or mezzanines are great places to store brooms. The brooms are wrapped in paper (ordinary newspaper will do) and carefully placed in the prepared area. The paper and the remaining holes in it allow air to pass through, which will prevent the broom from drying out and suffocating.

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Manufacturing process

A fir broom is made from pine needles collected in sunny, dry weather. Branches whose length does not exceed seventy centimeters are suitable for these purposes. The thickest of them are placed inside the future product, surrounded by thinner twigs. It is important to ensure that the curved edges of the shoots are facing the broom. There should be no knots or small needles in the place where the handle is supposed to be placed.

During the knitting process, the branches must be placed so that you end up with a flat broom. At the end, the assembled bundle should be tied with twine or any other strong rope. This should be done in the place where the broom handle is located. Then all that remains is to trim the ends of the fir branches and wrap the handle with a bandage or cloth.

Those who do not have the opportunity to make a full-fledged fir broom can be recommended to use oil obtained from the needles of this plant. It is extracted from spruce branches using a special apparatus. At the same time, from a two-hundred-liter barrel tightly packed with fir branches, you can get only one and a half liters of oil.

When are fir brooms prepared for a bath?

“A fir broom is the main healer for life,” they said in Siberia back in the mid-twentieth century. Then progress and medicine pushed it aside, but today life has returned us to the age-old experience, with which no medicine is needed! The benefits of a fir broom, according to physiologists, therapists, neurologists, and cosmetologists, are great.

Such properties are the result of the release of fir oil and tannin, bactericidal substances, which, with a gentle massage with fir needles, penetrate deep into the skin and are inhaled with steam. To maximize the benefits, you need to know how to properly harvest and soak fir.

Oak broom

In terms of popular recognition, the birch broom is undoubtedly followed by the oak broom.

Oak brooms are especially durable, and their leaves do not fall off. Oak leaves are wide and dense, making it easy to generate steam. In order to thoroughly warm up, pumping intense heat onto the body, an oak broom with massive dense leaves is suitable. Oak leaves contain tannins and essential oils. It is suitable for people with oily skin; these substances make oily skin elastic, cleanse pores well, and have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. The aroma of oak prevents excessive increases in blood pressure in the steam room. Therefore, this broom is recommended for athletes and those prone to hypertension. In addition, it calms the nervous system after jogging and walking. Oak leaves contain a large amount of tannins. Oak decoction is used as a remedy for certain skin diseases and sweating of the feet.

Oak brooms must be harvested in a damp forest, where burdocks grow next to the oak tree. Like a birch broom, you can add wormwood, chamomile, and yarrow to an oak broom. An oak broom is designed for 2-3 bathing days.

When to prepare a fir broom for a bath?

Fir brooms are prepared for the bath all year round. The ideal time is June - July, when there is active growth of new branches with soft and fragrant needles, which have a high oil content. Excellent brooms are obtained until October - November, but even in the winter months, fir surpasses all conifers in terms of usefulness.

It is best to collect fir brooms in the first half of a sunny day, when there was no rain the day before.

Trees must be kept away from roads, factories, and farms where fertilizers and pesticides are used. Before collecting, you need to find out whether ticks and caterpillars that destroy forests have been hunted here.

Blank:

Although the harvesting time is not strictly defined, it is better to cut fir branches immediately before the bath or at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance. During storage, pine needles lose their beneficial properties, aroma, and crumble. Although fir holds needles more firmly than spruce and pine, it is inferior to deciduous trees when dried.

If it is not possible to harvest as needed, we will tell you how to keep fir brooms fresh for several months.

Types of brooms

Brooms are made from branches of birch, oak, maple, alder, rowan, ash, and elm. In Central Asia they use a broom made from licorice branches. A broom made from dwarf birch is popular among the inhabitants of the tundra. Nettle brooms are sometimes used. Even coniferous brooms are used: juniper, cedar, fir, brooms from different plants, for example birch-juniper. You can steam with several brooms - at different times.

There are “evening” brooms (for good sleep) and “morning” brooms (for a surge of energy).

“Morning” brooms are made from branches of rowan, nettle, and tansy. The remaining (most famous) brooms are considered “evening” brooms.

How to store a fir broom?

It’s easy to store a broom in winter: leave it outside, and the fir will not lose its beneficial properties, needles and elasticity.

Storing fir brooms in summer, spring and early autumn is a problem. To preserve them, freeze fresh brooms in the freezer, wrapped in a plastic bag. Before the bath, you need to defrost the broom several hours before, placing it on a shelf in the refrigerator or in a bucket of cold water.

Do not speed up defrosting with warm or hot water - many useful substances will remain in it.

nettle broom

The nettle broom is the brightest representative of the “daytime” brooms. He is highly revered for his unique individuality by inveterate steamers who know a lot about brooms. However, it is used “accurately, but rarely,” i.e. if necessary: do not forget about its “stimulating” effect. But only nettle gives a feeling of a slight pleasant tingling sensation, as a result of which the body instantly becomes ruddy.

If after physical work, hiking or long cycling you feel aches and pain in the joints, muscles or lower back, you should whip them with hot greens, and all unpleasant phenomena will disappear. This is due to a powerful local irritant, distracting, anti-inflammatory effect.

Nettle broom is a good remedy for the treatment of radiculitis, rheumatism, and gout. With its regular use, blood pressure decreases and nervous tension is relieved.

The nettle broom is knitted small, before use it is specially prepared: it is transferred from hot water to cold water twice for 2-3 minutes, after which you can whip as much as you want - there will be no burns. If you want the nettle to burn, immerse the broom in boiling water for a couple of seconds, and steam only after the skin has warmed up well.

How to steam properly with a fir broom

You need to steam a fir broom in hot water for 10 – 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the branches).

Do not throw away the water in which the broom has been steamed. Rinse your hair and body with it, store it in the refrigerator or freeze it to wash your face, wipe your skin with ice, wash wounds and inflammations.

The broom can be used a second time - as a lining for the body, head or for a parka. To preserve it, take the broom outside in winter, and place it in the freezer in summer, after cooling it first.

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Recommendations

To achieve the maximum effect from using a fir broom, you need to adhere to certain recommendations and expert advice.

If, even despite the contraindications, you decide to buy a fir broom for the bathhouse, but during its use you feel unwell and have an unpleasant odor, immediately leave the steam room.
Be sure to get a blood test to determine if you are allergic to fir.
If you want to make a broom yourself, follow all the rules for collecting material that were indicated above in the article.
If you are gathering behind fir branches, but it starts to rain, the hike should be postponed for 2 days.
When buying a fir broom, do not rush, inspect it carefully. Its branches should be smooth without defects and have a pleasant, pronounced fir smell.
Do not cut branches from the same tree more than once a year.
Under no circumstances should you dry fir branches cut for a bath broom in direct sunlight. In this case, the plant will lose all its beneficial properties, and the needles will simply dry out and fall out.
Do not throw out the water in which you steamed the broom. It can be used in the steaming process - spray the coals with it. This way the aroma of fir will be present throughout your entire stay in the bathhouse.

Follow these recommendations, and you will be able to make your own fir bath broom without much effort and use it with great pleasure.

Fir broom - the path to health and activity

Fragrant, useful and economical to use for a bath, it will become a welcome guest in the steam room. Flat and soft needles of a coniferous tree are not inferior to eucalyptus in terms of the content of healing essential oils and are superior to pine. Bath procedures with such a broom heal and increase the natural potential of the body. A bunch of twigs covered with dark green needles will serve in a steam room several times (that’s the savings).

The value of a fir broom

According to legend, the heroine of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga, gave Ivan Tsarevich a bathhouse with fir and wormwood. “A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it...” - this is about endowing mythical characters with habits that existed among the people. The old Russian proverb “a broom in a bathhouse is more valuable than money” is now taken literally by many. The meaning of this apt expression is much deeper - you can’t buy health, but hovering with a broom bestows this greatest value in the world.

The benefits of a neat bunch of soft spruce branches are an incomparable aroma that banishes apathy and clears the mind. The ancient Greeks considered the Cephalinian fir to be a powerful plant, a protection against witchcraft. Thousands of kilometers from the Mediterranean, beyond the Ural Mountains, people also endowed the Siberian tree with soft needles with unusual strength.

The tradition of steaming with it after a particularly hard day, exhausting work, and also on holidays has been preserved in Altai and Siberia, where coniferous trees are held in special esteem. Fir spruce branches are harvested immediately before the bathhouse in order to use a natural healing remedy without loss. The healing aroma is enhanced by pine branches suspended from the ceiling in the steam room.

Blank

It’s a great success if you have the opportunity to cut and bring fragrant spruce branches into your home. It’s a pity that in the European part of Russia such brooms are considered almost exotic for baths, on a par with eucalyptus ones. The reason for this is the reduction in the area occupied by coniferous trees. Fir is demanding on air purity and soil composition and does not tolerate waterlogging. Those who are deprived of the opportunity to inhale its tart smell, which has amazing properties, are missing out on a lot.

5 procurement rules:

1) Spruce branches can be collected at any time of the year.

2) The first half of a sunny day, without precipitation, is the most suitable time for procurement work.

3) The favorable period is from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, but softer and more aromatic branches appear in June–July when the juices are actively flowing.

4) Fir trees selected for harvesting branches should be located away from highways and industrial enterprises.

5) The best raw materials for bath brooms are branches 60–80 cm long with a dense growth of young needles.

Production, storage and price

Among the prepared shoots, you should select even branches and lay them in the center. Then we fan out soft thin shoots around (bending in one direction). The lower part will serve to form a handle; it must be cleared of needles. The most convenient shape for a fir broom is considered to be flat, so the product is given the appearance of a shovel and the spread out branches are tied with jute rope. The diameter of the handle is about 3 cm; for convenience and safety, it needs to be wrapped with a strip of fabric.

There are different opinions about storing fir. Soft needles resemble very narrow leaves more than hard needles and crumble less when dry. But the problem is that when dried, the broom loses a significant part of its healing potential. Therefore, it is used immediately after harvesting, fresh or frozen. Of course, if it’s warm outside, this won’t threaten him in the winter cold.

The traditional bath procedure will not suffer at all from the use of the achievements of civilization. Before storing in the freezer, each broom is placed in a separate plastic bag. Contrary to popular belief, greens will not lose their color and aroma, you just need to make sure the packaging is sealed. To thaw, a bunch of branches are left on the refrigerator shelf or dipped in cold water.

Fans of environmentally friendly products and supporters of a healthy lifestyle in the city can buy such brooms without fear. The tree prefers environmentally friendly conditions; it simply does not survive in others.

Manufacturers sell them at prices starting from 50 rubles. On the websites of online stores of bath accessories, these products are twice or four times more expensive - 110–200 rubles.

The benefits of fir broom

The fragrant needles of the evergreen Siberian beauty are softer than spruce and pine needles, contain essential oils, phytoncides and resins and balsamic substances. The fir broom generously gives away all this natural wealth in the steam room. Young needles are more fragrant, more tender and richer in nutrients.

Fir on the left, spruce on the right

Massage with a fir broom in the bathhouse, its captivating smells:

The disinfectant, antiseptic and analgesic properties of fir are beyond praise. Exposure to soft pine needles, containing bornyl acetate, tannins and terpenes, helps eliminate various toxins and harmful microbes. The phytoncides of this tree are stronger than antibiotics and prevent the growth of bacteria without harming the body.

Bath procedures with it are appreciated for diseases of the throat, bronchi and lungs, and for common colds, which are annoying during ARVI epidemics. A light massage with healing green needles helps get rid of neuralgia and many skin diseases.

How to steam properly

Preparing the necessary accessories and body for procedures is one of the most important moments in a Russian bath. A fir broom should be immersed in a basin or tub of hot water for 10–20 minutes, then used for its intended purpose. The infusion remaining after steaming can be used to rinse the body and hair after washing.

The broom can be used again; to do this, you need to place it in the freezer (if it’s warm) or outside (winter) until your next trip to the bathhouse. The effect of repeated use will, of course, not be so stunning; after all, it has already given up a significant part of its healing potential during the first steaming. But the massage properties are fully preserved for the next use, and the aroma is felt.

How to get the most out of it

After proper treatment, the needles become even softer; a person practically does not feel weak pricks if the skin is well steamed. When using a fir broom, you should not forget about safety - do not burn your body with hot twigs. People with sensitive skin should be especially careful in the steam room.

Bathing procedures with fir are useful for those who suffer from diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The needles treat rheumatism, pathologies of the joints and spine, reduce pain in osteochondrosis, and increase the mobility of the affected area.

The fir aroma perfectly relieves fatigue and depression, for which it is especially valued among the smells of coniferous trees. To enhance the effect, apply a few drops of the prepared essential oil to a broom, add it to hair shampoo, and cover the bathhouse floor with spruce branches. Terpenes in fir oil normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands and help eliminate excess oily skin and hair.

Essential oils and phytoncides, together with moist hot air, penetrate the respiratory organs and pores. The smell of a pine forest excites the imagination, a pleasant warmth spreads throughout the body. The slightly bitter, but pleasant aroma of fir relieves fatigue, gives a feeling of strength and self-confidence.

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Brief description of fir

This tree is very common in our country. If you believe the statistics, it covers about 18 million hectares, which very often form extensive hunting grounds. Fir is shade-tolerant, and at certain stages of development it is shade-loving, which allows it to successfully survive in conditions of dense taiga growth. Among the characteristics of the plant, it is worth noting the cones that grow from the bottom up and open directly on the mother tree, leaving characteristic vertical rods after seeding.

Fir needles differ significantly from other conifers in the density and shape of individual elements, which in cross section have a shape closer to flat than to round. It is tactilely softer, compared to the needles of European spruce, cedar, pine or juniper. Another feature of this tree is that the main resin channels are concentrated in the bark, which is why resin nodes and sinuses often form there. Fir wood has the lowest hardness among conifers.

By the way! Fir resin is a time-tested, powerful bactericidal agent. It is not for nothing that it is invariably included in the recipes of various “Siberian balms”.

How is a fir broom useful in a bathhouse?

Bath procedures are considered extremely beneficial for all life support systems. During them, beating with a steamed broom is often practiced. Fir is especially popular. When it is steamed, essential oils are released, which have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and respiratory system. To get the maximum benefit from the procedure, you need to soak the fir broom correctly. With regular bathing procedures, you can get the following results:

The advantages of fir spruce branches include durability and elasticity. Essential vapors stabilize the emotional state and have a beneficial effect on the respiratory system. With regular healing procedures, immune defense is activated, which reduces the likelihood of contracting viral and infectious diseases.

Fir needles have a soft massage effect on the skin

The effect of fir on humans

During vaping, fir essential oils reach the skin and thus act as a warming agent. A fir broom is good for rubbing the body, this way even more oils will get onto the skin. After the bath procedure, the aroma will remain on the body for a long time.

Fir is not very prickly, since the needles themselves are flat in shape and very soft. The needles contain resinous substances that can stimulate sweating. They help increase blood circulation in the muscles, as well as in all internal organs. Fir has antiseptic properties.

Fir bath brooms are distinguished by their high oil content. So, while steaming in a sauna, they penetrate into the deep layers of the skin and eliminate various diseases. The release of essential oils affects the respiratory system. This is especially useful for runny nose, bronchitis, cough, and colds in general.

If you are caught up in a flu epidemic, you simply must take a steam bath with a fir whisk. As soon as you notice the first signs of a cold, take action immediately and don’t put off going to the steam room.

Fir is recommended for relieving stress, nervous exhaustion and muscle tension. The delicate pine aroma helps:

relax;
eliminate feelings of anxiety;
find peace.

It is somewhat of a natural relaxant. Moreover, fir oil is distinguished by its “erotic” effect. It tones the body and harmonizes the mood.

How to properly prepare a fir broom for a bath

Before carrying out the procedure, you need to take care of preparing fir brooms for the bath. This is necessary to make it softer and promote the distribution of essential oils. Properly soaked branches ensure a high-quality massage. This will improve blood circulation. Preparing fir spruce branches involves steaming them with hot water or boiling water. In the first case, the duration of preparation will be increased. Fir spruce branches are soaked in boiling water for no more than 10 minutes.

When to prepare fir brooms for a bath

The process of harvesting spruce branches from fir can be carried out throughout the year. But more often this is done in June or July. It is during this period that active growth of new needles on coniferous trees is observed. It is for this reason that the volume of essential oils increases. The collection of fir branches is carried out in the first half of the day. It is not recommended to carry it out immediately after rain.

Cutting fir branches for a bath

Fir branches are cut using a special pruner. It is advisable to choose trees that are located away from highways. The branches are cut to 60-70 cm in length. The needles are cut at a distance of about 20 cm at the base. This is necessary to form the handle of the spruce branches. It is important to stack the cut branches not on top of each other, but side by side, tilted to one side.

How to knit a fir broom

The effectiveness of the procedure largely depends on the quality of spruce branches knitting. It is extremely important to knit fir brooms correctly. The branches are first inspected for damage and cracks. Defective copies should be disposed of. Thick branches are placed in the middle, and more fragile and younger ones are placed on the outside. The handle of the product is wrapped with twine in two places and secured with a knot. It is advisable to immediately check how comfortable it is to hold the product in your hand. The ends of the branches are slightly trimmed, after which the broom is hung in a vertical position.

How to store a fir bath broom

To preserve a fir broom, you need to provide suitable conditions. The ideal place for storage would be a closed, ventilated room. It is important to avoid exposure to moisture and sunlight. Since fir brooms quickly lose their beneficial properties, it is not advisable to prepare them in advance.

Making blanks

You already know how to properly steam a fir broom. Now we should talk about storing fir brooms. It is recommended not to harvest fir brooms. This is explained by the fact that they can lose not only their delicate aroma, but also all their benefits. There is no point in buying dried fir branches. The best solution is to buy them in winter. During this period of the year they can be frozen, which guarantees good transportability. When frozen, nutrients are better preserved than when dried.

But if you still decide, then you should know how to store dried fir brooms. So, let's start preparing panicles.

Also pay due attention to the handle itself. There should not be a single needle on it, but at the same time, make sure that it does not slip in your hands. You should feel comfortable while working with the broom.

As soon as you start tying the broom, pay attention to its shape, it should be flat. Using a bulky broom will not be very convenient or pleasant. For tying, use regular rope or twine. The technique is very simple. First, the broom is tied at the base, holding it with the right hand. At this time, use your left hand to wind the twine. Then the handle is wrapped in a bandage. If everything is done correctly, then you will not have any questions about how to steam a fir broom or inconvenience. That's the whole procedure.

How to use a fir broom in a bathhouse

You need to watch a video in advance about how to steam with a fir broom. For simplicity, the procedure should be performed by two people. One person lies down on a bench, and the second hits him with a broom. It is inconvenient to do this on your own. It is strictly forbidden to use insufficiently steamed branches, as they must be soft.

How to steam a fir broom for a bath

It is equally important to learn how to brew a fir broom correctly. The video will help you figure this out faster. There are two methods of steaming. One involves using boiling water, and the second involves soaking in hot water. The preparatory procedure makes the product soft and promotes the release of essential oils.

How to brew a fir broom for a bath in boiling water

Fir spruce branches are soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes. This brewing method is less preferred because high temperatures have a damaging effect on essential oils.

The most suitable container for steaming spruce branches is a large barrel

How to soak a fir bath broom in warm water

Experts recommend steaming a fir broom for a bath in warm water. This will preserve its beneficial properties in full. The product is placed in a barrel, filled with water and left for 3 hours. After this, it is carefully dried by placing it over hot stones.

How to steam properly with a fir broom

The process of treating the body with steamed branches is carried out in several stages. First they move in the direction from the head to the toes. Then the pelvis, feet and calves are affected. The final stage involves tapping on the back and hips. The intensity of movements should be increased gradually. First, light stroking is carried out, and then tapping is performed.

How to store a fir broom after a bath

To prevent the product for bath procedures from becoming unusable ahead of time, it must be stored correctly. After use, carry out the following actions:

The fir broom should be stored in a warm room in winter. In this case, it is wrapped in several layers of thick paper. The product can also be stored in the refrigerator, first wrapped in a cloth. Another method involves laying spruce branches on the floor of the attic, after sprinkling it with dried grass. The main thing is to avoid exposure to high humidity and high temperatures. If you follow the storage rules, the bath product can be used many times, but over time it loses its beneficial properties.

How long are fir brooms stored?

Fir brooms have a limited shelf life. Over time, the needles begin to crumble. If the product darkens, it means it is damp. With proper care, spruce branches can last a whole year.

Steaming methods

Fir branches are never prepared for future use for use in the bathing kingdom. Fir, like all conifers, is completely unsuitable for storage. Fir needles fall off very quickly. It is for this simple reason that you will not find coniferous brooms in retail sales. You can buy them either at the market or cut them yourself from the nearest tree.

According to the unwritten laws of nature, the best time to use fir branches is spring and summer. When nature wakes up from winter hibernation, fresh fir branches begin to grow. They are tender and completely soft; it is at this time that fir is most rich in useful, healing substances.

The simplest and most reliable method is to immerse thorny branches in a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes. This can be done in advance, before going to the bathhouse. But, this method is more suitable for those who have their own bathhouse, but for visitors to the state-owned kingdom, the steaming time can be reduced to 15 minutes.

With such a long stay in hot water, the needles will, of course, become soft and tender, but they will also generously give up their healing properties to the water. Therefore, if you use this method of steaming a broom, do not throw out the water afterwards. This is medicinal water, you can put it on the heater, make a foot bath and just rinse.

This method is only suitable for owners of their own bath kingdom. In this case, the broom is soaked in long before going to the steam room - about three hours before the steam room. And the water should not be too hot - so that the “hand can tolerate it.” Then, just before use, the broom is “heated” over a hot heater.

Due to the fact that this tree is evergreen, logic dictates that the procurement of raw materials can be done almost all year round, based on specific circumstances and expediency. However, it should be considered that the highest concentration of useful biologically active substances occurs in the cold season, namely in the second half of December - February. This circumstance can be safely considered as a recommendation for practical use.

Fir for the bathhouse is harvested in the form of young, well-developed and evenly colored shoots 50 - 60 centimeters long, with a characteristic palmate shape. In winter, it is convenient to store harvested raw materials for future use on wooden, well-ventilated racks, protected from direct sunlight.

Note that the manufacture of brooms does not have any special technological nuances, and consists in the formation of a compact fan-shaped working part and a grippy handle, with a diameter of about 5 cm. The fastening of the shoots should be done with jute cord or a similar material that meets the requirements of moisture resistance and basic safety when using ready-made product.

Preserving prepared brooms in advance during the hot season involves maintaining a low temperature and sufficient humidity. Very often, this condition can be maintained in basements. The use of freezers seems to be an ideal solution, however, it is quite far from reasonable practical use.

Many inexperienced users wonder whether it is necessary to steam a fir broom before use. Of course yes! The thing is that it is quite tough, and if you have sensitive skin, or have no previous experience in using it, this is a must.

There are three steaming methods.

Before going to the bathhouse, you need to brew a broom in boiling water for 15 minutes. After this time, the branches will become softer.
The second method is more time-consuming and is suitable if you have several hours left. The broom needs to be soaked in warm water for 3 hours. This time will be enough for unnecessary rigidity to go away.
This steaming method is suitable for those who love aromatic steam in a bathhouse. The fir bunch should be washed and placed in a container of boiling water for 6 minutes. Then put it on hot coal and dry it slightly. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the needles will dry out and prick.

Restrictions and contraindications

Not everyone is allowed to visit the bathhouse. In some cases, procedures can be harmful to health. Fir spruce branches are not recommended for use in the following cases:

It is strictly prohibited to consume alcoholic beverages before visiting the steam room. It is also undesirable to overeat, since temperature changes negatively affect the process of food digestion. For the first time, stay in the steam room for no more than 10 minutes. It is advisable to take short breaks when going to the dressing room.

Is there an allergy from a fir broom?

Needles can act as a potential allergen. A reaction can also occur during a bath procedure. Its symptoms can be confused with the symptoms of acute respiratory infections. The most typical of them include:

How to knit correctly?

Enjoy Your Bath!

After the fir branches are collected, they need to be tied so that they form a bundle. This must be done in a certain sequence.

Lay out all the branches you have in front of you. Inspect them carefully again.
If necessary, trim so that the length of the branches is the same.
Decide on the place that will be the handle. It needs to be well cleaned and leveled.
When making a broom, make sure that the branches of the younger shoots are outside, but the older ones are inside.
When all the branches are collected in a bundle, they need to be fastened together. A strong rope is ideal for this.
You need to wrap a bandage or gauze on top of the rope.

How to properly store bath brooms in an apartment or house?

Anyone can assemble a bath broom, but not everyone knows how to store bath brooms correctly. The quality of steaming and whether the person steaming will benefit from this procedure depends on how to store bath brooms.

Basic rules for drying and storing brooms in the house and apartment:

Best places for drying and storage:

Transplantation into open ground

It's time to dive. This flower loves loamy, fertile soils. If you add compost or humus to the flowerbed site before planting, the petunia will bloom more actively and more luxuriantly. Make sure that the place for the plants is well lit by the sun. Most often, bushes are planted around the 20th of April (in Kuban), after the frosts are left behind. To plant, seedlings need to be well watered so that they can be easily removed from the pot. Plant it in a flowerbed together with a lump of soil. The step between the bushes should be approximately 30-40 cm. Then the plants are watered and mulched again (the next day).

Planting seedlings

Aftercare for petunia includes:

regular watering,
loosening the soil,
getting rid of weeds.

Petunia is planted in open ground when its age reaches 70 days. At the same time, it is transplanted into a pot for growing on a balcony or street.

Petunia is a light-loving plant. For it to bloom, it is planted in the sunniest part of the garden.

1 day before planting in open ground, seedlings are watered and fed with Kornevin. This helps it settle down faster after being transplanted to a permanent place.

The bushes are planted in open ground without deepening the root collar. Then water, spending 3-4 liters of water per 1 m². The distance between bushes should be at least 15 cm.

If you plan to collect seeds, different varieties are planted as far apart as possible. Otherwise, cross-pollination will occur.

With proper nutrition, petunia blooms from late spring until the first frost. If you move it indoors before frost sets in, flowering will continue throughout the winter. Next, we will tell you how to care for petunia so that it blooms profusely.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the information indicated on the packaging. The manufacturer has already taken care and identified the optimal time for the procedure

Also, in different regions the procedure is carried out at different times: in Siberia, the Urals, in the Leningrad region - approximately in the second half of March and the first half of April, in the South (Krasnodar Territory) - in early February, in the middle zone - approximately in mid-February.

Every gardener looks forward to the desired moment for any gardener - transplantation into open ground. But when should you replant petunia seedlings? The best time to plant plants is from the second half of May to mid-June.

It is very important to harden off the seedlings before transplanting them. For hardening, seedlings should be taken out into the open air, gradually increasing the time they spend outside (starting in a short period of time)

When transplanting petunia seedlings into open ground in a flowerbed, you should adhere to the following scheme:

First of all, you should choose a location. To plant in open ground, you need to choose an area that is well lit and has fertile soil (preferably loamy). If the soil is not fertile, then it is advisable to apply fertilizers.
Then you should water the plants abundantly and plant the petunia seedlings in the holes using the transshipment method.
Planting should be done taking into account the optimal distance. When planting, it is necessary to take into account the distance between seedlings - approximately 20 to 30 centimeters. The depth of the planting hole must be at least ten centimeters.
It is recommended to protect young plants in the flowerbed with mulching material (peat, humus).

If you have seedlings of a hanging variety and you plan to transplant them into a cache-pot, pot or any other container, then you should know some features:

You should choose a large container that has drainage holes. It is recommended to pour drainage material approximately three centimeters thick at the bottom of the pot or cache-pot. The soil for the pot can be used the same as when growing seedlings. It is also necessary to replant using a transshipment method, without breaking the earthen clod with rhizomes.

The plant should be moved carefully so as not to damage the roots.

Fir

The most important thing is to prevent the effect of direct sunlight on a fir bath product. The sun makes the branches dry, and the fir broom loses its beneficial and aromatic qualities. The needles become orange-gray in color, and the leaves begin to fall off.

The effect of high humidity also affects the needles, making them dark in color. The needles wrinkle and fall off. Therefore, the collection of fir branches is carried out in warm, non-rainy weather, at the moment the dew disappears.

It should be stored in a dark, ventilated and dry place.

On a note

If you decide to try fir, you should know some nuances. Fir oil has a negative effect on the skin if it has fresh abrasions or damaged blood vessels. On an open wound, fir oil increases its pain.

An allergic reaction may occur, accompanied by itching. Therefore, you need to monitor your well-being. Pregnant women should avoid fir.

Now you know how to properly steam a fir bath broom. You know how to dry and store it so that it does not lose its medicinal properties. Follow all the recommendations and let the bathhouse become a pleasant procedure for you, aimed at improving the health of the whole body.

Eucalyptus

Before storage, the eucalyptus broom must be dried. Drying it is done in the same way as with other types of brooms. For this purpose, choose a dark, ventilated place where there is no direct sunlight and high temperature.

The branches need to be tied, create a handle and hang them from the ceiling or on the wall of the room. When choosing the second option, it is necessary to constantly turn the products over to ensure even drying and to eliminate the possibility of rotting.

Eucalyptus must be stored very carefully, as its branches are characterized by increased fragility and brittleness. The best storage location would be an inaccessible, lockable room.

Precautions for use

As a rule, eucalyptus does not have a pronounced negative effect on the body. But in order to avoid various problems, you should always follow the recommendations and ensure that the use occurs in accordance with the recommended doses. You can always read on the packaging about how to brew decoctions from eucalyptus leaves and make various infusions for lotions from them, if the product was purchased at a pharmacy.

When used externally, do not forget about the always possible individual intolerance and possible allergic reactions. They can manifest themselves in redness and itching in the places where lotions were applied.

Quite interesting and worthy of attention is the fact that eucalyptus leaves do not have any therapeutic effect when consumed internally in people who have nephritis.

Despite its rather mild effect, eucalyptus leaf still has its contraindications for use. These include severe damage to the liver and kidneys. These drugs are not prescribed to children under 2 years of age.

For pregnant women, it is recommended that they take the plant in consultation with their doctor.

Eucalyptus leaves are not used for severe liver and kidney diseases, as well as for children under 2 years of age.

Birch

A warm sunny day is used to harvest birch branches. If the humidity is high during harvesting, the leaves will rot, darken and curl, and eventually fall off.

Knitted products must be dried in a dark, well-ventilated place. An attic, barn, or balcony are suitable for this. Hanging dry.

Storage is carried out in dark places. The sun's rays negatively affect any broom, causing yellowing of the leaves and loss of aroma.

You can also store them in a box with holes for air circulation. The products are placed in a box and stored in a cool place away from sunlight.

For city residents, storing bath brooms on the balcony is popular. They are tied to a rope near the ceiling.

Features of collecting branches

Fir is an evergreen flowering plant, so collecting branches from the tree is not at all a problem. The main thing is to find her. She loves fertile soil, fresh air and grows mainly in the eastern regions of the Russian Federation. Preparing a fir broom begins with collecting branches. You need to choose and cut them correctly.

Follow the recommendations of experienced users.

Choose trees that grow as far as possible from roads and industrial enterprises.
For a bath broom you need to choose young, flexible and fragrant branches. Therefore, they must be collected in May before the onset of summer. It is during this short period that the fir branches meet all the requirements.
It is advisable to choose a sunny day for harvesting and cutting branches.
You need to cut the branches exclusively with sharp pruning shears so that the cut is even.
Choose straight, even branches so that the broom ends up flat.
The length of each cut branch should be within 50 centimeters.