Infuse the dried stems in simmering water for about ten minutes, covered. This preparation, taken in short courses, was the most common form in traditional uses. It is advisable to seek professional advice before any course of treatment, particularly regarding duration. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
Gently boil the dried stems for about fifteen minutes, then allow to cool before soaking a compress or preparing a hand or foot bath. This external application was favored for the skin and tired joints. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
The root, more rarely used, was dried then ground into powder to be incorporated into local preparations. Its use being less documented than that of the stem, caution and professional advice are recommended before any use. Dosage must be validated with a healthcare professional or recognized pharmacopoeia before use.
Field horsetail can be found wild in damp meadows, ditches, and roadsides throughout Europe, as well as dried in herbalist shops and pharmacies in tea or capsule form.
Sterile stems are traditionally harvested from late spring to early summer, before their natural drying.