Corn Silk Tea

How do you process cornsilks for tea? Do you pick them dry or get them at a certain stage? I was wanting to make my own corn silk tea. My husband farms and thought we might try some corn silks.

Corn silk is used medicinally for its diuretic properties for the treatment of urinary problems. It is recommended as "an effective and harmless dieting food" according to John Lust's "The Herb Book" (available from Richters). The tea is also used as an enema.
According to Lust, if the corn silk is kept too long without being completely dried it develops purgative properties. Lust does not explain why that happens.
Corn silk can be used fresh or dried. To harvest, simply gather the silk when the corn is ripe and dry. In view of Lust's claim that the silk will develop purgative properties, it is important to make sure that the silk is dried completely before storage.