Autumn is slipping away and I'm still back in July. With the time change, shorter days and the holidays just around the corner, I won't be able stay there much longer but harvesting my Calendula lets me play a bit longer. Yesterday I harvested Calendula seeds. Yes, I'm already making plans for my garden next Spring.
A couple of weeks ago I posted about harvesting some of my Calendula to learn how to make my own homemade infused Calendula oil with flowers and herbs from my garden. This is my first attempt. I want to use to oil to make my own salve/cream.
All that's needed to make Calendula Oil is: Calendula blossoms, clean jar with lid, scissors (optional) and Olive Oil (or oil of your choice: sunflower oil, almond oil--I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it's a pure plant oil and has a longer shelf life at room temperature). This experiment is the "Cold Infusion" method:
Step 1 Pick the new, just in their peak, clean blossoms in the morning AFTER the dew has evaporated and it isn't too warm. They're freshest then. Pinch off or cut off the stems so just the blossom tops remain.
Step 2 Put the blossoms in a clean, dry jar.
Step 3 Pour Olive Oil over the blossom so they are completely submerged. Securely tighten the lid, label and date, store in a warm place 4 to 6 weeks.
Now the waiting begins. They'll gradually shrink and release their wonderful antibacterial, anti-viral and antioxidant properties into the oil. Soon the oil will be ready for the next step.
A bit of History:
Linnaeus assigned a narrower limit to the expansion of its flowers, observing that they are open from nine in the morning till three in the afternoon. This regular expansion and closing of the flowers attracted early notice, and hence the plant acquired the names of solsequia and solis sponsa.
There is an allusion to this peculiarity in the poems of Rowley:
'The Mary-budde that shooteth (shutteth) with the light.'
the above from: A Modern Herbal
Disclaimer: I am not a certified medical or herbalist professional of any kind and I am not qualified to give any one medical advice. My goal is merely sharing my interests and life; hoping it will perhaps inspire some one else in the beauty of the created natural world and the "Hidden Homemaking Arts" - not to consult any one on medical or herbal treatment.
A couple of weeks ago I posted about harvesting some of my Calendula to learn how to make my own homemade infused Calendula oil with flowers and herbs from my garden. This is my first attempt. I want to use to oil to make my own salve/cream.
All that's needed to make Calendula Oil is: Calendula blossoms, clean jar with lid, scissors (optional) and Olive Oil (or oil of your choice: sunflower oil, almond oil--I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it's a pure plant oil and has a longer shelf life at room temperature). This experiment is the "Cold Infusion" method:
Step 1 Pick the new, just in their peak, clean blossoms in the morning AFTER the dew has evaporated and it isn't too warm. They're freshest then. Pinch off or cut off the stems so just the blossom tops remain.
Step 2 Put the blossoms in a clean, dry jar.
Step 3 Pour Olive Oil over the blossom so they are completely submerged. Securely tighten the lid, label and date, store in a warm place 4 to 6 weeks.
Now the waiting begins. They'll gradually shrink and release their wonderful antibacterial, anti-viral and antioxidant properties into the oil. Soon the oil will be ready for the next step.
A bit of History:
Linnaeus assigned a narrower limit to the expansion of its flowers, observing that they are open from nine in the morning till three in the afternoon. This regular expansion and closing of the flowers attracted early notice, and hence the plant acquired the names of solsequia and solis sponsa.
There is an allusion to this peculiarity in the poems of Rowley:
'The Mary-budde that shooteth (shutteth) with the light.'
the above from: A Modern Herbal
Disclaimer: I am not a certified medical or herbalist professional of any kind and I am not qualified to give any one medical advice. My goal is merely sharing my interests and life; hoping it will perhaps inspire some one else in the beauty of the created natural world and the "Hidden Homemaking Arts" - not to consult any one on medical or herbal treatment.
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