| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Jul 14 2008 : 10:46:11 AM
I'm going to try making this for the first time. I'm seeing lots of intructions on the internet, and I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping someone who's done it before can clear up for me.
Most of the instructions say to pick 3 cups of fresh calendula flowers and steep them in 1 cup of olive or almond oil. But a few say to use 1/2 cup of dried calendula flowers with 1/4 cup of oil.
My questions are:
1) Fresh or dried, which is best? I have only 5 or six plants, so it would be great if I could pick a few flowers at a time and dry them to use all at once.
2) Why such a discrepancy in the proportions (fresh v. dried)? Are the instructions correct, from your experience?
3) When they say "flowers", do they mean just the petals? Or should I be using the flowers whole, or crushing up the center portion as well as tearing off the petals?
Sorry to be so picky, but obviously I don't have enough plants in my little garden to afford making mistakes. I would appreciate any other tips you might have to share as well. Thanks! |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Oct 27 2008 : 09:16:30 AM
Well, this is just a report back on what I ended up with:
I saved dried calendula petals all summer and then followed a combination of techniques to infuse the oil. I did some of what Kay suggested with the jar and saucepan of hot water. I also found another similar technique on the internet: put the jar inside a covered casserole dish, heat the oven to 200 degrees, then turn off the heat, and let the casserole dish sit in the oven until it has cooled completely.
I did these two things for most of the day, and then I started blending the beeswax into the warm oil. I was a little worried about putting too much in, but I just kept putting in a few slivers at a time until it looked right to me. The salve is a good consistency. It's firm, but easy to get out of the jar.
My flowers gave me enough petals to produce two little jelly jars of salve. I am not positive that the petals actually gave much of their essence to the oil. I don't smell calendula, and I didn't see any change in color. However, I've used the salve on small scratches and sores, and it really seems to help them heal.
I persuaded my husband to try some on his extremely chapped hands (he does a lot of mechanic type stuff outdoors). He was skeptical, but it worked really well and now he's a total convert. So I'm afraid my two little jars aren't going to last very long.
Guess I'd better start looking for a source of salve, or calendula oil for sale to make more! |
| debaccuardi |
Posted - Sep 10 2008 : 08:15:00 AM
My massage therapist was over and saw that I had was drying calendula for salve. She suggested adding in "Old Man's Beard" moss for an antibiotic addition. She uses it in massage oil she makes. It is the pale green moss you see hanging in long strands off tree branches. It is a sign that there is lots of oxygen in that area:) Of course be very gentle in your harvesting of any moss or lichen (i.e. just take a bit). I have a batch steeping in oil now. I add beeswax after I strain. I have seen recipes that call for powdered, but this has always worked great for me.
http://debaccuardi.typepad.com |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Aug 01 2008 : 07:04:59 AM
Nope, everything I saw called for beeswax. Which was good for me because I've got some already. |
| Bellepepper |
Posted - Jul 31 2008 : 1:53:09 PM
I made the mistake of using fresh from the garden herbs in olive oil. In a week or so, I had to pour out about $30 worth of olive oil. The herbs got all fuzzy looking. Was pretty sure it was bacteria or worse. Out it went. When I made calendula salve (haven't done so for a long time), I dried the flowers first. Thanks for reminding me. Think I'll make some salve. Will have to look up my recipe. It call for parafin. Does yours? |
| graciegreeneyes |
Posted - Jul 27 2008 : 09:56:20 AM
I don't know anything about making the stuff but I bought some when my son was in diapers (14 years ago!!) and man, it is like magic. It would clear up diaper rash almost instantly
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Jul 25 2008 : 9:45:44 PM
Amie - you should be ok as long as you let the flowers you pick dry for a day or so. Just to make sure there is not dew or moisture on them. I forgot to mention that you can infuse in the sun too. Some people put their jar in a brown paper bag for doing that.
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PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Jul 25 2008 : 06:04:03 AM
Thanks for the specifics, Kay. None of the instructions I saw online mentioned the bacteria issue. Unfortunately, I started right away with some fresh flowers straight from the garden. My plan was to start with what I had and keep adding fresh petals every couple of days as the flowers came into bloom. Then let the jar sit in the sun for two weeks after the last day I added petals. I'll have to watch carefully for any mold growing, I guess.
I think I'll let that plan continue, but I'll dry half of the flowers I pick and try your method at the end of the season. Assuming that I get successful salve from both batches, I'll be sure to use the fresh-flower batch only as a moisturizer and not on any broken skin (in case of bacteria). |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Jul 25 2008 : 12:13:39 AM
I would recommend using dried calendula. That way you can be sure there is no moisture whatsoever. If there is any moisture it could cause bacteria and mold to go grow in the infused oil. I just grab a handful and put in a pint jar loosely. I pour in enough olive oil to cover the calendula, put a lid loosely on the jar, then put in a saucepan of water. I heat the water to where it is just starting to get bubbles then turn off. When it starts to cool I turn back on, heat again, turn off, etc for 24 hours. You don't want to heat the oil above 150 degrees because it could damage the properties of the calendula. After 24 hours I strain through cheesecloth into a clean sterilized jar. Let sit for a day and then strain again into a clean sterilized jar to make sure to get any sediment out of the oil. Label with the date and store in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
You can do this with any herb. I have some kind of oil going all the time.
Hope this helps!
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The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
| Moonsanity |
Posted - Jul 24 2008 : 5:18:42 PM
Yep, I know you are suppose to use just petals-- dried is fine from what I've read. I want to do this too, so can you let me know what you end up doing?
~Brenda, Farmgirl Sister #207
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http://inthetreetop.blogspot.com/ |
| emsmommy5 |
Posted - Jul 18 2008 : 9:06:06 PM
It takes more fresh flowers to make up the same amount of dried ones because the fresh still have that extra water in them. If you dehydrate the flowers a few at the time and then make the salve all at once, that would work just fine. Besides, if you pick the flowers just before they are "done" the plant will make more! I just dry the whole flower head and pick off the petals when they are done and store them. I don't use the whole flower in my recipes, just petals, dried or fresh.
The recipe you have above looks pretty proportionate to me. I have to make some healing salve this weekend. Our burned son used up the last of mine while I was gone this week and then his sister went and got a whopping sun burn and no burn salve left to spare!!
Farmgirl #208
What are you doing with your dash? |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Jul 14 2008 : 2:18:56 PM
InMaryJanes latest mag. issue there is a recipe for Calendula Balm. I would try that one above all others. This recipe uses dried petals. GO!! mb
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"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
