Calendula harvesting and drying

[Theresa GwiazdaStudent]

Can someone please tell me if you have to remove the pedals from the rest of the flower head before drying calendula?

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Jessica Stubbs

[JoelleStudent]

I have dried calendula and it is the entire head with petals all dried together. I know Doc says that the middle of the flower is more medicinally potent than the petals, but he doesn’t say anything about removing the petals. Now, for dehydrating purposes, it may be easier to dry the petals separately from the thicker centers and then combine them after they are all dried.

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Michaella Taliercio, Mariel D, Anna Meadows, Theresa Gwiazda

[Jorie StrobelStudent]

Thanks for the information. I am new to the school and also wondered the same thing. I dried and saved my pedals, but gave the flower heads to the chickens. I don’t know if they enjoyed it though. 😉

[Greg BoggsStudent]

I was at a herb store and they sold a bag of calendula petals, I’m not sure why. My calendula has produced wonderfully and I just take the whole head off and dry it. They really are an amazing little flower!

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Jan Chalgren, Theresa Gwiazda

[Teresa BreedenStudent]

I’ve always used the whole flower and used them to infuse oil for salves.

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Lisa Derksen

[Anna MeadowsStudent]

I typically dry the whole head at a time. That way I can pick and choose what parts I want to use later!

 

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Lisa Derksen

[Connie SchraderStudent]

My flowers are full of tiny bugs.  How How have you eliminated them?

[Theresa GwiazdaStudentTopic Author]

You can soak them in a bowl full of water with a splash of vinegar in it for 5-10 min. for any plants with bugs.

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Jan Chalgren, Jorie Strobel, susan freeman, Greg Boggs

[Greg BoggsStudent]

I’ve just shaken the heads after I pull them off and that usually gets rid of most of them. I guess if I really wanted to kill them all, your water and vinegar idea would work great

[JoelleStudent]

Also, a touch of salt in water helps little critters realize they aren’t salt water fish!

[Rene GroomStudent]

Yep, I use the whole flower too.

Rene Groom
Wild Mare Herbs
Rene.Groom@writeme.com

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Lisa Derksen

[Author]

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