Saving calendula flowers - now what?

[curly_kate]

I have been saving and drying my calendula flowers to use in home remedies. So how do I use them?

 

[dragonlaurel]

It's usually used in skin ointments. I don't know the proportions, but a bit of olive oil and beeswax, or even honey should work with it.

 

[calendula]

Hi curly_kate, I grow calendula too, and I like to make infused oil and salve/ointment with it. I also use it to make a tincture. I posted a couple recipes in this thread a while back: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=9955

ETA: You can also make an infusion (tea) with them, that is soothing on the skin, works great for sunburn, bug bites, and rashes. Or mash some of the petals and use as a poultice for wounds and other skin irritiations. You can drink the tea for diarrhea and stomach upsets, but you will probably want to add some other herbs with it if you're drinking it, like peppermint and catnip, to improve the taste.

 

[Chefmom]

I make infused calendula oil and then use that in either soap or a salve with a little cocoa butter and beeswax. I also make an all purpose healing infusion with witch hazel. I gather calendula, yarrow blossom and plaintain leaves and steep them for several months in witch hazel that I buy in my market. I use this on any scratch, bug bite, sore, zits etc. I make two pints per year and between sharing it with family and overall use, I use it all in a year.

Tami

 

[Lady Henevere]

A blog I follow recently did a short series on calendula. Here are a couple of posts:
http://www.rootsimple.com/2011/07/how-to-make-calendula-oil-infusion.html?m=1
http://www.rootsimple.com/2011/07/making-salves-lip-balms-etc-close-of.html?m=1

 

[curly_kate]

Right now, I have the dried petals steeping in about 1/2 of sweet almond oil. I put in together on Sat & the oil has taken on a pretty orange color already.

 

[Brooke Kilby]

I made an infused oil with the calendula and have used it as a massage oil. Works wonders for the entire body!

 

[She-Shane]

I make calendula salve! It cured my nephew`s eczema. I also use it when my daughter gets rashes, and you can use it as a lip balm, and as a topical ointment for cuts, scrapes, and burns.

Just take a big handful of calendula heads or just petals and put in a pint mason jar, fill with olive oil, any kind. Place cheesecloth over the top and screw just the screw lid on, without the lid top. Sit in a windowsill in the sun for a couple of weeks to infuse the oil. When it`s ready I just pour the oil straight out of the jar, the cheesecloth eliminates the need for a strainer. Just melt 3 tbsp beeswax in a double boiler or microwave (I put a pyrex measuring cup in a saucepan of boiling water on medium heat). Once the beeswax is melted, remove from heat and add 1 cup of the calendula infused oil. Stir well and pour into any container. If the beeswax starts to cool when you pour the oil in, just reheat it a little and stir.

At this time you can add a couple capsules of vitamin e if you want. Sometimes i`ll add about 15 drops of lavender oil and/or some tea tree oil. But, just the beeswax and olive oil are fine by themselves.

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds lovely! I read about a similar mix that a lady was using when she milked her goats. Said she hasn't had a case of mastitis since using this ointment with each milking. Said her hands have never been so soft, either...

 

[hqueen13]

Something else I need to grown and learn about..... LOL
Just add it to the list...