Powders

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

Powders are simply the ground/powdered form of dried plant part or parts. If you ground up dried ginger root it becomes ginger powder. Powders are utilized to introduce the healing property of the plant through sprinkling on to food, in cooking, adding spice to beverages. Store bought spice would be considered a powder. Powders are also utilized in the preparation of other remedies, i.e. Poultices

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Compresses and Poultices

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

Compresses are soaked external dressings, hot or cold: A piece of cloth (traditionally linen or muslin) is allowed to soak in an infusion or decoction, to be applied to the affected area and held in place with bandages.

Poultices are hot external applications of a prepared paste or pulp. The boiled fresh parts of a plant or a paste mix of hot water and powder/spice/ground part of a healing plant, is applied direct to the skin/affected area. Utilized to draw out impurities; abscesses, pus, stings, splinters etc.. The crushed parts of a plant can be applied cold as a poultice too.

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Infused Oil, Oil Lotions / Liniments

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

An oil lotion or a liniment is basically an infused oil used as a stimulating rub or healing lubricant. There are two varieties: cold infused (flower and soft herb); and hot infused (spices, hard herbs like rosemary and thyme and also for root and bark remedies).

To prepare a cold infused liniment simply allow the healing herb to infuse in olive oil for a period of 5-7 weeks, then strain oil for use through a muslin cloth. Ingredient ratio is usually two tablespoons of herb to each cup of oil.

To prepare a hot-infused oil (½ pint or 250ml): Gather approx 75g of the dried herb or spice required for the remedy (a higher quantity for fresh plant constituents), and place ½ in a heatable container filled with all the oil (250ml of pure vegetable oil), then place in a basin or bowl of hot water. Direct hob heat or cooking of the oil will diminish its healing properties so we allow our infusion to heat naturally in this warm bath for around two hours adding boiling water occasionally to keep the hot bath hot. After two hours the oil should have absorbed the healing properties of the herb or plant part and altered colour; strain the oil from the herb/parts into a second container. To this second container we now add the other ½ of our herbs and place it in our hot basin for two further hours repeating the heating process. Finally we strain the oil a second time into storage receptacles and label accordingly, ready for use while still warm or over the coming weeks when cooled.

Cold infused oils, with an edible base like olive oil, can be used in cooking or as a salad dressing. These oils are absorption essences, they absorb and later disperse with use the healing energy of the herb.

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Ointments, Salves and Creams

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

To prepare an Ointment firstly make a pint or 500-600mll decoction or infusion (depending on nature of herb or healing constituent, bark needs more boiling time, flowers can be infused easily) of the remedy herb(s), strain the liquid for use. Mix approx 90ml or 3floz of a pure vegetable type oil (olive, sunflower etc.) in a heated pot or saucepan with around 2-3 oz or 60-90g of non perishable fat, add strained liquid and stir in, simmer until water evaporates cool and store in a suitable container suitably labeled. Some practitioners add a little natural beeswax (not the furniture polish) at the simmering stage to thicken or stiffen the ointment.

Creams can be made in two ways. First make an ointment potion then slowly melt in cocoa butter at the cooling stage and allow to cool and set.

The second is much simpler- here we simply add several drops of essential oil(s) to a neutral Base cream (non-perfumed) like Silcocks base.

For a Salve make a liniment potion to the 2nd strained stage then add 1 portion of natural beeswax (not polish variety) to every 5-10 portion/parts of oil (depending on thickness required), melt and blend together, cool and set

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Teas, Tisanes and Infusions

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

Teas and Infusions are basically the same thing; boiling water is added to a small portion of dried herb or fresh leaf or flower of a healing plant and allowed to infuse for 10-30 minutes. Then strained, after which the liquid infusion or tea can be drunk hot or cold. The ingredient ratios vary according to remedy but usually the average would be a teaspoon to a cup. Teas are usually infused for less time.

Tisanes are the mild middle of both tea and infusion; they are not as strong or infused as long; the teabag herbal teas would be tisanes, less of a brew than tealeaf but no less healing.

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Decoctions and Syrups

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

A decoction is a sort of liquid soup, strained from the boiled parts of a healing plant. Several parts of a plant can be used (twigs, roots, berries and leaves and flowers) and up to several plants in a decoction depending on the remedy recipe.

The ingredient ratio of herb to liquid is usually 1oz to 1pt or 25-30g to 500-600ml. Boil parts then simmer for twenty minutes (avoid aluminum pots/saucepans), strain and allow to cool; only the strained liquid is used. Decoctions can be sweetened with a little brown sugar, molasses or honey. Some decoctions are mixed with larger quantities of honey or a molasses to make Syrup.

Decoctions and syrups can be refrigerated. Most decoctions will keep for three days.

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Tinctures

Posted on May 7, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

Tinctures are alcohol-based remedies for oral consumption. A Tincture is as much a dosage as it is a preparation; usually 10-20 drops of a Mother tincture diluted in a glass of spring/mineral water.

To make a Mother tincture using an airtight jar or container: Soak for a period of two weeks, fresh, dried or powdered plant parts in alcohol (traditionally brandy or a potin/vodka type spirit, herb to alcohol ratio is usually 1oz to 1pt or 25-30g to 500-600ml), strain liquid and store in an airtight dark glass bottle in dry press.

Premade tinctures are readily available from your local health store.

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if the aim is true, the arrows will find target

Posted on May 6, 2013 by The Holistic Gardener

The purpose of this blog is to give expression to the full potential living that tending a garden gifts –  to look at it from a holistic viewpoint and to participate with it on physical and spiritual wavelengths.

I will write about how it heals and nourishes mind, body and spirit and how we can heal and nourish it in return.

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