You are probably already thinking that you don't have time to make a healing salve. I thought that too! Which is why it took me a few years before I made my first batch. But making your own salve is so rewarding and simple that I wanted to share this recipe with you.
Also, I didn't do this all in one day. Making medicine is to slow down and move with the seasons. Taking little steps makes it easy and doable. Most steps took less than five minutes!
So why did I choose Calendula? It's easy to grow, has great medical qualities, and is safe to use for everyone in the family.
This Sunny flower is a hardy annual that easily reseeds itself. It will keep blooming all summer long especially if you pick the blooms and flowers for medicine and eating in salads. Make sure to let some go to seed so it can reseed and you won't have to plant again.
I started my my Calendula patch a few years ago and I haven't had to replant it. I just enjoy the bright orange flowers.
Calendula does best in full sun with occasional watering, however, last summer I needed to water my patch more often because of the drought.
The blossoms are ready to pick for a healing salve when they are sticky with resin, I pick them right as the buds are opening or just open. The resin has many antifungal properties, so getting sticky fingers while picking is good.
Calendula flowers are powerful in healing wounds by promoting cell repair and growth. They are also noted as having antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties making Calendula a common ingredient in creams, salves, and ointments.
Information and recipe is from Rosemary Gladstar's book Medicinal Herbs, A Beginners Guide.
Ingredients:
Calendula Flowers
Olive oil
1/4 cup Beeswax
4-6 drops of Lavender essential oil
Pinch of Turmeric root powder
quart jars and smaller jars
cheesecloth
Step 1: Plant Calendula. If this is all you do, you will enjoy the happy bright flowers.
Step 2: Pick the Calendula flowers just as they are opening and on a sunny day. Your fingers should get sticky from the flowers. Picking on a sunny day brings more nutrients up into the flowers. I spread the freshly picked flowers on a towel to let the bugs leave the flowers and for the flowers to dry out a little or you can let it dry all the way too.
Step 3: Fill a quart jar 3/4 full of the Calendula flowers. Fill the jar with olive oil(organic) covering herbs and leaving 1 inch from the top of the jar.
Step 4: Put in a warm, sunny spot and let herbs infuse for 3-4 weeks. Shake daily if you remember.
Step 5: Strain herbs through a cheesecloth into another jar and squeeze all the oil from the calendula flowers. You can leave and use the oil as a massage oil or you can make the salve in step 6.
Step 6: This step probably takes the longest.
Warm 1 cup of Calendula oil over very low heat.
Add most of the beeswax.
Once the beeswax is melted-put a tablespoon in the freezer to cool and see if you like the consistency of the salve-for firmer salve add the rest of the beeswax, thinner salve add more Calendula oil.
When you have the consistency that you like add the Lavender essential oil and Turmeric Root powder.
Pour into small jars. Let cool then put lids on. Store in a cool dark location where it will keep at least 1 year.
Enjoy your healing Calendula salve topically to treat skin rashes, wounds, cuts, diaper rash, or cradle cap by gently massaging it into the area.