There's no single best way of preparing an herb. Many factors are involved: do you want the water-soluble fraction, the oil-soluble fraction, or both? How good does it taste? How quickly will you use it up? Does it need to be portable? Are you in a hurry? (If you have a headache now, you don't want to wait two weeks for a tincture.) Is it for internal or external use? Is your herb supply fresh or dried?
Fresh herbs are considered better for most purposes, if they are available. Dried herbs may be preferred if spoilage during preparation is a problem (e.g. for weak tinctures such as skin toners or hair rinses.) In drying, an herb loses about 2/3 of its volume, but also 2/3 of its potency, so quantities of fresh vs. dried herbs in a recipe are usually the same.
For most herbs, measuring by volume is sufficient. Where more precise dosage is important, get a postage scale and weigh your herbs.
Use chemically inert containers and tools (glass, enamel, or teflon pans rather than metal) and pure ingredients (distilled or filtered water rather than tap or spring water; fresh cooking oil rather than bacon drippings). Store the products in clean containers labelled with the contents and date of manufacture. Keep records of every herbal preparation you make; note any variable that might be significant. What worked and what didn't? Why didn't this batch keep as long in the fridge as the last one did? Did using green beeswax make the ointment look pleasant, or ugly? You can learn something from even the worst flops.
Infusion: Crush but do not powder leafy herbs. Pour a measured quantity of boiling water over a measured quantity of herb. Steep covered for ten to twenty minutes, then strain. Extracts water-soluble fraction from leafy herbs. Keeps in refrigerator for two to six days.
Cold extract / cold infusion: Crush but do not powder leafy herbs. Chop up roots or woody herbs if possible. Pour a measured quantity of cold water over a measured quantity of herb. Stir or shake to mix. Cover. Soak at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours (longer if herb is woody rather than leafy). Shake or stir occasionally. Strain.
Extracts water-soluble fraction. Especially useful when active component is heat-sensitive. Keeps in refrigerator for two or three days.
Decoction: Crush but do not powder leafy herbs. Chop up roots or woody herbs if possible. Add measured quantity of herbs to measured quantity of boiling water; simmer covered for 20 minutes. Strain.
Extracts water-soluble fraction and some of oil-soluble fraction from leafy or woody herbs. Keeps in refrigerator for two to six days.
Capsule: Pack measured quantity of dried powdered herb into appropriate size of commercially available gelatin capsule. Slide other half of capsule into position.
Delivers whole herb without having to taste it. Keeps a year or longer.
Pill: Dissolve a little gum arabic or unflavoured gelatin in enough warm water to make a thick syrup. Add to measured quantity of dried powdered herb a little at a time, until you get a thick claylike texture. Don't make it too runny. Form into small balls; the number of balls should be some multiple of the number of doses in this quantity of herb. Press balls flat with knife blade or fingertip. Spread on mesh screen or wax paper to dry.
Same benefits as capsules; cheaper but more labour-intensive to make.
Tincture:
Dried herb: Fill tincturing bottle about 40% full with herb. Add enough ethyl alcohol (50% alcohol preferred; 40% is acceptable) to cover. Cap tightly and shake. As herb absorbs fluid during the first few hours, shake frequently and add more alcohol as necessary to cover herb. Shake twice daily for two weeks to a month. Strain, squeezing pulp to extract as much liquid as possible.
Fresh herb: Fill tincturing bottle with herb. Add enough ethyl alcohol (50% alcohol or stronger) to cover. Cap tightly. Shake twice daily for two weeks to a month. Strain, squeezing pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Store in brown glass dropper bottles.
Extracts oil-soluble and water-soluble components. Keeps six months to a year.
If you cannot use alcohol even in these tiny quantities, tinctures of dried herbs can be made with vinegar (extracts oil-soluble and water-soluble fractions) or oil (extracts oil-soluble fraction only). These are less efficient than alcohol, and may need more time. If you want a stronger tincture, add more herb to the finished product and repeat the cycle. You will lose some volume on each cycle, so start with a larger volume of materials.
Syrup: To make sugar syrup base: Add measured quantity of white sugar to measured quantity of water. Heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Use at once, or store indefinitely until needed.
Honey or maple sugar can also be used as syrup bases.
To syrup base, add measured quantity of herbal infusion, decoction, or tincture. Correct volume by adding water if necessary.
Things to remember when planning quantities: The finished syrup will keep for six months to a year if the sugar content is 50% or higher. Otherwise, it will ferment within a couple of weeks. Start with a syrup that is stronger than 50%, so that there is room to add the medicinal ingredients.
The concentration of medicinal ingredients should be such that a single dose of the syrup is between one teaspoonful and three tablespoonsful.
Ointment: Use any fat or oil as a base. Warm over low heat in a saucepan or skillet. Add grated beeswax as a thickener and preservative. (How much beeswax? That depends on what kind of oil you started with, and how firm you want the ointment. Don't make it too stiff if it is to be rubbed onto burns or cuts.)
For fresh or dried herbs: Once beeswax is melted, stir in measured quantity of herbs. Heat, stirring frequently, until herb softens. Do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain through cheesecloth or sieve, squeezing pulp to extract as much ointment as possible. Stir. Pour into jars before the mixture congeals.
For tinctured herbs: Once beeswax is melted, remove from heat. Stir in tincture. Pour into jars before mixture congeals.
Poultice: Pour a little hot water into bowl of dried herbs to form a thick paste. Or heat fresh herbs in a little water until soft; do not bring to a boil. Let cool until it is not painful to the touch (if the injury is a burn, cool to room temperature or lower), wrap in cloth, and place on affected area.
As an alternative, dip a clean cloth in a strong infusion or decoction of appropriate herbs, wring out just enough that it will not drip, and place on affected area.
The pulp remaining in the cheesecloth or strainer after making an ointment, decoction, or infusion also makes an excellent poultice.
Skin tonic or hair rinse: Add eight parts water to one part apple cider vinegar. Add infusion or tincture of appropriate herbs, or steep dried herbs in mixture for up to two weeks. Don't steep fresh herbs; they'll ferment. Strain out herbs. Bottle liquid.
After shave: To commercial witch hazel, or an isopropyl-water mix, add witch hazel leaf or some other herb containing tannin (to restore the tannin removed by distillation) and whatever other herbs seem appropriate for skin care and scent. Steep for two weeks, then strain and bottle. Or prepare the herbs as a tincture, then add to the commercial witch hazel base and bottle immediately.
Showing posts with label Gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gardening. Show all posts
Coffee Tree??
Its flowers are very fragrant!
Buy green coffee beans at a gourmet food or kitchen store. DO NOT USE ROASTED BEANS! The beans will sprout in 10 to 14 days. Keep the soil evenly moist. Dry soil will cause the tips and edges of the leaves to turn brown. Give it some sun, such as in an east window, or back a few feet from a southern exposure. When it is young, repot it yearly, moving it to a container that is one to two inches larger, until it is in an 8- to 10-inch pot. Thereafter, top-dress it each year (remove the top one to two inches of soil and replace with fresh soil).
Buy green coffee beans at a gourmet food or kitchen store. DO NOT USE ROASTED BEANS! The beans will sprout in 10 to 14 days. Keep the soil evenly moist. Dry soil will cause the tips and edges of the leaves to turn brown. Give it some sun, such as in an east window, or back a few feet from a southern exposure. When it is young, repot it yearly, moving it to a container that is one to two inches larger, until it is in an 8- to 10-inch pot. Thereafter, top-dress it each year (remove the top one to two inches of soil and replace with fresh soil).
Raised Planters
An oft-cited principle regarding construction in crowded areas is, if you can't build out, you have to build up. That same principle is, in part, the inspiration behind this project for landscaping small yards. Building raised beds in a "bench" style gives you a planting bed on top and a storage area below. I cite other advantages of building raised beds in this style on the next page of the tutorial. But first, let's go shopping!
Measurements and Buying Lumber for the Raised Bed
The raised bed in this project stands 3' tall. But much of that height comes from the supporting legs. The planting bed itself has a depth of 14". The raised bed is 5' long x 19 1/4 wide.
We went to a discount store for our lumber. Beyond needing 2 x 4s for framing, dimensions weren't important to us; we were shopping for price, and any boards with a 1" thickness (for the sides and bottom, and for the bottom shelf) would have been fine. We ended up with a mixture of widths: 1x3.5 and 1x6. That's just what happenned to be in the "sale" bin. As you build your own raised bed, adjust your measurements accordingly, depending on the widths of your own lumber.
Here's an approximation of the lumber that our project required, in terms of board feet:
39 board feet of 2x4s
6 board feet of 1x6s
50 board feet of 1x3.5s
Another advantage of the "bench" style of raised beds is that they're high enough to eliminate bending over altogether while you garden, a point that won't be lost on those who suffer from bad backs. In addition, installing a caster on each leg of the raised bed makes it portable.
But the benefits of this style of raised bed don't stop there. Many of us landscaping for small spaces live in the city, also known as "the asphalt jungle." And asphalt simply isn't friendly to plant-lovers. The raised bed that we built for this tutorial dwells on asphalt, near the back door of an urban home. No other style of raised bed would make sense in such a location.
Supplies Needed
Drill and attachments
Saw
Tape Measure
Screws
Paint and brush
Landscape fabric
Staple gun and staples
Lag bolts and ratchet wrench
4 Casters
4 finials (optional)
Let the Cutting Begin!
Selecting boards from your 2x4 pile, cut 2 of them to a length of 3', and cut 2 others to a length of 16" (see photo above). The former will be the legs for one side of the raised bed; the latter will be the braces, which will join the legs together, forming a framing unit. Repeat this process for the other side of the raised bed.
The raised bed in this project stands 3' tall. But remember, much of that height comes from the supporting legs. The planting bed itself has a depth of 14". That means the top of the "floor" will lie 14" down from the top of the 2x4 frame. It is here, in Step #3, that you make that measurement and establish where the bottom of the planting bed will be.
The floor will be comprised of 1x3.5 boards. You want the tops of those boards to lie 14" from the top of the frame. The floor boards will be supported by braces spanning the legs. To achieve the correct height, then, measure down 15" from the top of a 2x4. Mark the measurement. This is where the brace will be attached to the leg.
Place the brace (one of the 16" 2x4s you cut) perpendicular to the ground. Now place the leg (one of the 3' 2x4s you cut) atop it, forming a "T" shape. The intersection will be where you made your mark. Using the drill, pre-drill a hole through the leg and into the brace.
Again using the drill, join the leg and brace with a screw.
The brace on the prior page will support the floor for the planting bed. But now we'll attach a brace that will support the shelving under the planting bed.
Measuring from the opposite end of the 2x4 leg now, measure up 4". Mark it. Next repeat the process undertaken on the prior page (pre-drilling and screwing), attaching a second brace to the leg.
Now position the second leg, so that you can attach it to the braces in the same fashion (pre-drilling and screwing). The result is shown in the photo above. You now have a solid framing unit, composed of four 2x4s joined together. Repeat the process for the other side of the raised bed. You are well on your way to finishing the frame for this project.
You now have two framing units, one for each end of the raised bed. Next, cut four 1x3.5 boards to a length of 5'. Set the framing units upright, 5' apart (propping them up with watering pails or anything you have handy).
Lay the 1x3.5 boards across the framing units, spanning them. Space them slightly, to provide drainage and aeration. Work out from the center, as you'll want to leave 2" free at the sides (enough room to fit the 2x4 you'll be using in Step #8). Pre-drill holes through them and screw them into the supporting 2x4 braces in the framing units.
You now have the "floor" or bottom of the planting bed.
Raised beds have four walls. In this project, the raised bed is a long rectangle. So there will be two long sides and two short sides. Let's call the latter "ends," to distinguish them from the former.
The photo above shows what one of the ends looks like. We used our 1x6 boards here. Again, the boards are spaced slightly apart, to promote aeration. Pre-drill first to avoid splitting the boards, then screw them in. Repeat on the other end.
We used more of the 1x3.5 boards here (same dimensions as the floor boards). Again, the boards are spaced slightly apart, to promote aeration. Pre-drill first to avoid splitting the boards, then screw them in. Repeat on the other side.
At some point before completing your raised bed, you'll want to provide further braces. This is as good a place to discuss it as any, although you could have installed the additional bracing as early as Step #5 (right after finishing the framing units).
The bracing that I'm referring to will serve two functions. First of all, it will solidify the framing units. Secondly, it will provide support for the flooring. The latter is especially helpful, since the amount of soil in a planting bed of this size will weigh a significant amount.
Begin by holding a 53" 2x4 parallel to the floor boards and toenailing it into the legs, spanning the length of the structure (see photo above). Repeat on the opposite side.
To proceed with this step in the easiest possible way, it's probably best to flip the raised bed upside-down at this point. Now attach three evenly-spaced 16" cross-braces (also 2x4s) to the two boards you just toenailed in, spanning them. The attaching can be done with lag bolts (using a ratchet wrench), which afford extra stability. In fact, now that you're finishing up, it wouldn't hurt to go back and throw a few lag bolts into some other key areas of the framing.
While you've got the raised bed upside-down, install a caster on each of the four legs. The bigger the caster, the more weight you'll be able to move around.
You can breathe a sigh of relief: the carpentry-phase of the project is over! The current step involves painting, then lining the inside of the planting bed.
First, paint the entire raised bed, unless you'll be planting it with edibles. We'll be planting flowers in our raised bed, so we decided to apply paint. A coat of paint will help preserve raised beds, which will, after all, be subjected to a lot of moisture. We used a latex paint.
Next, staple landscape fabric to the inside of the planting bed, to retain the soil. You'll probably have to overlap a few strips of landscape fabric to achieve complete coverage. We ran a strip of landscape fabric along the length of the planting bed first, and stapled it (fold and staple in the corners as neatly as you can). Then we ran one strip perpendicular to this, to cover the left side of the planting bed, followed by another to cover the right side, stapling both in place.
With the floor lined with landscape fabric, you're ready to add soil to the raised flower bed. The planting-bed area has a depth of 14". That's a lot of space to fill, so you'll want to mix generous amounts of peat moss, perlite or vermiculite into the soil that you're using. Any of the three will lighten your soil, allowing it to breathe better. Peat moss, perlite and vermiculite also help your soil retain moisture.
Perhaps you're wondering, "Why build a raised flower bed with such a deep planting area?" If you've ever had a container garden (which this raised bed could be classified as), you may already be able to guess at the answer. The soil in most container gardens has a tendency to dry out too quickly. That's because their soil lacks sufficient mass. As a result, you end up having to water frequently, which may be inconvenient for you. But the 14" depth of our raised flower bed affords us a soil-mass that will retain water well.
We had old styrofoam around and decided to recycle it as filler. I'd avoid using it in a planting bed for growing vegetables, but the structure for us is purely a raised flower bed. We broke up the styrofoam and put it down for a first layer, where it will provide good drainage and aeration.
We then filled our raised flower bed with soil, which was mixed with peat moss to lighten it and with compost to enrichen it.
Measurements and Buying Lumber for the Raised Bed
The raised bed in this project stands 3' tall. But much of that height comes from the supporting legs. The planting bed itself has a depth of 14". The raised bed is 5' long x 19 1/4 wide.
We went to a discount store for our lumber. Beyond needing 2 x 4s for framing, dimensions weren't important to us; we were shopping for price, and any boards with a 1" thickness (for the sides and bottom, and for the bottom shelf) would have been fine. We ended up with a mixture of widths: 1x3.5 and 1x6. That's just what happenned to be in the "sale" bin. As you build your own raised bed, adjust your measurements accordingly, depending on the widths of your own lumber.
Here's an approximation of the lumber that our project required, in terms of board feet:
39 board feet of 2x4s
6 board feet of 1x6s
50 board feet of 1x3.5s
Another advantage of the "bench" style of raised beds is that they're high enough to eliminate bending over altogether while you garden, a point that won't be lost on those who suffer from bad backs. In addition, installing a caster on each leg of the raised bed makes it portable.
But the benefits of this style of raised bed don't stop there. Many of us landscaping for small spaces live in the city, also known as "the asphalt jungle." And asphalt simply isn't friendly to plant-lovers. The raised bed that we built for this tutorial dwells on asphalt, near the back door of an urban home. No other style of raised bed would make sense in such a location.
Supplies Needed
Drill and attachments
Saw
Tape Measure
Screws
Paint and brush
Landscape fabric
Staple gun and staples
Lag bolts and ratchet wrench
4 Casters
4 finials (optional)
Let the Cutting Begin!
Selecting boards from your 2x4 pile, cut 2 of them to a length of 3', and cut 2 others to a length of 16" (see photo above). The former will be the legs for one side of the raised bed; the latter will be the braces, which will join the legs together, forming a framing unit. Repeat this process for the other side of the raised bed.
The raised bed in this project stands 3' tall. But remember, much of that height comes from the supporting legs. The planting bed itself has a depth of 14". That means the top of the "floor" will lie 14" down from the top of the 2x4 frame. It is here, in Step #3, that you make that measurement and establish where the bottom of the planting bed will be.
The floor will be comprised of 1x3.5 boards. You want the tops of those boards to lie 14" from the top of the frame. The floor boards will be supported by braces spanning the legs. To achieve the correct height, then, measure down 15" from the top of a 2x4. Mark the measurement. This is where the brace will be attached to the leg.
Place the brace (one of the 16" 2x4s you cut) perpendicular to the ground. Now place the leg (one of the 3' 2x4s you cut) atop it, forming a "T" shape. The intersection will be where you made your mark. Using the drill, pre-drill a hole through the leg and into the brace.
Again using the drill, join the leg and brace with a screw.
The brace on the prior page will support the floor for the planting bed. But now we'll attach a brace that will support the shelving under the planting bed.
Measuring from the opposite end of the 2x4 leg now, measure up 4". Mark it. Next repeat the process undertaken on the prior page (pre-drilling and screwing), attaching a second brace to the leg.
Now position the second leg, so that you can attach it to the braces in the same fashion (pre-drilling and screwing). The result is shown in the photo above. You now have a solid framing unit, composed of four 2x4s joined together. Repeat the process for the other side of the raised bed. You are well on your way to finishing the frame for this project.
You now have two framing units, one for each end of the raised bed. Next, cut four 1x3.5 boards to a length of 5'. Set the framing units upright, 5' apart (propping them up with watering pails or anything you have handy).
Lay the 1x3.5 boards across the framing units, spanning them. Space them slightly, to provide drainage and aeration. Work out from the center, as you'll want to leave 2" free at the sides (enough room to fit the 2x4 you'll be using in Step #8). Pre-drill holes through them and screw them into the supporting 2x4 braces in the framing units.
You now have the "floor" or bottom of the planting bed.
Raised beds have four walls. In this project, the raised bed is a long rectangle. So there will be two long sides and two short sides. Let's call the latter "ends," to distinguish them from the former.
The photo above shows what one of the ends looks like. We used our 1x6 boards here. Again, the boards are spaced slightly apart, to promote aeration. Pre-drill first to avoid splitting the boards, then screw them in. Repeat on the other end.
We used more of the 1x3.5 boards here (same dimensions as the floor boards). Again, the boards are spaced slightly apart, to promote aeration. Pre-drill first to avoid splitting the boards, then screw them in. Repeat on the other side.
At some point before completing your raised bed, you'll want to provide further braces. This is as good a place to discuss it as any, although you could have installed the additional bracing as early as Step #5 (right after finishing the framing units).
The bracing that I'm referring to will serve two functions. First of all, it will solidify the framing units. Secondly, it will provide support for the flooring. The latter is especially helpful, since the amount of soil in a planting bed of this size will weigh a significant amount.
Begin by holding a 53" 2x4 parallel to the floor boards and toenailing it into the legs, spanning the length of the structure (see photo above). Repeat on the opposite side.
To proceed with this step in the easiest possible way, it's probably best to flip the raised bed upside-down at this point. Now attach three evenly-spaced 16" cross-braces (also 2x4s) to the two boards you just toenailed in, spanning them. The attaching can be done with lag bolts (using a ratchet wrench), which afford extra stability. In fact, now that you're finishing up, it wouldn't hurt to go back and throw a few lag bolts into some other key areas of the framing.
While you've got the raised bed upside-down, install a caster on each of the four legs. The bigger the caster, the more weight you'll be able to move around.
You can breathe a sigh of relief: the carpentry-phase of the project is over! The current step involves painting, then lining the inside of the planting bed.
First, paint the entire raised bed, unless you'll be planting it with edibles. We'll be planting flowers in our raised bed, so we decided to apply paint. A coat of paint will help preserve raised beds, which will, after all, be subjected to a lot of moisture. We used a latex paint.
Next, staple landscape fabric to the inside of the planting bed, to retain the soil. You'll probably have to overlap a few strips of landscape fabric to achieve complete coverage. We ran a strip of landscape fabric along the length of the planting bed first, and stapled it (fold and staple in the corners as neatly as you can). Then we ran one strip perpendicular to this, to cover the left side of the planting bed, followed by another to cover the right side, stapling both in place.
With the floor lined with landscape fabric, you're ready to add soil to the raised flower bed. The planting-bed area has a depth of 14". That's a lot of space to fill, so you'll want to mix generous amounts of peat moss, perlite or vermiculite into the soil that you're using. Any of the three will lighten your soil, allowing it to breathe better. Peat moss, perlite and vermiculite also help your soil retain moisture.
Perhaps you're wondering, "Why build a raised flower bed with such a deep planting area?" If you've ever had a container garden (which this raised bed could be classified as), you may already be able to guess at the answer. The soil in most container gardens has a tendency to dry out too quickly. That's because their soil lacks sufficient mass. As a result, you end up having to water frequently, which may be inconvenient for you. But the 14" depth of our raised flower bed affords us a soil-mass that will retain water well.
We had old styrofoam around and decided to recycle it as filler. I'd avoid using it in a planting bed for growing vegetables, but the structure for us is purely a raised flower bed. We broke up the styrofoam and put it down for a first layer, where it will provide good drainage and aeration.
We then filled our raised flower bed with soil, which was mixed with peat moss to lighten it and with compost to enrichen it.
Grow A Garden
A garden provides flowers, vegetables, and environmental benefits. It can help to reduce soil erosion and may help to reduce some kinds of air pollution. Try to grow your garden using as few pesticides and chemical fertilizers as possible.
Feed The Birds
Birds need water to drink and foot to eat. Feeding birds not only brings a bit of nature to your backyard, it also helps rid the yard of many kinds of bugs. you can hang a birdfeeder from a tree or place it outside your window, or build a birdbath in your yard from which the birds can drink water.
Gathering & Drying Instructions
Plants have different parts:
Leaves: Cut rather than pulling, to reduce harm to the plant. What time of year is best, to harvest this particular plant? Do not gather wet leaves; if they need washing, rinse them with a watering can the day before. Remove dead or discoloured leaves. Fasten stems in bunches with a rubber band, label, and hang to dry. After two to three weeks (or longer if weather is very humid), store in whole-leaf form in sealed, airtight containers.
Wood: Cut into thin slices or chips while still soft. Spread on mesh screens or paper towels to dry; stir or turn daily. May take a month or more to dry, depending on thickness of pieces.
Roots: Wash in cold water, scrub if necessary, but do not soak. Some roots should be peeled, others should not. Dry as for wood.
Bark: In most cases, it is the inner layer of bark that is wanted. Harvest small twigs, peel bark as soon as possible, and dry as for wood. In the case of willow, gather long pieces, and save the peeled wood for basket weaving.
Flowers: Gather as soon as possible after they open. Hang or spread to dry.
Berries: Gather as soon as fully ripe, unless instructed otherwise. Hang or spread to dry. You may wish to slice larger fruits, to speed drying.
General drying and storage instructions: Hang or spread to dry in a place where there is good air circulation, minimal dust, and no direct sunlight. Do not use heat to speed drying. Once herb is fully dry, store in as whole a form as possible, in an airtight container, in a cool, dry, dark place. Glass containers are best because they are most inert chemically. Plastic containers are next best. Wooden or metal containers may react chemically with the herb. Paper bags will absorb valuable oils from the herb, and are not airtight; they are a very poor choice. Label and date every package; include source info if applicable.
Leaves: Cut rather than pulling, to reduce harm to the plant. What time of year is best, to harvest this particular plant? Do not gather wet leaves; if they need washing, rinse them with a watering can the day before. Remove dead or discoloured leaves. Fasten stems in bunches with a rubber band, label, and hang to dry. After two to three weeks (or longer if weather is very humid), store in whole-leaf form in sealed, airtight containers.
Wood: Cut into thin slices or chips while still soft. Spread on mesh screens or paper towels to dry; stir or turn daily. May take a month or more to dry, depending on thickness of pieces.
Roots: Wash in cold water, scrub if necessary, but do not soak. Some roots should be peeled, others should not. Dry as for wood.
Bark: In most cases, it is the inner layer of bark that is wanted. Harvest small twigs, peel bark as soon as possible, and dry as for wood. In the case of willow, gather long pieces, and save the peeled wood for basket weaving.
Flowers: Gather as soon as possible after they open. Hang or spread to dry.
Berries: Gather as soon as fully ripe, unless instructed otherwise. Hang or spread to dry. You may wish to slice larger fruits, to speed drying.
General drying and storage instructions: Hang or spread to dry in a place where there is good air circulation, minimal dust, and no direct sunlight. Do not use heat to speed drying. Once herb is fully dry, store in as whole a form as possible, in an airtight container, in a cool, dry, dark place. Glass containers are best because they are most inert chemically. Plastic containers are next best. Wooden or metal containers may react chemically with the herb. Paper bags will absorb valuable oils from the herb, and are not airtight; they are a very poor choice. Label and date every package; include source info if applicable.
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