A collaborative blog takeover by Allen David Binns
When is the best time to gather your herbs and barks?
It is important to know when to gather plants in order to collect them at their most potent stage of growth. Although every plant is unique, there are some general guidelines for determining this: So into the meadow, riverbanks and woods I set off with my dog Chloe to have a look around.
Greens
The leaves, stems, and above ground portion of a plant is usually most potent at or just before flowering. They are best gathered in the morning soon after the sun has evaporated the dew away, and before the plant has spent too much time under the hot sun.
Flowers
Gather flowers at their peak of blooming, avoiding those that have begun to wilt. They should be gathered in the morning soon after the sun has evaporated the dew away and before they have sat too long in the hot sun. I love gathering flower heads in the morning while Chloe runs around playing in the morning sunlight.
Roots
Roots should either be dug in the autumn after the plant has seeded or in early spring just as the new growth begins. They should be gathered early in the morning, and before the sun has been overhead too long. If the foliage of the plant has already begun to die back you can gather throughout the day. If you can, replant crowns and be sure to leave a sufficient number of plants to continue the population. If gathering rhizomes, don't dig up the plant, but trace down the stem and find the rhizome in the dirt. Cut the rear portion of the rhizome a couple of inches away from the stem and pull it up without removing the growing part of the plant from the ground. This allows the plant to be harvested without much trauma, and is preferable to replanting crowns.
Seeds
Gather seeds when ripe. For some plants, such as Nettles, cut the tops of the plants off and hang them upside-down to dry. When dry, shake seeds loose over a clean surface and collect the seeds from there after they fall, I really enjoy collecting seeds, rosehip seeds, hawthorn seeds and holly seeds to name a few, me and Chloe found a massive Holly bush at christmas full of berries and collected many seeds, dont you just love Mother Nature.
Bark
Bark should be gathered in early spring, as this is when the sap starts to flow up from the roots, or in the autumn, as the sap is returning to the roots. Never strip bark in a circle around a tree, as this will prevent the flow of nutrients from the roots to the branches and kill the tree. Use vertical strip, or prune branches. Sometimes thinning a crowded population will improve the growth of the other trees; if so, take the whole tree. It is generally the inner bark that is used in herbal medicine.
Avoid gathering near roads, power lines, areas that may have been exposed to fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides or other insidious forms of chemical pollution. Plants growing around the foundations of old houses, especially those high in minerals, may take up any lead in the soil from old paint jobs. Obviously, don't gather plants that look sickly, or from an area that doesn't radiate healthy growth.
After gathering the plants, the next step is called "Garbling". What this means is to go through what you've gathered, washing dirt off roots and picking out wilted leaves, woody stems, stray grasses and other plants that came along with what you picked. Garbling can be a tedious experience, but it is really quite delightful, and allows you to get to know the plant you've collected even better.
Once you've sifted through your herbs, you can either hang them up to dry (in which case, don't strip leaves off the stem while garbling), cut them into smaller pieces to dry (many roots may require this), or chop them up to tincture. If drying, find a place out of the sunlight with plenty of air and ventilation. I bundle up herbs and hang them in a closet or the shed, or dry them on top of a wardrobe near the ceiling, checking on them and turning them so they don't mold As long as you have gentle heat and air circulation, you shouldn't have to worry too much about mold. Another option is to dry herbs on a screen or wooden dish rack, which will assure adequate ventilation.
Only when the plants are completely dry should they be put into clean glass jars. Mason jars are ideal containers. Though many books say to use amber glass to protect the herbs from light, a Mason jar kept in a dark place works just as well, and costs less.
Most herbs, dried and stored properly, will retain their potency for at least a year; roots and barks generally for two. It is a good idea to date your herbs so you know when you need to replace what. Some herbs are said to either lose the virtues entirely or greatly diminish in potency upon drying, and these should be tinctured fresh if possible.
Using herbs collected by your own hands is an experience entirely unlike using store bought herbs and a personal connection to the land that we live upon is a wonderful way to spend your day and my dog Chloe couldnt agree more.
Blessed Be, Alan
