Preserving the summer harvest — making herbal tinctures

September 8, 6:48 AMSF Backyard Herbal Projects ExaminerLisa Ludwigsen

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Make yarrow tincture to treat winter flu.

So you’ve spent the summer growing voluptuous, vibrant medicinal plants and now the growing seasons draws to a close. Now the question arises about to best preserve these beauties for future use.

Home herbalists have used a variety of methods to preserve plants for medicinal use, including simply drying to use as teas, juicing, powdering, or making capsules and extracts.

One of the most reliable and long lasting preservation techniques available to any home herbalist is tincturing.

What are tinctures anyway?

Tinctures are simply herbs soaked in liquids (which act as solvents) in order to extract the active constituents of the plant. Effective solvents include water, vinegar, honey, wine, glycerin or ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is good old fashioned booze.

While each of these liquids is an effective solvent, using a mixture of ethyl alcohol (as in vodka) and water yields a tincture that can remain stable and effective for a very long time, in some cases, years, because alcohol is a natural preservative.

Plants generally need at least 30% alcohol to dissolve the soluble constituents. Typical vodka or other liquor is 80 proof liquor, which is 40% alcohol and 60% water.

To make an herbal tincture using the simple ‘folk’ method:

Supply list:

• Dried herb of choice
• Clean glass jar with lid
• 80 proof or higher alcohol (vodka does not impart a taste but any liquor 80 proof or higher will work)
• Small square of cheesecloth or old sheet

1. Grind or cut the herb into a coarse powder and place in the jar.
2. Cover the herb with the alcohol.
3. Stir and add additional alcohol to cover herb by about ¼”
4. Cover tightly and store for 10-14 days, shaking every day if possible.
5. Top off the alcohol if it settles below the level of the plant. It should remain a 1/4” above the plant material.
6. After 14 days, strain the mixture through cheesecloth, making sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the mix. The used plant material can be added to the compost.
7. Store in a glass jar, away from light and heat.

A few good herbs for tincturing:

Lemon Balm, aka Melissa — use leaves and stems. A beautiful pick-me up and mild antidepressant;

Yarrow, aka achillea — use leaves, flowers and stems. Use for treating winter fevers and flu. For more info on yarrow see my article "Yarrow: a medicinal herb of antiquity in your own backyard."

California poppy — use leaves, stems and flowers. A good sleep aid and relaxant;

Calendula — use the flowers. A good antimicrobial. Use for digestive/intestinal support. See "Make a superb skin healer from this backyard plant" for more info on calendula.

Oats — use the dried seed heads. Soothing and good support for exhaustion.

Keep detailed notes on your preparation, including the date, name of herb, type of alcohol, and where you obtained the herb

If you don’t have the herb in your garden, it is possible to purchase quality herbs from reliable sources. Try Mountain Rose Herbs in Oregon. Always ask where a plant comes from and if it is organically certified.

Dosage

Because tinctures are very concentrated, 10-25 drops (using a glass dropper), in a glass of water, two to three times a day is all that is usually needed.

For anyone concerned about alcohol consumption, keep in mind that a therapeutic dose of a tincture yields less than one once of alcohol per day. For those avoiding alcohol altogether, glycerites (tinctures made with glycerine instead of alcohol) work very well.

The best way to become confident with herbal tinctures is to buy a good book and just start making them. An excellent resource is James Green's The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook.

Make a tincture, see how you like it and think about what you might do better next time. It's fun to experiment with different solvents and herbal combinations. Best of all, making herbal tinctures is an easy, affordable and reliable way to preserve medicinal plants in order to care for friends, families and ourselves.

Always make sure you have the correct plant before using or consuming and consult with a trained herbalist or reliable text (of which there are many) if you have questions. Always consult with a doctor before using any herb if you are pregnant.

Remember: Plants are here for our respected and appreciative use. It is our job to grow, get to know, and use them!

For more information, contact Lisa at lisa@schoolgardenco.com. find high quality, all natural body care products at www.schoolgardenco.com.