This year’s bumper crop of calendula (pot marigold) flowers had me planning a return of our Homestead First Aid Kit stand-by salve. It’s perfect for those annoying scratches, knicks, and knocks you can never remember happening but, for me, I’m looking forward to once again lathering it on my old-lady-gardener hands. Nothing bought comes close.
The flowers have been hanging in the glasshouse for about eight weeks and, when I checked yesterday, were dried to perfection. I’ve split them into two containers, one submerged in a collection of oils – jojoba, almond and a bit of sunflower – solar infusing on the kitchen windowsill and the other topped up with vodka (I only had peach flavoured so who knows how that will go) and hidden away in a dark cupboard.
Potion hocus pocus takes time: luckily the process looks so glorious.
Union Homestead 
To your health!
Thank you…and yours!
Wowsah, what color!
It’s wonderful, isnt it! Like bottled sunshine
Yes, yes!
I love pot marigolds but have never got round to using them for anything.
I remember all the fairy tales of my childhood (I loved them!) with witches stirring them into cauldrons so was very happy when I discovered what I have been calling calendula forever was in fact pot marigolds. Now to find a cauldron 😁
That is very interesting.
Im hoping I can repeat the triumph of earlier potion making. Its been a while
I’m definitely leaning into getting an “herbal first aid” kit going here. I didn’t realize marigolds were good for being used that way. Now I have another thing on my list of stuff to try! Lol!
My big thing this year is harvesting wild lettuce. I’m in a wheelchair, and chronic pain is a thing I live with 24/7. I’ve heard it works miracles, so I’m looking forward to trying my hand at gathering and processing it.
Marigolds – or at least pot marigolds – are pretty magical and also gentle so don’t tend to upset any meds you may be on. Good luck with the wild lettuce!