Hits and Misses

Red Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
 
Hey Everybody:)

I'd like to follow up with some of the projects I started a few months ago. Some were successful, others not so much. In December's blog, Slap-Happy Gardener, I started infusions for Goji Berry and Chrysanthemum. The result was a wonderful tincture that includes Bacopa-addressing mind and body health. February's blog, You Can Sow It and Grow It, had me sowing seeds in milk jugs and bottles. I sowed Skullcap, Blue Vervain and Dang Shen. Today I have a bustling Dang Shen plant, I look forward to incorporating the roots for tinctures. The Skullcap and Blue Vervain never sprouted:(. 
Dang Shen (Codonopsis pilosa)

In Mayday! Mayday! It's Mother's Day, I set out to make rose scented oil, using dried rose buds purchased from Mountain Rose Co. As the weeks went by, the oil appeared to be coming along well, then in last 2 weeks of infusion, I notice water condensation in bottle, the oil went rancid. I wasn't discouraged, I will attempt to make my rose infused oil but will use another method.

This month I will be attempting to make Arnica oil. This beautiful, red oil is used by it's self and with other healing oils such as Hypericum Oil (St. John's Wort Oil) to soothe bruises and muscle pain. I'm excited to use Arnica flowers in my backyard but hesitant to start because of the drying process. I read that Arnica flowers are quick to go to seed, so air drying them may a challenge. I will have to use my stove dehydrator to complete this task, hopefully things will go well. After the flowers dry I think I will be using the stove top method to infuse oil-don't want things to turn out like the rose oil, lol. We'll see what happens. Thanks for hanging out with me.
Arnica chamissonis

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