Calendula is a unique plant. Parts of it, mainly flowers, are used for medicinal purposes. People call it marigolds: according to the shape of the seeds. In order for the flower to maximize its medicinal properties, you need to know exactly when to collect calendula and how to dry and store it in the future.

Application

The plant is used for:

  • diseases of the digestive system (liver or biliary tract, stomach, intestines);
  • as a wound healing agent, including as an antiseptic that helps remove microbial agents from the wound;
  • inflammatory diseases of the oropharynx;
  • diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
  • stress as a sedative.

The use of dried calendula is possible even in cases of cancer. There is evidence that it is able to alleviate the patient's condition for some time. But in order to make a medicine from this plant, you need to know when to collect calendula flowers, as well as how they look.

On a note!Marigold is used not only as a medicinal raw material, but also for decorative purposes. In this regard, there are separate types of these colors that have external differences.

Appearance

Pharmacy chamomile: how to collect and dry

Pharmacy calendula has bright yellow or orange petals, which are arranged in several rows and collected in an inflorescence with a diameter of about five centimeters. Many people know these flowers by their special smell. The stem is slightly branched, can reach a height of 70 centimeters. It is quite densely covered with leaves that have an oblong shape.

Basic collection rules

Calendula - what is it, what it looks like, where it grows, properties

The question of time is one of the most important for the subsequent preparation of the drug. It is very important to know when to pick marigold flowers because its properties depend on it. Flowering and access to petals is from early summer to mid-autumn. During this time, you can repeatedly collect from one plant.

Important! Calendula is not harvested with the arrival of the first frost, because the plant loses its beneficial properties. Warm and dry days are considered most suitable.

How to collect calendula correctly? Flowers should be cut closer to noon, when they are most open. You can cut it off, but it is better to carefully cut it whole, with a small fragment of the peduncle. Care must be taken not to remove half-opened buds, thereby losing part of the crop.

Leaves and stems also have medicinal properties, albeit to a lesser extent. Therefore, do not forget about this when studying the question of how to collect calendula for treatment. The only difference is that in this case the collection time does not depend on the time of day: it can be done both in the evening and in the morning. Often, it is these parts of the plant that are used in pharmaceutical herbal preparations. The fact is that the collection of a plant as a whole is easier and faster, respectively, the cost of the final product is lower. But we must not forget that quality suffers.

Collecting marigold

Cut flowers are best collected in wide containers with low sides, where they are more neat and evenly distributed. Make sure that there are no insects and dirt.

Drying features

How to dry herbs at home

Calendula, the collection and harvesting of which at the first stage were discussed above, must be properly dried. In the future, it will also depend on this process whether the plant can help a person.How to dry calendula at home? For this, for example, household appliances can be used: an oven, an electric dryer. However, it is believed that this is best done in natural conditions, when the collected material is laid out in one layer on clean sheets of paper. Especially it is necessary to pay attention to the absence of inscriptions: the newspaper is not suitable for these purposes.

Important! Studying the question of how to dry calendula, it is worth noting that this process must be started no later than a few hours after collection. Even the slightest deviation from the rules threatens the loss of useful qualities. Harvesting calendula requires careful attention to detail.

Air drying lasts up to one and a half weeks. In this case, the flowers must be regularly turned over. If there are no conditions or time, you can use, for example, an electric dryer, where the mode of drying herbs is selected. The goal will be achieved when the flower becomes easy enough to crumble in the hands.

Note! Drying temperature should not exceed forty degrees. Only if this condition is met can the desired result be achieved.

Storage rules

Previously, the question of how to harvest calendula was considered, but it is equally important to preserve it. A dark and cool room is best suited for these purposes, a low humidity indicator is required. It is better if there are no others nearby, albeit dried plants, especially those with a pungent odor. Separately, it is worth mentioning how to prepare calendula for the winter. When it comes to the next cold season, there is nothing to worry about. But it is important to remember that dry flowers will be stored no longer than until next winter, so in addition to the parameters of the room, it is very important to choose packaging material for raw materials. For this, paper without inscriptions is ideal, especially stationery printing, bags made of any natural and breathable fabrics.

Additional Information! You can make juice from the collected raw materials. To do this, all the material must be passed through the small holes of the meat grinder or, better, squeezed out with a juicer. Strain the resulting juice and sterilize in a water bath, which you can build yourself on a regular stove. Always keep in the refrigerator. To extend its shelf life, you can make an alcoholic tincture.

Calendula, how to collect and dry which was discussed above, is a capricious plant. Only adherence to all the intricacies of the process, starting from the correct planting site, cutting the flowers and ending with drying and storage, will give the maximum therapeutic effect at the output. And with an increase in production volumes, it is possible to sell blanks or ready-made tinctures to friends, acquaintances and even to pharmacy chains or factories engaged in the manufacture of herbal medicines. The main thing is that the offered raw materials are of high quality.