Learn how to identify and forage for jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), then how to use it to make a soothing poison ivy salve, and a jewelweed itch remedy with witch hazel or vinegar. Jewelweed’s always a fun plant to go hunting for! Loved by children for the explosion of seeds that burst forth at the gentlest…
Learn how to grow, harvest, and dry bee balm (wild bergamot), plus 8 creative ways to use it, including recipes for bee balm salve, tea, infused honey, and more! Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa, M. spp.) also called wild bergamot, is an excellent plant to put in a pollinator garden! Beloved by bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds,…
Use some foraged early spring greens to make a lovely little lip balm! Violet leaves, purple deadnettle, and chickweed combine with sweet almond, tamanu, and castor oil to create a soothing balm for chapped lips. Infused Oil First, you’ll want to make an infused oil to use in the lip balm. You will need: 1…
This salve was created purely as an experiment, and somehow ended up doing exactly what I wanted it to first try. Rather than give it a dignified name, like such a lovely pain salve rightfully deserves, I continue to just call it Spicy Salve. Because it’s a salve. And it’s spicy. Notes: Because of the…
Two plants having the exact same name is pretty much a recipe for confusion no matter how you look at it. If you’re wondering why it matters- well, one of these plantains makes a very lovely salve and is frequently used in a wide range of concoctions by many herbalists. The other is a starchy…
Rosewater’s an easy enough project if you have a bunch of roses to spare and just a little patience. And since the method to make it’s the same for any number of fragrant plants, why not indulge in a little experimentation? Rosewater Rosewater (or the closest one can get without having specialized equipment) is pretty…