Cally The Hedge Witch

Chickweed, Stellaria media Stellaria Media (chickweed) is an annual plant from the family Caryophyllaceae and genus Stellaria. This herb is sometimes referred to as common chickweed to distinguish it from other plants with the same name. The herb Stellaria media is also referred to as winterweed, maruns, chickenwort, and craches. It is commonly grown as feed for chickens. I think most people these days have become more concerned about having a nice grass lawn and have forgotten about thevalue of a diverse habitat. Unfortunately, chickweed is one of those plants that is often indescriminantly yanked up as a weed. I used to find it everywhere, but now I have to spend a bit of time looking for this useful little herb. I now have it growing beside my paddock wall. Plant identification Common chickweed can grow from heights of 2 to 20 inches. It grows in a unique, intertwined manner covering large areas. It has small white star-shaped flowers.The chickweeds leaves are oval with cup-like ti...

Cleavers, Galium aparine Cleavers, Galium aparine, is an annual plant that grows in damp, rich soils along river banks and fence lines. It is also called catchweed, goosegrass or sticky Willy. A frail prostrate or climbing thorny stem grows from a thin taproot to a height of two to six feet. The plant produces coarse leaves with a variableshape. Leaves may be oblong to lance-like or even linear. The leaves grow in whorls around the stem. The stem, leaves, and fruit are sometimes covered with small, spiny hairs. Cleavers flowers are small with white or greenish-white color and appear from early summer until fall. The flowers have a pronounced fragrance that reminds me of honey. I usually harvest cleavers in mid-summer and dry it for later use. Medicinal Use Cleaver is alternative, astringent, antiphlogistic, diuretic, diaphoretic, depurative, tonic and febrifuge. It is effective both internally and externally. Rejuvenate the Skin, Slow the Signs of Aging While this is not medicinal, it ...

Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica If you have ever had an accidental encounter with stinging nettle, you will never forget it. The plant is well named. Learn to recognize it and avoid it unless you need it. Stinging nettle is a perennial, growing between 3 to 7 feet tall. It is dioecious and herbaceous, dying back in the winter. I It grows from bright yellow, widely spreading rhizomes and stolons. The leaves are opposite, mostly oval or occasionally heart-shaped. The soft, green leaves are 1 to 6 inches long and are arranged oppositely on an erect stem. The leaves have a serrated margin and cordate base. Both the leaves and stems are very hairy with non-stinging hairs and many stinging hairs. Numerous flowers appear June to September in dense axillary inflorescences. They are greenish or brownish, growing in branched clusters. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants or branches. Edible Use The leaves are edible. Stinging nettles have a flavor similar to spinachand cucumber when co...

Plantain, Plantago Major Plantago major is a small perennial, similar to a dandelion weed, not the banana like fruit found in the grocery store. It isoften found growing wild in gardens, lawns, backyards, and along the roadsides across the US. The leaves give away their identity. They have a ruffled texture as if strung on veins of elastic. They are also slightly bowl-shaped. The leaves are oval or almost round and have a chunky footstalk. The leaves grow in a rosette at the base of the plant. Each leaf is 2 to 8 inches long and only slightly longer. It has a smooth margin and five to nine veins. The greenish-white flowers have purple stamens grow on densely packed stems to a height of 7 to 20 inches. The flowers are tiny and mostly eclipsed by the greenish-brown sepals and bracts. The flowering stalks rise high above the foliage. The plants produce many tiny, bitter-tasting seeds. Edible Use The leaves and seeds are edible. Add the leaves in a salad if gathered while they are still ve...

When it comes to herbal ointments, there are some that I recommend you always have available. Strangely enough, the herbs that I use are growing wild in our gardens and pathways. Go get yourself an Aloe Vera plant, they don’t take long to grow once potted and be warned, they do grow. After a while, new plants grow from them and I take these and repot, they make so welcome gifts for friends and family. The first ointment has to be made with Plantain. This little plant grows in the most extraordinary places and in abundance on drives and pathways. I lift a few and have set aside a patch just to grow them. The other ‘must’ herbs are the Plantain , Stinging Nettle , Yarrow , Cleavers , Dandelions and Chickweed . None of these are too hard to find, I just walk outside my door and find them all growing around the walls and roadside along with the garden. Other herbs to add to the Herbal medicine cabinet are Calendula (Marigolds), Echinachea, Chamomile, Thyme and St John...

Green leaf yarrow. Medicinal herbs. Spring Garden To aid in identifying herbs, install a plant identification App on your phone. You take a pic and it will come up with the plant, picture and description. Used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years, Yarrow has a long history of use in the traditional medicine systems of many ancient cultures. In fact it is so ancient that it was found amongst other medicinal herbs at a Neanderthal burial site in Iraq, dating from around 60,000 BCE. Throughout history Yarrow was THE herb for the battlefield, hence its nicknamed “Herbal Militaris” and “Soldier’s Woundwort”. Whilst its ability to staunch blood flow is second to none, Yarrow was also used to relieve pain, inflammation, fight infection and soothe spasms. Yarrow Benefits Wound Healing Yarrow is known as a “styptic” – an astringent herb that stops bleeding. Its wound healing ability comes mostly from the alkaloid achilleine , which facilitates the coagulation of blood, which leads to ...

I love making my own creams and lotions. The video below shows how to make good basic cream and love that she adds vitamin E into the mix. Now go a bit further, I add Aloe Gel straight from my plant and Frankincense and Turmeric essential oils. Then I add Hyuloric acid as this makes this a great anti aging cream. I have added links to my two favourites and very reasonably priced. Honestly, my friends can’t wait till they receive their creams and perfumes as gifts.

What is the difference between a decoction and an infusion? Most people are familiar with an infusion which is what people do when they put a tea bag or tea ball in a cup of hot water and allow it to steep a couple minutes before drinking.  Infusions are used to extract vitamins and volatile ingredients from soft ingredients like leaves, flowers, citrus peelings, etc.  Green tea, black tea, peppermint tea and chamomile tea are examples of an infusion.  The short brewing time helps to retain the volatile ingredients while drinking. A decoction is used to extract primarily the mineral salts and bitter principles of plants from hard materials such as roots, bark, seeds and wood.  These hard materials generally require boiling for at least 10 minutes and then are allowed to steep for a number of hours.  The tea is boiled down and concentrated so that water needs to be added before drinking.  The word “decoct” means to concentrate by boiling.  Essiac tea and taheebo bark tea are ...

I found this video to be very good. Not only does he provided details on the preparation of the tincture but some of the pitfalls in the strength of herbs. I think we need to be discussing these pitfalls further, maybe in another post as the information is so very important. All right, what’s a tincture? You’ll be glad you asked. It’s an herbal preparation in which certain parts of a plant, including essential oils and minerals, are extracted into a alcohol High-proof alcohols typically make the best solvents. However, organic apple cider vinegar and vegetable glycerin are also used on occasion (generally for children’s preparations). Tinctures are taken orally, often deposited directly beneath the tongue, and a single dose (two droppers full) produces the same effect as a cup of herbal tea. But tinctures are concentrated and absorbed by the body more easily than tea, thanks in large part, to the alcohol. Tinctures boast a variety of nutritional and medicinal benefits. They are used fo...

Gathering dandelions is a perfect way to introduce kids to the joy of wildcrafting, or to experience it firsthand for the first time. In addition to their culinary uses (topping salads, making infused vinegars, etc), they also have properties that make them ideal for skincare. Dandelion blossoms are full of anti-inflammatory antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids and minerals that support and protect your cells, soothe skin irritations and nourish dry skin. For example, both dandelion flower and leaf extracts protect against UVB-related photoaging and senescence (aging at the cellular level). Let’s make the Dandelion Oil, shall we? On a bright dry day, go forage for dandelion blossons, just take the heads and do leave some for the bees, this is their first source of food for the year. Soak the heads in water for a while to get rid of any pests and then rinse them thoroughly. Place the heads on a tea towel or kitchen roll and if leave until the flowers have completely dried out. Move...

As a sufferer of arthritis, I have used capsicum cream, I was supplied by my Doctor but then made my own and found it very effective, more so than just taking painkillers. I have a severe allergy to diclofenac which is the main ingredient in medicines and creams produced for joint and arthritic pain, so pretty much obliged to seek herbal remedies. The fruit of the capsicum plant is used to make medicine. Capsicum is most commonly used for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, and other painful conditions. It is also used for digestion problems, conditions of the heart and blood vessels, and many other conditions. A particular form of capsicum causes intense eye pain and other unpleasant effects when it comes in contact with the face. This form is used in self-defense pepper sprays. How does it work ? The fruit of the capsicum plant contains a chemical called capsaicin. Capsaicin seems to reduce pain sensations when applied to the skin. Applying creams and lotions containing capsai...

Personally, I would use Avocado oil for any non-cooking infused oils, it is great for the skin. The video shows the basics of making an infused oil and it can’t be rushed, leave it to get the best from it. It is easy but you do need to check and shake regularly, ensuring a lot of air doesn’t get into the jar or it will send the oil ‘off’. Also make sure you add detils of what the oil is and when it was prepared. Once you have your oil, you can then proceed to make a salve. Try making a garlic infused oil, great to put on pizza or pasta. This is the quickest way but I do lay down some garlic oil. Use 6 cloves of garlic to one litre of oil. Pour oil into your jar, roughly chop your garlic and add to the oil and let it sit for 2-4 weeks. Give it a shake once or twice a week but don’t open the jar. Once opened, it’ll keep in the fridge for ages. HOW TO MAKE A HERBAL SALVE

It isn’t difficult and it is so enjoyable to make salves, oils and tinctures. At the most basic level to make a salve you will need only two ingredients you will need wax such as beeswax and you’ll need an herbal infused oil. This can be an herbal oil that you have made yourself or you can actually purchase herbal oils that are already made for you. But I do highly recommend making your own oil it will be far superior to anything that you can purchase. You can find your beeswax from beekeeper’s or you can also purchase it from candle supply stores or maybe even craft supply shops. I get mine from a local bee-keeper straight from the hive. You can certainly find it in herb and health food stores. Just make sure that it’s pure and untreated and you want to make sure that it really smells like honey you’ll know you’re getting a really good quality that way. So what we’re going to do is melt the beeswax in a pan. Some people use a double boiler but ...