Calendula Tea?

[KitKat]

Where do you get Calendula Tea from? I could have sworn i'd seen the stuff at my local coles/woolies, but haven't been able to find it again - where is the best place to look? Specialist health stores? or...?

[Erny]

Health Food Stores. I get a 50g packet (doesn't sound much, but it doesn't weigh very heavy) for $8.20.

[KitKat]

Hehe...i just came from Ebay - they had some 100gm packs for $9.25 or so with free postage? I'm guessing that's an ok deal then!

[Erny]

Hehe...i just came from Ebay - they had some 100gm packs for $9.25 or so with free postage? I'm guessing that's an ok deal then!

LOL .... sounds like it . I presume it is Australian?

[Boronia]

As I am one of the worlds biggest tight as**s so I bought a packet of Calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) and planted them. They were up in 3 days and are now flowering...within 3 months.

So, KitKat, buy some petals from who-ever-is-cheapest-at-the-moment and also plant some...they are really pretty in the garden as well!

See how pretty-->

[sheena]

OK.....so whats the calendula tea for :D

[loulouB]

As I am one of the worlds biggest tight as**s so I bought a packet of Calendula seeds (Calendula officinalis) and planted them. They were up in 3 days and are now flowering...within 3 months.

So, KitKat, buy some petals from who-ever-is-cheapest-at-the-moment and also plant some...they are really pretty in the garden as well!

See how pretty-->

That's so cool that you grow them!! i might do the same.. Are you supposed to dry the petals out or anything before you drink them? Or do you just put them in fresh??

[Erny]

OK.....so whats the calendula tea for :D

The tea you make from the Calendula has anti-inflamatory and anti-bacterial qualities. It can be taken orally or used externally. On dogs, commonly used to ease rashes, itchiness and to help thwart secondary skin infections which might arise as a result of allergic reactions.

[Erny]

Growing the marigolds is a good idea, and you get the value from them in the garden in the meantime, although for me personally, I don't think I'd have the time nor be bothered with picking and drying etc.

The other thing to consider (and I'm not sure about this myself, so I'm only raising it as food for thought) is the sterility factor in the process of drying - after all, you're using the tea to treat skin which is potentially raw and open and wouldn't want to use something that might have been contaminated with something that could lead to infection rather than prevent/stop it occurring.

I have no idea what processes the commercial field uses from the growing to the drying and then packaging stage, but might be worth enquiring about before you DIY.

[Boronia]

Growing the marigolds is a good idea, and you get the value from them in the garden in the meantime, although for me personally, I don't think I'd have the time nor be bothered with picking and drying etc.

The other thing to consider (and I'm not sure about this myself, so I'm only raising it as food for thought) is the sterility factor in the process of drying - after all, you're using the tea to treat skin which is potentially raw and open and wouldn't want to use something that might have been contaminated with something that could lead to infection rather than prevent/stop it occurring.

I have no idea what processes the commercial field uses from the growing to the drying and then packaging stage, but might be worth enquiring about before you DIY.

You may have a point there Erny. I do dry my own herbs as well as leeks, onions, bananas, pawpaws, tomatoes etc. If the herbs are completely dried and kept in brown paper bags they don't seem to get mold on them .. The veges need to be VERY dry when put in their jars otherwise they get mould

When we used to have the farm I dried garden herbs by hanging them up beside the wood stove.

I think that because the herbs are dried very slowly over quite a few hours @40C that there would be few bugs left on them

I use a Harvest Maid dehydrator

[Erny]

I use a Harvest Maid dehydrator

So you're not the "biggest tight " that you make out to be, . Don't know what the dehydrators are worth, but I think that it would be more time and cost effective to simply purchase the ready made stuff if you don't already have one. In the space of about 18 months, I think I've gone through about 4 or 5 packets of the Calendula. And (*touch wood*) I'm finding I need it less and less so a packet is lasting a lot longer than it once did.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Erny

[Boronia]

I use a Harvest Maid dehydrator

So you're not the "biggest tight " that you make out to be, . Don't know what the dehydrators are worth, but I think that it would be more time and cost effective to simply purchase the ready made stuff if you don't already have one. In the space of about 18 months, I think I've gone through about 4 or 5 packets of the Calendula. And (*touch wood*) I'm finding I need it less and less so a packet is lasting a lot longer than it once did.

Hahaha Ernie...dehydrator $18 off ebay years ago. I mostly use it to dry bananas and pawpaws...really yummy for snacks, it uses only a tiny amt of watts/hour.

probably not cost effective for flower petals tho'. I may dry the Calendula flowers along with the Herb Robert leaves that I give dried to the dogs, therefore killing two birds with one stone (so to speak!)

[westiemum]

Guys I can vouch for what Erny's saying - I started using calendula tea for my itchy allergic westie girl and it worked like a charm - made up the tea and bathed her in it regulary - worked like a charm.

[Aly]

Guys I can vouch for what Erny's saying - I started using calendula tea for my itchy allergic westie girl and it worked like a charm - made up the tea and bathed her in it regulary - worked like a charm.

Can you tell me the quantity you used for bathing please?

Thanks

[Boronia]

Guys I can vouch for what Erny's saying - I started using calendula tea for my itchy allergic westie girl and it worked like a charm - made up the tea and bathed her in it regulary - worked like a charm.

Can you tell me the quantity you used for bathing please?

Thanks

I would just use around 1/4 cup of dried petals Aly, but I don't really know...PM Westiemum and Erny and they will tell you EXACTLY... also...what are you feeding your dog with?, perhaps we can suggest stuff that will help the itchies.

[Erny]

I use anywhere between a good 1 to 2 tablespoons to a large cup of water. It's rough - I don't measure it. Probably around about the amount Boronia has suggested. I use a lot more, of course, if I use it as a bath. I'm not an expert on natural remedies nor how they are made/processed, but the stuff I purchase is more than just the plant's petals.

[Aly]

Guys I can vouch for what Erny's saying - I started using calendula tea for my itchy allergic westie girl and it worked like a charm - made up the tea and bathed her in it regulary - worked like a charm.

Can you tell me the quantity you used for bathing please?

Thanks

I would just use around 1/4 cup of dried petals Aly, but I don't really know...PM Westiemum and Erny and they will tell you EXACTLY... also...what are you feeding your dog with?, perhaps we can suggest stuff that will help the itchies.

Thanks for the reply,

I feed Aly on Barf Patties,chicken frames and sometimes necks. Have been doing this for a year now I guess.

Ive tryed the bath wash from groomers that seems ok, she is back on antihisamines 2 a day,they dont seem to make much difference.

My vet bill just keeps adding up with medications and lotions,so would love a natural wash for the poor love.

[Erny]

Ive tryed the bath wash from groomers that seems ok, she is back on antihisamines 2 a day,they dont seem to make much difference.

My vet bill just keeps adding up with medications and lotions,so would love a natural wash for the poor love.

Aly - give the Calendula a try. It should help with the itchies. I had antihistamines on standby when my boy broke out into hundreds (literally) of hives. A few wetting downs with the Calendula over a couple of days, and I didn't even need to resort to the antihistamines. You should have some idea within 24 to 48 hours if the Calendula is going to help.

[Aly]

Ive been to health shop and got some tea,also some caledula cream to put on any raw spots. I have also been given some homoeopathy for animals to try ,sulphar pilules. Will be interesting to see how she goes over the next few days.

Thanks for the replys everyone.

[Boronia]

Hope it works.....be sure to come back here and let us know how you went :D