Comments on: All About Calendula: How to Grow, Harvest, Dry, & Use Calendula Flowers https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/ Organic Gardening | Real Food | Natural Health | Good Vibes Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:30:53 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 By: Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat) https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2136393 Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:30:53 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2136393 In reply to Linda Bisson.

Hi Linda, that’s too bad to hear about the calendula flowers molding on you, it’s hard to say about the calendula flowers in the oil (all you can do at this point is wait and see if it spoils or not) but for the flowers that have been dried already that aren’t yet moldy, I would try and lay the flowers out at room temperature or put them back into the dehydrator for awhile. We typically dry our calendula flowers for at least 72 hours at 98-100 degrees F as we like to err on the side of caution over having the flowers molding either in their storage jar or in the oil itself. Hope that helps and good luck on making your calendula oil and getting a surplus of dried calendula flowers!

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By: Linda Bisson https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2136392 Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:37:10 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2136392 Good Morning Deanna and Aaron…I reread this post after some of the calendula flowers that I dried have gone mouldy in the jar that I stored them in, and others feel soft to the touch (rather than dry and papery as they were when I retrieved them from my dehydrator). I am concerned that they all may turn mouldy…even though they have dried for more than 2 days. Some batches were infused immediately, so I am hoping the resulting oil is ok. Any additional ideas would be appreciated. I will dry for a longer period…usually at 98 degrees, from here on.

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By: Lana https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2132348 Sun, 23 Jul 2023 05:35:18 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2132348 In reply to Angela.

Hi Angela, we have those too. They are a little bug called a Thrip. As far as I am aware, they’re not harmful. I typically leave the calendula blossoms in a colander on a table outside for a few hours after harvesting and shake every so often to get as many of them out as we can.

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By: Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat) https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2132293 Sat, 22 Jul 2023 21:19:25 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2132293 In reply to TC.

Hi TC, our calendula plants will continue to grow and get taller but we don’t really trim them back all that much. Just keep up with picking the flowers more frequently and the plants will continue to bloom, as the plant gets older, the flowers will reduce in size and the plant will start to slow down in the amount of flowers it produces and no amount of pruning or cutting back will reverse that. Hope that helps and have fun growing!

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By: TC https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2132225 Sat, 22 Jul 2023 17:10:23 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2132225 I have a question–if I want more blooms should I cut my long and leggy calendula and where? TIA

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By: Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat) https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2126829 Sun, 11 Jun 2023 17:48:37 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2126829 In reply to Angela.

Hi Angela, I wouldn’t be too worried about the insects biting you so you can likely still bring the flowers indoors for drying (will you be using a food dehydrator to expedite the process?). If you want the bugs to “jump ship” off of the flowers before you bring them indoors, you can likely leave them outside for several hours and the insects should leave the flowers as they sense that they are no longer alive. Hope that helps and good luck!

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By: Angela https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-6/#comment-2126803 Sun, 11 Jun 2023 15:26:49 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2126803 Thanks for the post and all the great info you provide. I cut off my first flowers and noticed a bunch of tiny little bugs inside. They were everywhere in a matter of seconds so I put them back outside. Very very tiny long brownish insects. Any idea what they could be? I’ve gotten so many bites while doing minimal gardening so I’m hesitant to keep them inside!

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By: Pat Moore https://homesteadandchill.com/all-about-calendula/comment-page-5/#comment-2115065 Sat, 22 Apr 2023 21:25:09 +0000 https://homesteadandchill.com/?p=6268#comment-2115065 Try a soapy mixture of water and soap and spray the mildewy areas. Also pick 4 fat Aloe Vera leaves and grind them and add to water, spray on and around your flowers, it fertilizes, prompts root growth and helps build plants immunity. Burdock plants leaves are used this way to deter insects on plants. Plus you can eat fresh young burdock leaves and harvest/skin the roots and use in stir-fry. Burdock and dandelion greens are super Liver detox.

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