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| with either fresh or dried herbs and provide a way to preserve the herb's medicinal properties for several years. Officially, the tincture is made by using 1 part herb to 5 parts 100 percent alcohol/water by weight. A simple home method would be to pack a jar with the herb and cover with the alcohol/water solution so that no herb matter is exposed to the air. Let stand for 14 days, press or strain out and pour into amber glass bottles. One hundred percent grain alcohol is the best to use, but a good quality vodka also works. If using vodka, use a 100 proof (50% alcohol) and no dilution with water will be necessary. If using 100 percent grain alcohol, dilute to desired strength, 50 percent alcohol with 50 percent water extracts most active constituents from common medicinal herbs. |
| Storing Herbs |
| Pay special attention to how you store your herbs. If they are stored properly, they will last and retain their actions better. Here are a few helpful hints. |
| Air facilitates oxidation, so fill your containers to the top with the herb or fill the excess space with cotton. Light causes photo-oxidation and accelerates chemical changes in the herb. Thus it is important to use opaque glass storage containers. Temperature also affects the rate of chemical reaction in the plant material. The higher the temperature, the higher the rate of chemical reaction. Ideal storage temperature is 55-65 degrees F. Remove all insects, fungal material, bacteria and other contaminants before putting herbs in storage containers. Airtight containers are best. Try to avoid plastic as it can be broken down by some of the active constituents in herbs. Hard plastic containers are okay for short-term use, but glass is best. |
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