MEDICINAL HERBS

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RULE 3 : Always pick from the correct area.

It is not by coincidence that you find a field covered with a golden carpet of Coltsfoot or a meadow dotted profusely with clumps of Plantain. If an herb is growing prolifically in a particular area, you can be sure that the soil is rich in the minerals and organic acids or alkalines that promote vigorous and healthy growth. Try to pick your herbs from areas such as these.

RULE 4 : Carefully choose the time you pick. Pick by mid-morning, when most of the dew has evaporated from the foliage (dew-laden herbs tend to develop mold soon after picking).

Selecting and Picking Your Plant

Once you have found the desired herb growing in a suitable area, it is most important that you select only the best specimens, and also that you defoliate the plant in the correct manner. Avoid plants that show any signs of damage or disease. Black spots on the leaves, discoloration of the stem, or droopy foliage are some of the tell-tale signs that all is not well.

Unless you require the root of the plant, it is rarely necessary to destroy the whole herb. The Chinese have an old custom of only picking the "dragon's ears" or top two leaves. Polish herbalists will always "leave some for God" — they'll leave the rootstock to flourish again. Both ideas are to be encouraged because they promote vigorous growth and ensure that the species population does not become depleted.

When removing the foliage, choose only tender young leaves that have a healthy appearance. Old leaves tend to be tough and battle-scarred due to exposure to harsh winters. Leaves from biennial plants should, when possible, be picked in their second years.

Flowerheads are particularly prone to damage, especially from marauding insects. The best time to pick flowerheads is in the early morning, but be sure to dry them at the first opportunity to prevent molding. Avoid blooms that are starting to lose their petals, as they are past their best.

Removing bark is perhaps the most delicate operation, because if it is removed in the wrong manner, the entire plant may die. Select the tree or shrub that you require, then, with a sharp blade or small hacksaw, carefully remove smaller branches from the top and outer areas of the plant. Bark is much more easily stripped from new stemmage and branches.

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