April 21, 2015

Before my calendulas fade and set seed I plan to make some infused calendula oil. Barbara Pleasant in her blog post The Many Uses of Calendulas describes how to prepare it from the flower heads. She uses it for calendula’s healing properties and mixes with her favorite hand lotion. It can also be the basis of a homemade lotion. Like all of her garden articles, this one is well-researched and full of practical suggestions.

Here are other uses she suggests for calendulas:

• Growing in the garden, it may help repel insect pests.
  
• Added to chicken feed, it makes darker egg yolks
• As a cover crop it can improve the soil
• In salads or with rice it adds a bright touch. (I’ve made Calendula Orange Cake  and Calendula Orange Biscuits

Get the details in her short piece at GrowVeg.com:

Most gardeners grow calendulas (Calendula officinalis) for their bright orange to yellow summer flowers, but calendulas are much more than a pretty face in an organic vegetable garden.  Continue reading