It's another beautiful day here. The air is cool and crisp. The sun is shining and life is good! Today I'm talking Tinctures!
In our house, we use tinctures first for every-day ailments. We have had such great success using herbal home remedies instead of OTC "stuff" so let's chat!
There are many ways to use herbs for medicinal purposes and one is in a tincture. Other uses include consuming in food, salves, herbal vinegar and herbal oils, teas and even syrup. I thought I would start with Tinctures because it is quite simple and easy to use. An herbal tincture is simply an herbal extract. Herbal remedies have been used throughout history to treat illnesses and ailments without "modern medicine" and pharmacueticals. Tinctures are easy to make, home remedies. If properly prepared and stored, your tincture will last indefinitely.
Why DIY Tinctures?
Now for the bottom line...saving money! If you look at your local "health food store" you will find tinctures. Most are $10-$40 per ounce. Online it is the same story plus shipping. Pictured is a special "kit" I put together to get started on your tincture.
Our DIY Tincture Kits include
1-32 ounce glass jar with lid, 1- 2 ounce Amber bottle with dropper top, 2 customizeable labels, 1 ounce of Organic Herb of your choice (additional herbs available) and Details Instructions
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Earlier this month I purchased a large bottle of 100 proof vodka for $17. That's approx 59 ounces.
1-2 ounces of herbs and16-32 ounces of vodka and I still have more vodka left.
Let's do the math Tincture Kit (1 oz of herb) from Mary's Shop $15.75 Priority mail shipping $7.99
24 ounces (3 cups) of 100 proof vodka (approx) $6.91
Total spent for 24 ounces of Tincture $30.65 Homemade: Total spent for 2 ounces $2.55
Online store selling 1 ounce of Chamomile Tincture $11.00 Shipping $4 Store-Bought: Total for 2 ounces: $26
HUGE savings!!! Plus, with the Tincture Kit you have the Jar, Strainer top and detailed Instructions to make more! Kits ship within 48 hours (except weekends and holidays) via Priority Mail.
Not sure about the alcohol content? The alcohol in a tincture can be evaporated out by adding the drops to almost boiling water and swirling until cool. Although a vegetable glycerin or Apple Cider Vinegar based tincture has a short shelf life, it can be used instead of alcohol for those who prefer an alternative.
So far, we have shared tutorials for Echinacea Tincture and Getting Started. Every Tincture Kit purchased thru Mary's Heirloom Seeds includes detailed instructions. Tinctures are simple to make and as we've shown above, much less expensive compared to store-bought.
Making your own herbal home remedies is easy. Herbal tea is a great start but Tinctures can a much stronger alternative. The cost to purchase 2 ounces in the store is almost 4 times what it would cost to make your own. Some are even 7 times more expensive! Source
What is a Tincture? An herbal tincture is simply an herbal extract. Herbal remedies have been used throughout history to treat illnesses and ailments without "modern medicine" and pharmaceuticals. Tinctures are easy to make, home remedies. If properly prepared and stored, your tincture will last indefinitely.
What are the benefits of Echinacea? Echinacea is a classic member of the antiviral herbs. Not only does it fight viral and bacterial infection, it also stimulates the white blood cells and is good for the immune system. Use both the leaves and the roots of this plant. Source
To get startedyou'll need: A clean jar with a lid, vodka or everclear, herb(s), measuring cups and/or scale and labels. If you purchase a DIY Tincture Kit from Mary's Heirloom Seeds, the herbs, jar with a lid. labels and dropper bottle are all included. All you need to do is measure out your menstruum and combine! Let's get started making our Tincture! DIY Organic Echinacea Tincture Ingredients and tools: 1 clean jar with a lid (quart size) 5-6 cups of liquid (ACV, Vegetable glycerin, vodka or everclear) 1 ounce of organic Echinacea Root (dried)
**Always label your jars and dropper bottles with ingredients and dates** Directions: 1. Start with a cleaned and sterilized glass jar. Place organic Echinacea in your jar. 2. Measure out 3-4 cups of vodka or other menstruum and place inside your jar. *If you choose to use ACV or Vegetable Glycerin, be aware that your Tincture will have a limited shelf life of approx 6 months* 3. Place the lid back on your jar and mix thoroughly. 4. Label your homemade Tincture with the Date and Ingredients.
5. Store in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen cabinet. Keep Tinctures our of direct light *Shake your brewing tincture regularly. I prefer to shake my tinctures 2-3 times per week, sometimes daily.*
Start straining and consuming Echinacea Tincture after 4-6 weeks. I prefer to store strained tinctures in amber dropper bottles. I take approx 1/2 teaspoon up to 3 times daily as needed.
Disclaimer: All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. We cannot and do not give you medical advice. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before consuming any product(s).
There are many ways to use herbs for medicinal purposes and one of the is in a tincture. Other uses include consuming in food, salves, herbal vinegar and herbal oils, teas and even syrup. I thought I would start with Tinctures because it is quite simple and easy to use.
There are 2 important components to your herbal tincture: Herbal material and menstruum
What is Menstruum? Definition: a substance that dissolves a solid or holds it in suspension :solvent Types of Menstruum is general vodka, when making a true herbal tincture. Vinegar can be used, it can be safer than alcohol, but is less effective at leaching out the medicinal components of the plant. When tincturing dried herbs, water is sometimes mixed with the vodka or alcohol. When tincturing fresh herbs, I always use high-proof alcohol.
An herbal tincture is simply an herbal extract. Herbal remedies have been used throughout history to treat illnesses and ailments without "modern medicine" and pharmacueticals. Tinctures are easy to make, home remedies. If properly prepared and stored, your tincture will last indefinitely.
How long will an Herbal Tincture last?
First, if you choose to use Vinegar, Apple Cider vinegar or Vegetable glycerin, your tincture will have a shelf life of approximately 6-8 months.
All tinctures should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place. A kitchen cabinet away from the oven or stove works perfect.
According to my research, properly made tinctures with high-proof alcohol do not go bad. Again, if prepared and stored properly.
A few of my favorites: Cayenne, Feverfew, Chamomile and Thai Holy Basil
The best way to use liquid herbal tinctures is to put the suggested amount in a glass of water, tea, or juice and drink the entire contents. You can just consume straight but some tinctures can be a little stout or spicy (like the cayenne).
Single herb tinctures use only 1 herb variety. Combination tinctures are a blend of specific herbs used for a specific purpose. I've made over 15 types of herbal tinctures and I continue to make new varieties every month. Each herb or herbal combination can be used for different ailments or health boosting properties.
We offer several different kits at Mary's Heirloom Seeds
All of our kits include:
1-32 ounce glass jar with lid, 1- 2 ounce Amber bottle with dropper top, 2 customized labels, 1 ounce of Organic Herb of your choice (additional herbs available) and Details Instructions
Stay tuned for herb-specific Tincture information including recipes!
I hope you have enjoyed another educational article. If you have additional questions, please leave a comment below or send an email to mary@marysheirloomseeds.com
As promised, we are continuing to share our month-to-month, regions specific Planting Guide from Mary's Heirloom Seeds! Can you believe it's almost August? It's still super hot and we're already planning out our FALL garden!
**Just a reminder** Organic Garlic is now available as a Pre-Order
Please read all of the ordering info before placing your order. Organic Garlic must be purchased in advance and we usually sell out by August/September
If you have warmer days and cold nights, consider planting greens in small containers to bring inside at night. Or, plant an indoor windowsill garden to harvest fresh greens such as European Mesclun Mix and Arugula.
RADISH is an excellent Fall crop. It is easy to grow and a quick harvest!
These were fast to mature and really tasty. I am new to gardening and didn’t thin my seedlings well enough so many of them did not produce much of a root but that’s okay because we definitely got to use the greens! Photos are of the turnips from the garden to my kitchen and the dish we made with them. Some turnips in the photo are not the purple top variety but overall I think the purple top got larger than the others I planted.
This was the first time I have grown greens of any kind and it was a success! The plants are beautiful with the purple veins. I over crowded my raised bed with these accidentally but they still did really well. I started seeds indoors and had a hard time germinating (due to my own fault being new to seed starting) but still planted what I had outside when the time came. I was surprised when I saw the seeds that didn’t germinate indoors started coming up shortly after being outdoors. That’s how I ended up overcrowding my raised bed but on the plus side I now have a ton of healthy great tasting food in my backyard. Photos are of the greens from my garden to my kitchen.
This is my favorite plant in my garden right now. I started my seeds last winter (2022) and planted in spring 2023. My mullein survived the insane high temperatures over summer and was a refreshing pop of green all winter. I am eagerly awaiting the flower!
These are so much fun. They sell out fast and I try to get at least 1 every year. Last year I was lucky enough to grab 2. I love trying new things and these are a mixture of flower, herbs, and vegetable. One of my favorite carrots came from here. It’s one of three that I grow every year because it’s fun!
When I bought these I had the intention of testing Mary’s seed Garlic with the sprouting store bought garlic from my fridge. I will be doing another review later after I harvest and I’ll post a picture then. So planted these in raised beds. Both in full sun and planted in different beds. I did the exact same thing to both. My store bought sprouted garlic all died. My Mary’s is still alive and forming it’s bulbs. This was just too good not share!
It's another beautiful day here. The air is cool and crisp. The sun is shining and life is good! 
