Tag Archives: harvesting

haab-seasonal-calendar

The Right Time To Harvest Plants

Herbs ought to be gathered the moment the specific plant portion reaches the top of its healing power.

  • Leaves and stems – before the plant blooms. harvest in the morning as soon as the dew has disappeared but before the sun’s rays evaporates the oils.
  • Flowers – before they reach full bloom.
  • Fruits and berries – when they become ripe.
  • Roots and rhizomes – in the autumn as the leaves begin to change color, when the plants’ sap has returned down.
  • Barks and twigs – early in the year as the first leaves appear and the plants’ sap is rising.
Sustainable Harvesting

Sacred Earth: Sustainable Harvesting

There are few but essential things to keep in mind when gathering live plants:

1. Gather the plant in the right time, for instance when it’s blooming, producing fruits, or accumulating resources in the root.

2. Make sure to not over harvest an area. Some plants prosper after being harvested while others can’t survive losing some of the same species. You have the responsibility to research and study each plant before collecting.

3. Obey the law of natural selection, taking only the plants and trees that are struggling to thrive and will probably die as a result of insufficient sunlight caused by tough competition. Remember: predators eat the weakest preys, so that the remaining prey population become stronger and healthier.

The bottom line is that Mother Nature provides all the necessities of life to each and every being but if we want to continue to receive her gifts, we have to respect and appreciate her abundance.

As you collect any material from the landscape such as wood from living or dead trees, it is a good practice to give thanks for the gifts you have been given.