I recently was asked about
harvesting roots for medicine, the specific series of questions was about
Echinacea, but the information will work for many other roots as well.
The best time to dig most roots is
in the fall, after the flowers are done and the seeds are set. You need to be very careful to avoid damaging
the plants crown, which is the part of the
plant found at the boundary between soil and air. From the crown upwards grow
the green parts of the plant--the stems and leaves. From the crown downward
grow the roots. The crown itself
contains the buds and tissues from which all new growth arises in many types of
plants. If you damage the crown the
vigor of the plant will be damaged, it will be susceptible to disease and
insect infestation. So the first thing to do is to squat down and identify
where the crown of the plant is.
Once you are ready to dig, you
should make your cuts in the soil at least 8 inches from the crown--which will
provide you with 4 inch sections of usable roots. You can make the cuts even
further out if you like. Once you have
dug up your plant, wash the roots well, being
careful not to damage the crown. Remove roots to within 4 inches of the crown,
wash them again, blot, and set them to dry on screens, or racks; out of direct
sun but where there is good air circulation (so you don't get any mold). Do not
bunch the roots together as they will need plenty of air circulation. They
should be crisp dry before storing. To preserve the medicinal properties, for
small roots it is best to store the roots
whole, and then crush with a mortar and pestle right before use. (For large thick roots, it is best to slice
then thinly before drying so it is actually possible to crush them once dry.)
Now, back to your plant. The crown needs protected from full sun, and
drying wind while removed from the ground.
Replant the crown as soon as possible after digging. If the crown is big enough--you can use a
sharp garden knife to divide it to make more plants--or to make more use of the
larger roots. If it was happy and pest
free in the spot that you removed it from, mix some well rotted compost or
manure into the hole, and replant where it came from. A layer of mulch is almost always a good
idea, as is some water, unless the soil is already saturated. Don’t let the crown dry out over the next few
months, and when spring comes, keep an extra eye on the plant. It will not have an adequate root system for
some time, so it will need some extra attention.
Instead of digging up the whole
plant you can make a cut at four inches and eight inches and remove a section
of soil and roots leaving the plant in the ground. While this is less traumatic
to the plant, be aware that anytime you disturb a plant’s roots you are interfere
with its life and vigor, and there is a chance it will not survive.
I always prefer to use the
aerial, above ground, parts of herbs whenever possible, to best preserve the
plants’ lives, especially if the population of the plant in question is low. If
you are interested in harvesting from wild plants, I would suggest reading a
section in my book "Sacred Smoke, The Ancient Art of Smudging for ModernTimes," on 'Gathering Plants for Smudge.' The information there can be
equally applied to medicinal plants. The
book is available on request from most libraries and local book stores.
Questions, comments, and tips are
always welcome!
