Laoghaire
April 28th, 2008, 08:22 AM
I've always been crazy about herbs, just like my mom. I recently bought Calendula seeds, to make ointment. This weekend, I wanted to do the same with my Aloë Vera. Something went terribly wrong, and I hope somebody can help me out...
I bought my plant last summer. He flourished, like all the plants in our house. My mum has some super green fingers. Due to a little accident with the curtains, one leaf got knocked off. Later, another one. He was quite out of balance, so to speak. It's problematic with Aloë plants, because the leaves get very very heavy.
I took him to my room, where he lost his balance completely. He fell to one side and lost another leaf.
This weekend, my mom decided to repot. I joined her, with my purple clover, my Calendula seeds and the Aloë. Because the plant was already out of balance, I decided to cut some of the leaves, bring some balance in the little one again and make some ointment in the mean time.
According to my favourite herb book, the ointment making would be very easy. I would have to get the gel out of the leaves and heat it until it was one homogeneous mass.
Should have been easy...
My mum decided that I wasn't allowed to use her small saucepan. I understand, but I explained her that Aloë was far from dangerous. So, for the first try-out, we would do it 'bain-marie'. I cleaned out an old can and put that in, with the gel in it, in the boiling water.
First problem: It was a tomatoe purée can. There was red on the sides, but I could not get it off. *it was even there after the real 'cooking'*
Second problem: The book never mentioned a certain time set. Homogeneous mass, that was my goal. So I stirred and burned my fingers until I THOUGHT I had achieved this.
When I poured it into my little jar, the liquid has a slight pink colour. Tomatoe? I have no idea... The day after, it still hadn't thickened. It will never will...
I feel so horribly stupid relating all this... *blush*
What the hell did I do wrong?
I bought my plant last summer. He flourished, like all the plants in our house. My mum has some super green fingers. Due to a little accident with the curtains, one leaf got knocked off. Later, another one. He was quite out of balance, so to speak. It's problematic with Aloë plants, because the leaves get very very heavy.
I took him to my room, where he lost his balance completely. He fell to one side and lost another leaf.
This weekend, my mom decided to repot. I joined her, with my purple clover, my Calendula seeds and the Aloë. Because the plant was already out of balance, I decided to cut some of the leaves, bring some balance in the little one again and make some ointment in the mean time.
According to my favourite herb book, the ointment making would be very easy. I would have to get the gel out of the leaves and heat it until it was one homogeneous mass.
Should have been easy...
My mum decided that I wasn't allowed to use her small saucepan. I understand, but I explained her that Aloë was far from dangerous. So, for the first try-out, we would do it 'bain-marie'. I cleaned out an old can and put that in, with the gel in it, in the boiling water.
First problem: It was a tomatoe purée can. There was red on the sides, but I could not get it off. *it was even there after the real 'cooking'*
Second problem: The book never mentioned a certain time set. Homogeneous mass, that was my goal. So I stirred and burned my fingers until I THOUGHT I had achieved this.
When I poured it into my little jar, the liquid has a slight pink colour. Tomatoe? I have no idea... The day after, it still hadn't thickened. It will never will...
I feel so horribly stupid relating all this... *blush*
What the hell did I do wrong?