I have not. I’m still relatively new in my relationships with the plants here in the South and really only work with the plants I feel well acquainted with.
I have a question about the balls...they are now on the trees...big time...its sept in KS....should I just harvest enough for what I want to use now?? or is there a way to harvest and keep them(still viable) after they have dropped and turned brown? we have tons of this beautiful fall color trees...one large one just outside my door...neighbors hate them (tripping agents) but I think they are AWESOME!!) THANks for the vids very educational....
Harvest what you can but you will have to make the tincture immediately as they are only "good" as long as they are green. I have toyed with the idea of trying to freeze them. I suppose you could give that a shot. Let me know how that works out? ;)
A tincture's shelf life is 3 to 5 years. Some of the alcohol will evaporate a bit over time and it can lose a bit of its potency. Tinctures should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct light and heat to ensure maximum potency and shelf life.
30-40 drops 1 to 3 times a day. Standard in our house is 2 droppers full (40 drops) once in the am and once in the pm. This does the trick if you feel a virus creeping up or at mid-point is usually enough to speed it along (taking it down from average 7 to 10 days to 3 to 4). If a virus is set in might want to go to 3x a day. And don't forget to address your immunity too. Pine Needle, Nettles, and Elderberry are my favorite go-to's
Sweet Gum contains shikimic acid, which is anti-viral. Shikimic acid is also found in star anise and I believe it the source for what western medicine has created with Tami-flu. In our household we take sweet gum tincture at the slightest tinge of an illness sinking in. It will shorten the duration of your illness, lessen the severity of symptoms and push it through the body quicker or at times I swear it seems to stop the virus from even sticking.
