Catnip for split ends?

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Originally Posted by HotRag

Yes, I read about the flowers you have wrote about in this thread, but I didn't know what buds was at first. If it was dead flowers with no potencial, or "baby flowers" or the fruit after the flower.
Maybe you wrote about buds before too, but I missed it.

If I have understand correct now, buds are "baby flowers" (is it: "not sprung out flowers"?) AND contains as much oil as the full flowers.

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I am not sure what the difference is between the buds and open flowers are in the stictest sense either but the flowers are sold as buds and the catnip I am currently using, the Catit, is perfect for me so I am not really interested in the specific differences to be honest. With catnip, if it works for me and I understand what I need to buy, great. It makes sense to me that the oils would be strongest in the flowers before they open. The oil content would diminsh when opened IMO, because there are volatile oils as well as fixed oils in catnip. Volatile oils are fragile.

With honey, for example, I have gone to great lengths in the research. With catnip as well, in certain areas but as I said, the flowers separately are sold as buds and catnip is only harvested when it blooms. So you may have a very good point in terms of when the flowers are harvested, before they open, a tiny bit? not at all? That is no doubt key in terms of quality. I will look into it but I think that the answer is in your question and your question is a very good one, IMO.

Dead and dried are 2 different things to me. Dried as in preserved when fresh is not the same to me as old, past its potency and dried.

I found a dictionary. Bud is the baby flower, just before it "springs out"/blooms.
Googling at "rosebud" pictures show mostly "baby rose flowers" that hasn't sprung out/bloomed completely.
Should be potent. All energy left in the flower and not gone off to insects, air and seed or fruit.
Because the flowers are so many and small and on different hights, it is possible that they do not spring out all at the same time (as do not for example nettle flowers). Then it should be best to harvest buds and flowers instead of flowers and and over bloomed dead flowers.

The smell on buds from any flowers compared to full bloomed rose flowers, are more fresh. I think the full bloomed flowers has more sweet and sometime as "old fruit" like smell.

But, this is just my own thoughts, I have no possibility to ask a catnip farmer about content in buds vs flowers. No info in Swedish either. Googling in English just gave loads of sellers and skin lotion contents.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HotRag

I found a dictionary. Bud is the baby flower, just before it "springs out"/blooms.
Googling at "rosebud" pictures show mostly "baby rose flowers" that hasn't sprung out/bloomed completely.
Should be potent. All energy left in the flower and not gone off to insects, air and seed or fruit.
Because the flowers are so many and small and on different hights, it is possible that they do not spring out all at the same time (as do not for example nettle flowers). Then it should be best to harvest buds and flowers instead of flowers and and over bloomed dead flowers.

The smell on buds from any flowers compared to full bloomed rose flowers, are more fresh. I think the full bloomed flowers has more sweet and sometime as "old fruit" like smell.

But, this is just my own thoughts, I have no possibility to ask a catnip farmer about content in buds vs flowers. No info in Swedish either. Googling in English just gave loads of sellers and skin lotion contents.

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I think that you have raised a very valid pont, as I have said. I have been meaing to call that scientist/farmer back and I will but I think that you have nailed the answer.

Thank you.

Rather than call, I emailed the catnip scientist/farmer these questions.

"Question 1. Hagen for example includes catnip buds in their Catit Garden organic catnip. Are the catnip flowers always harvested as buds and if so, are the flowers ever allowed to open a bit before harvesting?

Question 2. I recall you saying that the yellow dye in catnip is a tannin that is mostly in the leaves, while the buds or flowers contain more oils. Did I remember that correctly?

Question 3. I am continuing to use catnip to colour/condition my hair and to cleanse my skin in between showering. I am not replacing soap with catnip tea but on the long hair forum I told you about, people are experimenting with catnip. How cleansing is catnip. From reliable research I have read, it does have antibacterial properties and possible antifungal ones as well but cleansing is different. I know that it does not contain saponins."

I also added this to the email I sent.

"I am not holding you responsible for the answers to these questions but I am curious. You are the only qualified catnip scientist/farmer I know of and you were gracious enough to help me with answers in the past as well as being generous with your time ...."

I also just sent him the entire thread as well as individual posts, one where I mention his business directly and information on what exactly this thread is and is not about.

ETA: I have heard back on 2 of the questions but I am waiting to hear back on the 3rd before posting.

ktani, interesting. I am looking forward to read the answers.

I purchased Catip garden catnip yesterday. Should arrive within a week.

I was not able to get an answer about the cleansing abilities of catnip. That was something my source was not familiar with.

However regarding the other 2 questions, the catnip buds he harvests are done before any of the flowers have opened or formed "darkened seeds" and while tannins are common throughout catnip, they can be found mostly in the the "fibrous stalks", the leaves, and then the flowers.

Hotrag, you are correct and it does matter at which point the buds are harvested.

While I am extremely pleased with Hagen brand catnip, there are other quality brands of catnip out there.

I am not personally recommending any one brand exclusively.

I catnipped again, and this time I got a better result.

I made a much weaker brew with just under a teaspoon of herb, and let it steep for only an hour rather then the two and 1/2 before.

I shampooed twice in the shower (only using a little 'poo each time) to get my excess shea out, then poured the catnip on so I could drip without it going everywhere.

With the weaker brew my hair felt initially more tangled, but when it dried it was much more healthy, soft and flexible then before. I also have less static then I did last time.