Utensils for Herbal Workings

If you collect and dry herbs for making incense, poppets, teas or decorating your altar it is a good idea to have some dedicated tools to make your work easier.

Here is a list of the most useful ones I have used over the years and if you are just starting your herbal journey I hope you find it useful.

Pestle and Mortar

I consider this an essential item. The best in my opinion are made of marble as the weight helps you work, especially with gums and woods. I would suggest that if you are going to make incenses etc I would have two - one for herbs and the other for gums, wood etc. Make sure they are not identical so that you know which is the correct one to use at any time.

Liquidiser

You can use a liquidizer, this is best for making powders though, as they are difficult to regulate and you can’t really use it for wood as the blades would soon be blunted or distorted.

Airtight containers  

Although you can buy dried herbs over the counter, do not store them in the bags they came in.  They should be transferred to airtight containers.  I use glass bottles and coffee jars, (that way I'm doing my bit by recycling also).  Make sure they have been thoroughly washed and dried before placing anything inside them. They are also useful for storing incense and any other blend you may make.

If you buy Essential Oils, once you have used them up, wash the bottles and caps out well in very soapy water and keep uncapped to let the smell evaporate. You can then use them for blends that you make. You can also buy them online, by mail order and at herbal apothecaries. 

Labels

These are vital.  None of us can possibly recognize all herbs in their different forms simply by sight.  Label the containers as you fill them and add the date too – if you don’t use the herbs within 6 months then get rid of them – they are of no use any more. Wash out the jars before adding new herbs; don’t add more to a remainder left in the jar as they may be stale and will affect the fresh herbs.

Tea Ball (Tea Infuser)

A good metal tea ball can be very useful for experimenting, or when making single person doses of teas and tonics.  (Cuts down on time spent washing teapots too).

Chopping Board

You will need this if you are making a herbal concoction from fresh herbs, keep this solely for herbal work so that you don’t get other tastes in the mixtures that you don’t want – like onion for example – it could ruin a blend!

Sharp Knives

A large bladed chopping knife is essential for fresh herbs. A pair of scissors can be really useful too, especially for preparing herbs for drying.

A notepad

Write down everything – there is nothing worse than making a fabulous incense or remedy and then being unable to replicate it, believe me!!  It helps if you make something dreadful too – then you won’t repeat the mistake.

I like to use a record box with index cards for my best recipes, they are alphabetically listed and it makes finding them so easy rather than leafing through notebooks galore. If you do use a book, once you have moved the best bits from it, you can dispose of it and this will stop you from cluttering up the place with loads of books over the years.

Other miscellaneous utensils

Cheesecloth is good for straining liquid mixtures.

A dropper is very useful for measuring liquid herbal mixtures or essential oils, either to make up mixtures or administer doses of remedies.

Paper towels are great for drying herbs especially if you are using a microwave.

Paper bags are invaluable if you are collecting seeds.

If you are collecting herbs from the wild, pop them into separate plastic bags to keep them fresh on the journey home.