Here is a blog post on growing and harvesting St John’s wort. It is also is known by its scientific name as Hypericum perforatum. I am writing this blog post as my series of homegrown dye plants. At the moment over the last years, I have to try to learn to grow as my dye plants at home as possible. As a result, to reduce carbon footprint I thought it is nice to do more. Natural dyeing has always been my interest many years ago. Now with a bit of time in my hands, I can pursue my hobbies with more passion.
St John’s wort flower and leaves when matured are characteristic by their bright yellow flower and thyme-like looking leaves. It is easy to grow at home and the best thing of all it comes back year after year. As it is easy to grow plants the rhizomes produce by the plant over time can be invasive. It is dangerous when ingested in large amounts by livestock and it can cause allergic reactions. Also, it can interact with certain medications. However, I love to use this plant as a fabric printing dye as it produces lovely colors when printed.
Growing and harvesting St John’s Wort
St John’s wort is easily grown from seed. They so easily with no issues. In the first year the young plant resembles of thyme by in the second year it starts to mature into a full-blown plant. Do grow them in a sunny spot and it would happy to produce decent amount quantities of flowers for fabric dyeing and printing.
Come sometime in the next season spring/ summer time once it starts flowering, it is ready to be harvested for fabric dyeing and printing. Do cut them back if they become invasive. Digg out the rhizomes as they are left on the ground it produces new plants come spring.
Thank you for reading and dropping by. do have a look at my other blog posts on growing dye plants like growing madder and woad.
