What is valerian?

The real valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a perennial, herbaceous plant and reaches a height of 1 to 2 m. The small, light pink flowers smell sweet and reach a diameter of 4 to 5 mm. The flowering period is from May to July.

Due to the frost resistance of valerian, its distribution area extends across Europe. The valerian grows in the sun and in partial shade on almost any soil. Occasional flooding does not harm the plant, so the plant can often be found in meadows along watercourses. The plant is multiplied by seeds or by dividing larger exemplars.

Valerian is named after the Nordic god of light "Balder". The Latin name "valens" ("strong") already indicates its strength. (Source: Wikipedia)

Effect

Valerian flowers contain special blooming and growth hormones that can also work small wonders on other plants. Various methods can be used to extract these hormones from the plant. This valerian flower extract then retains its full effect for years.

By watering or spraying the cacti, the hormones penetrate through the epidermis (skin) of the cactus. It normally takes 3 to 6 years for a cactus to produce these flowering hormones itself and thus to reach sexual maturity. By applying the valerian flower extract, the cactus absorbs these hormones much earlier. In the case of young cacti, the first flower formation can take place much earlier and in older cacti an increase in the flowering hormone in the body can be achieved.

As already mentioned, all other plants also respond (more or less) to this hormone. An extreme example of this is the pumpkin plant: If this extract is used normally, this plant will bloom to death. No other plant has this extreme effect.

The additional substances in this extract also improve the entire soil environment - good bacteria are increased, roots are strengthened and fungi (Fusarium) are displaced.

For your information: Studies by the German University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences have shown that the spread of this extract on home gardens doubled the number of earthworms. The entire vitality of the soil has thus been improved.

Own experience

I was also skeptical of this method, as my cacti showed a good willingness to flower from the start. I thought that I had already reached the optimum of the plants. A friend then “forced” me to test this extract. I used it often when watering (6 to 7 times a year) my plants. In the following spring, I could hardly believe my eyes when plants, some of which had never flowered, began to bloom and those that bloom regularly even had 8 flowers instead of 4. Even young plants that were not yet supposed to bloom showed their first flowers.

This result convinced me to continue using this "miracle cure". The prerequisite for this result is of course the quality of the valerian flower extract, because only flowers and cobs (no roots and leaves) may be used for the production. Friends of mine bought some of inferior quality and were not rewarded with this flower magic. Unfortunately, this difference in quality is not visually recognizable, so the purchase is purely a matter of trust.

The production of the flower extract

There are various methods for the production of this flower extract. The basic requirement for quality is the concentration of the blooming hormone in the elixir obtained. That is why I use carefully selected flowers and cobs. It can often take a long time to sort out all of the stems in order to produce a high-quality product. Since I use the remedy myself and I want my flower fireworks to shine again every year, the purity of the valerian flower extract is very important to me.

There is a basic rule: the more often, the better. You cannot cause any damage if you overdose (tried it myself!). I now use it about 10 times a year - almost every time I water the plants. For this I take 10 to 30 drops (about a teaspoon) in 5 liters of water. Watering is more effective than spraying, as the elixir also passes into the soil itself.

My experience has shown me that watering from above has a better effect than damming. This avoids over-salting the substrate with fertilizer. Should you still use the damming variant, then spraying the cacti is preferable. Of course, you can also add it to the irrigation water to revitalize the substrate. It is important to store the extract - dark and not above 30 ° C. The effect therefore lasts for about 3 years.

Have I piqued your interest? Give it a try - the difference is fantastic!