CorseMachin | Indigo Plant Harvest - Tips On Picking Indigo For Dye

When to Pick Indigo The ideal time of year for picking indigo for dye is just before the blossoms open. When picking indigo, remember that these are perennial plants and need to continue to perform photosynthesis to survive. To that end, never take more than half of the leaves in any one year.

How do you harvest indigo dye?
What part of the indigo plant is used for dye?
How do you farm Indigo?
How hard is it to grow indigo?
Is indigo dye still used today?
Does indigo powder make hair black?
Can Indigo reverse GREY hair?
Why is indigo dye expensive?
What does indigo blue look like?
Is Indigo easy to grow?
Is the indigo plant edible?
Can indigo be grown indoors?

How do you harvest indigo dye?

To harvest, the Indigo is cut a few inches from the ground leaving the roots and some foliage on the plant. In a month the plants will grow back, and be ready for another harvest. The harvested Indigo plants are spread out on a tarp in the sun. The plants are left to dry in the sun for about a day or two.

What part of the indigo plant is used for dye?

In order to make indigo dye, you need leaves from a variety of plant species such as indigo, woad, and polygonum. The dye in the leaves doesn't actually exist until it is manipulated. The chemical responsible for the dye is called indicant.

How do you farm Indigo?

To grow indigo in a cold country, you need a warm greenhouse, a conservatory or a sunny windowsill. Providing you can keep the plants warm, the earlier you sow indigo seeds the better, as you will have a longer growing season. I try to sow mine in early February, but you can sow indigo seeds as late as April.

How hard is it to grow indigo?

Growing indigo from seed is not difficult, but it does require warmth. ... Plant the seeds in individual pots, three to four inches (7.5 to 10 cm.) across. The roots don't like to be disturbed, so starting them in bigger pots instead of trays means you need not disrupt them as often.

Is indigo dye still used today?

Most indigo dye produced today is synthetic, constituting several thousand tons each year. It is most commonly associated with the production of denim cloth and blue jeans, where its properties allow for effects such as stone washing and acid washing to be applied quickly.

Does indigo powder make hair black?

Since Indigo powder is a blue dye, applying it directly to your hair will leave an intriguing blue tint. However, to get darker shades like brown, auburn or black, you need to prime your hair with Henna treatment before using indigo powder.

Can Indigo reverse GREY hair?

Indigo leaf oil for greying hair

Apart from being used as a natural hair dye in the powder form, indigo leaves boiled in coconut oil can be used as a home remedy for greying hair. Regular use of this concoction can not only reverse but prevent the greying of hair in the long term.

Why is indigo dye expensive?

Indigo tinctoria and I. suifruticosa are the most common. In ancient times, indigo was a precious commodity because plant leaves contain only about small amount of the dye (about 2-4%). ... The natural extraction process was expensive and could not produce the mass quantities required for the burgeoning garment industry.

What does indigo blue look like?

Indigo is a rich color between blue and violet on the visible spectrum, it's a dark purplish blue. ... It's a cool, deep color and also a natural one. True Indigo dye is extracted from tropical plants as a fermented leaf solution and mixed with lye, pressed into cakes and powdered.

Is Indigo easy to grow?

Indigo plant care is relatively simple. Tinctoria indigo is hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11, where it grows as an evergreen. It prefers fertile, well-drained soil, moderate moisture, and full sun, except in very hot climates, where it appreciates some afternoon shade.

Is the indigo plant edible?

Indigo is edible and can be consumed as a tea. Not only are the leaves and stems used, but also the root, flower and seed depending on the season.

Can indigo be grown indoors?

Seed your indigo indoors in trays or cells as you prefer / have available ( even plastic food trays). Use good fine seeding soil for best results, cover seed lightly with soil, water and place in a warm and sunny location. Seeds will germinate within 2 -3 weeks.