Madder together with Indigo and a few others is possibly one of the oldest known dye throughout history. Any time you look at some old painting remember that it is very likely that the red oil paint used by those artists came from the Madder roots. Equally the dye used to dye the garments that people are wearing and wore. Madder is one of the greatest because of its durability.
Writing about Madder by W. Tucker, 1826
Here is an excerpt from W. Tucker’s 1826 publication The Family Dyer and Scourer talking about madder:
For a madder red on woollens, the best quantity of madder is one half the weight of the wool…; the best proportion of salts to use is five parts of alum and one of red tartar for sixteen parts of the stuff. A variation in the proportions of the salts, wholly alters the colour that the madder naturally gives. If the alum is lessened, and the tartar increased, the dye proves a red cinnamon. If the alum be entirely omitted, the red wholly disappears, and a durable tawny cinnamon is produced. If woollens are boiled in weak pearl ash and water, the greater part of the colour is destroyed. A solution of soap discharges part of the colour, and leaves the remaining more beautiful. Volatile alkalies heighten the red colour of the madder, but they make the dye fugitive.
Biology
Rubia Tinctorum, known as Madder, is a long-lived perennial that belongs to the Rubiaceae family, the same family as coffee. A few other plants from the same family like Gallium Mollugo and Gallium Aparine also yield some good reds, but the relative weight ratio between fibre and plant is not as good.
The madder plants sprout in early April and can grow up to 60 to 100 cm high. Once established, it spreads and creeps, and can become invasive. Also be aware that its star-shaped leaves are prickly and can cause a skin rash.
Small pale-yellow flowers appear by the end of June and green berries by mid July. By the end of September the berries look like a small blackcurrant, and turn to dark grey or black. The plants begin to die down in late autumn, the berries dry and the seeds look like black peppercorns. Throughout winter the madder bed looks dead, as if covered with straw.
Cultivation
Madder plants are easily grown either from seed or cuttings. To sow, place seeds in a small pot filled with compost. Fresh seeds are much more likely to germinate, otherwise I have been advised to place them in boiling water and leave for 12 hours to increase their chances.
Be sure to protect them from slugs, they love eating young madder.
To produce better reds out the roots add lime to the soil during the winter to increase alkalinity.
Harvest – Digging up the roots
The minimum age for harvesting madder is three years, but the best age is five years, when the roots are pencil thick. Fifteen-year old plants produce roots that can be one inch in diameter. It is best to have three or more madder beds, and dig them in rotation.
Some people say that the best time to dig the roots is in the winter, when the prickly foliage is dry, and most of the nutrients are in the roots. But if you live in a cold climate be mindful that soil may not be permeable enough during winter.
Others say the August is the best month to dig them, the roots being easier to clean after a week or two of good weather. You can also dig them up when you need them if you want to use them fresh, remember to use thick gloves.
Preparation
Once the roots have been dig soak the roots scrub the dirt with a brush. Let the soil around the roots dry for a couple of days. You can then shake most of the loose soil out of the roots before washing them in clear fresh water.
Once the roots are clean, chop them up as small as possible. Madder root is easier to cut when fresh, once dry it is quite hard to cut.
Ensure that roots are completely dry before storing as they can easily become mouldy and the colour becomes duller.
Yield
I have learned that 100 grams of fresh madder makes 14 gr of dried madder and 850 gr produces about 110-120 gr of dried madder. This will fill a ten-litre pot when liquidised.
To wash out some of the less desirable brown and yellow pigments, pour boiling water over the roots at the start. Leave them soaking for a minute or two and strain off the liquid. This process can be repeated once more, especially if you plan to save the discarded liquid for a separate dye bath. It all depends how afraid you may be to remove some of the very desirable red dye.
Roots are simmered for about 30 min and strained off the liquid dye. Add the fibres and leave them to steep for as long as it takes to get the red you want. The roots can be simmered or cold processed quite a few many times before the dye is completely exhausted. You can dry out the roots at any time and store them ready for later use.
Colours
To obtain a true red from Madder we use an alum mordant. But it can also be successfully applied without mordant, especially to wool. These colours tend towards orange or brown tones. With an alkaline modifier the tone shifts to attractive shades of pink. Also an aubergine purple can also using iron as a mordant, and then applying an alkaline modifier.
Beware that unlike many other dyes, Madder prefers an alkaline environment. If the tap water is too acidic you will only get oranges and rusts. Remember that these shades can be shifted towards red by using an alkaline modifier, such as the washing soda after-bath. It can also be added to the dye bath directly, but then you should plan to apply the dye without heat.
Remember not to apply heat to any solution containing washing soda ⚠️ This may destroy the fibres, especially wool and other protein fibres.
If you grow your own plants don’t forget that the dried plant tops can also give pretty colours. Around late Autumn, the plant tops start to look dry and pale, like straw. With an alum mordant they can give pinks and without it, beige and tan colours.
