Even if you don’t have the space for growing a ton of produce, you can easily grow a medicinal herb garden in your flower beds or pots on your patio. Medicinal herb gardens are an awesome way to limit pharmaceuticals in your everyday use–most medicinal herbs look and smell amazing, which doesn’t hurt either.
Here’s my favorite medicinal herbs to grow:
- Lavender. To me, lavender is a wonder plant, bees love it, it looks beeeeautiful in the yard, you can cook with it, AND use it for medicinal purposes. Lavender has a strong scent that is still very gentle on the ol’ nasal passages. It can be used for calming purposes in baths, it soothes burns, and can help with arthritis, headaches and sore throats. It has literally a ton of other uses, as well.
- Chamomile. Ah, chamomile tea. I could stop it’s uses right there and be happy. But, chamomile can be introduced into tea to induce restful sleep, calm your digestive track and ease achiness. It is also high in calcium and magnesium. To turn it into a tea, mix 1-3 tsp. {depending on how strong you like it} of dried herb into 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep and drink it down.
- Garlic. I would be happy to add garlic to pretty much anything. I love the flavor, but as an added bonus, it boosts immunity {in fact, I read in the paper the other day that one garlic clove a day can help you stave off colds. It might help you stave off affection from your partner too, so you might want to grow some mint :}
- Motherwort. Motherwort is literally as the name implies–it helps with lady problems. It can help to soothe menstrual cramps, helps new mothers recover more quickly, and help bring on a delayed period.
- Yarrow. Yarrow will require a little more space than just a pot, but it is fantastic for inflammation. So, instead of grabbing an Advil, you can grab a yarrow concoction instead.
- Mint. I wasn’t kidding when I told you to grow mint with your garlic. Mint is awesome for upset stomachs. Chew the leaves or drink it in tea. The kiddos can do this too.
- Ginger. Ginger is great for motion sickness. If you or your kiddos get car sick, grating a bit of ginger in a smoothie, or making ginger candies for the car ride, really can help.
- Comfrey. When I went to the Mother Earth News Fair awhile back, one of the medicinal herbs speakers raved about comfrey. You can use it to treat bruises and sprains–which if you have kids in sports, this is a must.
- Marshmallow. No, not like the big fluffy balls of goodness you buy in the package, but the actual plant. It requires a bit more space, like the yarrow, but it is great for treating a sore throat.
- Fennel. Fennel is one of those herbs that is great to cook with, but it also aides with digestion. So, make sure to throw it into your next recipe.
- Valerian Root. Valerian is fantastic for insomnia and overall relaxation. It is a great substitution for Ambien, because while it works just as well, it is not habit forming.
- Echinacea. Echinacea is commonly known as the coneflower. It is typically purple with bright orange cone in the center, but you can find other colors as well. It is used to boost the immune system. When you take it at the onset of a cold, it can help to stave it off. Though, it is not very effective once the cold has set in.
Any herbs that you grow and swear by?
~Mavis
* Please consult your doctor before treating any medical condition
If you are wondering how to prepare the herbs you grow, I recommend getting a book that will teach you to use them safely and effectively. Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide gets a solid 5 stars on Amazon.
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Krista S says
Love all these and have them in my medicine cabinet at all times.
A note on Valerian root. It smells like dirty feet, but it is soooo worth it, it helps with sooo many things aside form sleep. We even used to give a piece every so often to our pet rats when they would go a lil stir crazy and start spazzing out in their habitat. They loved it. It’s even been used as an anti-convulsant in epilepsy.
Teckla says
You are right about Valerian smelling like dirty feet, or to me, throw up.
Also, I had a neutered male (indoor only) kitty who absolutely went psycho about valerian which I had for my Dad. It was like meth to him. I actually had to hide it in the cupboard to keep him away from it. I had it on a high shelf at first and he’d climb trying to get it and get rough. He actually scared me a bit. I’ve heard catnip can be problematic for some cats, but this was really wild! Finally, got it out of the house. Anyone else run into this with pets?
Cecily says
While most of these herbs are safe, you should remind your readers to consult their doctor before treating any medical condition.
Lisa says
I second that! Too many people believe herbs = natural = safe for everyone. Not so. Plus, there are interactions between some herbs and medications.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks Cecily, I just updated the post. Sometimes I type faster than I think. 🙂
Jess says
Do you know of a source to get some of the seeds which Botanical Interests doesn’t sell?
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Jess, here is a huge list of different seed catalogs you can order http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/free-garden-seed-catalogs-3/
Delores says
Lemon Balm! It is great stuff and easy to grow and smells fantastic!
Rochelle says
I agree completely Delores! I make a tea with lemon balm and chamomile; it’s like a miracle in a cup! Well, that may be overstating things just a bit, but it is my favorite. :0)
Rochelle says
My hubby has toe problems so I make a wonderful foot soak for him out of rosemary and mint from the garden combined with Epsom salt. He likes it better than anything the doctors have tried.
Kristina says
Here’s an interview from the NY Times home section this morning; a couple of your suggestions are high on this lady’s list of aphrodisiacs…..so you got that goin’ for ya, too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/garden/sometimes-asparagus-is-more-than-asparagus.html?ref=garden
The Smallest Acre says
So informative! I have yarrow growing wild. It does like to spread. I’ll be growing marshmallow this year.
Margaret Thele says
I swear by Plantain – the lawn weed – styptic,antibacterial and has properties that increase cell division – have healed some nasty pruning cuts with it!
Leah brooks says
I did not know you could do that! Just apply the leaves to the cut?
Leah brooks says
I love using lemon grass and either Tulsi basil or African basil in my infused waters.
Melissa Doroquez says
I am thinking I may need to eke out some space in the garden. Maybe a new garden bed in a spot all it’s own just for a medicinal garden. Are most of those perennials?