Gardening has been a treasured pastime for ages; not only does it produce beautiful results, but there is also an element of healing involved when focusing on medicinal herbs.
While the thought of nurturing these plants may seem like a lot of work, it can be well worth it in the end with how helpful they can prove for overall health and wellness. With some intentional effort, you will soon have your harvest to preserve and use throughout the year as part of healthy herbal remedies.
So, let’s explore what’s involved in preparing and caring for these special medicinal herbs to get you started.
Here are four of my favorite herbs that can bring soothing benefits to your life.
Growing your medicinal herbs can be a rewarding and practical endeavor. Here are four medicinal herbs known for their health benefits and easy to grow in your garden or home.
While these herbs are undeniably stunning, knowing their potential to spread and take over your garden is essential. However, you can conveniently grow them in pots to maintain a well-organized garden space.
If you are on a health quest to grow your medicinal plants, check out the article on Wheatgrass benefits and how to grow it at home. It provides valuable information to help you learn more.
Chamomile
This healing herb prefers full sun but can tolerate some shade, and it does well in most soils. Chamomile flowers are typically used in teas and, known for their calming properties, have various healing benefits. It aids in promoting a full and restful night’s sleep, making it ideal for individuals who struggle with insomnia, sleep disturbances, or high anxiety.
Additionally, chamomile tea soothes the digestive system, alleviating flatulence, stomach aches, ulcers, and cramps. It also aids in digestion and elimination.
Moreover, chamomile tea can help relieve bronchial and sinus congestion, reduce menstrual cramping, ease muscle spasms, and alleviate migraine pain.
Its anti-inflammatory properties make it beneficial for reducing swelling associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other autoimmune diseases.
Furthermore, chamomile tea supports liver and kidney health by stimulating toxin elimination. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties make it effective in fighting against colds, flu, infections, and even Candida.
In summary, chamomile tea offers many health benefits, from promoting sleep to improving digestion and reducing inflammation.
Echinacea
Echinacea, also known as purple coneflower, is a hardy perennial that’s easy to grow from seeds. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
This plant contains echinacein, a compound that protects healthy cells against invading viruses and bacteria.
Echinacea offers numerous benefits, particularly in aiding the body’s healing process for various conditions, such as colds, flu, sore throat, sinus infections, sinusitis, hay fever, bronchitis, canker sores, enlarged lymph glands, ear infections, gingivitis, enlarged prostate, urinary tract infections, and yeast infections. Additionally, echinacea acts as a blood purifier and possesses anti-inflammatory properties.
For topical use, echinacea can be applied as an ointment or salve to alleviate pain and swelling associated with psoriasis, eczema, skin irritations, boils, scrapes, wounds, bug bites, bee stings, sunburn, and hemorrhoids.
As an herbal supplement, echinacea is available in various forms, including capsules, tablets, extracts, tinctures, or tea.
Due to its potent immune-boosting properties, echinacea should be taken for a limited period, typically ranging from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the illness. This approach ensures proper immune system activation while safeguarding against overstimulation.
Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is a hardy plant that grows well in various conditions, though it prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It’s known for being a remarkable herb with numerous health benefits that contribute to the entire body’s well-being. It is rich in trace minerals like boron, manganese, copper, chromium, molybdenum, selenium, and iron.
Moreover, lemon balm is known for conserving vitamin B12, ensuring optimal levels in your body.
This herb possesses anti-parasitic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, making it effective against viruses like Epstein-Barr, shingles, and HHV-6, often associated with chronic illnesses.
Furthermore, lemon balm is particularly beneficial for tonsillitis caused by strep bacteria. It also aids in liver, spleen, and kidney detoxification and helps reduce inflammation in the bladder, making it a valuable ally against interstitial cystitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Mint
Spearmint or Peppermint is relatively easy to grow and thrives in sunny and shaded locations. It’s often used in teas, candies, and other dishes for its refreshing flavor.
Medicinally, Mint possesses extraordinary qualities that can bring about a sense of calmness and tranquility.
This remarkable herb aids digestion, relieves symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and promotes the breakdown of fats. Sipping on mint tea after a hearty meal is beneficial as a natural remedy. Not only does mint tea aid in mental fatigue and mood swings, but it also offers relief for sinusitis, asthma, head colds, headaches, and congestion. Additionally, it acts as a healing agent for the respiratory system and aids in blood purification. Whether hot or cold, indulging in a cup of mint tea provides a soothing and revitalizing experience for the mind and body.
Steps to Nurture, Harvest & Preserve
Growing Healing Herbs:
- Choose the Right Healing Herbs: Start with easy-to-grow medicinal herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, or parsley. Or you can start with my favorite herbs mentioned above. Research each herb’s growing conditions – some prefer full sunlight, while others thrive in shade.
- Prepare the Soil: Most medicinal herbs prefer well-draining soil. Add organic matter like compost to enrich the soil. Some herbs, like rosemary and thyme, prefer slightly sandy soil.
- Planting: You can start medicinal herbs from seeds or buy young plants from a nursery. Follow the planting instructions for each specific healing herb regarding depth and spacing.
- Watering: Water your healing herbs regularly but be careful not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. For this reason, allow the topsoil to dry out between watering.
- Pest Control: Use organic pest control methods to keep your herbs healthy. Companion planting can be an effective strategy.
Harvesting Healing Herbs:
- When to Harvest: The best time to harvest most medicinal herbs is just before flowering, when the leaves contain the maximum amount of oils.
- How to Harvest: Snip off the top one-third of the plant, leaving the rest for continued growth. Always use clean, sharp scissors to prevent damage to the plant.
- Drying Medicinal Herbs: To dry herbs, tie them into small bundles and hang them upside down in a warm, dry place with good air circulation.
Storing Healing Herbs:
- Dried Healing Herbs: Once dried, remove the leaves from the stems and store them whole. Crushing the leaves can lead to the loss of essential oils.
- Proper Storage: Store dried medicinal herbs in airtight containers away from light and heat. Glass jars are ideal.
- Shelf Life: Dried medicinal herbs can retain their potency for up to a year if properly stored. Discard any herbs that have lost their color, smell, or taste.
Please consult a knowledgeable healthcare provider before using any Healing herbs for medicinal purposes, mainly if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medications. Additionally, growing your medicinal herbs can be fulfilling and rewarding, allowing access to fresh, organic healing herbs at your convenience. Enjoy the joy of gardening!
Can you mix flowers with herbs?
Yes, flowers and herbs make great companions. To achieve optimal growth and health, it is essential to ensure compatibility and similar water, sun, and soil requirements between herbs and flowers. Combined, they create a beautiful and harmonious mix while serving as helpful pollinators.
Enhance your garden by incorporating healing herbs alongside flowers. To help you get started, here are some useful ideas:
- Fill empty spaces with parsley to add a touch of foliage interest.
- Basil comes in a wide range of varieties and serves as an excellent accent plant that can be effortlessly incorporated into any garden space.
- Consider using thyme, mint, and oregano as ground covers in your flower garden.
- Many herbs boast attractive flowers and fragrant foliage, making them a great addition to any garden. Some examples include pineapple sage, lavender, and bee balm.
Discover a handpicked collection of indoor and outdoor products that can help you cultivate medicinal herbs, and create a soothing and revitalizing atmosphere at home.
Please feel free to share your thoughts below!
If gardening is your passion and you have a favorite herb to recommend, we would love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts in the comments section below and inspire our fellow readers.
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