We’ve all been being a lot more self-sufficient this spring. Depending on ourselves to take care of lots of different things – healthy food, disinfecting surfaces, keeping our families safe and taking care of minor medical issues. We have quite a medicinal herb garden at the farm and many of you have expressed interest in starting a medicinal herb garden or adding to the one you have. Since we weren’t able to hold the class we had planned for April about this very subject, we’re going to share a few insights on this month’s blog about having your own garden of healing herbs.
Having a healing garden in your own yard, brings you closer to the natural cycle of gardening and life. Planting, growing, harvesting and using herbs for healing becomes more than just a gardening process, it can be a part of daily living. From the herb tea in the morning, the yarrow poultice to stop that bleeding cut and then the herb bath to soak away the day’s stress, herbs can be a central part of our daily experiences. They certainly are for us and we like to encourage and educate others so they can enjoy herbs daily, too.
Having a healing garden in your own yard, brings you closer to the natural cycle of gardening and life. Planting, growing, harvesting and using herbs for healing becomes more than just a gardening process, it can be a part of daily living. From the herb tea in the morning, the yarrow poultice to stop that bleeding cut and then the herb bath to soak away the day’s stress, herbs can be a central part of our daily experiences. They certainly are for us and we like to encourage and educate others so they can enjoy herbs daily, too.
There are a few herbs that are like staples to the medicinal garden. Sage would be one with its many properties as a disinfectant and astringent often used as a remedy for many mouth and throat ills. Rosemary, another favorite, is regarded as antiseptic and astringent. Calendula, that flashy gold and yellow flower is considered mild enough even for children. Comfrey when used appropriately is an effective external remedy for mending wounds and broken bones. Catnip which has been used traditionally as a calmative. These herbs could form the basis of your garden. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, just a useful place to start.
In the last year or two, we have added some new herbs to our medicinal garden that we feel will add another level of healing to the remedies we use with our family. These are fairly common so many of them you may recognize at least in name.
Arnica –Arnica spp. - we grow A. chamissonis
Growth Habit: perennial; grows well in well-drained, loamy soil and full sun, spreads by rhizomes and seeds and will quickly spread to open spaces to make a dense green mat. Leave about 6 inches between plants when first transplanting to allow it to spread.
Plant ID: light green leaves with slightly rough texture; about 2 feet in height with bright yellow disk type flowers in clusters of three or four
Harvesting: hand pick flowers as bloom, dry on a rack or in brown paper bags
Parts to Use: flowers
Culinary Properties: none
Healing Properties: external to treat damaged tissue, bruising, sprains and strains; beneficial in alleviating muscle tension. Often found in arthritis remedies
Preparations: salves, oils
How we will use: We have not used it in any preparations we make as of yet but we have purchased salves that contain arnica. This will most likely be a preferred method of use since two senior family members have arthritis and we all get muscle strain after hours of garden work.
Growth Habit: perennial; grows well in well-drained, loamy soil and full sun, spreads by rhizomes and seeds and will quickly spread to open spaces to make a dense green mat. Leave about 6 inches between plants when first transplanting to allow it to spread.
Plant ID: light green leaves with slightly rough texture; about 2 feet in height with bright yellow disk type flowers in clusters of three or four
Harvesting: hand pick flowers as bloom, dry on a rack or in brown paper bags
Parts to Use: flowers
Culinary Properties: none
Healing Properties: external to treat damaged tissue, bruising, sprains and strains; beneficial in alleviating muscle tension. Often found in arthritis remedies
Preparations: salves, oils
How we will use: We have not used it in any preparations we make as of yet but we have purchased salves that contain arnica. This will most likely be a preferred method of use since two senior family members have arthritis and we all get muscle strain after hours of garden work.
Our arnica in mid-spring - late April.
Elecampane –Inula helenium
Growth Habit: perennial; prefers a moist shady spot and most any soil but like all plants the better the soil the better the plant; member of sunflower family
Plant ID: tall from 4-5 feet but as much as 10 feet with large tapering leaves and daisy-like orange flowers with a shaggy fringe about 3-4 inches across; at the base of the stalk grows a rosette of oval large leaves often 1- 1 ½ feet long
Harvesting: dig thickened roots in the fall after the second year of growth
Parts to Use: roots
Culinary Properties: none; pungent bitter roots
Healing Properties: expectorant, antiseptic, astringent; rarely used alone but as an ingredient in compound remedies; particularly useful in bronchial and lung ailments
Preparations: decoctions; tinctures; syrup
How we will Use: This will be a new experience for us but we are looking for good results because we have 3 people with asthma, one who is very susceptible to bronchitis and another who catches every cold that even faintly comes his way. Our in-family community herbalist, Erin, will provide guidance and remedies for all.
Growth Habit: perennial; prefers a moist shady spot and most any soil but like all plants the better the soil the better the plant; member of sunflower family
Plant ID: tall from 4-5 feet but as much as 10 feet with large tapering leaves and daisy-like orange flowers with a shaggy fringe about 3-4 inches across; at the base of the stalk grows a rosette of oval large leaves often 1- 1 ½ feet long
Harvesting: dig thickened roots in the fall after the second year of growth
Parts to Use: roots
Culinary Properties: none; pungent bitter roots
Healing Properties: expectorant, antiseptic, astringent; rarely used alone but as an ingredient in compound remedies; particularly useful in bronchial and lung ailments
Preparations: decoctions; tinctures; syrup
How we will Use: This will be a new experience for us but we are looking for good results because we have 3 people with asthma, one who is very susceptible to bronchitis and another who catches every cold that even faintly comes his way. Our in-family community herbalist, Erin, will provide guidance and remedies for all.
Motherwort – Leonurus cardiaca - the name gives hints to its uses: Leonurus = lion or lioness and cardiaca = heart
Growth Habit: perennial; member of mint family, self- seeds prolifically so cut flowers regularly; will grow in most soils and light conditions
Plant ID: grows from two to ten feet tall on a smooth, pronounced square, sturdy main stem with many branching stems which becomes redder as the plant matures each season. It has small, fuzzy white or pink tubular flowers arranged in whorls on the spiky tops of the stems
Harvesting: stalks, flowers, and leaves are typically harvested during full bloom in mid to late summer; somewhat prickly so use gloves when harvesting
Parts to Use: leaves and flowers
Culinary Properties: none, extremely bitter which can be tasted if lick lips while harvesting
Healing Properties: for heart conditions, relaxes muscles so can ease menstrual discomfort; restorative and relaxing so helps women transition during postpartum and menopausal changes
Preparations: because of its bitter taste often combined with other herbs or honey, teas (infusions), tinctures
How we will use: We are still learning what to do with Motherwort and will report more later. Erin has a tincture purchased from another herbalist and has been enjoying taking a dropperful as needed to help support her own mother lioness heart. She has not found it to be bitter - but maybe because its what's needed. ;)
Skullcap – Sculleteria lateriflora
Growth Habit: hardy perennial; member of mint family; prefers partial shade to full sun and moist soil; Native to North American commonly used by Native Americans
Plant ID: grows up to three feet tall and is adorned with dainty blue flowers formed by two tongue-like petals that resemble a helmet or cap; typical mint leaves with jagged edges and square stems
Harvesting: harvest during stage of early flowering, harvest leaves and flowers about 6-8 inches above ground
Parts to Use: leaves and flowers
Culinary Properties: none; does not taste minty rather a bitter earthy flavor
Healing Properties: relieve tension, nervousness, and irritability associated with stress; does not cause drowsiness like valerian and catnip
Preparations: teas, extracts, tinctures
How we will Use: most likely as a tea to relieve stress, and tincture
Growth Habit: perennial; member of mint family, self- seeds prolifically so cut flowers regularly; will grow in most soils and light conditions
Plant ID: grows from two to ten feet tall on a smooth, pronounced square, sturdy main stem with many branching stems which becomes redder as the plant matures each season. It has small, fuzzy white or pink tubular flowers arranged in whorls on the spiky tops of the stems
Harvesting: stalks, flowers, and leaves are typically harvested during full bloom in mid to late summer; somewhat prickly so use gloves when harvesting
Parts to Use: leaves and flowers
Culinary Properties: none, extremely bitter which can be tasted if lick lips while harvesting
Healing Properties: for heart conditions, relaxes muscles so can ease menstrual discomfort; restorative and relaxing so helps women transition during postpartum and menopausal changes
Preparations: because of its bitter taste often combined with other herbs or honey, teas (infusions), tinctures
How we will use: We are still learning what to do with Motherwort and will report more later. Erin has a tincture purchased from another herbalist and has been enjoying taking a dropperful as needed to help support her own mother lioness heart. She has not found it to be bitter - but maybe because its what's needed. ;)
Skullcap – Sculleteria lateriflora
Growth Habit: hardy perennial; member of mint family; prefers partial shade to full sun and moist soil; Native to North American commonly used by Native Americans
Plant ID: grows up to three feet tall and is adorned with dainty blue flowers formed by two tongue-like petals that resemble a helmet or cap; typical mint leaves with jagged edges and square stems
Harvesting: harvest during stage of early flowering, harvest leaves and flowers about 6-8 inches above ground
Parts to Use: leaves and flowers
Culinary Properties: none; does not taste minty rather a bitter earthy flavor
Healing Properties: relieve tension, nervousness, and irritability associated with stress; does not cause drowsiness like valerian and catnip
Preparations: teas, extracts, tinctures
How we will Use: most likely as a tea to relieve stress, and tincture
Tulsi/Holy Basil – Ocimum tenuiflorum
Growth Habit: annual; prefers full sun and rich soil and ample moisture;
Plant ID: erect bushy plant; leaves range from green to purple depending on variety and are lance shaped; the deep purple flowers grow on spikes
Harvesting: harvest when flowering but before it goes to seed; leave 6-8 inches on plant so it can regenerate, layout to dry and may take longer to dry than most other herbs
Parts to Use: leaves and flowers
Culinary Properties: fragrant and delicious
Healing Properties: good for relieving stress and anxiety; antimicrobial properties help tone an heal skin, Preparations: teas, tinctures and elixirs; skin washes
How we will Use: Initially Tulsi will become part of our tea apothecary to be used alone or in combination with other herbs
Growth Habit: annual; prefers full sun and rich soil and ample moisture;
Plant ID: erect bushy plant; leaves range from green to purple depending on variety and are lance shaped; the deep purple flowers grow on spikes
Harvesting: harvest when flowering but before it goes to seed; leave 6-8 inches on plant so it can regenerate, layout to dry and may take longer to dry than most other herbs
Parts to Use: leaves and flowers
Culinary Properties: fragrant and delicious
Healing Properties: good for relieving stress and anxiety; antimicrobial properties help tone an heal skin, Preparations: teas, tinctures and elixirs; skin washes
How we will Use: Initially Tulsi will become part of our tea apothecary to be used alone or in combination with other herbs
We’re anxious to see several of these plants in our garden especially the elecampane and motherwort with their unusual height and flowers. The arnica and skullcap were planted last spring and as we have discovered their growth habits, they will have to find new homes, most likely in raised beds to help contain them. The tulsi will be growing in the main garden along with all the other basils and the other two of the annual trifecta, dill and cilantro. We are also excited to add these herbs to our knowledge base and usage. As we learn more we’ll be passing along the information in classes and the newsletter. Enjoy your herbs and get that herbal healing garden started. Stay resilient, self-sufficient and healthy.