Medicinal Herb Garden NEW

[marimara]

I saw the old ones and was thinking we could use a new medicinal herb garden thread considering all the swine flu stuff.

So, I'm going to be starting a fall garden soon (zone 9) and I want to include medicinal (and culinary) herbs.

So far, my list includes:

mint (in pots because I know it's invasive on the East coast)
garlic
rosemary
basil
echinacea purpurea (though I tried this last year and it died and did not come back)
lavender

milk thistle (if I can find it)
hyssop (don't know which variety is medicinal yet ?????)
calendula
raspberry (may have to wait till spring for this)
aloe
astralagus (have no idea where to find this, but I know it's good for swine flu)

[JamieCatheryn]

I'm not worried about swine flu, sounds like just another flu to me just maybe longer lasting, but I always want to keep us healthy as I can.

I have a bunch of echanacia thriving that began as a small plant my FIL gave me last year. He and my stepMIL were amazed to learn the plant they had was medicinal, they're quite impressed with my (actually limited) herbal knowledge. Mine has been very resilient, the only thing they can't stand is overwatering from what I read. I need to get some food grade glycerin very soon to preserve some of it before it goes dormant and flu season comes. Glycerin is supposed to make a great extract that's alcohol free and is sweet, so the whole family can take it. Only drawback is it lasts only a year or so, but by then we'll have the plant again.

Calendula is marigolds, right? I think I grew them before not knowing their latin name and not associating them with the healing properties I'd read about. That's a great idea to grow and harvest some, maybe make a salve with them + some tea tree oil, some lavender. And some soap, the petals retain that gorgeous yellow in soap.

Our house had a lavender bush growing when we moved in but it was an unkept mess, then I tried to move it and it died.

I've used elderberry with echanacia before for flu, it's quite good. Might be good to grow a shrub of those too.

My mint and basil were pathetic, are practically dead, but they were from the home improvement store and I never have good luck with plants from there. I'll try the farm we got our tomatoes from next time for herbs.

[Aubergine68]

Chamomile is an essential for me, easy to grow, calming, great for sore throats and my kids will drink it willingly.

I have not found the right spot in my garden to successfully grow echinachea either.

I successfully moved my lavender plant a couple of years ago and it is growing better than ever, with lots of seedlings this year. I've read that splitting it is a no-no - it won't survive that, and I know my neighbor killed hers that way.

Anyone out there grow ginseng, any variety?

Most people I know around here take Cold-FX to boost the immune system against cold and flu. It is basically a preparation of the North American Wild Ginseng root (panax quinquefolius).

[henny penny]

I, too, have been planning on expanding my herb bed to include more medicinal herbs. Right now I have all of the culinary herbs and some of the more basic medicinals like chamomile, calendula, lavender, red raspberry, etc. I'd like to add some exotic ones like skullcap just for the great name! I have a couple herb books to dig up and study so I'll be lurking and posting!
Great thread!!
eta: Ok, so I got out my herb books and they are not so helpful after all regarding medicinals and more specifically, what to do with them. Does anyone have a good book recommendation?

[birthgreeter]

hello!
I am so going to enjoy this area (gardening -my relaxing time!)
Happy growing!

Book that I would recommend are:
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody
Natural Healthy Woman by Shonda Parker
Natural Healthy Pregnancy by Shonda Parker
Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker

For some basic medical plants for growing and harvesting: (here is a few and a few things they are good for-but not everything is listed)

Garlic -digestive, infections
Aloe-wounds, dry skin, fungal infections, insect bites
Celery-seeds, for a infusion for arthritis, whole plant-juiced for urinary tract infections,
marigold (calendula officinalis) cream-wounds, dry eczema, sore nipples in breastfeeding, sunburn Compress-slow healing wounds
Cayenne-great for circulation
Chamomile-irritable bowel (tincture) ointment-for insect bites, wounds, itching eczema, as a tea for relaxing
Rose hips- great vit C source -use as a tea
Gravel root-great as a tincture for colds, fever and influenza-freat for prostate problems as a tincture, and for UTI's
Golden Seal-great antibiotic
Hops- used in beer, it is great to add to teas for relaxing
St Johns Wort- depression, but also as an antiseptic and PMS
Plantain- (grows all over the place) expectorant, reduces phlegm, antispasmodic, topically healing (hubby is using it for poision ivy right now-its helping)
Willow- is the same as aspirin
Comfrey- great for healing topical
Dandelion-diuretic, great source of vit s and helps build iron
Fenugreek-good for milk production, lowers blood sugar and is a anit-inflammatory, but is also a uterine stimulant! (avoid when pregnant)
Mullein-grows all over the side of the road (careful of spraying though) great for sore throats, coughing, chest congestion. also is a diuretic, anti-inflammatory and astringent.

[whitekole]

I'm new to gardening and only have a small apartment deck that gets about 3 hours sun but I dream of having a medicinal herb garden when we buy a house in a couple years. Right now my peppermint, searmint and chives are thriving. I had a nice size catnip plant that was doing very nicely until a new neighbor moved in and let her cat eat my whole plant it is starting to recover though, indoors now. Thanks to the insane heat in the northwest this last week my basil is now looking very tasty. My thyme and lavender aren't dead, but I may have to move them to my in-laws house for some more sun to really get them happy. There is so much more I would love to grow but just don't have the sun. This thread is great hopefully I can learn a bit for all the experience you ladies have.

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by birthgreeter

Book that I would recommend are:
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody
Natural Healthy Woman by Shonda Parker
Natural Healthy Pregnancy by Shonda Parker
Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker

And here I was going to come and ask what are some good book resources. Do they also tell you how to prepare your herbal goodies and how to use/apply them?

Oh, don't forget the pot of aloe in some windowsill of the house. I pilfered some aloe buds (or whatever you call them) from a friend because I hadn't been able to find any from my local nurseries/plant folks. And good to know about the hops... I actually got a few plants this year that are going gangbusters - mostly because hubby wanted to brew his own beer at some point in the future.

[birthgreeter]

Originally Posted by lmonter

And here I was going to come and ask what are some good book resources. Do they also tell you how to prepare your herbal goodies and how to use/apply them?

the first one does. It has a section called making herbal remedies. IT shows how to do an Infusion, a decoction, a tincture, a Syrup, infused oils, cold infusion, cream, ointment, powders and capsules (to fill them), and a compress. It also has photos of the plants and parts used, (not everything out there is listed).
shondas tell what different herbs are used. They are great books! IF you want or can only get 1 or 2 books, I would suggest the first one I listed, then shonda's 'Mommy diag...' as it covers a lot for families.