Now that spring is around the corner I find my mind wandering more and more to the gardens and beds around the house that are being watered by the rain and warmed by the longer days. I wander about looking to see what made it through the winter. It will be some time yet before I know if all the herbs either re-seeded themselves or made it through the winter. Either way my mind still plans for the growing season. What else I might need to plant, what I might need to move, and if I have enough of that herb growing for our usage.
There are many herbs that I like to have on hand for medicinal and culinary use. Too me it is important to be able to grow, harvest, and use what I have right here at home without having to go out and buy it. One reason is the expense to purchase organic well grown and harvested herbs, but the other is I know how it is grown and how fresh it is.
I thought I might provide a list of what I think is useful for our family and why.
Comfrey~Healing to wounds, bones, and ulcers. I use it in salve and we drink it in teas. We also use if for feed and medicine for the animals. It grows easily in sun to part shade and can be quite large and leafy as well as invasive so you might want to give it, it's own area to grow in. Make sure to harvest the later leaves for drying and use. * In recent years it has been stated that comfrey damages your liver if taken internally* take at your own risk!
Echinacea~ Angustofolia is better than Purpurea but I have not been able to find or seed a Angustofolia plant. The echinacea purpurea that I grow, harvest, and use seems to work just fine. It is pretty in the garden as well as good for immune system boosting. I dig up the 2nd year roots, wash, cut up and dry them to make cold season glycerites and tincture for when we are coming down with a cold. It grows in full sun the best.
Mints~ I use these mostly for flavoring the teas so that they are palatable. It is good to settle upset stomachs and improves circulation when put in salves. I liked the mint in the goat udder salve I made last year. I also like to put Candy-Apple mint in bath water for a refreshing and relaxing bath. If you are planting mint be very careful because it will take over any bed it is planted in. Plant it in pots buried in the ground or give it an area to ramble on all by itself. Mint can grow in full sun or partial shade. **Find mints along creek and river banks in the wild**
Marshmallow~I use the roots of this plant for it's mucilaginous properties. It soothes, relaxes, and protects tissue so I use it a lot in Cold season glycerites and teas. It likes some shade or will grow in full sun. * *Can be harvested in the wild**
Mullien~We use it like Marshmallow in cold teas because it is mucilaginous. The aerial parts and leaves are what I dry to use. I don't currently have any growing here but will try to acquire some this year. It is the tall plant in the picture on the left.
**Can harvest in the wild**
Nettle~You are probably thinking who in their right mind grows nettle on purpose. Well I am hoping to this year. I used to harvest it along the river where we used to live but with the move, I haven't been able to locate a place to get it other than mail order. This is one herb I don't like to be without since it is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that are great for your body. One in particular is calcium. It is excellent for detoxification and cleansing in the body. We cook it and eat it like spinach in the spring, I have pickled it, and we dry it for teas. When you cook it, the little silicon hairs that sting you drop off. Make sure to use gloves when harvesting. **Can be Wild harvested**
Elder~ This is a shrub like tree that grows all over along fields and roadways. It has large "pancake" like umbrels of white flowers that turn purple when ripe for harvesting. This shrub is important to me because of the research that has shown it to be successful in decreasing or staving off the flu. I made Elderberry/Astragalus syrup this winter here http://raf6.blogspot.com/2012/11/flu-season-and-elderberry-astragalus.html. Elder is a good immune system stimulant so I use the dried flowers in cold season teas and I make the berries into jams and syrups for use during cold and flu season. I also put the flowers in healing salves.**Can be wild harvested**
Raspberry or blackberry leaves~We like the berries too but these are good for medicinal purposes as well. I use the fresh leaves for the animals if they have loose stools and we dry leaves for teas. Blackberry is good for diarrhea and Red raspberry is a good blood builder and is used for strengthening the uterus in childbearing. I have been known to give dried leaves to my goats when they are pregnant. **Can be Wild harvested**
Lavender~ Lavender is a lovely purple flower in the garden, a richly scented plant for soaps and salves, and for its medicinal purposes. We gather the flowers and dry them for sachets and soap making and I make an oil infusion to use for healing salves. Lavender like to grow in full sun. French lavender is the strongest scented. Has calming, soothing, sedative effect. Good for headaches.
Plantian/Chickweed~These herbs grow wild in my yard and they are a main ingredient in my healing salves. I like to make an oil infusion with them and then use the oil in my salves. I would not want to be without these wonderful little weeds. Plantian is on the left and chickweed is on the right. **Most people can harvest form their yards**
Calendula~This bright orange flower is nice as an edging on a vegetable garden or just growing in a flower bed. It likes full sun and re-seeds readily. Once planted I never have to re-seed. I just wait for the plants to start coming up and re-plant where I want it to grow. This herb is great for skin issues and is used in baby lotions and salves because it isn't harsh. I use it in soap, healing salve, and want to try it in face cream in the future.
This is half the list if herbs we like to grow and use, I will post Part 2 in the next couple of days. Hope this is useful to someone.
There are many herbs that I like to have on hand for medicinal and culinary use. Too me it is important to be able to grow, harvest, and use what I have right here at home without having to go out and buy it. One reason is the expense to purchase organic well grown and harvested herbs, but the other is I know how it is grown and how fresh it is.
I thought I might provide a list of what I think is useful for our family and why.
Comfrey~Healing to wounds, bones, and ulcers. I use it in salve and we drink it in teas. We also use if for feed and medicine for the animals. It grows easily in sun to part shade and can be quite large and leafy as well as invasive so you might want to give it, it's own area to grow in. Make sure to harvest the later leaves for drying and use. * In recent years it has been stated that comfrey damages your liver if taken internally* take at your own risk!Echinacea~ Angustofolia is better than Purpurea but I have not been able to find or seed a Angustofolia plant. The echinacea purpurea that I grow, harvest, and use seems to work just fine. It is pretty in the garden as well as good for immune system boosting. I dig up the 2nd year roots, wash, cut up and dry them to make cold season glycerites and tincture for when we are coming down with a cold. It grows in full sun the best.
Marshmallow~I use the roots of this plant for it's mucilaginous properties. It soothes, relaxes, and protects tissue so I use it a lot in Cold season glycerites and teas. It likes some shade or will grow in full sun. * *Can be harvested in the wild**Mullien~We use it like Marshmallow in cold teas because it is mucilaginous. The aerial parts and leaves are what I dry to use. I don't currently have any growing here but will try to acquire some this year. It is the tall plant in the picture on the left.**Can harvest in the wild**
Raspberry or blackberry leaves~We like the berries too but these are good for medicinal purposes as well. I use the fresh leaves for the animals if they have loose stools and we dry leaves for teas. Blackberry is good for diarrhea and Red raspberry is a good blood builder and is used for strengthening the uterus in childbearing. I have been known to give dried leaves to my goats when they are pregnant. **Can be Wild harvested** |
Plantian/Chickweed~These herbs grow wild in my yard and they are a main ingredient in my healing salves. I like to make an oil infusion with them and then use the oil in my salves. I would not want to be without these wonderful little weeds. Plantian is on the left and chickweed is on the right. **Most people can harvest form their yards**
Calendula~This bright orange flower is nice as an edging on a vegetable garden or just growing in a flower bed. It likes full sun and re-seeds readily. Once planted I never have to re-seed. I just wait for the plants to start coming up and re-plant where I want it to grow. This herb is great for skin issues and is used in baby lotions and salves because it isn't harsh. I use it in soap, healing salve, and want to try it in face cream in the future.This is half the list if herbs we like to grow and use, I will post Part 2 in the next couple of days. Hope this is useful to someone.
No comments:
Post a Comment