Healing Herbs You Can Grow At Home

CHAMOMILE

To grow chamomile, it’s best to plant seeds by broadcasting, and then lightly rake them into the soil. Wait until well past the last frost, and the earth is warm. Once established, this daisy-like herb is very hardy and will grow, in good conditions, up to 30 inches tall. Chamomile can really take over your garden, so be careful where you plant it. I’ve grown chamomile in a large vintage wash tub, and it grew like crazy. Just make sure to give it enough room. Harvest the blooms when they are new and hang them in a cool, dark spot to dry. The blooms can also be snipped from the stem and dried on their own.

By combining dried chamomile blossoms with coconut oil, witch hazel, and aloe vera gel, a wound healing salve can be made. It also helps with skin irritation.

Chamomile helps you relax, eases anxiety, and can also soothe nausea. The best way to use it as a remedy and for health benefits is to make a tea. Learn how to make tea from dried chamomile.

FEVERFEW

No list of healing herbs would be complete without feverfew, a flowering perennial that closely resembles chamomile. It can be grown in the garden, or in a container. Seeds can be started indoors and transplanted outside, or you can sow the seeds directly into the garden soil after it has warmed. Sprinkle the seeds on top of loose soil and gently press them down…but do not cover them with the soil. Lightly mist with water so you don’t flood the seeds away. You should see sprouts of green after about 14 days. Feverfew will grow in any type of soil, but prefers a sunny spot. Small bedding plants can also be purchased online, or at any nursery that sells herbs.

Feverfew’s main healing property is headache prevention, specifically migraines and tension headaches. The leaves can be harvested, and eaten like salad greens. Just two to three small leaves per day are recommended to help keep migraines away. It is recommended to NOT use feverfew to make tea, as it’s bitter and harsh.

ROSEMARY

Rosemary is, without a doubt, one of my favorite healing herbs. It has so many wonderful qualities. It smells amazing, and is super easy to grow.  Small bedding plants can be purchased, or it can be propagated from an existing plant. Just snip a 6 – 8 inch branch and strip the needles from the bottom 2 inches. Plant the shoot directly in fresh potting soil.

The most common use for rosemary is in cooking. A few sprigs of rosemary can take potatoes from tasteless to delectable!  Not only does it add an incredible taste to many different foods, it also has health benefits.

• Since rosemary helps curb inflammation, it’s beneficial to use it as a dietary supplement by adding it to meats and vegetables. It can also boost liver function and regulate blood sugar levels.
• Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, several fresh sprigs of rosemary added to a hot bath will soothe tired muscles. (I have personally done this, and it’s amazing.) 
• Rosemary tea can be used as a pain reliever and digestive stimulant. Cooled, it can be used as a germ-fighting mouthwash. If you have the flu or bronchitis, rosemary tea is very soothing.

To make Rosemary tea: Strip the leaves/needles from 2 or 3 rosemary stems. Steep 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves in 2 cups boiling water for 5 or 6 minutes. Strain the leaves before drinking. Add honey or lemon for extra flavor. 

MINT

There are so many different kinds of mint, but they all have one thing in common. They are very fast-growing. Mint can be planted in the spring from seedlings, or bedding plants are readily available at garden centers. Spread it out in a garden bed that won’t mind the invasion, or plant it in pots on a sunny deck or porch. Pinching the tips back regularly will keep the plants from getting out of control. Sometimes mint has a mind of its own, so if it starts to take over, just cut it back. 

Mint, along with ginger, is a popular herb to calm an upset stomach, and help with digestion. Tea can be made by steeping several leaves in hot water. Or, add several leaves to a jar of fresh water, and set it in the sun for a few hours. Mint tea is not only a digestive aid, it also soothes a sore throat and cough. Poured over ice, it can be enjoyed as a cold, refreshing drink at the end of a busy day. (Add a little fresh lemon juice as a finishing touch.) Mint is a natural stimulant, so inhaling fresh, crushed mint leaves can ease tiredness and increase alertness. 

LEMON BALM

Lemon balm looks very much like mint, and is actually part of the mint family. Its bigger leaves are perfect for steeping in hot water for tea. Used fresh, lemon balm adds a lovely flavor to chicken and fish recipes. Add it at the end of the cooking time because it loses much of its flavor when exposed to heat.  

LAVENDER

I’ve saved lavender until last because it is, without a doubt, my favorite herb. The scent is like no other, and when used in cooking or baking, it adds a fresh, delicate flavor. I use dried lavender buds as an ingredient when making homemade lavender sugar scrub and in lavender sachets. When it comes to healing herbs, lavender’s qualities are many.

• My favorite way to use lavender is to add lavender essential oil to unscented lotion. Applied at bedtime, the relaxing scent can help you fall asleep. It can also help to lift depression. Use as much or as little lavender oil as desired to make the lotion aromatic. 
• Add lavender essential oil to bath water to help relieve stress at the end of the day. 
• A calming tea can be made by steeping dried lavender buds in hot water. Strain and add a spoonful of honey for the most delicious bedtime drink. 
• The taste of lavender in cookies and breads is delightful. Just combine it with sugar and crush in a food processor before using in recipes.