For decades we have relied on pharmacies and
modern medicine to heal our illnesses, aches and pains. What we forget is that
for centuries, civilizations relied on natural herbs and homemade remedies to
heal the body. The use of natural remedies and food as medicine is on the rise
once again, leading many to wonder if they are capable of growing medicinal herbs at home.
If you want to learn more about medicinal
herbs farming or the easiest healing herbs to grow at home, keep reading.
Top Medicinal Herbs
Here are 4 useful, easy-to-grow herbs to get
you started on your medicinal herbs farming journey.
Feverfew
This small, white, flowering herb has a
variety of medicinal uses but is particularly helpful for treating headaches
and migraines. Feverfew is hardy across zones 5-10 and can
act as an evergreen in warmer climates.
Chamomile
Chamomile is a great starting place for
growing medicinal herbs because it’s both soil-tolerant and drought-hardy. This
plant prefers full sun and can be propped up if the flowers make the plant
top-heavy. The flowers and leaves can be easily dried and crushed to be used in
a soothing tea like Sleep & Relax Herbal Tea from Gaia
Herbs.
Lavender
Fragrant and beautiful, lavender
stays a lovely gray-green color year-round, lending seasonal color to your
garden in the cooler months. This soil-tolerant plant is best planted and
pruned in the spring and can be harvested for an endless variety of uses.
Lemon
Balm
A member of the mint family, lemon balm is easy to grow but can quickly
become invasive. Be sure to keep it contained and well watered, but don’t use
fertilizers as they can decrease the potency of the herb. Lemon balm can be
used medicinally to treat anxiety, insomnia, insect bites, and more.
Growing Tips for Medicinal Herbs
Farming
Ready to try your hand at growing these herbs
for yourself? Here are a few tips to get you started
Quality
Begets Quality
If you want to produce quality herbs, start with quality seeds and
seedlings. Research your seed company or purchase young starter plants from a
trusted, local grower or online source.
Pay
Attention to Soil Type
Neglecting to understand the chemical makeup
of your soil is the easiest way to kill the seed investment you have made. If
you don’t know what sort of soil your dealing with, look into having it tested.
Know
Your Plants
At the end of the day, the best approach to
gardening is to understand the soil, sun, and watering needs of each plant.
You’ll also want to research pest issues when they arise to get a feel for how
to best protect your plants without the use of harsh chemicals.
Be
Prepared to Work and Experiment
Often a gardener’s best friend is creativity
and experimentation. Not every plant will thrive in your garden, and some
plants will only grow with a bit of creativity. Be prepared to spend time in
your garden or small herb farm to get a feel for what is working and what needs
to be re-worked.
Preserving
and Using your Herbs
Once you have succeeded in cultivating medicinal herbs you need to have a plan for
using and preserving them. Whether it’s for home-use or for a small-scale
business, knowing how to preserve and use your herbs is paramount.
Are you a student of medicinal herbs farming?
Do you have any growing or preservation tips to share regarding lush, green plant life or hardy indoor plants that won’t die on you? If
so, please leave a comment.
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Photo by Joshua Lanzarini on Unsplash
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