Medicinal Herbs Farming Techniques You Can Use at Home

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

How to Make Tea Cup Candle Favors

Homemade gifts are a great choice for the holidays, because they communicate thoughtfulness and caring that’s difficult to achieve with a store-bought present. If you’re still looking for a handmade gift idea for a sister, teacher, or friend, why not consider tea cup candle favors? This project is easy to create and involves upcycling thrifted materials, making it affordable, practical, and eco-friendly.

Keep reading to learn more about how to turn beautiful vintage tea cups into lovely little candles.

Getting Started on Your Tea Cup Candle Favors

Supplies Needed:

For this project you’ll need to start at your local thrift store and seek out some vintage tea cups that inspire you. The rest of the supplies you need can be easily gathered online or at a nearby craft store.

●      Tea cups

●      Partially burned candles (or soy wax flakes)

●      Wicks

●      Wick holder (food sealing clips work great for this!)

●      Candle scents

●      Candle dye (optional)

Tools:

●      2 pans (for a double boiler)

●      Tongs

●      A candy thermometer

Step 1- Prep Materials

If using old candles, break up the wax and separate it from the old wicks. If you’re using new wax flakes, you can skip this step.

Step 2- Melt the Wax and Add Scent

Add water to the bottom pan of your double boiler. For the top pan in your double boiler, you may want to consider using an older pot or vessel, something you’re not too attached to, as it will soon be covered in wax.

Next, place your wax into the top pan and allow it to melt at a temperature of about 185 degrees. Add in your candle scent when your wax is approximately 180 °F. Fish out any leftover pieces of old wick using a tongs.

Step 3- Prepare your Teacups and Wicks

Now it’s time to lay out your tea cups and add in the candle wicks. Measure the depth of each tea cup and cut your wicks so they are 2 inches taller than the top of your tea cup. Use a wick holder to steady your wick in place so it doesn’t move around as your candle cools.

Step 4- Filling your tea cups

Once your tea cups are prepared and your wax is scented and melted, it’s time for the final step. Carefully pour the wax into each cup, stopping ½ inch before you reach the top so you don’t overflow the candle.

Step 5- Cool and Enjoy

You’ll want to allow your candles to cool for at least 6-8 hours before attempting to light them and enjoy.

There you have it – in just 5 simple steps you have a go-to gift idea using these tea cup candle favors!

Good Earth Candles

If you don't have time to DIY these tea cup candle favors this holiday season, you have a lot of great options for natural, giftable candles. Good Earth creates 100% natural, non-GMO, soy candles that burn slowly and evenly and won’t add toxins to your home’s air. Their fragrance options include lavender, sandalwood, sweet basil vanilla, eucalyptus, cranberry spice, and more!

Have you made tea cup candle favors? Share your favorite holiday DIY gifts with us in the comments section below.

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Photo by Soroush Zargar on Unsplash