6 Problems That You Can Cure With Herbs.

Your Medicinal Herb Garden

Before Walgreens popped up on your corner market, and before Western medicine invented synthetic cure-alls for disease, the only medicines available to people were growing in fields and herb gardens.

And just because we have potent medicines now doesn't mean that herbs aren't still the medical powerhouses our ancestors knew them to be. In their new book, Grow It, Heal It: Natural and Effective Herbal Remedies from Your Garden or Windowsill, Christopher Hobbs, a botanist, and Leslie Gardener, an herbologist, outline the healing power of herbs and which ones you can grow on your balcony, patio or small patch of yard to cope with anything that ails you.


Following are six common conditions you can cure with a green thumb and a little patience, excerpted from Grow It, Heal It. Keep in mind that when you're choosing which herbs to grow, take a look at the current contents of your medicine cabinet, Hobbs and Gardner write. That way your healing garden will suit your personal needs

 Cough

Sage is one of the very best sore throat and cough remedies. The leaves can be chewed and the juice swallowed to soothe a sore throat.

Plant it: Sage is happy in full sun and cool to hot temperatures, as long as the soil is dry or at least well-drained.

Itchy Skin, Dermatitis and Rashes

Aloe gel can relieve itching and inflammation when applied directly to your skin. Chamomile tea will soothe a rash when applied as a cool compress.

Plant it: Give aloe well-drained, sandy soil (such as a commercial cactus and succulent mix) in a big pot, and place it in a sunny, warm spot. You can direct-seed chamomile into a pot or the ground outdoors, in full sun to partial shade.

Digestive Problems

Digestive stimulants help increase enzyme production, which brings vitality to the digestive processes. These include cayenne (and other spicy peppers), garlic, ginger and turmeric. These herbs can be taken before eating or incorporated into a meal, as is common in many world cuisines.

Headache

We recommend relaxing herbs and herbs that increase blood flow to your head. California poppy, chamomile, lavender, and skullcap are antispasmodic and relaxing. Drink one cup of tea two or three times a day.

Plant it: Lavender and California poppy, the state's flower, likes warm, dry, sandy soil and lots of sun. It does well in ground and containers and needs very little water. Skullcap is a hardy perennial native to eastern North America, where it grows along riverbanks and in damp areas. It wants ample water and some shade.

Muscle Strains and Sprains

Either alone or combined, strong ginger and rosemary tea can speed healing and provide fast relief for stiff, sore muscles when applied as a compress or added to a bath.

Plant it: All rosemary really needs is sun--shade will result in insipid, lackluster growth. It likes sandy, rocky, poor soil and excellent drainage.

Stress

Ashwagandha helps counteract stress and promotes relaxation. It also increases energy levels.

Plant it: The tender perennial hails from the hot, dry plains of India and has an appearance not unlike a tomato or potato plant, but with bright green smooth, oval-shaped leaves. It loves hot dry weather, so plant it in an area with full sun and well-drained, average or sandy soil. It will only need water during extreme heat or drought conditions.

Grow It, Heal It

Get more ideas for healing herbs and other natural remedies you can grow on your deck or in your garden, and learn how to use them to make teas, tinctures, and lotions. Authors Christopher Hobbs and Leslie Gardner have over 50 years of combined experience working with herbal plants & remedies. 



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