Well, I am late into my garden this August. I’m done. It’s over.  Going to wait for the tomatoes then I’ll rip it all out. The rain, the bugs, the heat, the chipmunks, I’ve had it.  I got my one zucchini, my one cucumber, and a fair amount of bush beans even allowing for some mold spoilage due to all the rain we had at the end of July and the start of August.  All in all not a great showing in the vegetable department this year.  Actually it is a pretty miserable showing compared to some of my gardening friends. However, the herbs that I planted have taken off and have stood up well considering.  This season I put in more herbs than usual just because they take up less space than the vegetables.

I realized that most all of my culinary herbs that I typically use for cooking, also have medicinal qualities.  Heres’s a little info about some of the most popular and easy to grow medicinal plants that are in my garden and maybe yours too.

Basil:  Chewing on basil leaves can freshen breath and even ease cold symptoms.  There are many varieties of basil, but Holy Basil is the kind most often used for medicinal purposes including reducing inflammation.  Give it lots of sun and well drained soil.  Snip off the flowers to prolong growth.

Lemon Balm:  This has been used for centuries as a calming agent, including to ease a queasy tummy, and help to manage seasonal allergies.  It thrives in cold weather, so plant it early for a good long season.  It also makes a very good hot or cold tea.  Needs lots of full sun and well drained soil.

Mint:  This herb can give you an energy boost with its crisp clean smell.  Chewing on the leaves can sooth stomach issues or make a cool or hot mint tea.  I grow this every year in a pot to keep it from spreading all over the garden.  Needs full sun, but will do well in partial shade too.

Oregano:  Dried leaves, again make a great tea that is high in antioxidants and is used to treat digestive complaints.  Fresh leaves can be made into a poultice to sooth itchy skin.  Again, full sun and well drained soil.

Echinacea:  Best known for it’s ability to attract butterflies and bees to the garden, the Echinacea flowers can be made into an infusion (tea), that will support the immune system and ease cold symptoms.

Chamomile:  This plant is a cousin to the Echinacea.  As a tea it is used to ease anxiety and to aid with sleep.  Full 10 hours of sun daily.

All the herbs store well dried in bundles and hung upside down by their stems or can be chopped fresh and put in ice cube trays with  a little olive oil and water then freeze to store till needed.  You can also just put the herb in a zip lock bag and freeze it.

Enjoy these herbs for cooking and for good health.

Cheers, Deb (Fall 2021 Horticultural Newsletter)

source: “Backyard Pharmacy”, Elizabeth Millard