Medicinal Herb bed

[Tori]

Hi, this year I hope to create a medicinal herb bed on my allotment.

I am new to herbs (except for the ones that come in pots from tescos) so which herbs are a must have? Yes I have spotted the section in the mag but just wondered what you guys thought!

Which are easy to grow?
Which are hard to grow?

Thanks x

[Comfreyfan]

I only seem to succeed with easy to grow!
Lavender - flower infusion for a pick-me-up and calming tea,
Mint - leaf infusion to help digestion and for colds
Lemon Balm - leaf infusion for catarrh, colds and headaches - nice and tasty too.
Parsley - chew leaves to freshen breath and for healthy skin
Rosemary - helps with digesting fat and use in a compress to ease pain, use with Lavender flower for a nice tea if you're feeling a bit down
Comfrey - poultice for rough skin, scrapes and sprains and aching joints
Feverfew - to help with migraine and headaches, leaf and flower infusion for a mild sedative. I'm sure this is one you shouldn't take when pregnant.
Thyme - leaf infusion to help digestion and for hangovers! Sweeten the infusion with honey for sore throats, coughs and colds.
Calendula - flower infusion to help digestion and as a healing mouthwash for gums.
Fennel - seed infusion makes a really nice tea, was known as the ladies friend in medieval times as it was known to help suppress the appetite and Roman women ate the seed to prevent obesity. Can't say I've noticed it works but it's very tasty. You shouldn't have too much of this one.

[organic]

Dunno if it's classed as a herb or not - but there's always camomile for the flowers to make tea from.


EDIT
With an avatar like mine, how could I forget the humble dandelion?
Diuretic, possibly mildly laxitive, moderately anti-inflamatory and so easy to grow it's nigh on impossible to STOP them growing. Just be sure to remove the heads before they seed.

[coreopsis]

Hi, this year I hope to create a medicinal herb bed on my allotment.

I am new to herbs (except for the ones that come in pots from tescos) so which herbs are a must have? Yes I have spotted the section in the mag but just wondered what you guys thought!

Which are easy to grow?
Which are hard to grow?

Thanks x

Do you want to grow them just "to have them" or do you intend to use them?There's plenty of medicinal herbs and some are known as common weeds-e.g. nettles or common horsetail.
If you want to use them,maybe you could have a look what do you need first

[binley100]

Purple loosestrife is meant to stop bleeding.

[northepaul]

Rosemary - helps with digesting fat and use in a compress to ease pain, use with Lavender flower for a nice tea if you're feeling a bit down

Rosemary is also supposed to be excellent for headaches particularly migraines.

[northepaul]

St Johns Wort....obvious one that

[sarraceniac]

I bought what I thought were 4 packets of herbs off a small-time eBay seller.

What arrived were (and I'm having to go through the packets):

Lovage, Chamomile, Yarrow, Sorrel, Borage, Marshmallow, Purslane, Wild marjoram, Summer savory, Hyssop, Pennyroyal, Tansy, Lemon balm, St. John's Wort.

It turned out that the guy was finishing and his last few customers got his stock as freebies.

[Pumpkin Becki]

I like to grow wild violets. They have lots of uses and can be used dried or fresh. Have a look at this site Tori...

How to Use Violets as an Herbal Remedy | eHow.com

[Comfreyfan]

I like to grow wild violets. They have lots of uses and can be used dried or fresh. Have a look at this site Tori...

How to Use Violets as an Herbal Remedy | eHow.com

Mine have spread all over the garden from a single plant bought over 20 years ago - I love sitting out on a sunny day watching the seeds pinging around as the heads dry out and squeeze the seeds out! So clever!

[Tori]

Wow thanks guys. Thats given me alot to think about, violets are one of my favourite flower so I will plant those (in the garden though, not the allotment, pinging seeds might annoy the other lottie holders!)
Thanks for the help - Comfreyfan
Coreopsis - I do intend to use them, (if they grow!) Think I may have to get a book - any recommendations?

[stella]

Someone once told me Horsetail was good for the fingernails, dont know how though, the amount I pull up I should have nails like talons

[coreopsis]

Someone once told me Horsetail was good for the fingernails, dont know how though, the amount I pull up I should have nails like talons

Stella,you can only break your nails,not strenghten them by pulling horsetail.Most of medicinal herbs are used dried and you make the infusion from them.Horsetail contains a lot of silica which strengtens hair and fingernails.Infusion-put some herbs into a mug,pour some boiling water and (the most important)cover up the mug with a small plate to let the herbs infuse properly.


Tori,think about what do you need the herbs for-have you got any particular problems you want to deal with or not.If not then plant whatever you want.If yes then try to find the herbs that would help you first-many of herbs are considered weeds and I'd rather not have them in the garden(e.g.horsetail or nettles).

[Birdie Wife]

You might like to have a look at the Plants With Purpose website - they have a whole section on medicinal plants