Growing a medicine garden

[Homemaker]

I was hoping to plant a separate raised garden bed next year for strictly for medicinal herbs and remedies. I'm new to this so any input would be great. I will type out the uses for each herb and plant. That way if you know of some other uses you can let me know. So far it will have:
Herbs for teas--
1.Chamomile- To relieve cramping and stress
thyme- for stomach ailments, lung congestion, coughing ailments and overall flu conditions.
2.Catnip- Really this is more for my cats but, I read that it helps in easing the symptoms of flu like fever, diarrhea and sore throat. You can also use strong catnip tea for nasal decongestion.
3.lemon balm- for fevers, to help digestion, and for tension headache. Also as a salve for swellings.
4.sage- Seems to have all of the usual Tea benifits calming, aids digestion, etc. But, it also makes for good sausage This article had more to say http://hubpages.com/hub/DarkwingSage_-_Uses_-_Medicinal_and_Magickal
5. Peppermint-for tummy aches

For eating or making broths--
1. cayenne peppers- relieve nasal congestion
2. Cumin-relieve nasal congestion and for Taco night
3.Garlic-for colds and vampires

I have a book called The Backyard Homestead. It has a recipe for an herbal broth that sounds pretty good.
6 garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
2 cups water or veggie broth
1 t fresh finely chopped cayenne pepper or 1/2t powder
1t fresh finely chopped rosemary or 1/2 t dried
pinch of salt

Add the garlic to the olive oil and saute over high heat briefly, until the garlic starts to change color. Add the water, turn down the heat to med-low and simmer 20 min. Add all of the herbs and salt to taste. Simmer for 5 more min. Sip slowly.

I am going to do some more research this winter. But, I thought I would ask the experts first. What would you/do you grow? How do you use it?

 

[CJW]

This sounds so awesome! I am probably going to do something similar as well, but I want to get my veggie garden in first.

You have a great list so far! I would add:

Comfrey-its roots and leaves are good for poultices-

Calendula- good to add to a salve-

I would say Dandelions and Nettles, but, well I have them growing all over! LOL! If you plant nettles-I would try to keep them away from other plants-they are pretty invasive.

 

[dragonlaurel]

You might want to try companion planting some of your herbs in with the veggies. Herbs tend to help the veggies get less bug damage. The different smells confuse some bugs or attract types of insects that eat the problem bugs. The flowering ones also attract pollinators so you get a bigger harvest.

I would not try companion planting with the catnip. It's good for cabbages, but the cats pouncing playfully in the garden and rolling on everything isn't. I'd plant catnip in a hanging pot where the cats can't get at it till it grows strong enough to survive them. Then transplant some of it to a spot they can play. I tried growing catnip for my cats before but it they got to it too soon and killed it.

 

[Denim Deb]

My daughter's cat seems to like just about anything in the mint family and will roll in it, so you might want to check that out b4 planting it. And remember, mint is evil! If not contained, it will take over your garden. I planted peppermint, spearmint and lemon balm in w/my asparagus last year. This year, I spent quite some time ripping it all out, and still have some left!

 

[Mainergal]

This year I grew valerien (sp) for stress, relaxation, tension and toothache plant for something cool - it really works!

 

[BarredBuff]

Ine of these days I am going to grow a medicinal garden of some sort. When I dont know but its on the list.

 

[lalaland]

lemon balm is one of my favorite herbs - bees love it, it is great in pound cake or sugar cookies, makes the absolute best tea when you have a cold. I was going to try to make some lemon balm candy drops, like cough drops, but didn't get to it before the frost.

With everyone's additions, sounds like a wonderful herb garden!

ps - if you didn't know it already, you might like to know that comfrey is a huge huge plant- once it gets growing it can be 5-6 feet tall and maybe 3 feet or so wide.

 

[freemotion]

Some of these plants can be naturalized on your property, such as along the edges of woods.

 

[ORChick]

You might want to try companion planting some of your herbs in with the veggies. Herbs tend to help the veggies get less bug damage. The different smells confuse some bugs or attract types of insects that eat the problem bugs. The flowering ones also attract pollinators so you get a bigger harvest.

I would not try companion planting with the catnip. It's good for cabbages, but the cats pouncing playfully in the garden and rolling on everything isn't. I'd plant catnip in a hanging pot where the cats can't get at it till it grows strong enough to survive them. Then transplant some of it to a spot they can play. I tried growing catnip for my cats before but it they got to it too soon and killed it.

I will second that, about companion planting. If your garden is big enough you could put the perennial herbs around the edges, and mix the annuals in with the rest.

As for catnip, it also makes a relaxing bedtime tea, and will help you fall asleep. Try to find one of those metal open wide mesh baskets that are used for hanging baskets (filled with spaghnum moss); nurseries sometimes have them empty, for you to fill yourself. Turn the empty basket over your catnip plant, and peg it down somehow. The catnip will grow through, and the cats will nibble and roll, but they won't be able to get to the base of the plant and kill it. Given time the plant will bush out so that the basket is invisible. (I got this from a lady at the farmers' market; she sold "mixed herb gardens" in pots. Any that included catnip had a cage.)

 

[freemotion]

If you have land....my catnip escaped and is always to be found along the edges of the pasture and the compost pile. It is a noxious weed now in my sunny perennial flower bed.

Feverfew is also very aggressively invasive, and lemon balm will spread, too. So use caution in choosing a planting location for some herbs.