Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

Marking this.

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

One of my favorite herbals is Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. It has basic instructions for making salves as well as other herbal preparations.

Salves are relatively easy to make. You start with a herb-infused oil and melt the oil with some beeswax in a double boiler over low heat until the beeswax is dissolved. The trick is getting the right proportions. One cup oil to one quarter cup beeswax will make a fairly hard salve which works well if you carry it in your purse or live in a hot climate.

Oh, thanks for the link about making flower essences! :heart That was really timely for me. I haven't made any before and I have been thinking about making some.

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

:cup

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

Raspberries are fairly easy to grow/low maintenance (i.e. meaning...even I have not killed them!), and you can use the leaves for RRL teas, etc. for female support.

Mint is good for soothing digestive issues, dandelion, plantain, purslane, (pigsweed) contains more omega 3 than any other leafy veggie! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portulaca_oleracea

subbing for ideas on low maintenance stuff others are doing :cup

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

Following along to learn. :cup

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

Is it possible to make your own oil of oregano?

We found out that Eliot really likes the scent of lavender and she often sleeps with a lavender satchet I bought for her. I'm growing it this year to see if home-grown has a gentler scent. I've dried some prunings already (they're not outside yet) and I'm surprised at how lemony and strong it is... exactly like the store-bought satchet. Hoping that the flowers are more mild. I've got to pot on 47 of these things soon; I shouldn't have started them as early as I did!

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

Books by Jeanne Rose are great.

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

WOAH! Ladies!!! This stuff is GREAT! Im so excited to try all of this! That youtube video link was AMAZING and brought up a lot of other cool videos on the side. Why do I never think to look for this stuff on youtube? I'm such a visual learner, I really struggle with websites that area not heavily illustrated.:blush

I feel like I had a better climate for growing some of these herbs when I lived in AZ but there is stuff here. The dandelion is growing like crazy here and that might be a good one for me to start with.

Adding seeds to my shopping list! Lavender, calendula...we'll see what else. :-)

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

It depends on whether it is an essential oil of oregano or an infused one. Essential oil of oregano (which is what people usually mean when they say oil of oregano) is steam distilled so you couldn't make it at home without the proper equipment. Wild oregano is considered to be the most medicinally potent, although its culinary relative would share some of its qualities. You could still make homemade oregano products such as tea or infused oil but they wouldn't be as potent. That doesn't necessarily mean they wouldn't be effective though. Personally I usually prefer gentler applications anyway. :shrug3

You might want to experiment with different varieties of lavender to find a subtler scent. Culinary lavender varieties are usually milder.

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

Thanks, Jadeswan! :) I found a thread on GardenWeb about the process and realized it's definitely NOT something the general public should attempt, even with the right equipment. Yikes! :jawdrop

I may just wait and see how much lavender I end up with and then decide what to do with it. I don't have many options to experiment with too many varieties with our short season; lavender doesn't survive the winter here and only a very few varieties bloom in their first year, from what I've read. The one I'm growing now is called Lavender Lady. The few flowers I've gotten so far have been very nice – much milder than the leaves. :yes

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

This excellent aromatherapy book gives instructions for distilling your own essential oils http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-...4679770&sr=8-1

The oregano used in the "oil of oregano" products is often sold in garden stores with a name such as "Hot and Spicy Greek Oregano." Check the tags to verify the latin name. It's a potent and tasty garden herb, I'll tell you that :giggle

There are multitudes of lavender varieties, most of which have been bred for showier flowers and other reasons. The most desirable medicinal variety (in terms of the essential oil from the flowers) is the original lavender - known as Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula officinalis. This lavender has a balance of chemical components that are stimulating and ones that are relaxing. Spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) produces more essential oil, but it contains little of the relaxing chemicals and more of the stimulating chemicals. Good for sports rubs, not good for sleep sachets ;) Lavandin varieties are a hybrid of spike and true lavender; their scent is somewhere between the two but like the spike lavender, they also have more of the stimulating chemicals and higher oil production.

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

I just recently received my medicinal herb seeds and roots order. :D I got comfrey root, greater celandine root, calendula, horehound, yarrow and giant turkish plantain seeds. I also have dandelion and mallow growing in the yard, as well as mint and lemon balm. I've started some thyme and chamomile. It amazes me that chamomile can survive in the wild, the babies look so delicate.
I've really been enjoying maria Treben's book:
http://www.amazon.com/Health-Through...0&sr=8-2-spell lately, as well as this book: http://www.amazon.com/Plant-Power-La...5560901&sr=1-3

I hope to make oils and salves this summer/fall as well as dry some herbs for teas. Horizon herbs is a great resource for seeds, roots and plants.

I've made dandelion syrup twice so far and have a cake in the oven sweetened with it. I've also had the leaves in my salad a few times, and a little root in my tea. Mallow is good for hoarseness and I'd soaked some in cold water and drank it (as recommended in the Maria Treben book).

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

That's true of so many wild plants. :yes

Spoilered because it's not regarding medicinal plants...

Re: What medicinal plants can I grow and how would I use them?
 

I wanted to add that most of this book is online here:
http://mariatrebenherbs.com/