Did you know that our great grandparents and great great grandparents have mostly relied on healing herbs and spices for many skin and health issues? Most of the plants that we grow in our surroundings are excellent to heal many of our health issues. Actually, it’s quite comfortable and even more convenient to step in to your garden for medicine to get a checkup and run to the nearest pharmacy.
If you want to grow some of those healing herbs to keep you and your family healthy all year along, then try out growing below plants! All these herbs will thrive easily in a Sunny windowsill or in any garden where they get enough sunlight.
- Lemon Balm:
Lemon balm has many soothing effects against stress, anxiety and insomnia. It even eases many digestive issues like gas, bloating, colic and poor appetite. All you need to do is, make a cup of tea using lemon balm leaves or use it in the combination of chamomile with valerian, chamomile and hops. You can even apply chilled tea to ward off mosquitoes and soothe bug bites.
Plant it in well drained sandy soil and it do well when planted in cool weather in early spring or fall. Water it regularly and make sure to keep the soil moist.
- Peppermint:
Peppermint is an excellent perennial herb that works great for irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, flatulence and cramps. Additionally, peppermint tea is considered as a great follow up to a large meal. You can inhale mint steam to easily get rid of common cold, sinus inflammation or minor headaches.
Peppermint plant loves sunny spot with good drainage. Well, plant it in the indirect sun and top with a bit of organic compost every few months. Water it whenever top of the soil feels dry and make sure to prune it and harvest it regularly.
- Sage:
Sage contains plenty of health promoting effects, this herb can be used as tonic, antiseptic, astringent and antispasmodic agent. It is also effective in treating milk flow nervous conditions, depression, trembling, diarrhea, gastritis, sore throat, insect bites and vertigo.
Grow this plant in late fall and give it plenty of sun so that its leaves reach their peak in flavor. Choose the soil with a PH in between 6.0-7 and keep it in medium to full sun and never over fertilize it.
- Aloe Vera:
Aloe vera is known for its medicinal properties from ages. Its gel is used in many beauty products like moisturizers, soaps, creams, antibiotics etc. you can even apply its gel directly on your skin to get rid of minor cuts, rashes, sunburns and to treat cavities and gum diseases. Adding the gel to your smoothies will help you in poor digestion, diabetes and other liver diseases.
As a succulent, aloe vera loves full sun and should dry at least 1 to 2 inches deep between watering. Transplant its babies in other pots to grow a whole new plant.
- Rosemary:
Rosemary is capable of improving memory, stimulating hair growth, soothes digestion, improves concentration, fights against cancer, relieves muscles pain and spasm and supports circulatory and nervous system.
This herb produces beautiful blue flowers and pine like leaves that looks extraordinary wherever you keep it. Windowsills are the best place, so that it gets 6-8 hours of sunlight to thrive healthily. It doesn’t like cold, make sure to keep it in a draft place and after its bloomed, trim rosemary by up to one third just above the leaf joint.
- Parsley:
Parsley has been using in many dishes to improve its taste. Its seed tea reportedly used to treat many health issues like jaundice, asthma, coughs, indigestion, menstrual difficulties and dropsy. You can also drink it toward against gallstones, dysuria and rheumatic conditions. Additionally, chewing its fresh leaves often gives you fresh breath.
It requires moist, rich soil and while planting outside germinates 10-12 weeks before the last spring frost and give spacing of about 6-8 inches. Fertilize and compost it at least once in a year.
- Thyme:
Thyme is one of the excellent herbs to be grown easily in our spaces. Although, it is typically found in infusion or tincture it can be used both fresh and dried with similar results. This herb is perfect for treating bronchitis, whooping cough, chronic gastritis, diarrhea, laryngitis and lack of appetite. You can even use it externally to get relief from joint pains, skin problems and superficial wounds.
However, thyme is hard to grow from seed, so buy a plant or ask your friend for cuttings. Place it in a sunny spot and allow it to dry out between watering since it’s very prone to root rot. Trim plants regularly to support its healthy growth.
- Lavender:
Lavender is a wonderful purple colored plant comes in large variety of colors such as white, pink, purple, dark blue or violet. Additionally it has lovely soothing fragrance. It is often used for depression, anxiety disorders, intestinal problems, headaches, insomnia and pain.
It loved to be placed in warm, sunny spot. Even though it is considered as hardy plant and does well in dry, poor soil. However, you should fertilize it once in a year with high quality fertilizer and water it whenever the top of the soil looks dry.
- Basil:
Basil is home remedy for many health issues. Drinking basil tea will help you to get rid of common cold, warts and warms. It also acts as a carminative, diuretic and appetite stimulant. Adding it to your favorite meals results in improving kidney function, calm downs stomach spasms and promotes circulation. You can even rub its leaves on your temples to relive headaches.
This herb plant should be placed in a spot where it gets 6-8 hours of sunlight and thrives well in moist, well draining soil. Once you see flowers of your plant, pick them off to prevent the leaves from getting to bitter. If you’re growing it outside, then plant it 10-12 inches apart and harvest before the first frost.
- Marigold:
Marigold is also called calendula is popular green plant with distinct orange flowers. You can use its petals to relieve sunburn and to clear up acne or blemishes of your skin. It is also used as antiseptic for cuts and bruises. Many skin ointments and creams contain marigold extract as an active ingredient.
This plant needs lots of sunlight and tends to grow in moderately, fertile, well drained soil. Always water it from the base and do not fertilize them. Plant it in your garden to repel animals, insects and other pests easily.
- Chamomile:
Chamomile tea doesn’t just work against anxiety and stress, it goes beyond. It treats skin conditions, mild infections and stomach problems. It also works effectively to treat nausea, vomiting, heartburn, gas, eczema, gingivitis, or hemorrhoids.
If you want to use chamomile tea as a natural insecticide, then all you need to do is brew a batch of tea and allow it to steep for 24 hours. Now pour it in a spray bottle with a target sprayer and use it as a spray to repel insects. Be careful and do not spray it on your plants when bees or other beneficial insects are present. Never spray during the heat of the day or when the plant is in indirect sunlight.
All these plants will not only help to get relief from certain health issues, they even fill your space with soothing smell that keeps you calm always.
