Maranda Hardie 4/22/24 Maranda Hardie 4/22/24

Peppermint

Most people are familiar with Peppermint (Mentha × Piperita), but not all might know how beneficial it can be. Not only is Peppermint great for use in a culinary aspect, but it has a lot of medicinal properties as well. Did you know that Peppermint is a hybrid species of mint? It is a cross between watermint and spearmint.

Benefits

It can help soothe an upset stomach.
Aids in digestion.
It can help with diarrhea.
It has calming effects and can aid in soothing anxiety.
It can help to treat headaches.
It can help with nausea.
It can help with menstrual cramps.
My favorite way to use peppermint is in the form of tea. I add it to a calming tea blend I make and it's a tasty and calming treat to help wind down or if I’m feeling anxious for any reason. It is also a tasty tea on its own and helps when I have a headache. I’ve never tried it for a migraine, but for minor headaches, it has helped tremendously.

How to Grow

Anyone who has grown anything in the mint family knows how prolific and wild they grow. Peppermint is no different. Always plant peppermint somewhere you are ok with it growing large and spreading.

Sow your seeds lightly covered in soil.
The seeds should germinate in 10-16 days.
Keep soil moist but not too wet or dry.
To harvest, just clip leaves or branches as needed.

Happy Growing!

*I am not a certified medical practitioner. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat and is for informational purposes only. Please contact your medical care professional before introducing new herbal remedies into your routine.

Maranda Hardie 4/17/24 Maranda Hardie 4/17/24

Comfrey

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is another fantastic herb that can be grown from seed in your garden or yard but can also be foraged.

Uses

Comfrey has many uses, but some of the more common ones are healing broken bones, healing wounds, bruises, soothes skin, is a great anti-inflammatory, and is known is stop light bleeding. The parts that are used are the roots and the leaves. What I do is use dried comfrey leaves and make an infused oil and then use that infused oil to make a salve. I have not tried this yet, but I have read of people creating a comfrey tea and using it to fertilize their gardens.

It is not recommended to use Comfrey internally without supervision from a professional. It is also not recommended to apply it to completely broken skin or when nursing.

How To Grow

Stratifying seeds prior to planting can aid in a better germination rate.

Sow seed just under the soil.
Keep soil moist, but not sopping wet or dry.
Seeds take around 25-30 days to germinate at a soil temperature of 68-70° F
Once the seedlings have their first true leaves you can transplant them to the garden.
Once in the garden, water deeply when the soil is dry but avoid watering the leaves to avoid fungal diseases.

Happy Growing!

*This is intended for general knowledge only and is not a substitute for speaking with your general practitioner. I always recommend doing your research before introducing any new herbal remedies into your routine. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding any health-related concern.

Maranda Hardie 4/15/24 Maranda Hardie 4/15/24

Anise Hyssop

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is a beautiful and multipurpose herb that can be used simply for adding color and beauty to different culinary dishes or in a more traditional medicinal form.

Benefits

Can help soothe chest congestion, coughs, colds, and asthma.
Antibacterial and antiviral which helps aid with disease and infections.
Can help with digestive and intestinal problems.
Can aid in liver and gallbladder problems, gas, colic, and menstrual cramps.
Can be used topically for skin conditions such as bruises, irritations, rashes, and burns.

How To Use Anise Hyssop

With a flavor similar to licorice, it can be used to top salads and add to sweet foods and drinks.
You can use the leaves and flowers (fresh or dried) to make teas.
Some people have placed the fresh or dried flowers in a cheesecloth or muslin bag and placed it in a bath. The scent of the flowers can help calm the nerves and possibly aid in muscle pain.

How to Grow

Anise Hyssop seeds need light to germinate, so lightly press seeds into the soil and cover lightly with soil. Keep moist but not soggy and seeds should germinate within 1-4 weeks. Cold stratification can help with germination. Once the plant has started to grow and the ground has started to warm, you can transplant your Anise Hyssop plants outdoors. The good thing about Anise Hyssop is that it’s not a fussy plant and doesn’t require much to grow.

Happy Growing!

Maranda Hardie 4/10/24 Maranda Hardie 4/10/24

Dandelion - Friend or Foe?

Did you know that Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), yes, that beautiful little yellow weed in your yard, is packed full of health benefits?

That’s right! Not only are all parts of the Dandelion plant edible, they are packed full of nutrients.

Benefits:

Digestive Health - Dandelion root may have laxative effects and can promote healthy digestion. Dandelion root is shown to be a great prebiotic, supporting gut health.
Anti-Inflammatory - Dandelion root contains flavonoids and polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce inflammation.
Antioxidant
Packed with fiber, calcium, and Vitamins A, E, and K.
Also has sources of iron, magnesium, and potassium.

How to Use Dandelions

Flower - The flowers can be eaten fresh in salads, and used to make dandelion jelly, syrup, or infused honey. You can also dry the flowers to use in teas.
Stem - Dandelion stems can have an off-putting flavor to most people, but I have seen people ferment the stems to add to salads and other dishes.
Leaves - Dandelion leaves are typically used in salads raw, but you can also dry them for smoothies or other dishes as they act like a superfood “greens” powder. You can also sauté them and cook them as you would other greens.
Root - Most people dry dandelion root and brew it as a tea, but you can also chop it fresh and cook it like you would other root vegetables.

*Always remember when foraging to make sure that the area you are foraging in has not been sprayed with pesticides or could have contaminated soil.

Happy Foraging!

Maranda Hardie 4/8/24 Maranda Hardie 4/8/24

Growing & Using Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Another great medicinal herb is Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), otherwise known as Holy Basil. Tulsi has to be one of the easiest herbs (in my opinion) to grow and if you continuously harvest it throughout the season, the plant will continue to grow larger and you will have all the Tulsi your heart desires.

Tulsi is an adaptogenic herb (Herbs that improve the ability of the body to adapt to stress. They promote well-being, balance, and health. Adaptogens help regulate or normalize organ and system function on a broad basis.) It is an antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and has been shown to help improve metabolic conditions, reduce inflammation, improve immunity, as well as improve stress and brain health.

Growing Tulsi

If planting from seed, sprinkle your seeds over your soil and cover them lightly with 1/4” of soil. Keep the soil wet, but not soggy. It typically takes 6-12 days for the seeds to germinate. The seeds need light to germinate, so keep them under a grow light or bright, indirect sunlight.

Once the seeds have sprouted and have grown enough to have true leaves and are a few inches high, you will want to harden the plants off to transplant outside. It is not recommended to plant them directly outside until the soil has warmed and temperatures don’t go below 50 degrees.

Choose a sunny location where your Tulsi plants can get 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. You will want to water when the soil starts to get slightly dry on top, but make sure the soil is damp, but not soggy. When pruning the plant, make sure to pinch off any discolored or dying leaves so the plant uses its energy to grow new healthy leaves.

When your plants reach between 8”-10” high, you can start harvesting leaves by pinching them off at the stem. After harvesting, you can use fresh in teas or cooking or you can preserve them by dehydrating, freeze drying, or freezing.

Happy growing!

Sources:

https://www.vitacost.com/blog/herbal-medicine-glossary/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4296439/

https://draxe.com/nutrition/holy-basil-benefits/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5376420/

Maranda Hardie 4/3/24 Maranda Hardie 4/3/24

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is one of my top 5 favorite herbs and for a good reason.

Lemon Balm is typically used in teas either by itself or alongside other herbs for its calming properties to help aid in relaxation and calm anxiety, which is why I love it. I have struggled with anxiety throughout my life, and using herbs such as Lemon Balm has been a great help. I drink lemon balm tea by itself, add it into other teas, and I have a calming tea blend that I drink (and sell) that combines lemon balm, chamomile, lavender, and spearmint. It’s a nice, refreshing blend that I love drinking before bed or if I’m feeling a little anxious.

It’s also extremely tasty and adds a great lemon flavor if you don’t have lemons. I love popping lemon balm into my water for an extra fresh flavor.

I have grown lemon balm for a few years from a purchased start that I got from a local nursery a while back and it comes back each year, but I decided to start some additional lemon balm plants from seed this year to up my lemon balm production. So far the plants are doing great, but the seeds did take a little longer than expected to germinate, so just be aware that it may not be poor germination but just a slower process to come up. I have read that lemon balm seeds need cold stratification to germinate, but I did not do that this time and they all came up, it just took longer. I will probably try that next time to compare the process.

If you decide you would like to add lemon balm to your garden (which I highly recommend), a good tip is that lemon balm is in the mint family, which means that it will grow pretty aggressively and can take over a garden bed pretty easily. Just make sure to plant it either in a container, or a small garden bed that you are fine with it taking over. I love lemon balm, so it has its dedicated garden area in a small bed and I am fine with it taking that over. Happy growing!

Maranda Hardie 4/1/24 Maranda Hardie 4/1/24

Let’s Talk Calendula

One of my favorite medicinal herbs is Calendula (Calendula officinalis), and the best part is that Calendula is so incredibly easy to grow that you could probably do it with your eyes closed. Okay, maybe not with your eyes closed, but you get the point.

How to grow Calendula: Sow the seeds directly in the ground mid-spring or start indoors ahead of time in trays and transplant out once the days are warmer and steadily above 50°F (10°C). You can continue to sow seeds every few weeks until early summer for fall flowers.

An important tip with herbalism is that you want to know the scientific name of the herbs you are using. This is important to make sure you’re using the correct herb with the best medicinal properties. The scientific name for Calendula is Calendula officinalis.

Now, let’s talk about the benefits. Calendula has Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, and Antifungal properties and can be used topically or taken in the form of tea or added to different culinary dishes. For me, my favorite way to use Calendula is topically in the form of a salve. Calendula is fantastic for your skin and helps aid dryness, irritation, scrapes, and eczema. It can help burns, bruises, and cuts heal faster, and fight the minor infections they cause. I struggled with dry skin and Eczema on my elbows and small parts of my face and I have seen my skin improve tremendously since starting to use my Calendula Salve. Calendula salve is one of my favorite things to keep on hand and is a non-negotiable for me.

This is just the beginning of diving into Calendula, but I wanted to provide you with the basics of where to start. Calendula is an all-around powerhouse and I highly recommend growing if not for use medicinally, at least to view the beauty of it. Happy Growing!

*People who are allergic to plants in the daisy or aster family, including chrysanthemums and ragweed, may have an allergic reaction to calendula.

Resources for further education on Calendula:

https://chestnutherbs.com/uses-and-benefits-of-calendula/

https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Herbal-Medicine-Remedies-Ailments/dp/1465449817 - DK Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine: 550 Herbs Loose Leaves and Remedies for Common Ailments. (One of my favorite resources for Herbalism.)

Maranda Hardie 4/1/24 Maranda Hardie 4/1/24

Herbalism - Where to Begin?

It all begins with an idea.

Have you been wanting to start your journey into Herbalism, but aren’t quite sure where to begin? I’ve been there. It can be overwhelming with so much information available. I am by no means an expert in Herbalism, but I am here to share what I have learned and some beginner friendly medicinal herbs and resources to help you continue to learn.

I am going to be posting multiple beginner herbs for the entire month of April. I will highlight beginner-friendly medicinal herbs and I will include important information and ways to use them. As I stated, I am not an expert in Herbalism, but I have done my research (which I highly recommend everyone does their research) and through trial and error have developed a good list of beginner medicinal herbs and I love sharing that knowledge. Herbalism can seem overwhelming when you are first starting, but maybe with this, I can inspire you to try growing herbs, even if it’s just a small herb garden on your front porch or apartment balcony. Everyone has to start somewhere. If you have any herbs you would like to learn more about, feel free to drop a comment or message me and I’ll be happy to share what I know and other resources to learn more. Happy Growing!