Growing Herbs for a First-Aid Kit

Herbs are commonly used in many of the medicines you have in your medicine cabinet. Just think how much money you could save by growing your own healing herb plants. I know I have saved countless dollars by growing my own little first aid kit at home.

Do you have any of these ailments? Try herbs!

• Coriander, chervil and thyme all work fabulous for aching joints. Lavender, marjoram, lovage, peppermint and oregano can be used as an antibacterial.

• Got bad breath? Parsley, mint, anise and sweet cicely will help everyone breathe easier.

• Constipation is serious. Both dandelion and fennel will help in getting things going again.

• It is amazing how many herbs can assist with flatulence, including peppermint, summer savory, lemon balm, ginger, caraway, coriander, beebalm and lovage.

• There’s not much more soothing to your frazzled nerves than a nice cup of chamomile tea at the end of the day. Some other herb plants that might help include dill, goldenrod, lavender and lemon balm.

• There is no better cure for a hangover than thyme. It works better than the raw egg/tomato juice drink some people might tell you to drink.

• Do you have a terrible case of hiccups that won’t go away? Dill will take care of them. It will be fabulous, and if you like dill, it can be a tasty cure.

• To treat your insect stings, including mosquito bites, use aloe, goldenrod, hens-and-chicks and summer savory.

• Tossing and turning all night? A lot of the same herb plants that can calm your nerves will assist here too, but chamomile and dill are most likely to help you with your insomnia.

• If you suffer from seasonal allergies or nasal congestion, sage, horseradish and violet are nice choices. To clean out your sinus passages fast, use a little horseradish.

• Indigestion and stomachache do well with dill, fennel, lovage and of course peppermint.

Among all these remedies you might think that herbs are the next snake oil. Don’t believe me? Experiment with it for yourself!

• Aloe Vera: I torture both of my poor aloe herbs by breaking off bits every couple of days to take care of bug bites and burns, even sunburns As a succulent, aloe vera doesn’t require very much in the way of creature comforts and I have to be mindful not to over-water it myself. Just be sure that it gets plenty of light and that its well-drained sod keeps it firmly rooted in the container or garden bed.
• Chamomile: As one of the more familiar medicinal herb plants, chamomile is good for both mental and physical maladies.. Chamomile [has|comes in] [2|two] [varieties|types|kinds] (German and true or Roman chamomile), both of these plants will self-sow if you allow them, which will decrease the amount of time you will have to spend replanting these perennial herb plants.
• Horseradish: Just a sniff of this herb will clear you out, and fast. As a member of the mustard family, horseradish has a peppery taste that doesn’t attract horses at all. Although the leaves can grow to 2 feet long, it is the root that is key for the herb gardener.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Kits. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.