The Many Benefits Of Starting An Herb Garden

By Sara Tipton

Herbs are great to have on hand, but not just for culinary purposes, although they can make food taste wonderful. Herbs are also important natural remedies and can be used as medicine, especially during a crisis.

Planting an herb garden so you can benefit from its natural remedies can also be highly beneficial to the environment as well.  You can plant plants that will help your body heal and recover while attracting bees and pollinators to your herbs and flowers, giving back to the Earth.

Start an herb garden indoors now, either from seed or starts, and plant outside once the fear of frost has passed. I often choose perennial herbs such as thyme, spearmint, peppermint, and echinacea. All of these are hearty and will survive being buried under 6 feet of snow. But others can be grown seasonally or indoors as well. Here are some of the best herbs for medicinal uses:

1. Aloe Vera – Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, wound and burn healer, natural laxative, soothes the stomach, helps skin ailments.
2. Basil – Powerful antispasmodic, antiviral, anti-infectious, antibacterial, soothes the stomach.
3. Black Cohosh – Relieves menopausal hot flashes, relieves menstrual cramps, helps circulatory and cardiovascular disorders, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol, useful for nervousness and stress. Note: Do not use during pregnancy.
4. Black Walnut – Good for eliminating parasites, good for fungal infections, good for warts and poison ivy, aids digestion.
5. Cinnamon – It has been proven that 99.9% of viruses and bacteria can not live in the presence of cinnamon. So it makes a great antibacterial and antiviral weapon.
6. Cayenne– Catalyst for other herbs, useful for arthritis and rheumatism (topically and internally), good for colds, flu viruses, sinus infection, and sore throat, useful for headache and fever, aids organs (kidneys, heart, lungs, pancreas, spleen, and stomach, increase thermogenesis for weight loss.
7. Clove Bud – Improves the immune system, they are also an antioxidant and doubles as an antibacterial and antimicrobial fighter.
8. Cypress – The therapeutic properties of cypress oil are astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic, deodorant, diuretic, hemostatic, hepatic, styptic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, respiratory tonic, and sedative.
9. Dandelion – Helpful for PMS, good for menopause, increases ovarian hormones.
10. Echinacea (coneflower) – Boosts white blood cell production, immune system support, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, good for colds, flu, and infection. Note: Use no more than two weeks at a time. Do not use if you are allergic to sunflowers or related species.
11. Eucalyptus – Anti-infectious, antibacterial and antiviral.
12. Garlic – Helps fight infection, detoxifies the body, enhances immunity, lowers blood fats, assists yeast infections, helps asthma, sinusitis, circulatory problems, and heart conditions.
13. German Chamomile – Helps stress, anxiety, and insomnia, good for indigestion, useful for colitis and most digestive problems, effective blood cleanser and helps increase liver function, and supports the pancreas. Improves bile flow from the liver, it is good for healing the skin that might come from a blistering chemical agent.
14. Geranium – Dilates bile ducts for liver detoxification, antispasmodic, stops bleeding, anti-infectious, antibacterial.
15. Ginger – Helps nausea, motion sickness, and vomiting and is useful for circulatory problems, is good for indigestion, and is also an effective antioxidant.
16. Lavender – Assists with burns, antiseptic, used as a stress reliever, good for depression, aids skin health and beauty.
17. Lemon – Is known for its antiseptic properties, Essential Science Publishing says that: According to Jean Valnet, M.D. the vaporized essence of lemon can kill meningococcal bacteria in 15 minutes, typhoid bacilli in one hour, Staphylococcus aureus in two hours and Pneumococcus bacteria within three hours. Lemon also improves microcirculation, promotes white blood cell formation, and improves immune function.
18. Marjoram – Anti-infectious, antibacterial, dilates blood vessels, regulates blood pressure, soothes muscles.
19. Marshmallow – Aids bladder infections, diuretic (helps fluid retention), helps kidney problems, soothes coughs, sore throats, indigestion, and as a topical agent it is said to be anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing.
20. Melissa – Assists in issues with the nervous system, and blisters, and has antimicrobial properties.
21. Mullein – Can be used as a laxative, good for asthma and bronchitis, useful for difficulty breathing, helps hay fever.
22. Myrrh – Anti-infectious, antiviral, soothes skin conditions and supports the immune system. Also, an antispasmodic that helps to reduce spasming due to spasms caused by nerve agents.
23. Oregano – is a powerful antibiotic and has been proven to be more effective in neutralizing germs than some chemical antibiotics. It has been effective against germs like Staphylococcus aureas, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
24. Pine – Antidiabetic, cortisone-like, severe infections, hypertensive
25. Rosemary – Antiseptic, Antibacterial, Cleansing and detoxing the body. Supports the liver and combats cirrhosis.
26. Rosewood – Anti-infectious, antibacterial, and antiviral.
27. Sage – Used in anxiety, nervous disorders, as astringent, in abdominal disorders, anti-inflammatory.
28. Spearmint – To calm the nervous system and assist with bronchial issues.
29. Tea Tree – Disinfectant, antibacterial, anti-fungal, burns, good for all skin conditions.
30. Thyme – Thyme is one of the oldest herbs on record and is another immunity booster and cognitive aid. The International Journal of Food Microbiology as well as other institutions found that 92 percent of Gram-negative and positive bacterial strains could be killed using cinnamon, thyme, or clove essential oil. Here are some other health benefits of thyme.

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If you are looking for great herbs to attract pollinators to your garden, here a few that work wonders:

1. Thyme
2. Chamomile
3. Coriander/cilantro
4. Fennel
5. Lavender
6. Mint
7. Rosemary
8. Sage

All of these herbs are fragrant and will leave your yard buzzing with life!

Once you’ve planted your herbs and have a supply of delicious, nutritious, and medicinal herbs to help you and mother nature thrive, consider learning how to dry them for long-term storage. Read more about homesteading basics and drying your herbs.

This article was originally published at Ready Nutrition™ on April 13th, 2022