Medicinal herbs to grow at home

Medicinal herbs to grow at home

By

Monica Saxena

| Wellness Blogger | Certified in Holistic Health & Nutrition | Fully Accredited Professional Nutritionist |

Medicinal herbs or plants refer to a variety of plants used for medicinal purposes; according to the WHO, there are as many as 21,000 species of plants that have the potential to be used as medicinal plants. The reason to use these medicinal plant remedies is the human urge to remain in sync with nature. There is no significant investment involved in growing these plants at home compared to the pharmaceutical medicines we consume. The leaves, bark, seeds, or any other parts of plants can be consumed by people of any age group. Bringing and growing medicinal plants at home must be accompanied by gathering information about their medicinal use. A few medicinal plants are as follows:

1.    Holy Basil or Tulsi

It is an aromatic plant known for its medicinal properties and is called the mother medicine of nature. It is extensively used in the preparation of Ayurvedic medicines and promotes a healthy body, mind, and spirit. The extract obtained from tulsi is helpful for various ailments like the common cold, heart diseases, headaches, stomach disorders, and kidney stones.

Tulsi leaves are also known for their potential healing properties. It is antipyretic (relieves fever) and anti-inflammatory and promotes longevity. It is also analgesic (relieves pain), anti-asthmatic, and expectorant (takes out mucous) and helps in reducing stress.

You can grow tulsi in an ordinary flowerpot with high-quality soil. Simply sprinkle the tiny seeds over the soil and use your fingertips to gently push the seeds below it. Use a spray bottle filled with water to mist the seeds each day for 1-2 weeks, until they begin to germinate.

2.    Winter Cherry or Ashwagandha

 

Ashwagandha contains chemicals that might help calm the brain, reduce swelling, lower blood pressure, and alter the immune system. They are called adaptogens, which are believed to help the body resist physical and mental stress.

Ashwagandha is propagated from seeds. In India, it is cultivated in regions with low rainfall right after the pre-monsoon at the beginning of the rainy season in hot and humid conditions.  To grow in a pot, plant seeds 2 cm deep and 10 cm apart when the temperature is around 70°F (20°C). Seeds will germinate in two weeks. Water the seedlings well while they are getting established as saplings. Thin out the weak plants after a month of growing, leaving a space of around 50–60 cm between plants.

Plant ashwagandha in a dry and sunny location in your garden. If the soil is poor, add manure to enrich it and remove weeds and debris from the planting site. Watering should be economical and only when the plant seems thirsty.

Ashwagandha is ready to harvest in 150–180 days when flowers and berries start to form and leaves begin to dry out. Harvest ashwagandha roots by digging carefully using a small tool. Be careful not to damage the plant when digging it up, and make sure the soil has some moisture while doing this. After harvesting, roots and berries are separated from the plant. Roots are washed, cleaned, cut into small pieces of 7-10 cm, and dried in the sun or shade.

3.    Spearmint

 

Spearmint is also known as garden mint or common mint. One of the oldest herbs known to mankind, mint is called "pudina" in Hindi.

There are about 15 to 20 species of mint, consisting of varieties like spearmint and peppermint, all of which are perfectly fine to eat raw or cooked. Mint leaves are beautifully flavoured herbs that people use, dried or fresh, in many dishes and infusions. They are cultivated for culinary as well as medicinal purposes.

Spearmint is an herb. The leaves and oil are used to make medicine. Spearmint is used for digestive disorders, including gas, indigestion, nausea, diarrhoea, upper gastrointestinal tract spasms, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bile duct and gallbladder swelling (inflammation), and gallstones.

The mint plant spreads by rhizomes and stolons and is an excellent candidate for a container garden. If growing in a flower bed, it should be spaced carefully, and you need to control its spread. Harvesting is best done before the plant goes to flower, as the flavour will be concentrated in the leaves. It needed to be harvested consistently to get numerous hauls of leaves. These plants prefer rich and moist soil and need full sunlight.

4.    Aloe vera

 

  Aloe vera is grown for beautifying the space at home, as well as to use its gel for medicinal purposes. Some people consume aloe vera juice, and some use gel on skin and hair for youthful skin and beautiful hair. 

This plant is hugely important for the cosmetic and pharma industry. The slimy gel extracted from thick aloe vera leaves is good as a healer of skin injuries, burns, skin irritations, cuts, and insect bites. It also reduces skin swellings.

Clay pots with drainage holes that provide plenty of room for roots to grow, well-drained soil, and good sunlight are needed to grow aloe vera at home. Vegetative propagation, seeds, and propagation through the baby plant are done to grow aloe vera at home.

 

 5. Lemongrass

Lemongrass, also known as Malabar or Cochin grass, is native to India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand. Lemongrass is used for treating digestive tract spasms, stomachache, high blood pressure, convulsions, pain, vomiting, cough, achy joints (rheumatism), fever, the common cold, and exhaustion. It is also used to kill germs and as a mild astringent.

In food and beverages, lemongrass is used as a flavouring. For example, lemongrass leaves are commonly used as "lemon" flavouring in herbal teas. In manufacturing, lemongrass is used as a fragrance in deodorants, soaps, and cosmetics. Lemongrass is also used in making vitamin A and natural citral. When cooking with lemongrass, you can use fresh, dried, or powdered leaves. 

Lemongrass likes it hot, so grow it in an area with full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. If you're growing it in a pot, top-dress it with compost every couple of weeks to make sure it's getting plenty of nutrients. Lemongrass really is one of the easiest plants to grow, as long as you protect it from the cold.

6. Curry leaf

 

     Curry leaf has generally been used as an Indian spice in various dishes for its sweet aroma for ages. It is also called sweet neem. This plant is native to India and is highly aromatic and has a unique flavour. They provide an abundance of health benefits. 

     Curry leaves are packed with plant compounds that may help promote overall health by providing powerful antioxidant protection. 

     It helps in weight loss and the treatment of dysentery and constipation. It is good for diabetes patients and heals wounds and cuts and also relieves nausea and improves memory. Consuming curry leaves may benefit heart health by reducing heart disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

     Curry leaf plants can be propagated from cuttings or seeds, though the seed germination process is a challenging task. To grow from cuttings, just take a leaf, or a set of leaves, with a petiole or stem attached and place it in a pot with well-drained soil.  It should be grown in rich, well-drained soil in full sunlight or partial shade.

7. Sage

 

The sage plant is called salvia or Salvia tulsi in India. It can be used as a spice and a medicine. Its leaves are very high in vitamin K and also contain vital minerals like magnesium, zinc, and copper. Sage helps with digestive problems like loss of appetite, gastric problems, stomach pain, diarrhoea, bloating, and heartburn.

 It is also used in reducing the overproduction of perspiration and saliva. Depression, memory loss, and Alzheimer's disease are also treated with it. Sage leaves are eaten whole or ground and can be used to enhance the flavour of food. It looks like a bay leaf, but they are entirely different.

Sage plants need full sun to grow well; they can't tolerate wet soil. It can be grown from seed or a cutting and can be placed in a pot on your balcony, too. Plants should be set 2 feet apart if grown in the garden; water them regularly to ensure they don't dry.

8. Giloy

                        

It is a climbing shrub and an essential herb in Ayurvedic medicine. It is also called "heart-leaved moonseed." All parts of this plant are considered to be beneficial for health. The stem of Giloy is considered highly effective because of its high nutritional content and the alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, and other compounds found in it, but the root and leaves also can be used. It is used to treat fever, infections, diarrhoea and diabetes.

 It is called a great immunity booster herb and is considered one of the Amrit (nectar) plants in Ayurveda. As per Ayurveda, Giloy can be consumed in either a powdered form or in the form of kadha (decoction) or even juice. Nowadays, it is available as a capsule and ready-made powder. Giloy is also applied topically as a paste for skin problems.

The giloy plant can be grown in a garden as well as in a pot with ample drainage holes. The Giloy plant can be grown from its stems, cuttings, and even seeds. To grow a giloy plant from the stem, take stem cuttings from the end part of the giloy plant, then fill a pot with soil and insert these stem cuttings in it and water it gently to make the soil moist, then keep the pot in partial shade away from direct light.

We have thousands of plant species that qualify as medicinal; depending on their benefits, ease of growth, and care involved, they can be made part of our lives. Medicinal plants can be useful as essential drugs, in food and nutrition, for common illnesses and injuries, for endemic infectious diseases, and for mental as well as oral health.