Herb Garden Plants

Archive for the ‘herb garden plants’ Category

In response to various emails, please note the following:

Whilst we know that our readers are sensible people, on no account should anyone be crazy enough to try the herbal cures outlined in this herb garden blog without the strictest medical supervision.

These are ancient remedies which include deadly poisons and even the most innocuous remedies should only be administered by a qualified herbalist or under medical supervision. The published medicinal usages of the past are only intended to illustrate herb lore of the ancients. Don’t join them prematurely by messing with this stuff. If you are looking for poisons read Agatha Christie!

Many of todays remedies are derived from ancient healing lore. In many cases they have been refined or diluted for greater effectiveness, on which your health care professional can detail you. So don’t get clever and kill yourself experimenting.

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Polyganatum multiflorum (Liliaceae)

Description
Solomon’s seal is a truly splendid plant. It has a wonderful aura with its pale green stems stretching up to a height of 60 cms (2 ft) arching over beautifully at the top. Great oval leaves alternate across the top half just like wings above the dangling waxy white-colored bell-like blossoms.

History
The hybrid P. multflorumm cross odoratum is actually probably the most common representative of the genus throughout gardens, even though multiflorum is the true officinal plant and is a indigenous to European countries.

As an application for black eyes it was known to the battered spouses from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. As outlined by the venerable John Gerard writing in his typically captivating style: ‘The roots of Solomon’s seal, stamped while fresh and greene and applied taketh away in one night or two at the most, any bruise blacke or blew spots gotten by fals or womens’ wilfulness in stimbling upin their hastie husband’s fists, or such like’. According to him ‘there is not another herb to be found comparable to it’ for the knitting of broken bones.’

Usage
Solomon’s seal has been traditionally grown because of its creeper-like roots which supplied a tonic and astringent; the powdered root was applied to bruises as well as tumorous haernorrhoids to relieve pain.

The plant has for centuries been applied as a cosmetic to clear freckles in addition to being a skin tonic. In Turkey the fresh shoots, which are folded spikes of green, are generally gathered and prepared with asparagus.

Cultivation
Solomon’s seal enjoys a gently shaded spot in a bed of properly spaded light soil with a bit of clay for water retention. If happy, it will soon establish itself into sizable clumps. Generally the clumps should be split when the stalks die down in the Fall but in a moist or damp area transplanting and splitting out may be done at almost any time. Seed should be sown late in summer or in early Fall (Autumn) as soon as it is ripe and available. A top dressing of leaf mulch is advised from time to time.

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The following is the comment from Ezine Articles regarding why they blocked a post on Opium poppies and my reply to them. Read the article and please comment if you think the banning was legit or just uninformed.

Hi Pete,

Thank you for your email. Your article “Opium Poppy – Soul Stealer and Great Healer – Herb Garden Plants” was placed in Problem Status because it promotes growing opium poppies and contains details on opium use. This goes against our editorial guidelines so we would not be able to accept an article with this type of content. You may edit your article to remove any promotion of the drug opium, and once this is done, you may re-submit your article for approval.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Thank you,
xxxx

And my reply:

Xxxx, calling a plant a “soul stealer” can hardly be called promoting its virtues. It is a legitimate and widely grown herb garden plant, which is what my blog is about.

I note that my articles on aconite – a truly deadly poison – was OK’d for publishing. Was this because I did not “actively” promote it as a potential weapon in the article?

The article will be removed – I hope you do not mind if I post your comment on my blog and on Twitter.

Regards, Pete

Read banned article here.

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Safe Pest Control Tips

Pest control must be done with utmost consideration for the  safety of the herb garden plants, animals and humans. This holds especially true for those with  organic gardens,  as the main purpose of growing vegetables organically will be defeated if they become tainted with pest control chemicals.

Below are a few long-term maintenance tips to make pest control less damaging and more environmentally friendly.

1. Use the physical pest control process.
This may be accomplished through picking grubs off by hand, creating barriers and traps and plugging holes. Snails are found hiding in damp places under rocks and towards the base of those herb garden plants with straplike foliage.

2. Apply biological pest control.
Encourage predatory insects such as green lacewings and dragonflies to feed on aphids and other pests that attack your plants. This can be done by placing a shallow bowl of water in the garden. Dragonflies especially will hover around water. Bacterial insecticides are also be employed against caterpillars.

3. Only as a last resort should we turn to chemical pest control.
Organic pest control methods can be successful and the ingredients for most of the recipes are available in the kitchen cupboards. If chemical sprays are really necessary, try and find the safest. These include insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and tobacco  dust.

4. Consider the usage of safer pest control substitutes.
Recipes for alternative pest control include the following:

• Against Green Aphids and Mites – Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid soap and a cup of vegetable oil. Dilute a teaspoon of this solution in a cup of water and spray on aphids and mites.
• Against Cockroaches – boric acid powder can be applied to cracks or entry points of these insects. Bay leaves on pantry shelves could also help diswcourage these intruders.

Make sure any chemicals you use are targeted specifically at the insects you are targeting.

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Papaver somniferum (Papaveraceae)

Appearance
The flowers vary substantially in physical appearance; they are occasionally double, often single with flimsy coloured petals — occasionally white or pink. When the buds open up the petals are like crumpled tissue paper which very rapidly unfold; this is usually a feature of the flower. The plant attains perhaps 1 m (3 ft) in length, the green/greyish leaves sitting directly upon the stem and kept away from, with ragged undulating edges.

History
Opium was initially a medicine known to the Greeks and Romans and the Egyptians previous to them, and the farming associated with the poppy spread to China more than a millenium past. Poppies had been taken as seed to America by the Pilgrims.

Native to the Middle East and the Mediterranean rim countries, the bluish flowers have always been a roadside characteristic of several southern counties of England.

Usage
Although Opium is a dangerous as well as addictive toxin it remains unsurpassed as a botanical sedative administered for the purpose of the alleviation of serious pain – a result of its pair of significant alkaloids, morphine and codeine.

Once the petals fall the seed head matures into the well known smooth brownish ‘poppy head’ together with its crown of radiating ribs as well as little holes around the top via which the seeds leak out. Opium is a form of latex which oozes out of the unripe seed heads whenever they are slit. Green poppy heads were steeped to bathe inflamed and sprained joints, and a concoction made using hot barley meal as a fixing medium was used in related circumstances to alleviate suffering.

There are numerous types of poppy seed; the blue-grey little circular ones are usually used in European countries and America in order to decorate and flavour breads and confectionery, and the smaller creamy ones are used in India in curries. Poppy seed oil, though a culinary oil, is frequently created for the commercial market and in the blending of paints.

Cultivation
Propagate from seed sown in spring, although when launched straight into the your herb garden these plants will seed themselves. Lovers of sunshine, light warm soils the opium poppy ought be in every single representative collection of medicinal herbs.

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We only recommend books we believe will help you be better herb gardeners.

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Aconitum napellus (Ranunculaceae)

Description
A majestic plant sporting unforgettable blue blossoms which bloom in mid summer season.  This stately garden perennial achieves a height of 60 cms (2 ft) with unique green firm leaves placed horizontally and deeply separated. One of several garden cultivars really worth developing with regard to herb garden beautification is ‘Bressingham Spire’, reaching a height of 90 cms (3ft).

The specific title napellus means ‘little turnip’ and represents the particular form of the underlying tuber. Every root lasts just 12 months; a new child produced alongside the parent tuber preserves the plant. Every aspect of the plant is utilized; the top level growth is usually gathered in summer season and the root during autumn or fall.

History
A very poisonous plant native to mountainous areas throughout northern temperate areas, monkshood was grown as a therapeutic plant for many years. Monkshood provided a toxin employed for tipping arrows as well as baiting wolves around medieval Europe, therefore earning them the name of ‘Wolf’s Bane’. Afterwards it became referred to as ‘monkshood’ and also ‘helmet flower’ in recognition of its hooded blossom. Winthrop’s seed order from America in 1631 calls it ‘munkhoods’.

Usage
It’s toxicity necessitates that it always be prescribed exclusively under professional medical supervision. Homeopathic products are utilized in the treatment of sciatica as well as neuralgia since the drug acts on the central nervous system.

Cultivation
Plant the seed the moment it is ripe, while taking care not to assume impressive results since the plants tend to be sluggish to set up via seed. Separating a new child tuber and planting it out in the autumn (fall) is going to be faster and most likely more profitable.

Planting may be performed relatively late into the winter, nonetheless it needs to be done prior to the stem bud bursting into emergence – which takes place quite soon in the spring. Pick a well spaded moisture-retentive environment someplace where you can find dappled shade.

Monkshood prefers the less humid zones and it is winter season hardy, but it may require overhead shelter in low temperature locations.

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Polygala species (Polygalaceae)

Description
Diminutive but gorgeous little herb garden plants, milkworts are well worth the trouble involved in sourcing them, as they make a fine addition to the border of any garden; both for their size (400 to 500mm) and their impact. Milkwort forms its own little family groupings and gives a very fine showing when these are established. The purple/blue flowers (British plants) pirouette above their supporting ground level foliage, for all the world like blue bees busily at work and are at their best from latish Spring until midsummer. Roots are small and convoluted.

History
The genus is named after its supposed virtue of visibly increasing milk yield in cows when they graze on milkwort. Numerous species are extant, preferring well drained banks, grasslands, hillsides and heathland. P. vulgaris is the variety most commonly seen in British herb gardens; other varieties are grown but are rare. The variety indigenous to The United States has white flowers and is called P. senega after the Seneca Indians; these plants favour a drier, more rocky environment than their British cousins.

The Seneca Indians were observed to use the stored milkwort roots to treat rattlesnake bites. A medical doctor in Pennsylvania further observed that the symptoms of snakebite appeared similar to those experienced by people suffering from severe respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Subsequent experiments led to the American plants being introduced to Britain in the mid 18th century and being recognised as a unique member of the milkwort clan as healing herbs in their own right. Other family members were discovered to have similar virtues and their roots were successfully used in the same way as P. senega.

Usage
The roots are used in various healing potions, although their popularity is now waning. Extracts and teas are still used for a tonic, as a mild laxative and as a remedy for bronchial congestion. Note that their is some doubt regarding their reputation for increasing milk flow in nursing mothers.

Cultivation
Propagate by root division of an existing plant is the practical method, as seeds are scarce. Generally speaking a well drained alkaline soil will suit most milkworts.

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Convallaria majalis (Liliaceae)

Appearance
Herb garden plants named after their tendency to thrive in deep wooded valleys, these are found in most temperate areas in many parts of the northern hemisphere. In America Convallaria montana is cultivated to produce an even finer type of bloom. Consider these when looking for lily-of-the-valley herb garden plants for inclusion in your line up. The rhizomes tend to migrate and form thick mini copses. Pairs of broad spear shaped leaves accentuate hanging bell-like blooms from late in the Spring.

History
Many rural remedies were based on steeping lily-of-the-valley for cardiac conditions. Gerard was familiar with these herb garden plants and extolled their virtues thus: ‘The flower of the Valley Lillie distilled with wine . . restoreth speech unto those that have the dum palsie and are falne into the Apoplexie’. The holistic and herbal approach to practical remedies, as well as the famous doctrine of signatures, appears once again to have paved the way for modern science: modern convallamarin became a very important 20th century cardiac treatment drug.

Usage
Powdered flowers are a potent compound for tinnitis, vertigo and ear infections. claimed to clear the head of nasal mucus, thus relieving ear noises, vertigo and chronic inflammation of the ears. The heady scent of the flowers of the lily-of-the-valley make these a highly desirable potpourri ingredient. Gerard claimed it had the virtue of strengthening the memory. The potted plants make an attractive indoor feature.

Cultivation
The crowns often take some time to become established and may even refuse to strengthen if they are not happy. Try and replicate the natural conditions where they thrive – they need a dampish rich soil and and some shade to prosper. Take an established clump of roots in autumn, split up the roots and corms and use the healthiest for re-potting in some good peat compost – place in a sheltered spot for best results. Split up roots after flowering and plant out the roots having visible growth buds. (Best done in summer.) Use conditions as listed above to achieve the best results for your new herb garden plants.

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