6 Medicinal Herbs You Can Grow in Pots – Infographic

Grow your own medicinal herbs

Not everyone has a garden, but if you want to grow your own medicinal and kitchen herbs, you really can. This fun infographic highlights healing properties and growing tips for 6 medicinal herbs that you can grow as potted plants, including chamomile, ginger, garlic, rosemary, turmeric and aloe vera. Some of the herbs are more commonly grown outdoors, but all can be grown in pots. No matter where you live, you can reap the benefits of fresh herbs year round.

6-Medicinal-Herbs-You-Can-Grow-In-Pots-Infographic

ALOE VERA:

Healing Properties: Aloe Vera is well-known to soothe burns, bug bites, and rashes. It also works as an internal cleanser and booster for the immune system.

How to Grow: Aloe does well in a pot and needs only artificial or indirect sunlight. Plant Aloe in a well-draining potting mix made for succulents and cacti. Allow to dry before watering to avoid rot and wilting. Cut leaves as needed and squeeze gel directly onto burns.

TURMERIC:

Healing Properties: As an anti-inflammatory, Turmeric contains antioxidants and is rich in lipopolysaccharides that stimulate the immune system. The curcurmin present in Turmeric offers relief from psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

How to Grow: Plant a small rhizome with two or three buds in rich, well-drained soil. In colder climates it must be kept indoors, well watered and warm, with temperatures never falling below 65 degrees. It can take up to a year for a new root crop to form, and then rhizomes should be kept in a cool, dry location.

ROSEMARY:

Healing Properties: The Rosemarinic acid found in the leaves of Rosemary is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial. Rosemary boosts immunity and offers anti-cancer effects. It’s been shown effective against bacterias h.pylori and listeria, and the scent is proven to help memory. Here’s more info about Rosemary from an earlier post.

How to Grow: Rosemary has woody stems and needle-like leaves on a compact shrub. It grows best in full sun and needs good circulation. Water only when dry. A slow grower, but leaves can be harvested as needed for cooking.

GARLIC:

Healing Properties: Renowned as a healing herb, Garlic contains over 30 medicinal compounds. The sulfur found in garlic activates liver enzymes to flush toxins from the body. Garlic can also ward off colds, lower triglycerides and cholesterol and provides antioxidants.

How to Grow: Garlic can be grown both indoors and out. To grow in a pot, plant the bulbs about 2 inches deep, with the tips up. To prevent bulb rot, allow the soil to dry between watering. Harvest when the leaves turn yellow to brown.

GINGER:

Healing Properties: Ginger is another herb known to strengthen and flush toxins from the liver. It’s well known to settle the stomach, helps with motion sickness, and boosts metabolism.

How to Grow: After soaking a live ginger root in warm water, plant in a wide, shallow pot with eye buds pointing up. Keep in a warm spot with indirect light and be careful not to over-water. Harvest small rhizomes a few months after shoots start to emerge.

CHAMOMILE:

Healing Properties: Chamomile has sedative qualities and is used for soothing stomach upset and to aid sleep. The tea can also be used to help seeds germinate and as a natural insecticide.

How to Grow: Chamomile seeds need light to germinate, so they can be sown directly into the pot. Place pot in a sunny, south-facing window and keep soil moist but not too wet. Plants should be ready to harvest in 60 to 90 days.

Sources:

permaculturenews.org
dailyhealthpost.com
apartmenttherapy.com
almanac.com
newengland.com
gardeningknowhow.com