By: Maria Noël Groves, Clinical Herbalist & Author at Wintergreen Botanicals
One of the great joys of herb gardening is that the plants engage all our senses in our medicine – not only providing support in specific health situations but also bringing pleasure and empowerment into the home. Most of my favorite herbs are easy to grow – easier than vegetables! – and many are also container friendly. Here are just a few to consider growing this year ~
Holy Basil, also known as Tulsi and Sacred Basil can be cultivated much like regular culinary basil in warm, sunny spots with moderately rich, moderately moist soil and good drainage. It won’t survive our cold winters, so treat it as an annual. This native medicinal plant from India, Southeast Asia, and Africa emits a delightful aroma akin to mint, basil, clove, and bubblegum. It is among the easiest to grow and most pleasurable tea herbs. Medicinally, it supports a healthy stress response, calm focus and energy, stress response, healthier inflammatory response, and blood sugar balance. Often people notice a profound relaxed-alert response and reduced cravings, particularly for sugar. If you’re prone to hypoglycemia, make sure to have it with meals or – if you’re taking it on an empty stomach – with a little bit of honey or other sweetener. Do not use in pregnancy unless under the guidance of a professional. If your grower sells different varieties of holy basil, it’s the “temperate” or “Kapoor” variety that I prefer that grows best in New Hampshire. (If your grower doesn’t specify the variety, then it is usually this one.)
Lemon Balm is a well-known perennial herb that many people grow and share with others, which is adaptable in a range of garden ecosystems in New Hampshire even though it originates from the Mediterranean, Europe, the Middle East, and central Asia. While it’s available in well-stocked greenhouses; if you know someone with an herb garden, they may have enough to share with you. Like holy basil, lemon balm supports a calm-alert state; however, it’s more of a nervous system restorative (nervine) herb and gentle calmative – helpful for sleeping at night but not too sedating for daytime use. Several studies support its benefits for cognition and focus at all ages. Commercial lemon balm tends to be low quality; but if you grow your own, you can make amazing remedies and tea with the fresh or freshly dried plant. (Click here for tips and videos on how to make various herbal recipes easily at home.)
Although these plants can be harder to find at a regular nursery, most of our local and organic medicinal herb seedling growers generally sell them. You will likely find them at NH Herb & Garden Day’s plant sale, Warner River Farm, Found Well Farm, Good Earth Farm, Anything Grows (formerly the Herb FARMacy), and elsewhere.
Join me for my free Co-op class on May 19 to learn more about other medicinal herb favorites for the garden including bee balm, marshmallow, Korean licorice mint, and anise hyssop.
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Join Maria for a Free Co-op Class on Easy-Growing Herbs on May 19
This FREE live stream online class will run on Zoom Thursday, May 19, 6-7 pm eastern time. Free and open to the public, but space is limited, to be sure to register here in advance!
Delve into the empowering and joyful world of herb gardening and learn how to grow some of Maria’s favorite medicinal herbs for the garden. We’ll discuss a few general tips and then focus in on Lemon Balm, Tulsi (a.k.a. Holy Basil), Korean Licorice Mint (and close relative Anise Hyssop), Bee Balm, and Marshmallow – most are hardy perennials and all will bring you great joy for your culinary and home remedy adventures within just one season. Maria will share information on growing, harvesting, culinary and medicinal benefits of each herb.
Buy Plants & Learn More About Herbs at NH Herb & Garden Day on June 4!
Join the NH Herbal Network for our 12th annual Herb & Garden Day to be held in person and all outdoors at the lovely Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum grounds in Warner, NH. This fun event includes herbal and gardening workshops, plant walks, an artisan herbal vendor market, huge plant sale featuring organic and locally grown medicinal and culinary herbs as well as veggie and flower seedlings, food, music, and more. Just $35 for the whole day and workshops ($25 if you catch the early bird discount!) or $5 to shop. The Concord Food Co-op is one of the event’s primary sponsors! The nonprofit NH Herbal Network is chapter of the American Herbalists Guild. I will be there teaching a class on Brain Boosting Herbs You Can Grow and selling and signing my books alongside other favorite herb books.
Deep Dive into Herbalism with Maria’s Home Herbalist Series
Thursday Nights June 9 – August 25, 6-9 pm eastern time
In Person OR Live Streamed Online
Maria’s most popular introductory/intermediate herb course will empower you with the skills to use herbs safely and confidently in your home, and it’s a fantastic launching point for further study in herbalism. 9 classes total, bonus herb walks, each class covers a body system and a remedy making technique.
Class 1: Introduction to Herbalism & Herbal Nutrition | The Art of Tea
Class 2: Stress & Energy: Adaptogens for Health | Tinctures
Class 3: Relaxation & Mood: Herbs for the Nervous System | Flower Essences
Class 4: Digestive Wellness: Herbs for the Upper & Lower GI | Herbal Oils
Class 5: Detoxification: Herbs for the Liver, Colon & Urinary Tract | Capsules
Class 6: Herbs to Support Blood Sugar Balance | Skin Salves
Class 7: Heart Health: Hypertension & Cholesterol | Herb Honey & Vinegar
Class 8: Herbs for Immunity, Allergies, Cold & Flu | Elderberry Syrup
Class 9: Herbs for Women & Men | Lip Balm, Cream, Bodycare
Lots of additional perks for series students!
More details and registration here
In-person seats are limited!
For the most up-to-date list of ALL Maria’s upcoming classes, click here.
Check Out Maria’s Books
Maria’s books Body into Balance and Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies also discuss sleep and other health topics covered in Maria’s Home Herbalist and Beyond the Home Herbalist series. Signed copies of both books are available for sale at the Concord Food Co-op in Concord, NH.
Maria Noël Groves, RH (AHG), clinical herbalist, runs Wintergreen Botanicals, nestled in the pine forests of New Hampshire. Her business is devoted to education and empowerment via classes, consultations, and writing with the foundational belief that good health grows in nature. She is the author of the award-winning, best-selling Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care and Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies. Learn more about Maria and medicinal herbs at WintergreenBotanicals.com.
