Here are some of the best plants you can grow yourself- to heal your family and improve your health!
Like with anything, too much of something is usually not a good thing. These plants can come with side effects if used incorrectly. Some should be avoided at all costs for people that have underlying conditions and/or are pregnant. Everyone’s case is different, so make sure to do your research before jumping into it.
Basil
Benefits
- Maintain skin health
- Anti-oxidant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Boosts digestion
- Anti-Bacterial
- Detoxifies Body
- Nausea
- Reduce Memory Loss
- Inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause dental decay
Ways To Use
- Tea – Tea can be made by steeping dried or fresh leaves in boiling water for 5-10 minutes
- Culinary- This herb can be used fresh and dried in all sorts of dishes such as pastas, sauces, or to season meat.
- Salve- Used for minor scrapes, cuts, burns.
English Lavender
Benefits
- Relieve stress
- Relieve chronic pain
- Relieve high blood pressure
- Antiseptic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Helps with sleep
- Promotes hair growth
- Anti-Microbial
Ways To Use
- Tea- Steep dried lavender in boiling water from 5-15 minutes.
- Essential Oil- Combine crushed lavender in a tightly sealed glass jar with vodka or grain alcohol. Keep in dark, cool place for at least two weeks, shaking it daily.
- Salve- This blog does an amazing job at showing you how to do this!
- Soaps- Melt soap medium slowly in pot, then add dried flowers, and oils. Then stir and pour in mold.
- Baths- Run very hot water, then steep a cup of dried flowers in water until cool enough to bathe in.
- Culinary- Lavender can be used in the kitchen in many ways! You can make your own honey, use it in baking goods, or even throw it in a cocktail!
Dill
Benefits
- Reduce cholesterol
- Reduce risk of heart disease
- Rich in anti-oxidants
- Anti-bacterial
- Support bone health
- Support better digestion
Ways To Use
- Culinary- Dill can be used as a garnish for soup, to flavor dishes, can be made into sauces and marinades, and more.
Echinacea
Benefits
- Boost immune system
- Relieve pain
- Reduce inflammation
- Anti-viral
- High in anti-oxidants
- Treatment for common cold
- Improve skin health
- Improve blood sugar
Ways To Use
- Topically- Use as a salve, or as a compress using the water from steeped flowers.
- Tea- Boil water and steep flowers from 5-15 minutes.
- Salve-This blog does a great job of explaining how to do this!
- Tinctures- This is a great way to shorten a cold, and reduce cough or fever. Can be done by soaking dried plant parts in alcohol. Check out this great blog if you want to know more on how to make your own!
Mint
Benefits
- May improve I.B.S
- Relieve indigestion
- Mask bad breath
- Anti-bacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Relieve nausea
- Promotes restful sleep
Ways To Use
- Cocktails- Use as a garnish for your favorite drink!
- Culinary- You can add this to a range of things from yogurts, to ice creams, to salads.
- Tea- Boil water and steep mint leaves for 5-15 minutes.
- Salves or Balms- You can do this with bees wax, coconut oil, olive oil, and some mint made essential oils!
Calendula
Benefits
- Anti-inflammatory
- Help fight cancer
- Protects brain function
- Great for skin care
- Detoxifies pathogens in body
- May promote wound and skin ulcer healing
- Great for the immune system
Ways To Use
- Tea- This is probably the most common way to use this. Boil water, then steep crushed dried flowers for 5-15 minutes. Remove flowers and enjoy!
- Salve- These are great for skin application! It will smooth and hydrate you!
- Tinctures- This is done by steeping the flowers in alcohol. Check out Simplybeyondherbs if you want to try it yourself!
- Infused Oil- This is done by leaving the flowers to steep in a carrier oil for an extended amount of time.
- Lotions and soaps- These are great as gifts or to use in your own beauty routine!
Lemon Balm
Benefits
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Helps with sleep
- Improves appetite
- Relieve indigestion
- Boost cognitive function
- Treat nausea
- Minimize menstrual cramps
- Help with headaches
Ways To Use
- Culinary- Great on salads, or poultry dishes.
- Cocktails- Can be used as a garnish for your drink!
- Tea- This tea is great for those extra stressful days, or to soothe a upset stomach.
- Syrup- Can be made into a sleep serum to ease insomnia, or a cold syrup to relieve symptoms.
- Balms- Check out this recipe for more tips!
Chamomile
Benefits
- Anti-inflammatory
- Soothes colds
- Good for your heart
- Helps with digestion
- Helps with getting a restful sleep
- Great for the immune system
- Helps with sore throats
- Reduce menstrual cramps
Ways To Use
- Tea- Bring water to a boil then add to dried flowers. Let steep for 5-15 minutes. Remove flowers and enjoy!
- Salves and Balms- Great for hydrating skin.
- Syrups- Can make a great cough syrup, along with a sleeping aid syrup.
- Culinary- These make great garnishes for salads or add them to your smoothies.
- Soaps- Great for gift making or to use in your own home.
Aloe Vera
Benefits
- Soothe skin irritation
- Treat sunburn
- Antioxidant rich
- Anti-bacterial
- Accelerates wound healing
- Reduce constipation
- Reduces dental plaque
- Reduces arthritic swelling
Ways To Use
- Topical- Scoop the aloe out and mix in a small bowl. This can be used for sunburn relief, or you can freeze it with a little water in a mold and use for your face to tighten pores.
- A conditioner for the shower to help with dandruff.
- Drink- Aloe vera is sold in stores as a beverage. This stuff is great for your stomach, but use sparingly.
Oregano
Benefits
- Anti-bacterial
- Rich in anti-oxidants
- Reduce viral infections
- Reduce cough
- Help ease digestion
- Boosts immune system
Ways To Use
- Culinary- Use to spice things up or make a great pesto.
- Infused oil- Infuse by combing herb and carrier oil in container- leave to sit in dark cabinet.
- Home cleaning products- Great essential oil to add with some vinegar for an all purpose spray.
Native Grounds Farm 