i've created my preliminary list of herbs i want to focus on in the next year. i may narrow the list down a bit, add a few more and what not, but for now, here are the 40-ish herbs i've selected. i grow all on my property, either through the woods or my gardens. a few are container herbs that come inside every winter. these are in no special order:
peppermint & wild mint
st. john's wort
nettles
plantain
wild cherry
burdock
self heal
astragalus
ashwaganda
mugwort
calendula
monardis
elder
ginger
skullcap
chamomile & pineapple weed
echinacea (augustifolia and purpurea)
marshmallow
chickweed
pine
rose
lavender
comfrey
cleavers
motherwort
violet
melissa
mullein
poke
golden rod
garlic
hawthorne
vitex
eyebright
rose geranium
yarrow
sumach
juniper
dandelion
red clover
catnip
blackberry
yellow dock
gotu kola
ginkgo
wood betony
chicory
eta: i skipped some common garden herbs and decided to add them as well:
sage
rosemary
thyme
basil, possibly holy basil
willow
peach
that makes 52 i think. an herb a week for 52 weeks!
i have a lot of other things growing in my garden as well that i may use here and there (horehound, hyssop, eucalyptus, spearmint, rue, horse radish and valerian to name a few) but there are herbs that are either tried and true for me or herbs that i want to get to know better and be more comfortable with. several i am already familiar with but don't know well enough. i think by narrowing my focus and using just these herbs to treat whatever crops up will help to deepen my knowledge of them.
That's a great list! it is so difficult to narrow things down to just a few, isn't it? But sticking to things growing around you is great! I still have a hard time using ONLY local stuff. I'm trying, though!
ReplyDeleteQuite an ambitious list. It is good that you are able to center it to herbs you can grow/gather easily and would be readily available no matter how our economy or society developes in the near future.
ReplyDeleteYay, nice list indeed! Is this for this month's blogparty?
ReplyDeleteshamana: thsnk you. yes, it is hard to narrow them down. i keep thinking 'but what about ___?!' i need to make a list for the following year now!
ReplyDeletegina: exotic herbs are enticing but as you suggest, i want to be able to fully know, understand and use herbs that will always be available regardless of the state of our economy/society.
kiva: thank you! does this meet the guidelines for the blogparty? if so, count me in. :)