Medicinal Herbs Garden
All of the herbs cultivated in this garden are organic and of the highest quality.
The Garden
The Medicinal Herbs Garden has over 100 varieties of cultivated herbs for professional herbalists and amateurs alike. Because it is on the site of an operating organic farm, it is important to schedule with me in advance to gather medicinal herbs.
This is not a for-profit venture. But neither is it a for-loss venture. If you would like medicinal herbs, please consider a freewill donation to help cover the costs of seeds and supplies, keeping in mind both the quality and quantity of the herbs collected. If money is an issue, no worries — I love a good barter, too!
The Plants
There are literally thousands of plants that people have been using as medicine for thousands of years. Calendula, chamomile, yarrow, lemon balm, and mint are five basic herbs that are safe and effective for the vast majority of people when used as simple teas, tinctures, or salves. My personal list of essential herbs would expand to include tulsi, anise hyssop, skullcap, sage, spilanthes, boneset, Solomon’s seal, and goldenrod. Check out the list of what is in the garden this year.
Harvesting
Knowing the right time and technique for harvesting medicinal plants is important — and not as hard as you might think.
Herbs should be gathered when at their peak in vitality and phytochemical profile. Although many leafy plants can be picked throughout the growing season, they are at their best in spring and early summer when still young, fresh and vibrant. Flowers are best picked when just coming into full bloom, as half are open and half in bud. Autumn is the best time to harvest roots; as arial parts die back, a plant sends its energy underground into root storage for overwinter. My list of plants ready for gathering is updated regularly, and I am happy to advise on the best techniques for collecting. (This will not be listed until the spring of 2025.)
Once upon a time... For more than a decade, LuAnn had cultivated well over one hundred medicinal plants in her yard. When the time came to move from that location, she took some of those plants with her. Sadly, her new yard did not present ideal growing conditions.
Then one day... A nearby organic farmer contacted LuAnn about growing medicinal herbs on a plot of their land.
And she fell in love... When LuAnn saw the 36’ x 45’ full-sun garden plot of soil that had never been touched by chemicals she knew it was perfectly suited for growing her precious healing plants. In addition, there were natural prairie and wooded areas available for wild gathering. It was a Zone 4 herb growing and gathering paradise!
Happy ever after... After discussing with the farm owner what the medicinal herb garden might contain, LuAnn began compiling lists of possibilities and consulted with other herbalists. Seeds were ordered and prepared, and the farm's greenhouse was offered for starting the seeds which would eventually be transplanted into the garden plot. As soon as Ben plowed up the soil, LuAnn set about planting the transplants and seeds.
The End? No, just the beginning! From humble beginnings in 2019, this you-pick medicinal herbs garden has grown to become a valuable resource for amateur and professional herbalists alike.