Sprout Your Own Medicine Cabinet: Easy-Grow Herbs for Health and Flavor

Feb 1 , 2024

Mint is incredibly versatile and easy to grow, thriving in both sun and shade. It readily spreads, so plant it in a pot or container to prevent it from taking over your garden. Mint tea is a soothing remedy for upset stomachs and nausea, and the leaves can be used fresh in salads, sauces, and dips. 

Mint

Chamomile is best known for its calming properties, making it a perfect choice for a pre-bedtime tea. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun, and will self-seed readily, ensuring a steady supply of these cheerful daisy-like flowers. 

Chamomile

The beautiful purple flowers of lavender not only add fragrance and beauty to your garden, but they also possess calming and antiseptic properties. Lavender thrives in hot, dry climates and well-drained soil, and its dried flowers can be used to make sachets, potpourri, and essential oil. 

Lavender

A staple in many cuisines, basil is also a valuable medicinal herb. The leaves have anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to treat headaches, nausea, and muscle cramps. Basil prefers full sun and well-drained soil, and pinches readily for fresh use in cooking.

Basil

Rosemary is a woody herb with fragrant evergreen needles that can be used fresh or dried. It's a natural decongestant and can help boost memory and circulation. Rosemary prefers full sun and well-drained soil, and its sturdy stems can be used for grilling or skewers. 

Rosemary

These delicate onion chives are not only delicious in omelets and scrambled eggs, but they also have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Chives are easy to grow in pots or in the garden, and they readily reseed themselves, providing a constant supply of fresh herbs. 

Chives

Calendula's cheerful orange flowers add a pop of color to the garden and have powerful anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. The petals can be infused into oil to make a salve for cuts and scrapes, or used fresh in salads and soups. Calendula prefers full sun and well-drained soil, and will bloom profusely throughout the summer. 

Calendula