Cultivating News
From "Maple Street Co-op News", June/July 2008
"First Aid From Your Garden"
By Mary Meadows
Culinary herbs we know and love in almost all cases have a medicinal
quality. I thought it appropriate to draw our readers' attention to
the medicinal benefits of these wonderful plants to encourage people
to grow them. Almost all of the herbs used in cooking are natural aids
to digestion, and most can be made into medicinal herbal teas. Prepare
the garden for spring (lots of green manure crops, blood and bone, compost,
etc) and give some thought to the following:-
• Chives: Onion Allium schoenoprasum or Garlic Allium
tuberosum. Like the onion family, they contain a volatile oil with some
sulphur present, they stimulate the appetite and have a tonic affect
on the kidneys.
• Coriander: Coriandrum sativum. The digestive action
of the seed is particularly effective with carbohydrates and has been
used traditionally either whole or ground in breads and cakes. It was
also believed to be good for purifying the blood and was prescribed
for kidney stones and other urinary disfunctions. A tea or soup made
of coriander leaves can be used as a tonic or stimulant. It is best
grown in spring or autumn in our climate, as the hot summers will cause
the plant to bolt to seed very quickly.
• Dill: Anethum graveolens. The medicinal value lies
in the seeds, being rich in oils, with beneficial digestive properties
to help assimilate food and dispel flatulence. Dill water has been traditionally
given to little people as a soother. The name stems from the Norse word
dilla, meaning 'to lull'.
• Garlic: Allium sativum. This little gem not only contains
A B & C vitamins, it also has copper, sulphur, manganese, iron and calcium,
making it very beneficial for the cells and glands. It has a multitude
of benefits, from cleansing the intestines and easing chest congestion,
to alleviating rheumatism, sinus trouble and hayfever.
• Horseradish: Cochlearia armoracia. This requires a
rich, deep soil to grow well, and can be grown from root cuttings about
20 centimetres long with a crown or growing point. It is the root that
is used in cooking, and its benefits have a lot in common with garlic.
• Rosemary: Rosmarinus officinalis. There are a variety
of rosemary plants, both upright and prostrate. In our region it can
grow well, however, good drainage is important, as excessive water logging
will cause roots to rot. Plant a number in various locations for ultimate
success. Apart from being quite pleasant to drink, rosemary tea aids
in strengthening the memory. In herbal medicine it acts as a nerve tonic,
and is also reputed to strengthen eyesight. It helps the digestion of
rich and starchy food, and is also an excellent herb in bread and scones.
Stir a tablespoon of finely chopped leaves into a plain scone mix before
adding the liquid.
• Sage: Salvia officinalis. Commonly used as a dried
ingredient in mixed herbs with parsley, thyme and marjoram. Used in
either a fresh or dried form, it counteracts the richness of certain
foods and aids in their digestion. Being an export from the Mediterranean,
this plant's natural habitat is hot, dry summers. Sage tea can be taken
as a nerve tonic and is recommended for people who are studying for
exams and need assistance with their memory.
• Thyme: Thymus vulgaris. Like a lot of herbs there are
various types of thyme, e.g. lemon thyme and variegated lemon thyme,
which are used in cooking. There are also a number that are purely decorative,
like grey woolly, cat and silver posy, and others that are grown as
ground covers. Thyme can be successfully propagated from cuttings or
root division. It doesn't live long, so be prepared to replace plants
every two to three years. Thyme can be used as a gargle combined with
sage for sore throats. Thyme tea can relieve headaches, bowel and bladder
disorders, assist poor digestion, and soothe the nerves. As with sage,
it is said to improve the eyesight and clear the brain.
• Fennel: Foeniculum vulgare. Fennel seed tea has a reputation
for aiding eyesight and can be used for bathing sore eyes. It also relieves
flatulence and is recommended for those who wish to lose weight.
• Marjoram & Oregano: Origanum majorana and Origanum
vulgare. Sweet marjoram grows like a small upright bush, compared
to oregano, which tends to spread more like a ground cover. It can be
propagated from cuttings or grown from seed. Oregano is a much hardier
perennial, but sweet marjoram has, to my taste, the preferred flavour.
Marjoram tea can relieve headaches and induce sleep, and helps alleviate
cramps and digestive disorders.
• Mint: Mentha piperita officinalis, Mentha spicata, or crispa
or viridis. The two most recognised for making teas are peppermint
and spearmint. There are numerous other mints, like apple, pineapple,
Eau de Cologne, basis, lemon and Asian. Spearmint or peppermint tea
not only has a pleasant taste, it also relieves colds and, like a number
of herbs, aids digestion. Like chamomile, it aids in sound and restful
sleep. As a companion plant grown near chamomile, the oil in peppermint
will be retarded, but chamomile will have a greater oil content.
References:
Herbs: Their Cultivation and Usage by John & Rosemary Hemphill; The
Home Herbal by Barbara Griggs; A Modern Herbal by Mrs
M Grieve.
[From "Maple Street Co-op News", June/July 2008; published by The Maple
Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552,
Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]