Growing Herbs And Teas
I’ve always been fascinated by homemade beauty products and herbal remedies. Over the past few years my fascination has grown. Before and during the pandemic, I spent a lot of time reading books on growing food & herbs. I felt so peaceful reading and learning about the process.
I like to collect books on the topic. A few of my favorites include:
In 2019 I took the Herbal Academy introductory course, and in 2020 I took the intermediate course.
The course is extensive, with lots of reading and tests for each unit. It was absolutely fascinating and rich with information, both reading, and video lectures + demonstrations. At the end of the course you receive a certification.
You can find out more about the courses they have available at www.HerbalAcademy.com
I started to experiment with growing herbs, and I’ve since stuck with the ones I use the most.
Next year I’d like to expand my options and explore growing some new herbs.
What I have growing right now is Calendula, Chamomile, Echinacea & Roses. I also like to grow lavender and nettle, but haven’t started either of those out in Tennesse yet.
Calendula is a traditional remedy used in folk medicine because of its ascribed therapeutic properties. The tea is made by steeping the flowers in boiling water, the extract is derived from both the flowers and the leaves. It has a slight bitter taste when consumed as tea, but Calendula can also be use for extract in oils, ointments, and tinctures.
I remove the flowers by gently clipping or pulling them off from the stem.
I harvested both Calendula & Chamomile on this day.
I lay the flowers flat and dehydrate the herbs in our
After a few hours in the dehydrator, they are ready to store in mason jars.
I keep a few jars of dried calendula, and for one of the jars I add olive oil to cover the flowers completely. The infused oil can be used for several concoctions.
I will share one of my favorite lotion recipes down the line. It’s perfect for sensitive skin, diaper rash cream etc
Chamomile is another favorite of mine to grow. I use it mostly for tea, but it can be used for various beauty products, and bath time as well.
Chamomile is promoted for sleeplessness, anxiety, and gastrointestinal conditions.
After drying the flowers and stems (either upside down or in a dehydrator), I remove the flowers only and store in a mason jar.
I also save rose petals for tea and/or beauty products.
Keep your eyes peeled for more recipes using dried herbs. I will be sharing my favorite lotions & potions on thus page down the line.
Do you grow any teas or herbs? What’s your favorite to grow?