I'm curious: if you had the right conditions (perfect site, soil, and enough money for plants/seeds) what are the top ten medical plants/herbs you would grow? why?

I don't have ten -- that's why I'm curious -- these are what I have:

catnip - I mainly grow it for cat treats, but it has medical uses.

Several different kinds of mints - I use them in teas (digestion. Works better than catnip for me).

garlic - a mild antibiotic, which I use a lot in chicken and pasta dishes.

What's in your garden or dream garden?

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2002

Answers

I have lavenders, feverfew, germander, thymes, parsleys, rosemarys, chives, savory, sage, mints, epazote and probably some others. I just use snips of them in salads, mint in potatoes and peas, epazote for beans. Of course, I don't use the lavender, feverfew and germander in salads, just have them around for smell and headaches. I know parsley has lots of vitamin C and that chives and garlic are good for colds, but I forget what the rest are for. I think sage is for digestion too.

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2002

I dunno. We have some herbs...

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2002

I like your selection, OG.

Barefoot, do you know this emoticon? :-P (I'm sticking out my tongue)

I went to the over-priced yuppie greenhouse and bought:

Chocolate Mint, Creeping Thyme, Lemon Balm, and more garlic. Then I went to Wal-Mart and bought a flat of mixed - colored marigolds. They weren't as nice as the ones at the yuppie greenhouse, but in several weeks, no one will know the difference, and the $6 savings was significant to me.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2002

A great deal of my herbs are grown for my personal "aroma therapy", in that it makes me happy to smell them. :>) We grow comfrey to keep around when a bunny or goat is injured, and several times even for ourselves. I like my camomile to make tea that sooths my tummy and sprayed on my plants stops dampening off. Oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, chives, lemon balm, monarda, the mints etc. etc. etc. I love the smell of fresh anise, horehound, corriander. My dream garden would have them all!!! Oh, and don't forget lavender, calendula (shall I continue??) ;>)

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2002

I have pretty much what everyone else has...and I am slowly teaching myself what to do with them.

Diane,,how do you use the camfrey on the critters?

Meemer, you are more then welcome to stop up here or make a trip for anything I have..all of it is being thinned out right now, and I HATE to throw anything! price is right...a car load for the price of the gas to get you here. :)

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2002

Dunno if it behaves the same in other climates but lemon balm is almost as bad as kudzu here. It self-seeds very successfully. And some artemisias are a serious problem, spreading by underground runners and popping up where you don't want them. Check out their growing habit before you buy one.

Also, don't be tempted by ground ivy, which I believe can be made into a tea. It's a serious pest and is worse than kudzu. I have to keep mints in pots, otherwise they spread like mad.

Thinks: If Sweetie gets that job in Col. Springs, gardening is going to be a challenge. Two words: Strong greenhouse. If he gets the job in Charleston, ugh! Gardening can screw itself, I'm not doing ANYthing in that kind of heat and humidity.

Sweetie's had three phone interviews re Charleston and goes for face- to-face on Wednesday. Gets home in time to leave for Colorado on Friday, will be staying with the VP of the firm over the weekend. The numbers look very good. Hmm. I'll start another thread with the site for a number of comparisons, plugging in the two cities of your choice.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2002

I have a lot of herbs in my garden, but strictly for aesthetic purposes. I don't use them medicinally. (I tried growing catnip once, which I would have used, but a neighbor complained that her cat was getting stoned.)

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2002

SAR......I smush it up for a poultice if there is a cut, and feed it to bunnies or goats with sniffles. That seems to be the only time they particularly care to eat it so it must have something in it that they know they need??

Lemon balm can be a bit invasive here, but not like the southern climates. I love the smell of it so I don't mind "weeding" it.

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2002

I can't access OG's thread about cities. I did manage to get to the replies, and found the link she added.

I compared Raleigh and Miami and noticed, crime-wise, that there are more rapes in Raleigh than Miami, but we beat Raleigh in everything else.

Raleigh also has more white collar compared to Miami's blue collar work force.

Climate wise we have more rain but in general it all balances the same. Of course we have no snow and warmer winters, but the highs are the same.

On the comfort index, Miami is 5 to Raleigh's 18. Higher is better...

As for our garden, I have just been trying to get things back into shape after all the time spent elsewhere. I have thinned the Areca palms out front, leveled the hedge under the window, and watered all over. the grass is greening up nicely. Next, weed control in the lawn, with fertilizer. then, I will start planning the new garden under the window out front. [There is more than one window out front, but only one can have a garden under it. The others have the carport in front, and the front porch and driveway.]

We are also trying to plan out a new driveway, leaning towards stamped concrete in neutral tones with a fieldstone pattern. if we can go this way, we will incorporate the carport and front porch into it, as well as widening it in front for an extra parking area. From the road it won't be too noticeable, but we are in fear that we may end up with what is commonly known as Cuban lawn.

{This is where the Cubans [more than any other ethnic group] tends to pave the entire yard with concrete and put plants in pots. This blocks normal drainage and causes floods in the neighborhood and then they cry for drain systems on their streets. LOL}

It wouldn't look too bad, actually, since we would still have plenty of lawn to water and cut. We expect to plant a nice shade tree such as a poinciana or maybe a grouping of three or so mixed, like an oak, a poinciana, and something with yellow. Another option would be a Jacaranda, although they tend to grow slower but look very similar to poinciana except for the blue flowers instead of the fire orange. There is also a yellow poinciana which is becoming popular.

If I get around to it, I'll take some photos. I'm sure you are all waiting for them. LOL

As for the window garden, I can do lots of things there. It is close enough to the well pump so I can run a sprinkler/soaker line to it, and plant most anything. It gets southern exposure. I just have to get a couple little stumps out first, and till it up some to get rid of the grass and stuff.

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2002

Comfrey is very useful,for medicinal purposes, as welll as others. Medicinally, the root is used to make a tea to help heal broken bones. (My experience is that it works.) The leaves concentrate nitrogen, making a good compost accelerator and a quick mulch. It is a bee plant, and the young leaves are edible in salads. Use sparingly.

In your climate, you can grow aloe, which is super for burns. The juice of the leaves is also great for stomach upset.

Chamomile flowers made into tea are good to aid sleep.

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2002

I just realized our aloe plant is missing. I dunno if it died or someone took it while all the work was going on here. There is no dead carcass of the plant...

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2002

SAR, thanks for the wonderful offer! Unfortunately, I'm swamped for the next five weeks -- no time for road trips. ):

OG, you'll have to grow houseplants if you end up in Charleston. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you end up somewhere with a better climate than that. Co Springs has some good points, but with all your health problems, the triangle area is better in terms of climate and medical care.

To everyone else, thanks for you suggestions!

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2002

Has anyone here tried to grow Valerian? And do you know where I could get seeds or plants?

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2002

Gawd, I'm beginning to realize just how much I HATE southern summers! Funny how a possible bolt hole will do that to you. I laid some more fabric and toted some more pebbles to spread over it day before yesterday. It looks REALLY good and I thoroughly recommend it for low-maintenance and appearance. If you decide to try even a small space, first buy the RIGHT kind of landscape fabric. The kind that looks like black fabric interfacing is better than the sort of plasticky kind with tiny holes all over it. You have to be sure and have some kind of edging to keep the pebbles where you want them, but other than that, not too much of a problem. In some areas I've used 12" patio squares to form a path and edging; in others there are those patio blocks about 16" x 8", and in another place I've used old logs from a cut-down cedar. I'd like to replace the logs with that black plastic lawn edging but can't face the thought of that kind of work with the sweat dripping into my eyes.

Sorry the city comparison is hard to access--it seems okay with Microsnot but not with Netscape. There's a 98% chance Jim will get an offer from Charleston today. He leaves for CS tomorrow and there's another 98% chance of an offer there--by Monday when he leaves to come home. So far, he thinks the work in CS will be more interesting. We've already decided if he decides to take the Charleston job then we won't move there. We may end up moving to a better part of NC--like Asheville in the mountains, but not to the hurricane-bait of a coast.

Luckily, my health problems are not so esoteric that a good general practice can't take care of them and I shall get a referral from my doc (and vet!). Also--you know me!--I know just as much about my various bits of decrepitude as my doc! I was thinking that the lack of humidity and the relative lack of low pressure systems might be of help to the creaks. Two good things: allergies are not so much of a problem and there are virtually no mosquitoes. (I have dozens of bites on my legs and who wants to use Deet??? Will try lemon thyme and catnip next time I go out to toil.)

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Git, I remember the frustration the last time you tried to sell your house. Hope that isn't an ordeal for you again.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Just when i think it might be possible to plan a trip to NC and visit OG she starts talking about moving farther away.

I may start taking it personally... LOL

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2002

Hi, Helen!

Since no one is answering your question, try the link below:

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/v/valeri01.html#cul

This is only my second year growing herbs, so my stock is fairly ordinary.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2002

htt p://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/v/valeri01.html#cul

That's an interesting link.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2002

I didn't link it because I think Helen has Web TV or something that makes it harder for her to access links, but thank you for the link!

How are things at your place? Have you decided to sell it? (;

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2002

No selling as yet, but it is always an option should we find a new place we like more. Re-financing is proceding slowly.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2002

Thanks for the link!

OG is moving? I missed this ... fill me in?

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2002

Her Hubby is checking into work out of town, so she posted a link comparing different cities. It's the one that doesn't like Netscape. OG also started another thread about that thread for those who use Netscape, with the link provided.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Re selling the house. This time we might do better. For one thing, we have more money :) That means we can fix up some things, like new stove and cooktop in the kitchen, new countertops. We've already redone one bathroom and repainted the living room. We can also afford to cut the price :) This assumes that Sweetie will be making the same or more money.

I think one of the major problems last time (three years ago?) was both real estate agents talked me into a price that was really too high. What they said is what the county tax appraisal NOW says and I know house prices didn't stagnate over those three years. (Appraisals around here are market value.) I also think we might be able to swing it so that we can buy another home and rent this one, if necessary. I don't want to do that, but it's an option. I really have squirreled some money away in the last six months, surprised even myself!

Sweetie is in Colorado Springs right now, arrived Saturday noon, due home late tonight. His phone calls have been somewhat guarded since he's staying with his prospective employer. Sweetie has been taken all over and is having a nice little vacation, if nothing else. He should know before he leaves if they're going to make him a firm offer. He will tell them he has to come home and discuss it with me before he responds (because we need to see what Charleston is offering too). I do know Sweetie is awed by the scenery--we've been flatlanders for far too long and Durham is a very boring town. I mean, it has lots of trees but it has no outstanding features like, say, New Orleans or even Norfolk (which at least has the Atlantic).

Btw, Sweetie's hosts have a dog and two cats, all very friendly. One of the cats slept with him last night, burrowing under the covers to his feet and ending up pretending to be a hat, purring all the while.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Sounds like the cat has cast a vote, so can the employer be far behind??

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

It has been my experience that if an employer is flying you out, especially for a weekend, that they'll make a firm offer. (Usually a pretty good one too!)

Where ever you move, I hope that it is to your liking and that his employment holds out. Things are getting tight all over.

(Dreaming that Old Git may be a neighbor soon...LOL)

Best of luck to both of you for the choices which you are about to make. I know it can be hard, but once made don't look back and wonder what if. It'll be a brand new world out there for you both. May you enjoy it to the fullest!

apoc

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002

Are you kidding? If we don't move every five years we get restless! I lived in three different areas, seven different houses in the UK and the next state will be the 6th different state in 35 years and God knows how many houses and apartments--dozens! Seriously, long as we have the money to make things easier, a long time for me to get things sorted out and fixed, and a slightly higher salary to go to, what the hell. However, if they don't make a good contribution towards the moving expenses, well. . . We just have to wait and see. Sweetie called me from the CS airport a little while ago, says the work will be much more interesting. The guy has to talk to HQ about the relocaiton expenses and other perks, then he'll get back to us. Last Sweetie heard is that the salary would be "a bit more" than he was previously making. The cost of living thingie says if we make, say, 75k here, then we need around $69k to maintain the same standard of living in CS. I'm shocked to find out that this area is considerably more expensive than many others, except the northeast and some cities in California--wow, Boston is WAY expensive!!!

Now we wait. The Charleston folks haven't called yet, probably still trying to check refs. I am NOT biting my fingernails, honest I'm not.

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2002