Polygonatum commutatum
GROW
YOUR OWN
Herbs in the garden: Medicinal plants include every life
form (annual, biennial and perennial herbs, deciduous and evergreen trees
and shrubs, woody and herbaceous vines, etc.) and components for every
garden habitat (annual/vegetable garden, shrub and herbaceous borders,
moist and dry woods and woods edges, streamside and wetland, flagstones
and path edges, arbor and trellis, meadow and hedgerow, etc).
Herbs in your life: These plants may be used for common
complaints (injuries, bites & stings, minor skin problems, colds &
flu, cough, digestive upset, etc); for personal chronic/recurrent health
problems (constitutional weakness involving the respiratory, reproductive,
digestive, circulatory, urinary, nervous, etc. systems); and for prevention(tonic
and rejuvenative herbs, adaptogens, immune-system stimulants, etc.)
Propagation: While many of these plants will self-sow,
and others are as easy to grow as radishes and marigolds, there are a
number which have specific germination requirements related to temperature,
light or other factors. In general, species which resent transplanting,
or which grow so readily and rapidly as to not require it, are sown directly
where they are to grow, when soil is cool or warm (as indicated). If direct
sowing is not specified, it is assumed that you will sow in a flat (or
any container) under protected conditions (greenhouse, frame) and transplant
to the garden when large enough to handle / compete.
Many hardy perennials require not just cool soil, but a 6-12 week period
of winter temperature (40 F) to release germination inhibitors: these
are specified as "cold aids germination." Seed may be mixed
with moist peat or sand and stored in refrigerator, or sown (direct or
in container) and exposed to a period of cold weather. Some trees and
shrubs, and native herbs - including ginseng and goldenseal - require
several alternating cold and warm periods, germinating the second spring
after sowing, or even later. The seed must not be allowed to dry out during
this period.
Some seeds require light for germination: press them into the soil - do
not cover - and keep moist. Some with hard seed coats may benefit from
"scarification": knick them with a sharp knife, or rub between
sandpaper; alternatively, a small volume of near boiling water may be
poured on the seeds and left to stand overnight until they are swollen
before sowing. Seeds extracted from fruits, berries, etc, should be cleaned
and rinsed thoroughly as germination inhibitors may be present in the
pulp.
Many perennial herbs and some shrubs are readily propagated by division
of spreading rhizomes, runners, suckers, etc., in which case it may be
easier to start with a few live plants than from seed.
Cautionary note (medicine):
This list is offered as a quick overview to enable you to select herbs
to begin growing and investigating further. It would be foolish and perhaps
dangerous to use some of these plants medicinally on the basis of the
very partial information which this format allows. Some of these herbs
are mild enough to be used as beverage teas, or administered to infants;
others have important contra-indications (pregnancy, etc.) or critical
dosage limits. Before using any plant for healing you should consult several
sources which provide this information.
Cautionary note (garden): It is no accident that many
of our most useful medicinals (and most nutritious edibles) are common
garden and dooryard weeds: these plants are our coevolutionary companions
since ancient times. Weediness in the form of excessive seedlings may
be controlled by deadheading (limiting seed production); plants which
invade by runners or roots may be useful (and contained) as ground cover
beneath shrubs and trees. Control is generally less work than propagation,
but observe your plants: don’t let them get out of hand.
Most of the species on this list are available, as seed and/or plants, from Mountain Gardens, where you may also observe their growth, consult a library of books on their uses, and attend workshops on their cultivation, preparation and applications.
