Hello Ground Ivy, nice to see you

Ground Ivy harvest

Ground Ivy

Glechoma hederacea

While I have known ground ivy all of my life - seen it creeping through the grass, next to the wild garlic and dandelions in the yard of my childhood home, seen it at the edge of the woods in parks and natural areas, gathered it in wild bouquets on late spring Saturdays - it was not until quite recently that I learned of it herbal properties and history. 

 

While listening to Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalism podcast as I took my daily walk outside one winter day, I heard Katja and Ran, the podcast hosts, discussing ground ivy’s effect as a lymphatic in the head and neck especially. As someone who suffers from migraines and sinus headaches, my attention was piqued. I determined then and there to become better acquainted with ground ivy. 

This darling little plant is a joy. I mean I love the scent of the crushed leaf, the taste of the tea short or long steeped, and the way I feel after enjoying time with the scallop leafed plant. It creeps along the ground, sending out sweet little roots from nodes, thus securing its place in the ecosystem with tenacity and resilience. 

Writing this monograph on a gray winter morning, I think fondly of early spring when the ground ivy will creep across the yard bright green of leaf and delicate purple of a flower. Until then, I have some ground ivy potted in containers and overwintering indoors. I have not fresh-harvested much from the containers because it is slow-growing in the cool space where I have my plants overwintering. If I brought it into my sunny and warm living room, I wonder if it would thrive, then I could have freshly steeped ground ivy tea throughout the year. Until I find the right balance of light, temperature, and moisture, I will have to await the spring growth outside. 

IN the spring, when the sun shines longer through the day, and the air feels calm though only 60, Creeping Charlie, Ground Ivy, scientifically named Glechoma hederacea, begins its delightful dance across the shady corner of the lawn, or along the forest's edge, or in the hedgerow. The slender stems creep low along the ground at first, small scalloped leaves every inch or so along the stem. At a nice little node, new wee rootlets emerge, strengthening the connection to the soil. Before long dainty little purple flowers emerge neatly the tips of the vine. Oh, you darling, delicate, delightful plant. I love to stop and sit in the warm grass, crush some ground ivy leaves between my fingers, and drink in the aroma of joy. 

I get that same feeling each time I steep a cup of ground ivy tea. As I breathe in that aroma I am reminded of spring sunshine, playing outside, and going on hikes in the woods.  

Not only do I gain a smile and a fond memory, but also each mug of ground ivy tea lifts my mood and moves my lymph. I can feel the pressure in my head lessen a tad as the fluids move about and drain. 

Herbal Action and Qualities

Ground ivy has a strong affinity with the lymph of the head and neck, the sinus cavities, and the upper respiratory tract. 

Parts Used:

Aerial Parts - leaf, flower, and stem

Harvest 

Highest constituent concentration - Upper third of plant while flowering

Can harvest fresh plant anytime it is growing

I walk through my yarden pinching of stem tops here and there then steep a fresh morning cup of tea with ground ivy, dandelion leaf, viola leaf and flower, plantain leaf, and maybe some catnip leaf it is growing yet. 

The morning walk through the yarden each morning as part of my spring morning ritual. I enjoy starting the day with gentle movement to get the blood flowing. I appreciate starting the day with a connection to nature and home. To see the plants and pollinators brings a smile to my heart and peace to my mind. And I love capping the sequence with a steaming hot cup of tea to both hydrate and sustain my well-being. 

If I am batch harvesting to dry some ground ivy or make a tincture, I will take some shears with me, and snip back the top 1/3 of the plant. I dry it in a dehydrator so it dries quickly. The dried leaves are not as potent as fresh, but I enjoy the tea made of them and still feel it work on my sinuses. 

I tincture it by combining the fresh leaves, stems, and flowers with gin and letting it infuse over a few weeks. I stop and shake the jar each day to ensure optimal extraction. I then sieve out the leaves carefully and bottle the tincture for later use. If stored properly the tincture can last unspoiled for years. 

Many folks report using the tincture to great effect, but I prefer the tea. I enjoy the flavor so much, and the wafting aroma off the hot water, that the experience is part of the plant's impact on me. 

Take a walk through your yard or neighborhood and you may find Ground Ivy awaiting you. Make a new friend with this delightful plant. 

Lemon Balm Monograph

BeWell Bohemia Herbs & Things

Herbal Monograph, by Brooke Criswell

Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis

When I moved into our current house mid-summer last year, I was astounded at the abundance of lemon balm growing in rock strewn plantings, along the house, in the yard… everywhere. An assertive grower, as many mint family plants are, the lemon balm was well established and comfortably spreading every which where. I harvested a bountiful crop, dried, and stored it. Over the winter I shared the bounty with friends. Lemon balm has many positive attributes, including a subtle lemony-flavor and sooth to nervous system. I don’t drink much lemon balm because I have a hypo-thyroid condition, and lemon balm can impact the thyroid in a ‘slowing’ or ‘calming’ capacity, which is not helpful to me. I do drink tea blends with lemon balm on occasion. I find it especially delightful in a spritzer or iced tea.

Lemon balm is easy to grow, so, if a timid or novice gardener, lemon balm eases the way into successful gardening. Put it in a pot or the ground, it does well in either; full-sun, part-shade, also both. Dry conditions, no problem if it is an established plant and in the ground (in a container, drought is another ballyhoo entirely).

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Garden Use

Growing Conditions  Lemon balm is a confidant perennial to zone 4.

Preferences

Moist soil
Fun sun to part shade
Neutral pH (7.0)

Plant details

Height 2 to 3 feet

Width up to 2 feet, spreads abundantly

Companion Planting Affiliations

Bees are found of lemon balm

Care notes

Since lemon balm is an assertive grower, you might want to control it with limits; for example plant it in a raised bed, a bed with edging, or a container. Or Dig it up and share with a friend when it pops up beyond where you prefer it to grow.

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Herbal Use

Parts Used  - Leaves

When to Harvest

Harvest ongoing for immediate use
Cut back early summer and again late summer and dry crop

How to Prepare

There are many ways to use lemon balm to support wellness.

> As a compress
Use a clean soft cotton cloth soaked in a strong infusion of lemon balm to relieve painful swellings (e.g. gout)

> As an infused oil

• Begin by harvesting lemon balm leaf and drying it completely. In order to decrease the likelihood the oil will go rancid, make the infused oil from dried lemon balm leaves. If you opt to use fresh leaves, crush or chop them first, and know the shelf-life of the infused oil is considerably shorter.

1. Fill a clean, wide-mouth glass jar ⅔ to ¾ full of herb
2. Pour carrier oil, such as olive oil, over plant material the place lid tightly on jar
3. Set on the counter (some folks say in a sunny window, others say a dark spot - experiment and choose your preference)
4. Shake daily to mix oil and herb
5. Allow to sit for at least two and up to five weeks
6. Strain and store in a cool, dark, dry place

Penelope Ody, in The Complete Medicinal Herbal, suggests applying a warmed lemon balm infused oil as an ointment1 on chest to help open airways and soothe tension.

> As an insect repellent

• Rub crushed lemon balm leaves onto a table to thwart insects
• Toss a bundle of lemon balm leaves onto a campfire; the smoke repels insects

> As a steam 

A lemon balm steam reportedly cleanses pores and the skin.

• Place crushed lemon balm leaves into a bowl
• Pour boiling water over leaves
• Make a loose tent using a towel over the shoulders and head
• Breath in steam* be careful, it is steam - hot, moist air - do not burn yourself, keep a safe distance between you and the bowl, remove head from tent if the air is too hot

> In Recipes suggests Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia2

• Chop fresh lemon balm leaves and add to orange marmalade
• Stuff fresh lemon balm sprigs into a whole fish before grilling or baking; remove sprigs before eating the fish

> As a tea

Infuse the herb in boiling water to extract many of the beneficial constituents.

1. Boil water
2. Place 2 tsp of fresh or 1 tsp of dried herb per 8 oz water into teapot, press, thermos, or mason jar *The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody states that the infusion is best made from fresh plant material.1 (aren’t you glad you have it growing in your garden?)
3. Pour boiling water over blooms
4. Cover (this is very important, for if uncovered the constituents will rise with the steam, and you will have a less flavorful, less potent cup of tea)
5. Allow to steep for 10 minutes
6. Strain and Enjoy!

Lemon balm flavor can be mild, so blending it with other herbs makes an excellent choice.

The "Medicine Chest" column of the Summer 2017 issue of Herb Quarterly suggests pairing tulsi and lemon balm. "Holy basil [another name for tulsi] and lemon balm blend calms the nerves and uplifts the spirits."3

Cautions/Considerations

Lemon Balm may slow or lower thyroid function if taken in high doses.

References

1. Ody, Penelope. The Complete Medicinal Herbal. Dorling Kindersley, 1993

2. Kowalchik, Claire, and William H. Hylton. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs: Editors. Rodale Press, 1987.

3. Graves, Maria Noel. "Medicine Chest." Herb Quarterly, 2017, pp. 20 - 22.

Thyme Herbal Profile

BeWell Bohemia Herbs & Things

Herbal Monograph, by Brooke Criswell

Thyme -Thymus vulgaris

Who does not know, and find themselves occasionally singing the lyrics of the folk song made famous by Simon and Garfunkel, “Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme…” The last in a list of beloved herbs referenced, thyme closes the line. Do you know the plant as well as the lyric? Does it come to mind when cooking? Considering herbal medicine? Well, this herb offers much in kitchen and apothecary alike; from the heady aroma of a thyme steam, to the flavorful seasoning in main dishes.

If you have a head cold, a thyme steam works wonders to clear your sinus and ward of infection due to its antimicrobial aromatic constituents that enter the respiratory tract upon the moist air as the steam is inhaled. Katja Swift of Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalist touts the effectiveness of a thyme steam, both at the onset of infection and as a preventive measure in advance of illness, “...breathe in that hot Thymey steam. It’s hot alright – and not just because the water was boiling, but also because the volatile oils themselves are super carminative. It will feel pretty intense to breathe in deeply, but try to – the further down into your lungs that you can get that Thymey steam, the more microbes you’re literally killing on contact! So breathe deep, and have your handkerchief at the ready, because this is one of the best sinus-clearing methods I know.”

Thyme grows as a creeping ground cover, that develops woody stems in areas where it successfully overwinters. An excellent plant for rock gardens, or as a low growing plant beneath taller growers. Thyme holds a long history in Greek, Roman, and Medieval European cultures; associated with imparting courage, warding off evil, and as a healthful tonic. Contemporary research explores many and varied compounds and actions of Thymus vulgaris. The abstract of Determination of total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and antifungal effects of Thymus vulgaris, Trachyspermum ammi and Trigonella foenum-graecum extracts on growth of Fusarium solani states, “... thyme and fenugreek are spice and aromatic crops with a number of medicinal properties which are known as important sources of essential phytochemicals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content and antifungal activities of these plant extracts…”  This, and many other studies, discuss the impact of thyme, in either essential oil or plant extract (in alcohol) form. The article explains the methods and conclusions of the study, including a detailed description of how the essential oil of the plants were collected, and how the plant constituents were extracted in alcohol solutions. The study showed that many phytochemicals are present in thyme, and reinforced that the method used to extract phytochemicals informs which are present, and to what degree, in the resulting item. Or to put more simply, whether you use water, vinegar, or alcohol determines what attributes of thyme are extracted; different constituents are soluble in different media. This is true not only of thyme, but of any plant used to make herbal concoctions. If you have little interest in specialized scientific research into plants, but are curious about the plant’s cultivation needs,  and at home uses, we can turn focus there.

As a home gardener, thyme will be used as a tea, spice, or even to make homemade tinctures, oxymels, vinegars, or other herbal preparations, rather than as an essential oil, which requires special equipment and vast amounts of plant material. Many of the benefits of thyme are accessible via home preparation. Additionally, thyme has much to offer the garden ecosystem: a companion to brassica family plants, thyme may repel cabbageworm and whitefly. Thyme is also reported to enhance the growth of some nightshade family plants, including potato, eggplant, and tomato.

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Garden Use

Growing Conditions

Thyme grows as a bushy,  or creeping & low-growing woody perennial (depending on cultivar) in zones 5 through 9. While thyme will tolerate poor soil, good drainage is a must; without good drainage, thyme may be susceptible to fungus. TanyaDenckla, in The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food states that pruning helps keep the plant bushy and prevent it becoming, “woody and straggly.”

While not especially noted for its flower, thyme is a summer bloomer, flowering in June and July.

Preferences

• Full sun
• Well-drained, light, dry to stony poor soils
• Tolerates drought
• pH 5.5 - 7.0

Plant details

Flowers pink to lilac* varies (along with leaf color) depending on cultivar

Height to 12 inches* varies by cultivar`

Width 18 inches - 3 feet* varies by cultivar and pruning

Companion Planting Affiliations

Thyme enhances the growth of many nightshade family plants

Potato

Eggplant

Tomato

Thyme repels pest insects, including:

Cabbageworms

Whitefly

“Bees love the tiny blossoms.”

Care notes

Be sure to site thyme in an area of your garden that has consistent and expedient drainage. Thyme does not tolerate ‘wet feet’. Choose a spot with ample sunlight. Remember, thyme is a mediterranean plant by origin, and thus is partial to warm, balmy, sunny, and dry conditions.

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Herbal Use

Parts Used  - leaves, aerial parts

When to Harvest

• Harvest as needed for use or midsummer cut plant back to 2 inches of growth. Freeze or dry the harvest for future use. After the cutting, the thyme plant will regrow before onset of winter. Continue to make light harvests for single use, but if you trim back the second growth before winter, the plant may struggle to survive the winter.

How to Prepare

Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs asserts, “[Thyme] has served as a carminative, vermifuge, rubefacient, and antiseptic. Thyme is particularly beneficial in quieting gastrointestinal complaints…. A tea ..for shortness of breath and congested lungs.”6

Below are some ideas for using your home grown yarden thyme as a culinary spice and medicinal concoction. I love the savory flavor of thyme in tea; warming of a winter day and refreshing iced in summer.

• As a tea - Infuse the herb in boiling water to extract many of the beneficial constituents.

1. Boil water
2. Place 2 tsp of fresh thyme or 1 tsp of dried herb per 8 oz water into teapot, press, thermos, or mason jar
3. Pour boiling water over herb
4. Cover - if uncovered the constituents will rise with the steam, and you will have a less flavorful, less potent infusion
5. Allow to steep - 12 minutes is my favorite flavor and texture; infuse least 10 minutes to extract medicinal doses of constituents
6. Strain and Enjoy!
1. Drink while hot
2. Cool, add ice, and savor the savory.

• As a spice 

Add dried or fresh marjoram to dishes while cookingUse in recipes

> “Add sprigs of fresh thyme to olives in their brine”6

> “Serve sprigs of thyme on iced beet borscht that has been topped with plain yogurt”6

> Saute sweet peppers, onions, and garlic in olive oil; add thyme; serve over pasta, rice,(6) or spiralized vegetables

• As a steam

If you have a head cold, a thyme steam works wonders to clear your sinus and ward of infection due to its antimicrobial aromatic constituents that enter the respiratory tract upon the moist air as the steam is inhaled. Katja Swift of Commonwealth Center for Holistic Herbalist touts the effectiveness of a thyme steam, both at the onset of infection and as a preventive measure in advance of illness, “...breathe in that hot Thymey steam. It’s hot alright – and not just because the water was boiling, but also because the volatile oils themselves are super carminative. It will feel pretty intense to breathe in deeply, but try to – the further down into your lungs that you can get that Thymey steam, the more microbes you’re literally killing on contact! So breathe deep, and have your handkerchief at the ready, because this is one of the best sinus-clearing methods I know.”1

As a flavored (infused) honey
Follow the recipe from “Pantry Profiles” in the Fall 2018 Issue of Herb Quarterly

• Fill a glass jar ⅔ full with fresh thyme. Including leaf and blossom
• Cover with Raw honey
• Stir to remove air bubbles
• Seal jar and set in a sunny window for two weeks
• Gently heat honey over low heat (less than 110degrees farenheit) so that you may strain out the thyme
• Place in airtight bottle and store in a cool dry place

The honey can be used to sweeten tea, or seltzers or taken by spoonful as medicinal dose, or in any way you would otherwise use honey.

Cautions/Considerations

Fresh thyme may be enjoyed ingested or topically.

Do not ingest or apply topically the essential oil of thyme, it is very concentrated and must be diluted in a carrier oil for topical use or diluted in water for steam inhalation.

Reference List

1. “Thyme: Herb of the Week · CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism.” CommonWealth Center for Holistic Herbalism, 12 Apr. 2018, commonwealthherbs.com/thyme-herb-week/.

2. Gedikoğlu, Ayça, et al. “Evaluation of Thymus Vulgarisand Thymbra SpicataEssential Oils and Plant Extracts for Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Properties.” Food Science & Nutrition, John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2 Apr. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6526640/.

3. Denckla, Tanya L. K. The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organid Food. Storey, 2003.

4. Buchanan, Rita. Taylor's Guide to Herbs. Houghton Mifflin, 1995.

5. Wilson, Rickie. “Companion Planting With Herbs: Boost Your Garden This Season with the Right Pairings of Plants.” Herb Quarterly, 2018, pp. 48–52

6. Kowalchik, Claire, and William H. Hylton. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs: Editors. Rodale Press, 1987.

Basil Monograph

Basil – Occimum basilicum

Long-time friend of many, basil, or sweet basil as oft referred, is as familiar as a robin, cheery, bright, and here for the summer. Basil’s culinary presence is evident in pesto, pizza sauce seasoning, and those tomato and mozzarella on toast with basil leaf things. I used to be indifferent, at best, to basil, because I was never a fan Italian dishes - the tomato, the bread, the pasta, just not my preference. So, not until I met and interacted with basil one-to-one did a deep connection occur. Now I love a cup of basil tea. Yes, I said a cup of basil tea. It is refreshing, tasty, spicy, and satisfying. My sister enjoys an infusion of basil too, she reports that the scent lifts her mood. After a drinking a cup, she reflects on basil’s effect on the lungs, dilating, as she takes a deep, unimpeded breath.

Whether you want to grow basil to make magnificent and tasty Italian dishes, pair with tomatoes, or to try my tea idea, let me tell you more about this well-known plant.

For those of you of a whimsical bent, let me begin by sharing the claim made in “Growing 101 Herbs That Heal”, by Tammi Hartung, “Historically, … basil was considered a cure for sea dragon bites.” ¹ Fantastic! “Here there be dragons! Fear not I brought along basil.”

For those of you with a more practical bent, I shall share that basil likes a sunny spot, and will grow well alongside the tomatoes it pairs so well with in dishes. It benefits peppers too, so tuck a few plants in the same garden bed.

Basil has more to offer than its distinctive flavor. Rosemary Gladstar, noted herbalist, discusses basil in her book, Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide. Rosemary notes, “Sweet Basil acts primarily on the digestive and nervous systems. … It also has antibacterial properties, and the juice or a poultice of the fresh leaves relieves the itch and pain of insect bites and stings.” ² Relief to insect bites, what a friend in summer.

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Garden Use

Growing Conditions

Basil is of Mediterranean origins; therefore, basil loves the sun and is sensitive to cold. Plant basil in a warm sunny spot in the garden, after the danger of frost has passed.

Basil grows as an annual in our temperate climate.

Preferences:

• Full sun, though tolerates some shade

• Warm conditions
• Tolerates container planting
• Well drained soil
• Low to moderate watering requirements

Plant size and spacing

Height 15 inches

Allow plant space to bush a bit; plant 10 - 12 inches apart.

Basil will do well in containers.   

Basil can survive a winter indoors in a sunny window.

Companion Planting Affiliations

    Basil is reported to repel the Asparagus Beetle. ³

    Basil makes an excellent planting companion to peppers and tomatoes.

   

Care notes

     Basil can be a heavy feeder, so water with ‘compost-tea’ or additive of fish emulsion every couple weeks.

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Herbal Use

Parts Used

Leaves and flowering top

When to Harvest

Harvest leaves throughout the season. Pinched regularly extends the basil harvest, for once allowed to go to seed, the plant is done, so make a final harvest including the flowering tops.

Morning harvest, after dew evaporates, is an excellent time to harvest.

       

How to Prepare

v  Make an excellent tea - from either fresh or dried plant material

1.      Boil water

2.      Place 1 TBS of fresh leaves or 1 tsp of dried leaves per 8 oz water into teapot, press, thermos, or mason jar

3.      Pour boiling water over herb

4.      Cover (this is very important, for if uncovered the constituents will rise with the steam, and you will have a less flavorful, less potent cup of chamomile tea)

5.      Allow to steep for 6 - 8 minutes

6.      Strain and Enjoy!

v  You can blend basil with many other herbs to create delicious tea blends. The options are many, and open to your taste and creativity.  

Ø  Make a stimulating blend of rosemary leaf and basil leaf to stimulate calm attention and mental function.

Ø  Combine basil, dandelion leaf (or root) for a digestive support tonic.

v  Use basil in a myriad of recipes

Basil makes a delightful and delicious food. From so simple an idea as adding fresh basil leaves to a green salad, to recipes requiring a bit of preparation, like pesto. Add zest, flavor, and depth to many a dish with the addition of basil, fresh or dried, to the recipe. Fresh basil has more flavor than dried, so if you used dried, the flavor may be subtler.

·         Salad dressing

·         Tomato sauce

·         Pesto (of course!)

·         Quiche

v  Add to a smoothie

Make a fresh flavored smoothie from the following recipe

1.   Combine in smoothie machine (blender, Ninja, NutriBullet, etc.)

• ½ cup spinach
• ⅓ cup frozen zucchini cubes (I cut zucchini in ½ inch cubes, place in glass freezer-proof container, freeze - then use them to add creamy texture and coldness when making a smoothie
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil (1 ½ tsp dried basil)
• 1 kiwi (or small apple)
• ½ cup tea of choice (green tea, catnip tea, chamomile tea, rosemary tea…) *depending what consistency you prefer your smoothie, you might use more or less liquid

2. Blend

• I repeat, depending what consistency you prefer your smoothie, you might adjust liquid, add more tea to thin, add zucchini or spinach or apple to thicken

3. Enjoy!

Cautions/Considerations

Basil is a food herb and is safe to consume in food quantity.   

Bibliography

1.      Hartung, Tammi. Growing 101 Herbs That Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies. Storey Book, 2000.

2.      Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. Storey Publishing, 2012

3.      Kowalchik, Claire, et al. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press, 1987.