Ashwagandha
The pictures and information were submitted by my daughter; she does the work, and I write about it.
Ashwagandha is harder to grow than most herbs. It starts with seeds we saved from last year’s plants. The seeds are carefully removed from the covering shown in the first picture. They are planted, and once they are large enough, we plant them in individual pots until the weather is warm enough to plant them outside. The bugs really like the plants, and they do better if they are covered. Remember, this is grown without the use of chemicals. When growing herbs, using pesticides defeats the purpose of trying to grow healthy herbs. The roots are harvested, dried, and the tincture is made from the roots.
Key benefits of Ashwagandha listed on AI:
- Stress Reduction
- Improved Cognitive Function
- Enhanced Physical Performance
- Better Sleep Quality
- Immune Support
- Hormonal Balance
- Overall Vitality
Calendula
The nice thing about Calendula is that it can be grown outside of the fence because the deer don’t eat it. It will come back next year without replanting only this year we had to plant new seeds because we were broadening our herb garden to a new area. The second picture shows the picked flowers along with some passion flowers and Holy Basil. Once the flowers are picked, they are placed in drying racks to dry until it is crunchy. Great in tea blends or made into creams. Benefits listed on AI:
- Skin Health & Wound Healing
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties
- Antioxidant Effects
- Antimicrobial & Antiviral Activity
- Digestive Support
- Pain Relief & Menstrual Support
