Growing Catnip

This easy to grow perennial is very aromatic and can grow up to 4 feet tall.  It likes well draining soil but will grow in most soils.  It is a family member to the mint family.  Some people like the smell and some not so much.  Although, we do know that cats love it so much that they seem to go into a trance over it!  It likes regular watering and partial sun, but can take full sun too.  It grows natively in abundance in the mountains.  I gather the native leaves up by the family cabin every year.  Cut back the plant when it reaches 8 inches or more to harvest the leaves.  It will continue to grow and produce all season long like mints do.  It is also a natural pesticide and herbicide.

Using Catnip

Catnip is best used in a tea form.  Many people drink catnip tea to help relieve digestive problems like flatulence/bloating.  It is very safe for babies with colic/teething and is found in many tinctures along with fennel.  I have had great success with my colicky babies using Dr. Christopher’s Kid-e-Col.   Catnip is also very good for relieving tension (including headaches), stress, nervousness and restlessness.   Many sources say to not use catnip during pregnancy or during periods because it can cause heavier bleeding.

Growing Nettle

Nettle grows wild throughout the US and Canada in rich moist soil and dappled sunlight.  It loves to live near the mountainous streams and rivers.  I personally don’t grow it because of it’s stinging needle like protrusions found on the undersides of the leaves and stems, containing formic acid, the same acid found in bee and ant stings.  I have little children that I know would get into it and besides it’s so easy to get it up at the family cabin.  If you do decide to grow nettle, be sure to contain it because it is a rapid grower, sending runners everywhere, similar to raspberries.  Notice the narrow jagged leaves in the picture above.  When harvesting be sure to wear gloves and do it at the beginning of summer before the plant sends out blossoms that look like small string like strands.  Dry the leaves in a brown paper bag out of direct sunlight or on the lowest setting of a food dehydrator.

Using Nettle

Nettle has a great history of multiple uses including remedies for anemia, rheumatism, menstrual issues, allergies, skin problems and gout just to name a few.  It can be used as a tea, cooked and eaten or infused in a tincture.  The ancients Romans cultivated Nettle more than any other crop and used it in abundance for food, medicine and clothing.  Many claimed that nettle material was finer than cotton or linen.  They also used the raw leaves to flog arthritic/swollen joints.  The welts and rash left by the fresh nettle leaves was reported to improve circulation and relieve aches and pains.  Although this treatment sounds barbaric, it is still used and can be as effective as drug treatments practiced today.  Personally I have brushed up against some nettle in the mountains and one little touch can be very painful, I can only imagine the relief that must come after the sting is gone…

On a more positive note, nettle has some of the broadest array of vitamins and minerals.  Nettle tea is often used to help alleviate “growing pains” in children.  It has also been known to build energy when used as a tonic/tea on a regular basis.  This herb makes an excellent and nourishing drink/tea used throughout pregnancy.

Creamy Nettle-Potato Soup

Try this nourishing soup the next time you harvest fresh nettle.  It’s especially good for those recovering from an illness.

1 T. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into small cubes

2 quarts organic vegetable or chicken broth

several large handfuls of fresh nettle

Grated Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Warm the oil in a large dutch oven.  Add the onions and potatoes and saute for about 10 minutes.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft.  Add the fresh nettle leaves.  Blend in a blender or food processor until almost smooth.  Add cheese, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

This plant looks very similar to chamomile.  However it smells very different and it’s leaves are more broad and not feathery like chamomile is.  It’s a very pretty tender perennial in the garden and grows well in sunny areas.  It reseeds itself very well and is drought tolerant, making it a great plant to grow here in Utah.   It’s flowers and leaves are harvested just as they open up and dried for use.   Feverfew should be avoided by those who are allergic to the daisy family.

Medicinal Benefits

Feverfew has many known benefits.  It has been used from the beginning of the century to help alleviate migraine headaches.  It is also good for fatigue, arthritis, inflammation, menstrual discomfort and fever.  Feverfew is not to be used during pregnancy.

Using Feverfew

• Feverfew is best used as a tea.  Steep the dried flowers and leaves in hot water for 10 minutes.  It’s flavor is not pleasant, however there are many who will drink it regardless to relieve pain.  Drink 2x a day for acute migraines.  You should be able to feel a difference within a week of using.  The tea can also be used for mild anxiety and depression.

• A tincture can also be made with feverfew.  Place dried flowers and leaves in a glass jar with a lid.  Fill the jar with 80 to 100 proof vodka and cover plant material by 1-inch.  Cover with lid and place on counter.  Shake everyday for 4 weeks.  Strain and place back in a clean jar or amber dropper.  Take 4-6 drops every half hour to relieve pain.

• Feverfew cream can also be used for topical use.  This would be good for inflammation, arthritis and joint pain.