Spring gardening season will be upon us sooner than we think, which is why we like to plan ahead alongside our sister business, Lightning Creek Gardens. Some of what we’ll grow include the herbs and plants to make Nerve Tonic Tincture.
These herbs include Avena (oatstraw & milky tops), which is a mild nervine and tonic to the nervous system. Oats in any form are nutritive during and after convalescence. They can also be used externally in the bath to soothe and soften. We use oatstraw in our Nerve Tonic Tincture, along with Skullcap and Lemon Balm. This tonic helps restore a gradual sense of calm and balance and is not directly sedative. Oatstraw tincture by itself or a simple oatstraw tea both offer a calming effect.
dried oat straw
green Oat grass with milky tops
Speaking of Skullcap, Blue (or American) Skullcap that is, we’ll be growing some of that too this year. It is our goal to grow as many as possible of the herbs and plants we sell, and Scutellaria lateriflora is an easy one, almost as easy as mint, although it does not persist for as many years. Neither does it have much of an aroma, but the flowers are quite beautiful. One way to use simple skullcap is as remedy for mild PMS: it helps reduce the neuralgia, nervous tension and irritability associated with pre-menstrual symptoms, and it is also anti-spasmodic.
beautiful blue Skullcap flowers
Blue or American Skullcap
Since we are talking about Nerve Tonic Tincture, we certainly can’t leave out our beloved Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, whose leaves when brushed against on purpose or accidentally, washes one over with a full-on lemony aroma, delightful and sweet. This is one herb that you simply must grow yourself, if you can, since it too is very easy, and will last a few years before having to dig up and divide the plant; it is just that wonderful. Sweet Melissa (bees love it!) has been cultivated for centuries, and has been used as a simple, safe nervine and sedative with no negative side effects. Lemon Balm, as well as the Nerve Tonic Tincture, is safe for children – just add a few drops to a cup of hot tea – and will gently calm a wee one when overtired. As for adults, it is also anti-spasmodic, thus contributing to the tonic tincture being used for PMS.
Lemon Balm in bloom
Lemon Balm in the garden
We think our Nerve Tonic Tincture is a useful remedy to have around for reviving overtired parents too.
Of course we plant and grow several other herbs and flowers for our Apothecary, such as the following:
California Poppy – flowers, roots & all
a healthy stand of Motherwort
dried Calendula petals are used in salve
We carry all these herbs in our Apothecary, write to us – WILDNWEEDY@FRONTIER.COM – for availability and price.