Easy medicinal plants indoors

The most important thing is to keep your family healthy, but your medicine cabinet isn’t the only way to do that. People have used medicinal herbs for thousands of years, and many of the medicines you use today come from the same plants. Thinking about growing medicinal plants may intimidate many of you, but did you know that if you leave outdoors alone, there are several medicinal plants indoors?

Several communities of Americans, Indians, Italians and others worldwide used to grow herbs in their window sills. Growing your own spices or even a turmeric plant to use on small kitchen burns is a great way for families to always have spices and herbs on hand at a fraction of the cost of buying them at the store. You can grow herbs that are good for your health in your garden, but it can be hard to move plants inside. These four options are good for your indoor herb garden when you want easy-to-grow medicinal plants indoors that are also good for your health.

List of Medicinal Plants Indoors

1. Holy Basil

Basil was once considered a sacred and noble herb in India, Asia, and Africa. In fact, the name “basil” derives from the Greek word “basilikhon,” which means “royal.” 

Basil is now found worldwide. Many people cultivate basil in their gardens or kitchens. It is one of the most versatile medicinal plants indoors. It is a fragrant herb used as a flavouring in many recipes and is particularly important in Italian and Thai cuisine.

Medicinal Value of Basil

1. Apply these medicinal plants indoors topically to aid in the healing of minor wounds and burns. Basil herb may work as a natural deworming aid for both humans and animals because of its antiparasitic components.
2. This sacred holy plant in Hinduism has also been used to treat kidney problems, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, fluid retention, removing warts, and relieving head cold symptoms. 
3. Mothers have utilized basil both before and after giving birth to improve blood circulation and breast milk supply.
4. Native Americans used these medicinal plants indoors to extract venom from bug and snake bites and Indians use it in formulations to increase immunity. 

Growing Tips for Basil

• Plant basil herb one-fourth of an inch deep in wet, well-draining soil with a neutral pH level for the best results. 
• This therapeutic herb thrives in bright sunlight. 
• Water the basil just when the soil it is growing in feels dry when touched. Water from the bottom, never from the top.
• Repeat trimming the branches back to their first set of leaves every six to eight leaves. 
• Throughout the season, use a 5-10-5 fertilizer sparingly. 
• Pinch off the central shoot after around 6 weeks to prevent early blossoming. If flowers do sprout, simply snip them off. 
• If there are cold temperatures or a sudden frost, harvest your basil plants ahead of time, as the cold temperatures will kill your plants.

(2) Sage 

Sage is an evergreen shrub that looks great in both flower and herb gardens. Its aromatic leaves are often used in meat meals, garnishes, flavoured vinegar, and sauces. Sage has grey-green leaves that are slightly feathery. However, there are different varieties:

• Purpurea has purple foliage.
• Tricolour has green leaves with pink and white edges.
• Icterine has golden variegated leaves.
• Pineapple sage has the flavour of pineapple.

Medicinal Value of Sage

1. The leaves of the sage plant are delicious when roasted. You may also use them to treat hot flashes, dyspepsia, memory loss, stomach distress, gas, diarrhoea, indigestion, and bloating. 
2. You can also use these medicinal plants indoors to reduce excessive salivation and sweating. 
3. Small doses of sage extracts can help reduce mild to severe Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, whether inhaled or eaten. 
4. To decrease or prevent bacterial and viral diseases that assault the body through the skin, make a topical application of sage (salve or tincture). 
5. You can also use Sage mouth rinse to enhance traditional plaque control measures against dental cavities. 
6. These medicinal plants indoors are a safe and efficient treatment for menopausal symptoms.

 Growing Tips for Sage

• You should grow this plant in full sun. It would help to grow these medicinal plants indoors in well-drained soil; they will not thrive in moist soil. 
• Starting sage from a little plant is the simplest and most effective method. Plant them 2 feet apart. 
• You can also plant seeds up to two weeks before the latest frost date. (Check your local frost dates.) Plant the seeds/cuttings 1 to 2 weeks before the last spring frost in well-drained soil. 
• The best soil temperature is between 60o and 70oF for optimal growth. Plants should grow to a height of 12 to 30 inches. 
• Water the young herbs regularly until they are completely grown to prevent them from drying out. These medicinal plants indoors require a steady moisture supply until they develop swiftly. 
• Every spring, prune the thicker, woody stalks. To ensure that the plants stay fruitful, you should replace these indoor herbs every few years.

(3) Spearmint 

You can use spearmint flavouring for homemade toothpaste, tooth powder, and mouthwash. This medicinal herb contains a variety of antioxidant chemicals, including rosmarinic acid, as well as flavanones such as menthol and limonene. 

Medicinal Value of Spearmint

1. Two teaspoons of spearmint contain 2% of the daily required amount of vitamin C. Spearmint may protect the skin from free radicals. 
2. Spearmint tea is high in antioxidants and essential components that benefit our bodies. 
3. It has potent antibacterial effects that can prevent infections when applied topically. 
4. Limonene in spearmint tea fights free radicals and increases neurotransmitter activation. The neurotransmitter causes concentration and focus, which helps improve memory and overall brain health. 
5. The antioxidants in spearmint tea are particularly powerful at combating and eliminating free radicals, thereby protecting the immune system.

Growing Tips for Spearmint 

• If you want to thrive, spearmint needs nutrient-rich soil and either full sun or light shade. 
• Keep these medicinal plants indoors properly watered at the soil level and thin out plants regularly to prevent soil nutrient loss, growing space loss, and to encourage new growth. 
• While the spearmint plant is growing, sprigs can be picked as needed. Spearmint plants are barely a few inches tall when mature.
• During the growing season, potted mint grows best when treated regularly with a liquid fertilizer. 
•  Keep these potted medicinal plants indoors neat by pruning them regularly. If you live in a location with harsh winters, bring potted spearmint indoors and set it in a sunny window.

(4) Thyme 

Thyme is a Mediterranean herb with culinary, medicinal, and decorative use. Thyme flowers, leaves, and oil have traditionally been used to cure various ailments and concerns. These medicinal plants indoors are a fantastic herb to cultivate and look great on a windowsill. This therapeutic herb has antiseptic, antibacterial, and insecticidal properties. 

Thyme was brewed into tea in Europe during the 1300s to relieve the agonizing symptoms of the “Black Death.” 

Medicinal Value of Thyme

1. Thyme tea can help strengthen the immune system and relieve a chronic cough. Thyme’s natural biocide, thymol, can aid in the killing of dangerous and pathogenic bacterial species.
2. This aromatic plant enhances eyesight and lessens the incidence of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts because it is naturally high in vitamin A, an antioxidant. 
3. Thyme is high in potassium, an important element that is a component of cells and body fluids. It aids in the regulation of heart rate and the maintenance of appropriate blood pressure levels. 
4. Thyme’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics aid in the reduction of inflammation, which is the root cause of heart disease.

Thyme Growing Tips

• Even in small containers, thyme thrives well. These medicinal plants indoors prefer full sun and light, well-draining soil. 
• It would be best to plant thyme one-fourth of an inch deep in the soil. It prefers a pH range of 6.5-7.0 but will grow in a pH range of 6.5-8.5. 
• This herb likes a consistent supply of water. Overwatering should be avoided. After the last frost, start growing thyme from seed indoors or directly in the ground outdoors. 
• Light, well-drained soil that can tolerate poor soil conditions. These medicinal plants indoors grow well in pots. If growing inside, position it in a brightly lit area. 
• Thyme is hardy in most regions, but as with any plant, check the specific requirements for your location.

(5) Parsley 

Parsley is a biennial plant in the same family as dill with brilliant green, feathery leaves. This popular herb reduces the need for salt in sauces, salads, and especially soups. Not only is parsley an excellent garnish, but it is also high in iron and vitamins A and C!

The parsley plant is from Mediterranean Europe. It lives for two years, but most people grow it as an annual in their gardens. After the initial year, the leaves tend to get more bitter and tough, but the plant will happily reseed itself in temperate zones.

Medicinal Value of Parsley

1. Herbal treatments have been made from the root, leaf, and seed of parsley plants. These herbs have a certain type of antioxidant that helps lower blood sugar and improve the pancreas. 
2. Parsley is full of iron and increases the number of RBCs, both of which are important for heart health. It has a lot of minerals and vitamins that help the body digest food and fight bacteria. This herb keeps many stomach and intestine problems from happening. 
3. Parsley is the best source of vitamin K. Therefore. It’s great for bone health. It helps keep the density of bones and works well with other nutrients like magnesium, vitamin D, and calcium to improve the overall health of bones.
4. The most common uses for parsley is to cure or prevent kidney stones, high blood pressure, bladder infections, gastrointestinal disorders, coughs, urinary tract infection, constipation, asthma, and diabetes. 

Growing Tips for Parsley 

• Plant parsley in well-turned, moist, sandy soil. When you plant your parsley, mix in some rich compost early in the growing season. 
• These medicinal plants grow well indoors in full sun and part sun. If you want to grow parsley inside, put it near a sunny window. 
• Although parsley prefers moist soil, it is drought-tolerant. 
• When starting parsley from seeds, spread them out, so they are 9″ apart. If you are moving seedlings or small plants, you can also leave 9′′ between them. 
• Plant these medicinal plants indoors near tomatoes, corn, and asparagus. If you have rose varieties in your garden, you can improve their health and smell by planting parsley nearby.

(Also read-5 USEFUL MEDICINAL PLANTS FOR EVERY HOME GARDEN)

You don’t have to stop growing medicinal herbs just because you can’t grow them outside because of the weather, climate, or lack of space. Start with these four easy suggestions and add more as time and space allow. It’s a fun thing to do that’s well worth the work. Growing medicinal plants indoors makes it possible to have more homegrown seasonings and ingredients for herbal remedies on the homestead all year long. Herbs and medicinal flowering plants don’t take up as much space as traditional crops and don’t need deep soil to grow.