Welcome to
My Herbal Pocketbook
A collection of garden herbs and useful wild plants that grow in New England and beyond.
What's in each guide
- Properties Traditional herbal actions and what the plant is commonly used for.
- Energetics Whether a plant is considered warming, cooling, drying, or moistening.
- Harvest What parts to gather and the best time to harvest them.
- How to grow Simple growing notes for plants that are commonly cultivated.
- How to use The best ways to prepare each plant, from a simple tea to a shelf-stable extract.
How to use an herb
- Tea Steep herbs in hot water to extract their flavor and water-soluble properties.
- Poultice Apply fresh, crushed, or moistened herbs directly to the skin for topical use.
- Honey Infuse herbs into honey for a sweet preparation that can be taken by the spoonful or added to drinks.
- Vinegar Soak herbs in vinegar to extract minerals and other plant compounds.
- Oil Infuse herbs into a carrier oil for topical use in body oils, salves, and balms.
- Syrup Combine a strong herbal infusion or decoction with honey or sugar to make a concentrated, sweet preparation.
- Decoction Gently simmer tougher plant parts, such as roots, bark, or berries, to extract their properties into water.
- Tincture Soak herbs in alcohol for several weeks to create a concentrated, shelf-stable herbal extract.
- Cuisine Use herbs as food, seasoning, garnish, or ingredients in everyday cooking.
Grow & harvest right now
Grow now
- Chickweed — direct sow
- Echinacea — direct sow
- Fireweed — direct sow
- Marshmallow — direct sow
- Motherwort — direct sow
Apothecary bookshelf
(Paid links)
