How to Know Which Medicinal Herbs You Should Grow
I get this question a lot: “What kind of herbs should I grow in my garden?”
And the honest answer? It depends. Not the most exciting answer, I know, but it’s the truth.
Let me back up a little and tell you where I’m coming from. While I can grow a garden (and have in the past), we haven’t had one for several years. Between the demands of the farm, the business, and life in general, the garden just hasn’t made the cut. And honestly? The chickens don’t help. They’re not shy about scratching up whatever they please, so our garden plans have been on hold for a while now.
Also? I don’t have the greenest thumb out there. I can keep things alive… mostly. But when it comes to relying on plants I need, I tend to stick with foraging, local farmers markets, and trusted online herb suppliers. It’s what works for me.
But back to the question—what should you grow?
Start With What You’ll Use
It’s kind of like asking what vegetables to grow. My first answer is always: What do you like? What will you actually eat?
There’s no point in growing kale if you can’t stand the taste of it, and it’s the same for herbs. If you grow something just because someone said it was a good idea, but you never reach for it, then it’s not doing you much good.
So here’s what I suggest:
Make a list of the herbs you already use—maybe in your teas, your kitchen, your remedies, or even your skincare. Start with the ones you reach for again and again. Then do a little digging (no pun intended) to see which ones grow well in your area.
That right there is your herbal garden starter list.
Culinary Herbs Count—Big Time
A lot of folks think “medicinal herb garden” means exotic, hard-to-pronounce plants. But guess what? Some of the best medicine is already in your spice rack.
Most culinary herbs double as medicine—and they’re a great place to start. Think basil, dill, oregano, thyme, sage, cilantro, parsley… the list goes on. They’re incredibly useful, full of flavor, and generally not too fussy to grow. Some of them, like basil and dill, might not overwinter where you live, but they often reseed themselves if you let them go to seed in the fall.
Others—like oregano and thyme—can become hardy little perennials that stick around year after year with very little effort.
Don’t Forget the Flowers
There are so many beautiful medicinal flowers that do well in backyard gardens. Lavender, calendula, echinacea (coneflowers), chamomile, roses—they’re not just pretty faces. These plants pack a lot of healing power.
Again, some may need a little help overwintering or will come back from seed, but many are surprisingly easy to grow if you match them to the right spot in your yard (sun or shade, dry or moist soil, etc.).
Final Thoughts: It’s About You
So really, it’s not about finding the perfect list of herbs to grow. It’s about starting with what you already love or want to learn more about. What are your go-to herbs when someone in the house has a cold? What’s in your favorite tea blend? What herbs do you wish you could use more of if you had them on hand?
Once you have a few in mind, look them up, see if they’re a good fit for your garden space, and go from there.
Because in the end, a useful herb garden isn’t about growing everything. It’s about growing what’s useful to you.
👉 Need help sorting through your ideas? I put together a simple printable checklist to help you plan your medicinal herb garden—whether you’re working with a backyard or just a few pots. [Click here to grab it.]
