Feverfew is a versatile herb that has been used for centuries to address various health concerns. Growing feverfew at home allows you to have access to its numerous benefits, including migraine relief, anti-inflammatory properties, and more. This article will provide comprehensive guidance on successfully cultivating feverfew in your own garden from start to finish.
Benefits of Feverfew
Feverfew offers many health and wellness benefits that make it a great addition to any home garden. Here are some of the top reasons to consider growing this medicinal plant:
- Migraine relief – Feverfew has been used since ancient times to prevent migraines and tension headaches. Consuming feverfew regularly can reduce migraine frequency and severity by stabilizing serotonin levels and reducing inflammation.
- Anti-inflammatory properties – The active compounds in feverfew, such as parthenolide, have natural anti-inflammatory effects. This makes feverfew helpful for treating inflammatory conditions like arthritis, joint pain, muscle aches, tissue swelling and more. It blocks the production of certain inflammatory mediators.
- Menstrual discomfort relief – Many women find that feverfew can significantly ease menstrual cramps and discomfort. It helps relax uterine muscle spasms and reduce prostaglandin production which triggers cramping. This makes it particularly helpful for alleviating painful periods.
- Immunity boost – Research indicates that feverfew may help stimulate white blood cell activity thanks to its antimicrobial and antiviral action. This can strengthen overall immune function and resistance against infectious illnesses. It also promotes quicker recovery.
- Skin health – Applied topically, feverfew can alleviate common skin irritations and issues like eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea thanks to its anti-inflammatory effect. It helps calm redness, swelling, itching and scarring.
- Promotes sleep – The calming nature of feverfew helps address tension, restless sleep, and insomnia when taken as a tea or supplement. It contains melatonin which signals the body to prepare for rest.
- Digestive aid – Feverfew can effectively treat digestive problems including constipation, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and nausea. It helps relax intestinal muscles and stimulates bile production.
As you can see, cultivating feverfew enables you to have an abundant natural remedy right at home for all of these potential applications.
Getting Started with Seeds
Getting started with growing feverfew from seeds simply requires some planning and preparation. Follow this step-by-step guide for success:
Selecting High Quality Seeds
Choosing optimal seeds is the foundation for growing robust feverfew plants. Consider these factors when sourcing seeds:
- Reputable suppliers – Seek out well-established seed companies with rigorous quality testing standards
- Organic seeds – Opt for organically grown seeds to avoid residual chemical exposure
- Heirloom varieties – Heirloom seeds produce plants closely resembling historical feverfew medicinal potency
- High germination rates – Favor seeds specifying 85% or better germination rates for suitable viability
- Disease-resistance – Choose feverfew seeds labeled disease-resistant when available for fewer issues
- Regional suitability – Check seed strain is appropriate for outdoor growing success in your specific USDA zone
Selecting vigor-tested seeds from reputable suppliers gives your feverfew the best healthy start.
Preparing Planting Site
Proper soil preparation is vital for your feverfew seeds to germinate and establish successfully:
- Choose planting site with full sun to partial shade exposure
- Remove weeds, rocks and debris thoroughly from area
- Loosen soil 8-12 inches deep using a rototiller or garden fork
- Incorporate 2-3 inches organic compost or well-aged manure
- Create fine, crumbly soil texture suitable for seeds
- Water site deeply prior to planting so soil is consistently moist
Taking time to prepare soil makes all the difference!
Sowing Techniques
Now it’s time to get those feverfew seeds planted using these techniques:
- Wait until after the final spring frost when soil reaches 60°F
- Create shallow furrows 1⁄4 inches deep spaced 12 inches apart
- Sow seeds closely spaced every 2-3 inches along each furrow
- Cover furrows gently with fine soil or compost just barely burying seeds
- Water gently daily to maintain even soil moisture, using spray nozzle
- Expect germination in 10-14 days as soil temperatures rise
- Thin seedlings to final 12 inch spacing once 2-3 true leaves emerge
Follow these simple feverfew sowing steps and you’ll soon have vigorous seedlings established!
Caring for Feverfew Plants
Caring properly for your feverfew plants using these organic methods is essential to keep them healthy and productive:
Monitoring Water Needs
Feverfew requires consistently moist soil during the growing season:
- Water thoroughly at soil level to avoid fungal leaf diseases
- Check soil moisture daily by inserting finger 1-2 inches deep
- Allow soil to almost dry out between waterings to avoid root rot
- Increase watering frequency during summer heat waves
- Rely on rainwater instead of tap water when possible
- Add mulch around plants to maintain soil moisture between waterings
Optimizing Sun Exposure
Place feverfew in a sunny area receiving at least 6 hours direct sun:
- South or West facing site is ideal in northern hemisphere
- Turn potted plants frequently to prevent lopsided leaning growth
- Provide afternoon shade in hottest climates over 90°F
- Monitor sunlight exposure and adjust positioning as needed
Feeding Requirements
Feverfew is not a heavy feeder but benefits from annual fertilization:
- Test soil pH yearly, amend to maintain ideal slightly acidic pH
- Work 1-2 inches well-aged manure or compost into beds each spring
- Top dress growing feverfew lightly with organic nitrogen fertilizer monthly
- Use compost tea or fish emulsion fertilizer every 2-3 weeks
- Always follow label rates carefully to prevent fertilizer burn
Encouraging Flower Production
Use these organic methods for prolific feverfew flowering:
- Pinch off growing tips frequently to promote bushy, compact growth
- Prune away any dead or damaged leaves/stems regularly
- Cut back entire plant by 1/3 each spring to rejuvenate production
- Remove aging flower heads to stimulate continuous reblooming
- Avoid overfertilizing with nitrogen which causes lanky growth not flowers
Pest Control and Disease Prevention
Guard against hungry insects and plant diseases using these organic techniques:
Common Pests
- Aphids
- Spider mites
- Slugs/snails
Prevention Tactics
- Remove pests promptly by hand picking
- Use sharp streams of water to dislodge insects
- Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays weekly
- Introduce ladybugs and lacewings which feast on damaging pests
Disease Prevention
- Improve airflow circulation and reduce humidity levels
- Promote leaf dryness by spacing/pruning overcrowded plants
- Apply chamomile tea spray to prevent damping off fungus
- Remove diseased stems/foliage promptly to avoid spreading
Catch issues early before they progress and diligently treat any problems immediately. This keeps your feverfew vital and productive for years to come.
Harvesting and Preserving Feverfew
Now for the exciting and rewarding part – harvesting and preserving your homegrown feverfew!
Identifying Peak Harvest Time
Timing is everything when harvesting feverfew for maximum medicinal potency:
- Closely monitor flowers waiting until buds fully open
- Harvest when blooms appear fresh, vibrant white with yellow centers
- Snip stems in the early morning when essential oil content is highest
- Plan to gather feverfew every other day during peak production
Harvest Methods
Follow these techniques for properly gathering feverfew:
- Use clean, sterilized bypass hand pruners or garden scissors
- Gently handle stems to avoid bruising delicate leaves and flowers
- Cut each stem above healthy leaves or leaf joints
- Start harvesting once your feverfew is well-established, no sooner than 13 weeks after sowing
- Time harvests for mid-morning after dew dries for ideal freshness
Careful harvesting preserves more of the plant for use.
Drying Techniques
Proper post-harvest drying retains the medicinal quality of feverfew:
- Gather 5-10 feverfew stems into small bundles and secure ends tightly with rubber bands
- Hang bundled stems upside down in a warm, dark, well-ventilated location
- Allow 1-2 weeks for bundles to fully air dry
- Check bundles, test larger stems until they snap showing they are cracker dry
- Strip dried leaves and flowers from stems and discard dried stems
- Optional – Place delicate leaves/flowers on dehydrator trays on low temp of 95°F for 6 hours Follow these steps for efficiently dried feverfew.
Storage Methods
Properly store your dried feverfew using these guidelines:
- Place dried leaves and flowers loosely in clean, airtight glass jars or opaque bags
- Store containers in cool 60-65°F dark cupboards to retain aromatics and essential oils
- Label all containers with the date dried and strain/variety name
- Use oldest dried feverfew first to rotate your supply before potency degrades
- For long term freezer storage, place tightly sealed glass jars with dried herb in freezer
Using correct preservation techniques allows you to enjoy your hand harvested feverfew for future use.
Medicinal Applications
Homegrown feverfew has many helpful wellness applications:
- Migraines – Chew 1-3 fresh/dried leaves at onset of migraines for relief. Repeat every 30 minutes until symptoms improve. Tinctures can also quickly alleviate headaches.
- Teas – Steep 1 tsp dried flowers in boiled 212°F water for 5 minutes. Drink 1-2 times daily as an anti-inflammatory beverage. Add lemon and honey to improve flavor.
- Tinctures – Fill jar with chopped feverfew leaves/flowers, pour in vodka until plant matter is covered. Allow 4-6 week infusion, shake jar daily, then strain out plant material. Use tincture doses of 0.5 to 1 tsp as needed.
- Skin creams – Infuse olive oil with chopped leaves for 4 weeks on very low heat, strain and combine with beeswax to create skin soothing salve. Apply topically to affected areas 1-2 times daily.
- Cooking – Chop young leaves finely and add to egg dishes, salads, soups for subtle flavor. Use sparingly as heat degrades potency.
Explore different ways to unlock all the wellness benefits of your homegrown feverfew.
Connect With Centuries of Plant Based Healing Wisdom
As you can see, feverfew is a valuable medicinal herb that can be readily grown at home for a natural and renewable supply year after year. Follow this comprehensive guide that takes you step-by-step through every stage – from sourcing seeds to troubleshooting challenges. Put concerted effort into site preparation, proper planting techniques, attentive growing conditions, timely harvesting and correct preservation methods. Before you know it, you’ll have abundant feverfew to infuse into teas, tinctures, skin creams, cuisine and more. Growing this time-honored medicinal plant allows you to reconnect with centuries of traditional plant-based healing wisdom.
