I used to think herbal medicine was for mountain witches and Instagram naturopaths.
Now I’ve got lemon balm growing in a cracked pot beside my compost bucket and a mason jar of drying calendula hanging from my curtain rod.
This isn’t aesthetics.
It’s a working medicine cabinet made of leaves and stubbornness.
And it started on a balcony no bigger than a beach towel.
🧠 Why Grow Medicinal Herbs at Home?
- Most herbs are stupidly easy to grow
- You can use them fresh, dried, steeped, tinctured, or poulticed (very witchy)
- Herbs don’t just fix things—they support and regulate
- Even if you never use them, growing them changes how you think about health
Also? They’re pretty, resilient, and smell better than anything from a store shelf.
🪴 What I Grow in My Balcony Apothecary
| Herb | Use | Container |
|---|---|---|
| Calendula | Skin healing, anti-inflammatory, good in salves | Deep pot (it’s a thirsty diva) |
| Lemon balm | Calming tea, antiviral, anxiety balm | Wide planter, part shade |
| Mint | Digestion, cold relief, pest repellent | Separate container or it’ll take over |
| Chamomile | Sleep, anti-inflammatory, hair rinse | Medium pot, likes sun |
| Thyme | Antimicrobial, respiratory, food flavor boost | Small pot, drought-tolerant |
| Sage | Sore throat, spiritual sass | Medium pot, poor soil okay |
| Basil | Headaches, mosquito bites, general joy | Any pot, keep harvesting to grow more |
🧪 Pro tip: You don’t need a greenhouse. Just pots with drainage, soil, sun, and a small daily check-in ritual. That’s it.
🍵 How I Actually Use Them
Teas (infusions):
Lemon balm + mint = anxiety-reduction potion
Chamomile + thyme = sore throat rescue
Salves + oils:
Calendula oil = bug bites, dry skin, minor wounds
Sage-infused vinegar = scalp rinse, foot soak, bad energy repellent (your call)
Fresh use:
Crushed basil on mosquito bites
Mint in every glass of water I drink all summer
🧠 How to Dry + Store Without a Dehydrator or Fancy Tools
- Hang bundles upside down in a dry, dark spot (I use my curtain rod with binder clips)
- Once crisp, crumble into labeled glass jars
- Store in a cool place and use within 6–12 months for potency
✅ Bonus: The act of harvesting and storing your own medicine is deeply satisfying. Like bottling a little piece of control.
🧪 Try This: Build a 3-Herb Balcony Kit
Start with:
- One calming herb (lemon balm or chamomile)
- One first-aid herb (calendula or thyme)
- One “kitchen + medicine” crossover (mint, sage, or basil)
Plant them. Name them. Use them when something goes wrong.
🧠 What This Taught Me
That healing doesn’t need to be high-tech.
That sometimes, tending something small is how you tend to yourself.
That resilience isn’t just about food—it’s also about fortitude.
My balcony doesn’t look like a spa.
But it smells like safety.
And that’s worth more than Advil.
📥 Subscribe to download: DIY Balcony Apothecary Starter Kit
Includes:
- Top 10 urban medicinal herbs
- Harvest + drying calendar
- Herbal tea blend cheat sheet
- Basic salve + oil recipe guide
🌿 Ready to Start? Explore more:
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