Growing medicinal herbs

Basil is great for cooking and curing an assortment of ailments.

What you need to know:

These plants are the basic spices but they also have medicinal properties.

When we think about spices, we mostly go for better flavoured food and beverages. But there are spices that can flavour our eats and drinks but can also act as medicines. Those are the species whose ownership we should prioritise.

Hakim Babara, a garden designer, consultant and member of Mukwano Tree Planting Association; a collection of nurseries along Mukwano Road in Nsambya, stresses the Garden Rue (Ruta Graveolens) and Basil (Ocimum Basilicum) as two spices everyone must have in their spice garden.

The Garden Rue
“Propagate it using cuttings. Water if you have potted it. If you have planted it in the ground, water it for two weeks and then leave it,” he says.

It can tolerate both full sun and shade. Prune it as you remove the leaves for use.

On its maturity, Babara says, “It depends on where you plant it. If you plant it in the ground and it is firmly fixed, it can take a month. In a pot, it will grow slower.”

It will last forever if well looked after. Use its leaves to cure epilepsy and to reduce menstrual pain.

“Pick the leaves, dry them and use them as a tea; or get a handful of fresh leaves and boil them in half a litre of water for 15 minutes. Take two to three spoons a day. But it is not good for pregnant women. It can cause miscarriages,” Babara advises.

Rue was once an officially recognised treatment for hypertension, diabetes, and allergic reactions. Tea made from the leaves is used to treat nervous headache, griping stomach pains, dizziness, coughs, vertigo, palpitations, anxiety problems and high blood pressure. Use the tea as an eye wash for tired eyes and to wash wounds. the tea is also used to decrease the pain and inflammation of an earache. The juice or oil is placed in the ear to relieve earaches. The leaves are used in poultices and salves to relieve sciatica, gout and rheumatic pains. Traditionally used to bring on suppressed menses. A poultice of fresh leaves alleviates the pain of scorpion bites and jellyfish stings. A strong infusion made by pouring a little boiling water on dried or fresh rue leaves can be dabbed on insect bites to bring relief.

Basil
“Propagate it by seed and cuttings. You don’t need fertilisers. It grows well in loam soil. Water it once a week, if it is in a pot. In the ground, water for one to two weeks, then leave it.”

It can tolerate full sun or shade. If you propagate it by seed or seedlings, it will take two months to mature. Cuttings will take six months to mature. Most people use cuttings, because the seeds take long to appear.

On its longevity, Babara says, “If you just dump it there, it will last a year. It grows older, dries and dies. When you use it, it renews itself and can last forever. Basil is a multi-purpose herb.”

It is the leaves of the basil plant that are used in cooking, and these leaves can range from green to reddish to purple in color, depending on the variety. There are more than 60 different varieties of basil, each with its own distinct flavor. These flavors include hints of lemon, thyme, jasmine, clove, cinnamon, and anise.

For best flavor, the leaves should be picked before the plant begins to flower. As an added benefit to growing your own, basil is said to repel flies, mosquitoes and cockroaches.

Although basil is an annual, it is often pinched back to keep it from flowering and extending its growth period.

Seedlings are not that expensive
You don’t have to break the bank in order to buy seedlings for your garden. Many plants reproduce by shooting small suckers beside them. A little thought and garden planning can reduce your seedling costs. Lillian Katiso, an accountant and resident of Kyanja who has discovered the trick through experience explains:

“I buy three to four of each type. Then they grow and spread and I split them. I multiply them within here (her garden). Every weekend, I have to check. Okay this one, I can move here. Then I spread them.”