Growing St. John's wort is a great way to decorate the site and get medicinal herbs
Traditional medicine remains in demand always, so many summer residents alternate flowers and medicinal herbs in their flower beds. For example, growing St. John's wort is a double benefit. Firstly, sprawling perennial bushes are very decorative, especially during flowering. And secondly, and this is the most important thing, such a "flower" is able not only to decorate the site, but also to help in the treatment of many diseases. If you collect and plant medicinal herbs in your garden, plant St. John's wort among them.
Where to plant St. John's wort
To grow a beautiful medicinal herb, it is better to take a sunny place in the garden, because the intensity of flowering depends on this. A perennial will also feel good in a young garden, among trees, or between dwarf apple varieties or pears. With its smell, it will scare away pests from them, but it will lure bees, and there will be enough light for them for two.
St. John's wort grows best on black soil and in loams, but heavy, clayey and acidic soil is definitely not for him.
If the soil in your area is poor for food, humus or compost can be added before planting. The plant will respond gratefully to organic matter, and will actively build up the aboveground part.
How to plant St. John's wort
St. John's wort is most often grown using seeds. They are quite small, but they sprout well, especially stratified ones.
You can sow seeds at your choice:
- In early spring, when frosts have passed. To increase germination in this case, the seeds should be kept for at least 2 months in the cold before sowing (stratified).
- Towards the winter. Dry seeds are sown in autumn.
From practice, it has been noticed that more developed and strong plants are obtained with autumn planting. Seeds overwintered in the soil will give more friendly shoots with a good root system.
You can sow seeds in rows, leaving row spacings at least 40 cm wide, so that the bushes have enough space for development. It is not necessary to close it deeply, it is enough just to walk with a rake.
Growing St. John's wort: how to care for a medicinal perennial
St. John's wort is a "wild" plant that can perfectly survive and reproduce in natural conditions without human intervention. Therefore, there will be no special hassle with the care of the healing beds.
The whole range of activities will consist of just a few points:
- Regular watering, but not frequent, so that moisture does not stagnate.
- Weed weeding.
But the perennial does not need shelter for the winter. Even if the bushes freeze, in the spring they will quickly restore their previous volume and even more, adding new branches.
If the soil was fertilized before sowing, St. John's wort can grow without additional fertilizing. In order to get a larger harvest, you can add nitroammophos in the spring.
You can harvest healing herbs when the bushes begin to bloom, tearing off the branches along with the inflorescences. True, with seed growing, this will happen only for 2 or 3 years of life.