We all know how keeping medicinal plants in a house is extremely beneficial. People are more inclined to use natural or organic things as days advance. These plants enhance the home’s beauty and serve many emergency medical purposes.
Why go for the latest hair or skin care product when you can have a timeless home remedy derived from indoor plants? Turn that free space in your balcony into a green zone now. Check out these ultrasonic pest repeller reviews to keep away pests and let’s nurture house plants.
Chamomile
You have had chamomile tea at your favorite cafe. Now you can make it at home too. Chamomile works wonders for skin conditions and stress-induced health problems. Were you deprived of sleep for days? Try chamomile. Are you experiencing excruciating muscle cramps due to periods? Chamomile will be your friend again. Add warm water to chamomile flowers, fresh or dried, in a mug and apply the water over your skin after it cools down. We also have a beginner’s guide to growing this panacea from the daisy family.
Basil
Revered in some countries as a holy plant, basil comes in multiple varieties. Some of these best houseplants are used in seasoning food, too. The delicious pesto pasta is made with Italian basil. A little culinary tip here: add it to your pasta condiments to get amazing flavors. And if winter to you is bad news in the form of a common cold and sneezing, arm yourself with this concoction made from crushed holy basil, ginger juice, and honey. No more sore throats and running noses!
Calendula
These are none other than your neighborhood pot marigolds. However, this plant is not as native as you think but comes from the Mediterranean. The beautiful orange-hued flowers will thrive best on your balcony. Give those saplings lots and lots of sunlight along with water and air. And nothing can be better than a sun-drenched zone for these ornamental saplings.
Like the ones mentioned above, calendula also falls under the category of medicinal herbs. Use it to soothe an irritated stomach or a long-formed ulcer. Keep the petals in your medicine box to treat minor wounds or bruises. If you have been fretting over the premature crow’s feet around the eyes and sagging skin, replace those anti-wrinkle cosmetics with calendula. It is a natural anti-oxidant; hence, your skin cells retain longevity and make you look younger.
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Mint
One of the best indoor plants out there, mint, requires much lesser sunlight than the other plants. It thrives best in semi-shaded areas. Peppermint and spearmint are the well-known members of the “mentha” family. Mint is that herb that adds a new dimension to the simplest dishes. You can use the leaves to prepare herbal tea, mint chutneys, salads, and a garnishing ingredient in dried form. Instead of taking commercial medicines for your headache or fatigue, you can extract the oil from mint leaves and apply it to reduce the pain. The aroma of the mint oil is also known to help the brain function more productively. If you are a new mother still breastfeeding your child, we highly recommend the application of mint to your nipples to prevent them from getting cracked or sore.
Aloe vera
Who hasn’t heard of the thick spine-shaped leafy plant that oozes chunks of jelly when the top layer is removed? Most of your beauty products will have aloe vera as the main ingredient. Aloe vera jelly is used to heal skin that suffers from breakouts, burns, and frequent itches. You can eat a chunk of the jelly with water every morning to increase your appetite and relieve yourself of digestive problems. Another medicinal property of this plant is that it purifies the air of benzene and other toxic chemicals, so make sure they get ample air on your balcony. If you are wondering how to care for air plants like aloe vera, it’s quite simple. Water the plant sparingly but amply. Ensure that the soil does not retain water and place it in a location with direct sunlight.
Rosemary
Rosemary is another amazing herb that requires little effort for its growth. This evergreen herb has a pungent smell that makes it a great stimulant. You can use it, either fresh or dried, to brew tea. We can guarantee that it will be more beneficial than your daily dose of caffeine with sugar and cream. It is another useful flavoring substance used to stuff turkeys or sprinkle on fried potatoes. However, the real benefit is derived from inhaling the essential oil extracted from this plant, as it improves concentration and thinking capacity.
Bryophyllum
Aptly called the leaf of life, the bryophyllum is wonderful in treating diabetic neuropathy. Sprained your ankle? Apply a bryophyllum poultice on it for some hours, and you will see the magical result. We advise you to grill the leaves and apply the backside on cuts and burns for fast healing. The proliferation of leaves makes it ideal as an ornamental plant, too.
Lavender
How often is your Instagram feed filled with aesthetic shots of people with lavender flowers as props? Is your favorite perfume made from this surreally beautiful bluish-purple herb? Those invested in the study of plants say that the perennial plant lasts for years if you tend to it with proper care. Lavender is known for being an amazing anti-depressant and for fighting uncontrollable alopecia and fungal infections. Add lavender to your shortbread cookies, or insert it into your eye mask to spark your creativity. We advise you to prepare a separate pot for lavender plants, which can thrive well in winter.
What About Pest Control?
Pest control is important to maintaining a healthy and productive balcony garden. Pests such as aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and caterpillars can damage or destroy your plants by feeding on their leaves, stems, roots, or fruits. Pest control methods include using natural predators, such as ladybugs and lacewings, to reduce the pest population; applying organic or synthetic pesticides, such as neem oil or pyrethrin, to kill or repel the pests; and removing infested or diseased plants to prevent the spread of pests.
Pest control services help plants grow on a balcony by keeping them from getting stressed out or hurt, increasing their growth and output, and making them look better and taste better.
Of course, there are other varieties to pick from. You can even grow some water plants. Plants like peace lily exhibit immense root growth in water. Doesn’t it feel amazing to care for a sapling and watch it prosper? Tell us about your balcony herbs in the comments section below.
Author’s Bio:
Archie was a builder for more than 40 years. The enthusiastic about electrical works in the garden, mainly after his retirement, and he writes for a blog Homemakerguide.com to keep himself occupied. His many years of experience can get you the right tool reviews, whether a drill, welding machine, or so. An impressive fact to note about him is that almost everything in his house represents his skills made by his hands.