How to Grow Chinese Medicinal Herbs

The green movement continues to have momentum across many sectors -- including holistic health and wellness. Chinese medicinal herbs have been part of holistic medicine for centuries. You can grow medicinal herbs at home to treat certain ailments. Always consult a physician before taking herbs medicinally.

• 1

  Research Chinese medicinal herbs to choose which ones may be most useful to you. Write down which herbs you want to plant and their particular requirements. All-heal treats topical wounds and bleeding both inside and outside the body. Angelica is antiseptic and a pain-reliever. Ginger improves digestion and ginko helps blood circulation. Choose herbs like these that you'll use often and require little maintenance.

• 2

  Label a terracotta pot for each of your herbs. Check the notes from your research to add the correct soil to each pot. Plants that like well-drained soil would do well with an inch each of pea-sized gravel and sand in the bottom of the pot. Herbs requiring humid conditions respond well to pots set on flood trays filled with gravel and water. The water keeps the area around the plant moist.

• 3

  Dig a hole for each herb in the center of its pot, about as deep and wide as the root ball. Gently untangle the roots of each plant before placing them in the soil. Don't worry about breakage -- they'll heal when the plant roots.

• 4

  Cover the roots of each plant with soil. Water each plant until the soil is moist but not muddy. Place them in bright sunny windows, indirect light or partial shade, according to the notes from your research. Temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit should be perfect for most herbs.