Susy Morris makes a clever salve from plantain leaves growing in her garden.
Several years ago I read about the wonders of Broad Leaved Plantain, a weed that grows everywhere.
I have it growing all over my garden and I’m quite happy about it. It comes in very handy when I’m in the garden late in the evening and get bitten by mosquitoes, or if I get stung by a bee.
All you have to do for a quick salve is grab a plantain leaf or two, chew them up and apply them to the bug bite. I often do this while I’m out working if I need to, but I prefer to make a poultice with some baking soda as it stays on better and I think it works better.
What I usually do is take a few leaves, cut them finely, add a pinch or two of baking soda and a little water. Then I grind them to a wet paste in my mortar & pestle and apply to the bug bite. I often add some turmeric and comfrey as turmeric helps with inflammation and pain and comfrey speeds healing. It works wonders on cuts and scrapes.
Have you ever used plantain? Do you use herbs/weeds for medicinal purposes?
I make my own creams, tinctures and salves with herbs and weeds. I have not made a plantain poultice yet but will definitely give it a try. I do make a chickweed salve with some of the mountains of chickweed I don’t turn into pesto (delicious made with half chickweed/half basil too). I make an infused oil of chickweed in extra virgin olive oil in the slowcooker then add beeswax to the strained oil & a drop or two of lavender essential oil. It is the most soothing of things and the most wickedly green hue
Elephant's Eye
I have the bug bites, getting warm, midges are back. I have the plantain. Just need the pestle and mortar …
Lorraine Malyan
I make my own creams, tinctures and salves with herbs and weeds. I have not made a plantain poultice yet but will definitely give it a try. I do make a chickweed salve with some of the mountains of chickweed I don’t turn into pesto (delicious made with half chickweed/half basil too). I make an infused oil of chickweed in extra virgin olive oil in the slowcooker then add beeswax to the strained oil & a drop or two of lavender essential oil. It is the most soothing of things and the most wickedly green hue