How to Grow & Harvest Horehound
Horehound, marrubium vulgare, is a perennial member of the mint family. The herb has been used medicinally for centuries. The plant is hardy and can be grown and harvested by most home gardeners. According to Utah State University horehound has no known pests or diseases and can spread through a garden in an almost weed-like manner. Once harvested, it can be used to make candies, teas or cough drops. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Growing Horehound
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Plant horehound seeds in the early spring. Horehound seeds germinate slowly and should be planted about a 1/4 inch below the surface. Sow seeds up to three weeks before the last spring frost. Horehound can also be propagated from plant cuttings. Plants should be spaced about 10 inches apart.
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Water horehound plants sparingly. Horehound is drought tolerant and overwatering is more of a concern than too little water.
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Apply an all-purpose fertilizer in the spring of the year. Fertilizer encourages leafy growth, and it is the leaves of the horehound plant that are harvested.
Harvesting Horehound
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Harvest horehound while the plant is flowering. Flowering occurs in plants more than a year old from June to September. During the plants first year it will not produce any flowers but leaves can be harvested. About one-third of the leaves and all flowers of the plant can be harvested.
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Tie the leaves and flowers into bundles and hang indoors out of direct sunlight to dry. After the leaves and flowers dry, chop and store the leaves and flowers in an airtight container for up to one year.
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Maintain the horehound plants. Horehound is a perennial plant and will come back each spring. Horehound is hardy to USDA Zone 4 and usually survives with little assistance. However, wintering plants may need protection in colder regions.
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Clip and discard any unused flowers on the horehound plant. If the horehound flower matures and drops its seeds the plant can quickly overrun the entire garden area.
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Tips & Warnings
Because horehound plants tend to spread some gardeners grow them in containers. The plant can then be brought indoors in the fall and fresh horehound can be harvested year around.
Horehound can also be used fresh for teas and candy. The University of Utah suggests planting two horehound plants for fresh use and two for drying per household.
References
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Comments
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Thanks for the input!
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Perhaps an indoor greenhouse would help. That's how I started mine from seed. They run about $60 for a small 5-tier and a cheap humidifier is about $50. That's how I start most of my plants. You just need a plant friendly light. I use a 125W compact fluorescent which produces little heat but sufficient light for seedlings.
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I've tried for three years now to grow horehound with no germination success. I've been learning how to live a more natural life, using herbs and medicinal plants as supplements and remedies. Horehound is one of those very sought after plants for me and I hope one day to get it going.
