Betony , ( Stachys officinalis ) also know as wood betony , bishop wort or purple betony , is a recurrent herbaceous plant that makes an appealing addition to your herb garden or heyday bed . It has petite scrunch leaf and pinkish - purple flowers that develop on spikes . Not only is it perfect for adding color to an area , but growing betony also means you ’ll have a tasty afternoon tea on deal .
Betony , a appendage of the mint family , has a tenacious history as a utile herb dating back to ancient Egypt and the middle ages . hoi polloi once believed that the plant could ward off evil , so they wore talisman of betony to protect themselves . The Romans recall that betony could bring around 47 different conditions and was slightly of a panacea .
In innovative times , some the great unwashed habituate betony as either a replacement for ignominious tea or as a part of a root word for herbal tea . It can be used as a poultice for mend bruise and as a mouthwash for mouth ulcers , gum inflammation , and sore throat .
Betony is thought to possibly have a balmy tranquillizing essence and has been used in the past to soothe frazzle nerves . you could also make a white-livered dye using the leave .
Even if you do n’t be after to apply it as anything but a pretty summation to the garden , betony is worth having around . It ’s a bee attractor and its flavour will add up through if you harvest your own honey .
Based on all its uses and the ease in which it grows , betony is a must - have in your herb or rock garden , particularly if you have a shady spot that could use a little colour since betony can handle less sun that many plants .
How to Plant Betony
Betony is relatively fuss - free . Give it a piffling care , and you ’ll have a lovely plant that grow smartly , is attractive in the garden and can be used to make teas and tincture .
Betony pee a superb addition to cottage gardens , edges , and borders , but if you ’ve naturalize an area and are letting it grow wild , betony is gross for that too .
Zones
Betony is a stout perennial that grows in zones 4 - 8 . It prefers cooler topographic point .
Sun Requirements
I ’ve deal to mature betony well in full sun , but if you live in a warm location , grow it in partial sun to full shade .
Soil Requirements
Betony needs stain that ’s rich in organic matter . The globe also ask to be loamy and well - draining .
Soil can be acid , neutral or alkaline – betony is n’t finicky . I ’ve even managed to grow betony in clay soil , though it was a little stunted .
When to Plant
Betony should be found in early fall or tardy summertime . sprouting is often ameliorate with a cool winter , providing an lengthy flowered display the next summertime , so if you experience in an area with warmer winter , plant it in later winter .
Container Planting
Betony grows well in containers as long as you apply a good calibre potting mixing and feed the plant on a regular basis . Betony blooms for quite a few calendar month so it needs to be well run to maintain its coloration and vitality . Once planted , urine well , but do n’t inebriate the potting mix . Try not to admit the container to dry out out .
Germinating Seeds
you may sow in betony directly into the garden . I favor to found seeds indoors and apply cold , damp stratification . I do this in early spring and institute out mid to recent spring . A little frost wo n’t hurt tender betony plants , but protect them from a major freeze .
Plant two seeds in a belittled pot . habituate a good quality germ lift mix , not soil . Spray the mix to keep it damp and place in the fridge for three workweek .
Do n’t allow the source raising mix dry out out . tick off the pots regularly and obscure if necessary , but do n’t drench the pot or the seeds may rot .
Two week after social stratification , germination should be completed and you could remove the sight from the electric refrigerator and place in a warmer area of the mansion until you ’re ready to implant it in a permanent home base .
Spacing
Betony is quite thickset , so group multiple plants to maximize the visual impact . Place plants 12 to 18 inches asunder . Betony can grow from anywhere between 9 inches and 3 feet tall .
If you ’re harvest betony for herbal afternoon tea , plant a lower limit of three .
Caring for Betony
Betony is a fuss - gratuitous herb , but it will abide if it ’s too pixilated or too juiceless , or if the soil is deficient in constituent matter .
Betony self - seed and efflorescence in mid to recent summertime .
Fertilizer
I ’ve never fertilized betony after implant it . I make certain the soil is well fed with rich constituent subject before putting flora in the ground .
If the plant reckon like it ’s struggling and it has plenty of H2O and not too much sun , expend a swimming fertilizer that is well balanced or use a slow - discharge fertilizer when planting .
Watering
Betony is drought tolerant , but it ’s best to water it once a calendar week . Give it a deep lachrymation at the roots . reserve the surface of the grunge to dry out a picayune in between watering .
Pruning
You do n’t need to trim betony . Even when the flowers begin to return it will hold its pattern and provide structure in the garden landscape . It benefits from deadheading , however .
Betony self - seeds . It ’s not fertile , but more plants will appear each year . It might take two to three years , but betony will give decisive slew and need dividing . Dig up a cluster , divide the flora and replant one one-half .
Companion Plants for Growing Betony
The best companion for growing betony are :
Do n’t plant betony near :
Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Betony
Betony is one of the most pest - resistant herbs I ’ve grown and I ’ve had few proceeds . Still , you ’ll want to watch out for a few thing .
Slugs and Snails
Is there any plant that slugs and snail do n’t eat ? If their population gravel too big , escargot and slugs can decimate plants overnight . Lay down punch pellet , and go out at night to handpick the little pests and squash them .
Downy Mildew
Sometimes address downy cast , this disease is usual in humid domain . It can attack any plant life , but I ’ve found betony to be particularly susceptible .
Downey mildew grows on and in the leaves , resulting in yellowing spots . It lives off the plant ’s urine supplying . Neem crude is the only thing I use for flossy mould and it exploit well . You ’ll also need to keep plants staked and well - space if you struggle with mold .
Whiteflies
Probably one of the most fertile bugs in the garden . utilise neem oil to prevent the tent flap from laying eggs on the leaf .
Harvesting and Using Betony
you’re able to harvest the whole top of the works – leaving about three inches – and it will regrow . Or you’re able to harvest the leaves to use as a tea or extract . harvest home before the bloom in summer if using the leave for teatime .
you may utilise the leaves , flowers , and still hunt of the plant eitherdriedor fresh . utilise dried betony on its own or add it to other dried herbs to utilise as a restorative and refresher course .
Some evidence suggest that betony is good for megrim and anxiousness . Betony flowers are also gorgeous in dried flower arranging .
Whether you ’re grow betony to use as a tea , for cut peak or plainly as an attractive , colourful herb in the garden , you ’ll find it simple to grow , not crabbed and hardy as can be .
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