Saint John's Wort Herbs

Saint John’s wort has long been used for medicinal purposes in the treatment of neuralgia, a painful nerve disorder. This perennial can grow up to 3 feet tall during its 6-year lifespan, taking on a dense shrub-like appearance. It’s flowers are yellow and have 5 petals each. As it is a common and legal herbal remedy for many different minor illnesses.

Here's an instruction how to grow Saint John's Wort Herbs :


Step 1

Begin the growing process in early spring, or late winter if you live in a sub-tropical climate. Speed germination by soaking the seeds in warm water for 20 minutes.

Step 2

Fill the foam cups with equal measures of peat and perlite to make a growing medium.

Step 3

Punch holes in the bottom and sides of the cups to ventilate them.

Step 4

Push 1 Saint John's wort seed into each cup and douse them with water.

Step 5

Stretch plastic wrap tightly over the tops and hold the wrap in place with rubber bands.

Step 6

Place the cups in a windowsill that receives full sunlight throughout the day and leave them for 2 weeks. The seeds should germinate after 6 days and grow enough to be safely transplanted by the end of the second week.

Step 7

Prepare a spot in your yard or garden to plant the seedlings. It should be on high ground that receives partial shade each day. Dig a trench 1 foot deep, 1 foot wide, and roughly 6 inches long for each seedling you intend to plant.

Step 8

Put all the dirt in a wheelbarrow and mix it up well with organic manure and plain sand to help lighten the soil and dry it out. Don’t worry about adding too much sand, the more the better.

Step 9

Put half of the contents of the wheelbarrow back into the trench and level out the bottom so that it’s only half as deep as it originally was.

Step 10

Break the cups away from the peat and perlite growing medium, placing the seedlings and medium into the trench, lightly filling the trench up to be level with the surrounding earth.

Step 11

Water the soil and Saint John’s wort well to pack the soil back down.

Step 12

Water the herbs twice a week and fertilize them once every 2 weeks. You should be able to harvest the leaves by mid July if you wish, or simply remove them as they are needed any time after that.