Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a kind of chrysanthemum that has been cultivated in herb and medicinal gardens for millennia. Continue reading to discover more about feverfew plants. Moreover, I will tell you how to grow feverfew.
One can easily grow feverfew through a very simple method of planting seeds. All you need is high-quality and nutrient-dense soil, whether in your backyard or even in pots. In this article, I will walk you through a detailed process and essential aspects associated with growing feverfew.
About Feverfew Plant
Feverfew (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a flowering plant that has been used in the past to cure a variety of ailments including headaches, arthritis, and, as the name implies, fever.
The feverfew plant, which contains parthenolide, is being researched for pharmaceutical usage. Feverfew is a small bush that grows to about 20 inches (50 cm.) in height and can be found natively throughout central and southern Europe as well as the majority of North America.
Artemisia vulgaris is a dainty, white-flowered aromatic herb. It has tiny, white flower petals with brilliant yellow centers. Some gardeners claim that the leaves have a lemony scent. The flavor is pungent to some people. Once the growing feverfew weed infects a space, it can get out of control.
Feverfew, whether you’re interested in medicinal herbs or just the aesthetic aspects, is a great way to add interest to your garden. Feverfew plants may be found at many garden shops, or they can be produced from seed. Knowing how to do it is the key. You can begin feverfew seeds inside or outside if you want to cultivate them.
How To Grow Feverfew?
Feverfew seeds are widely available through mail-order catalogs or in local garden shops’ seed racks. Don’t be confused by its Latin name, as it’s also known as Tanacetum parthenium or Chrysanthemum parthenium. The seeds are Fine and most simply planted in little peat pots filled with moist, loamy soil.
Planting The Seeds
Place the feverfew seeds in a clean, dry container. Sprinkle a few seeds into the pot and tap it on the counter to settle them into place. When water is poured over the seeds, they may be dislodged, so be sure to spray them with water instead. In about two weeks, you should observe symptoms of Feverfew Seeds germination in the sun or under a grow light.
When the plants are 3 inches (7.5 cm.) tall, set them in their pots with the soil and roots still intact, and water them as necessary until the roots take hold. If you wish to cultivate feverfew in your garden, follow these steps. In early spring, when the ground is still chilly, sow the seeds over a bed of fine fertilizer mixed with compost or manure. Gently press down on the seeds to ensure that they contact all surfaces of the soil before sprinkling them over it.
Covering the seeds will harm them since they require light to germinate. Water using a mister so that you don’t wash the seeds away, as with the indoor seeds. In about 14 days, your feverfew herb should sprout. When the plants are 3 to 5 inches (7.5-10 cm.) tall, thin them to 15 inches (38 cm.) apart. If you want to grow your feverfew plant outside of an herb garden, all you need is a sunny location.
They’ll grow in most soil types, but they aren’t picky. They get leggy indoors, but they thrive outside in pots. Feverfew is a perennial plant, so remove it from the ground after frost and wait for it to return in the spring.
It readily reseeds, so you may wind up giving away new plants in as little as two years. The feverfew plant blooms from July to October.
Feverfew Propagation
You can germinate seeds indoors in late winter, or you may direct sow them in your yard after the risk of frost has passed.
Moreover, you may transplant the seedlings from your garden’s center. In addition, you can divide existing plants too.
1. Through Seeds
Place seeds on a hill after the last frost, sprinkling them with only a quarter of an inch of dirt. You may sow in rows several inches apart and thin to a foot apart after plants have reached a few inches tall. Maintain the soil wet until germination by watering lightly at first.
To get an early start, you may also sow seeds indoors in the early spring, usually five to seven weeks before the last frost.
In a bowl, combine 4 cups water with 1 tablespoon liquid ameliorant or neem oil. Stir in 2 teaspoons powdered actinidin and the nasturtium seedlings.
Set the pot with the desiccant in a bright area and keep it equally wet until seedlings sprout. Germination will take 10 to 14 days, depending on the temperature.
2. Through Transplants
Transplants may be set out in the garden after the last frost, once two true leaves have appeared. Plant in holes as deep as the root ball and space them about a foot apart.
Feverfew grows in all types of soil, although it is best suited for poor soils. After planting, water the soil thoroughly.
3. Through Division
The roots of feverfew, which are typically found in third-year plants, have a substantial taproot and numerous branched rhizomes.
To divide an established plant, dig a circle about a foot deep and a few inches wider than the plant and remove it from the ground in spring or fall, using a shovel to chop off the crown into three or four pieces.
Plant the transplants 18 inches apart at the same depth as the roots developed previously, and water well.
Feverfew Light Preferences
Feverfew is a long-day liana, which means blooming usually begins during the last days of the season. Plants will begin to bloom under short-day conditions after they have matured but on shorter stems.
Feverfew Harvesting
Leaves may be taken at any time throughout the season, and flowers can be gathered as soon as they appear. The plant’s essential oils are at their peak just before the blooming begins.
Pick flowers in the middle of the day after the dew has evaporated. Never pick up more than a third of the plant at once while harvesting leaves.
You may also save the seeds for future plantings. Cut the stalks and hang them upside down in a paper bag for a few days in a dark, dry location after the flower has faded and seed heads have dried.
Feverfew Preservation
Fresh flowers may be used to make tea or dried for later use.
If you have a dehydrator, you may dry the leaves and flowers on the lowest setting. Otherwise, hang the stems in bunches and hang them upside down in a dark, dry area for several days.
Remove the dried blossoms and leaves from the plants after they’re dry; keep them in a tightly sealed container in a dark cabinet.
You may make a tincture of fresh or dried leaves and flowers by placing them in an alcohol jar. Shake the container daily for several weeks to a month, after which strain out the plant matter.
Final Thoughts
I believe everyone needs to have feverfew plants in their homes. After all, they are easy to grow in pots. Moreover, they have several benefits. Now, you can easily grow it by following the simple techniques, I have explained here.
Read More!
Learn how to Make Thyme Oil.
Using Lavender Oil for Bed Bugs.
How to Make Rosehip Oil?
Know about the smell of lavender oil!
What blends well with Peppermint Essential Oil?