Richo's Blog

Tulsi (Holy Basil) Type Comparisons

How does one disambiguate a subject so complex? Holy Basil, a plant that is gentle and healing to body, mind and spirit should bring happiness, not confusion! The commonality of all types (species/cultivars) is that the leaves may be eaten fresh, used in cooking, or best yet picked, dried, and made into tea.

Echinacea Species Comparisons

Our 9 native American Echinacea species come from distinct habitats yet adapt readily to cultivation in the organic garden.

Growing True Comfrey From Seeds

The flowers of True Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) are generally very richly arrayed and colored dark purple. The leaves are lance-shaped and not so broad as those of Russian Comfrey. True Comfrey is really the nicest of the Comfrey clan in my opinion.

White Sage: Planting, Growing And Harvesting

White Sage (Salvia apiana) seed harvest has begun, the giant plants lifting their aromatic fronds to the summer sun. I hurry to get a hit before the birds do the job for me!

Growing Mandrake — Beyond The Basics

Growing mystical plants requires a certain amount of consciousness on the part of the gardener, and for best results one allows the plants to call the shots. This is only to the extent of one’s willingness to let go of control. One never really knows where it will all go. Simply wishing the plant to do well seems to be the best approach.

Medicinal Herb Seeds Per Gram

Granted that careful planting of a small packet of seeds sometimes gives more results than a haphazard planting of a much greater number of the same seeds, yet still, it is nice to have access to larger quantities of seeds. Often labor and materials may be minimized and plant happiness maximized by planting directly in the garden or field, and this requires more seeds than when one uses a more controlled greenhouse technique.

Origins of Aloe vera

There in Misali, I was discovering my own circular route, from childhood familiarity with Aloe vera in America, to the splendid diversity found in Africa, and eventually… back home again. RICHO CECH The…

Weeding With Feelers Out

The higher you are on the pyramid, up there collecting your volunteers, the better the view! — Richo Cech The Wasabi (Wasabia japonica) patch was long overdue for a bit of…

2019 14th International Herb Symposium

It seems that as one begins to study herbs, the plant’s essence infuses one’s entire life with joy. People become happier, healthier, more in balance and in tune with their inner…

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About

Richo is an internationally recognized expert on the cultivation, processing and usage of medicinal plants. He is the author of the popular herbal, Making Plant Medicine. His life-long interest in seed saving lead to extensive travel and plant exploration, largely in the USA and Africa but also in South America, China and Europe. This collection of seeds, including numerous unique introductions and rare plants as well as many common medicinal plants and permacultural trees, is currently conserved and multiplied in his greenhouses and gardens.

Strictly Medicinal, LLC is the name of this organic seed company and nursery based in Williams, Oregon. The mission is to sow seeds worldwide for the benefit of people, plants and the planet.