What do you grow for your hair?

[sheepofshalott]

Next spring I have plans to plant stinging nettle, rosemary, catnip, and lavender for hair teas. I've planted a prickly pear cactus and found some seeds of Senna Italica and if they germinate I'll have my very own source of cassia!

What are you growing just for your hair? Has anyone experimented with making their own essential oils?

[misspurdy06]

I grow rosemary and lemon balm.

I just make a toner/fragrance/hair rinse.

[Lady McHuerta]

I use rosemary quite a bit, both for cooking and hair teas and tonics. Lavender is my second favorite herb. I'm thinking of planting chammomile for my toddler as she has light-brown hair, kind of like the color of honey. If anyone else has any suggestions for either dark brown or light brown hair I'd love to read about them. I have also used Rue, it does cause contact dermatitis and does not smell very well, but I liked using it as an after-shower hair rinse.

I love planting herbs for my hair. After leaving behind all my lovelies when we purchased our first home I did not have time to plant my herb garden. Our backyard was in such disrepair that it was a fire-hazard and took a long time to clean up. Harzardous waste, old paint, toxic plant chemicals and 3 storage sheds filled with trash littered our back-yard. By the time we had our yard cleaned-up I wanted to let the ground lie fallow for at least a year before I put anything in the ground. Getting pregnant and finishing my BA and Masters definitely helped keep me busy. This past Spring DH and I started our planting boxes and began our vegetable and herbal garden. Next Spring should bring more hair-friendly herbs into my backyard.

I find that researching the herbs is just as much fun as the planting and cultivating.

[Viscountess]

I have a balcony garden - I have pots of catnip and rosemary growing. Lavendar I simply cant seem to grow unfortunately!

[JessL]

I have lavandar and found I had a hard time getting it startrd but once I did its easy. Out of a whole pack of seeds I got 3 plants.

I would like to do catnip but there are lots of cats around and once a seedling comes up they roll around on it and end up killing it

I definately want to do more herbs next year

[sheepofshalott]

I've been trying to grow lavender for five years and have never managed to keep the seedlings alive. I think next year I'll just have to give in and buy plants!

JessL - I have field fencing around my garden and it only keeps cats out when they want to be kept out. I think before spring I'm going to have to invest in some electric netting. Between the cats, goats, poultry, and an escape artist pig my gardens will be devastated! Have you tried cloching the seedlings until they get larger?

[islandboo]

I grow catmint and catnip. I have the catnip in the ground around my deck and in pots on the deck and they have done okay despite my herd-o-cats and all the neighborhood visitors.

[ccmso12]

I dont plant anything for my hair . . .but I do have stinging nettle all around my house, a very pesky weed . . .what do you do with it for your hair????:confused:

[sheepofshalott]

I rinse my hair with the leftover tea and infusion that I drink! My hair always looks amazing after.

Here's a link about nettle, though I'm sure there's more info out there specifically about it in relation to hair.

Eating nettles or drinking the tea makes your hair brighter, thicker and shinier, and makes your skin clearer and healthierógood for eczema and other skin conditions. Commercial hair- and skin care products in health food stores often list stinging nettle as an ingredient. Nettles have cleansing and antiseptic properties, so the tea is also good in facial steams and rinses. (http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Nettle.html)

[Of the Fae]

Wow that sounds like I want to grow my own nettles :)
We have them everywhere in Holland anyway, but it is good to have them nearby, since they also work well for calming the nerves and the digestive system :D
I grow rosemary and mint, but I never knew I could make hair tea from rosemary :) Could anyone tell me about the benefits :)?

[sheepofshalott]

I believe there's a hair tea thread somewhere that should have some info on rosemary rinses. Rosemary is known to stimulate hair follicles, slow down shedding, and darken gray hair. I wouldn't use on light hair.

I had three nice, big rosemary plants but one of my pigs got to it. :(
When he's in the freezer all will be safe again!

I don't use rosemary often because it darkens my highlights but it does add some amazing shine!

[Of the Fae]

Rosemary darkens? Hmm.. Too bad, I could really use follicle stimulation :) Like everybody here (grow grow grow!)

[ccmso12]

so how do I use this pesk weed??? Or process it for tea???? (The stinging nettle)

[sheepofshalott]

Pick the first 5,6 inches off a young plant and it will regrow to pick again. Make sure they haven't been sprayed with chemicals. Hang to dry or use fresh.

An infusion releases more oils so would be nice to leave on for a bit as a treatment. Fill a jar half way with nettles then pour boiling water to the top. Cap, leave overnight, and strain when ready to use. I prefer the tea on my hair because it's less trouble.

An infusion might also temporarily stain pale hair green but mine does fine.

[cheetahfast]

I don't know if this counts, I just started growing tomatoes. I eat so many of them as is. My grandmother was convinced they were what made her hair grow back after her third battle with cancer (she had many rounds of chemo). She started eating them with everything since they were easy to chew and she would make these wonderful stuffed-baked ones.

Since tomatoes are a lycopene, they're supposed to be anti-carcinogenic. Maybe that's what helped her. Honestly, she had such thick hair I think nothing could kill it! My Dad is approaching 60 with a thick full head of hair.

I think eating fruits is good for the body and does aid hair growth; the results are not as strong from using some of the herbs listed here in treatments.

[Othala]

I grow Rosemary and Lavender to make macerated oils.

[ccmso12]

all so very complicated for me! But mabey my secret santa will be a garden gnome in disguise and send me some dried 'stuff' . . .just make sure to label it either edible, hairabl, or both

[jeanniet]

I grow rosemary, and we do have lavender, but not really enough for the amount I use in making my herbal rinses. I'd like to try growing soapwort, but haven't found a local supplier for the plants yet, although I think I might be able to order them. I may try that next spring.

What is the prickly pear for? I have a couple planted for my tortoises, but I didn't know you could use them for hair!

[sheepofshalott]

Hmmm, I've never thought of using soapwort on hair. I'll have to look that up!

I've read that prickly pear juice is a good hair conditioner. I haven't tried yet it but the next time I feel like driving the 3 hours to the nearest ethnic market I'm going to pick some up. If it doesn't work for me at least I can eat it!

[Sookie]

I want to grow catnip! When is the right season to plant it?

[JessL]

Sheepofshallot-I hadn't thought about a cloche, that might work!

Islandboo, what do you use catmint for? I have a ton of that.

[The_Redhead]

Another way to keep the kitties from rolling in the catnip is wire cages (think small birdcage). If the cage is fairly small the nip just grows up through it and you can't really see it. Kitties can still nibble, but that just makes it thicker.

Shannon