Lifeline Medicinal Herb Garden, 18 medicinal herb seed packets, organic
$39.95
Packed in earth-friendly recycled paper and cellophane, under our colorful sprouting herb seeds logo: Holy Basil (Temperate Tulsi); Gobo Burdock; Mixed Calendula; German Chamomile; Echinacea purpurea; Elecampane; Evening Primrose; Feverfew; Brown Flax; Lemon Balm; Marshmallow; Official Motherwort; Stinging Nettles; Cayenne Pepper; Garden Sage; Official Valerian; Wood Betony and Yarrow. Price shown is a discount.
18 full-sized seed packets, Certified Organically Grown
For more information about the individual herbs and how to plant and grow them, check the individual monographs on this website. The packets provided in Lifeline are the same size as the packets available individually through this website. richo
In stock
Question
Imani –
I see that it gives some information on the plant seed packaging. Does the package have the best time to plant these on them? Or is there a guidebook that I can buy?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Imani,
Thanks for your note. The packages contain individualized sowing suggestions according to the species. You can also look up the individual monographs on our website, where there is more room for giving specific instructions. Lifeline seeds are easy germinators–you just use standard horticultural technique and you’ll see good results.
Richo
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Question
Heather –
Can these be grown in a garden setting all together?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Heather! Yes, if you grew them all together in a garden setting then your garden would look like mine. Richo
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Question
Marla (verified owner) –
Hello! Will these grow well in Eastern Tennessee? Thankyou! 🙂
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Richo Cech –
Hi Marla, You’d be in the USDA zone 6 to 7 which is very good for these–they are primarily herbaceous perennials that need a winter dormancy. richo
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Mary DiPierro –
How would these do in containers in SWFL
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Richo Cech –
Hi Mary, We did this once, actually, here in Southern Oregon, by planting each packet to a gallon pot. It worked well! Basically planting that many herbs to any given environment, you’re going to have some that do just great and others that fizzle. SWFL would be no exception. Planting lifeline is a good way to find out a good number of useful herbs that grow well for you in your locality. Richo
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Rhiannon Miller –
When planting “a packet to gallon pot” when the season ends what do you do with the gallon pots for winter dormancy?! Left outside or under a cover ? I can’t seem to get mine to come back the next year wondering what I’m doing wrong.. 💜
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Richo Cech –
hi rhiannon, normally the gallon pot is one stage of working the plant up to put out to the garden, field or landscape. It can be challenging to keep a plant alive in a gallon pot for year after year. It is better to put them in real dirt somewhere. If plants must be kept potted, a 3-gallon pot per plant works better. check the zone designations for overwinter-ability. herbaceous perennials usually do overwinter pretty well. mulch and keep protected. r
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Question
Chrissy –
Hello! I am very into preparedness, but the one thing I’ve neglected is seeds! Both vegetable and medicinal, i would like to add to my stockpiles. Can you tell me, how are these best stored for the long term? Do seeds go bad? I’ve never actually grown anything, so there’s much I don’t know. Thanks so much for your time and the wonderful selection. I love that you have collections, it certainly makes things easier for a beginner and I’m also finding it inspiring, I suddenly want to see what I can make grow and I look forward to learning everything I can about the usefulness of plants.
May this new year be better than the last one, may it bring you peace, joy, and prosperity!
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Richo Cech –
Hi Chrissy,
For all practical purposes, the seeds will last 3 years if stored in their paper packaging in a sealed jar in the fridge. We recommend “hoedown” and “lifeline.”
Richo
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Question
E H Wyatt –
Will these grow well on the equator?
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Richo Cech –
Not really, these seeds are chosen for temperate gardens. Some will work, for instance I’ve seen reasonable plantings of Echinacea purpurea grwoing in Hawaii.
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Question
gramie3n –
How long until this will be available?
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Richo Cech –
All seeds are currently available by mailorder (that is, send us your address, items requested, and payment in the mail to PO Box 299, Williams, OR 97544). We’ll start selling seeds online again on Sep 1, 2020.
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Paula Drouin –
Zones – do we know if these are all ok to grow in Zone 4?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Paula, They are all chosen for a wide applicability to temperate zones. The specific zone recommendations may be found on the individual monographs. Richo
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Jessica C Mendelsohn –
The last picture in this listing: what is that?? I found that very plant growing in my garden this year & have no idea what it is!
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Richo Cech –
Not sure what you’re looking at. the last picture in the gallery is a burdock root harvest laid out on the grass
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Michele –
How many of the 18 will grow on Oahu?
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Richo Cech –
Probably all except german chamomile, which is very temperate-dependent.
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Question
Janice –
Will these medicinal herb garden grow in Javksknville fl . And can they grow in large containers
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Richo Cech –
Hi Janice,
I’d go for the “Essential Medicinals” instead, and yes, they do well in pots.
Richo
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Rose –
How well will these do in Arizona?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Rose, It really depends on your situation/facilities there. It you have a garden like the one I saw in Bisbee when I was there, with fences and deep, rich soil and water, then you will do well with lifeline. If you have open desert, then not. Richo
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Question
YVONNE TOTA –
How many seeds are in each packet?
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Richo Cech –
these are full-size packets, you can find the seed counts under the individual monographs.
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Question
Jovahna –
Would it be possible to grow most of these in large containers for my rooftop?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Jovahna, My daughter sena once grew a lifeline set out, planting one packet per container. She ended up with 16 out of 18. Not a bad show. You can do the same. Rooftops rock.
Richo
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Kathy lesch –
Hello…. I live in 8b growing zone in northern calif….due to trees and roots in my back yard I need to grow most of my veggies and herbs in half barrows and grow bags,and pots,.My question is , will the essential herbs and life line herbs Grow in these containers ok or do they need more room. Also the plants that come back every year, do I need to loosen dirt or add dirt or transplant and amend yearly or leave the plants alone.? Thank you
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Richo Cech –
Hi Kathy,
That’s a fine way to grow the lifeline and essential medicinals, most of which are perennials. What comes up for me is to not overcrowd the species together, but give each a bag, and the plants do like a bit of soil loosening (often as a result of weeding) and will be happiest when allowed to throw their roots down into terra firma. If that happens, then you don’t need to fertilize.
Richo
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Question
Jonathan –
Hello! Hope all is well. I purchased this seed collection and I am not sure what I am able to plant now because of the weather and timing. It is hard to find good information on these many nice plants. I am in Zone 9b near Sacramento California. Thank you so much for your help.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Jonathan, Most of these are herbaceous perennials that may be fall-planted in Sac City. I have seen very good results from setting up a sufficient number of gallon pots, filling with compost, and planting one packet per pot. Thin to 3 per pot and transplant when sized up. You end up with more plants than you know what to do with. Richo
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Jonathan –
Thanks for the advice. I did as you said and here outside of Sacramento, it has been average 100° F for the past week. 15/18 plants germinated within 5 days. Amazing. I look forward to their continued growth and will keep you updated. How can I post pictures?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Jonathan,
Good work! You can post pictures along with a review instead of a comment. You click on the stars and that opens it up.
Richo
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Ann Hulett –
Hi, What is the difference between Betony and Wood Betony? I read that they are two different plants. Is this true?
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Richo Cech –
Hi there,
Betony could be Pedicularis or it could be Stachys officinalis. I don’t currently offer pedicularis, which is difficult from seed, and I find Stachys officinalis to be very conducive in herbal medicine and an easy grow from seeds. We call it “wood betony” but it is indeed a shared common name.
Richo
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Geoffrey Nielson –
I reside in Izard County, Arkansas. Will my medicinal seed (18) grow well here?
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Richo Cech –
Hi there, Izard county is where the very famous herbalist Steven Foster had “Izard Ozark Natives.” Her grew all the plants that are in lifeline. You’re good.
Richo
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Jana Davies –
Will these grow well in Fresno California? We have mild spring and hot summers? If yes when is best time to plant?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Jana,
Lifeline is chosen for adaptability to many climates and the planting times will vary according to species. Many of them are still applicable for this year in Fresno. Good advice specific to the species is printed directly on the packet.
Best regards,
Richo
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Question
miriam tassinare –
would the packets included in the Lifeline set be good for zone 7b, North Central Florida? If not, what medicinals do you recommend? We already have lots of comfrey, ginger and turmeric
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi there Miriam,
Yes, the herbs in Lifeline were chosen for adaptability. Zone 7b is a great growing zone, I think you will have good luck growing these easy and useful herbs. I know I do, and I’m in a Z 7, too.
richo
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Question
Jim –
Hello! I’m a new gardener and I’m happy that this collection is a good starter. It contains a lot of different plant seeds. What size area would I need to prepare for these plants? Thanks in advance for your help!
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Jim,
Under the circumstances I would prepare one gallon pot for each seed packet, label appropriately, and thin to maybe 6 plants per pot, then when the seedlings size up, plant out to recommended spacing. This info is on each packet. In the end, you could fill a 10 by 100 foot bed, more or less depending on the care given to each species, and how many seedlings you start and save.
Richo
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Question
Martine –
I’ve just discovered your site. I live in mission British Columbia. I’m am just starting out and am not really a great gardener yet. I’m interested in your lifeline package and your tea package. Is this a good first choice.
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Admin Richo Cech –
Yes, the Lifeline collection especially is meant for beginning medicinal herb gardeners. These particular seeds are relatively easy to start and keep growing, they are chosen for wide adaptability to gardens north and south, and in terms of western herbal medicine they are core species. Richo
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Karl Buchanan –
I refer a lot more people than I get chances to shop myself. This year I will be enlarging my growing and putting some seeds back for next year too. Strictly medicinal sets standards anybody can rely on for hardy, pharmacal quality species.
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Admin Richo Cech –
“I had a friend introduce me to your business from a catalog he had requested. I was immediately intrigued by the wide selection of plant strains that are mostly unheard of where I live in central Arkansas. I ordered the ‘lifeline’ package you guys have and I have never been so pleased with a purchase or quality of seed. My germination with your seeds was so prolific that I gave many seedlings away after transplanting the ones I wanted. Now that it is summer we are experiencing an early drought and the quality of your strains prove themselves again by thriving in the heat producing beautiful medicinally packed blooms, leaves, and fruits. I cant wait to see the excellent yield from the root crops next year and I now have a place to direct people who want nothing but reliable, high quality seeds to enrich their lives and gardens. It has been nothing but an absolute pleasure to find you guys and to continue growing the well loved plant strains that you have so carefully tended to. You truly are making the world a greener place and thats a wonderful thing.”
Your new life customer,
JB
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Admin Richo Cech –
One evening Mayche and I were taking a stroll in the gardens. I took her elbow and guided her between the evening primroses with their yellow, mucilaginous blooms and the burdock, with its velcroed seedheads ready to burst into genetic infinity. A dragonfly swooped by, while a striped pheonix moth unfolded its inch-long proboscis into a waiting garden sage flower. In the sky, an amorphous white cloud was illuminated from behind by the setting sun, superimposed against the darkening blue of the heavens. Inspired by this tiny set of events, or perchance listening subliminally to the chattering of the plants themselves, we began to discuss putting together a set of herb seeds that would embody the foundation for a diverse medicinal garden that would contribute to every aspect of health and well-being, and making this set of seeds available to people at a very low cost, so that more would find it possible to buy them and realize the benefits. That way, our gardening friends wouldn’t have to choose. We would choose for them. “Let’s call it the LIFELINE garden,” said Mayche. “Its like throwing people a lifeline to bring them back to health.” “I like it,” I said. Then Mayche (ever the shopper) said, “And, its like lifeline pricing at the co-op, where they sell organically grown stuff like brown rice, potatoes, and dried beans for just over cost, to make sure that everybody has enough to eat. “OK,” I said.
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rachael allen –
I am curious about timing of shipping. I live in Portland OR. Thanks!
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi there, Thanks for staying in touch. Currently (Dec 12, 2018), very fast turnaround on this end–sometimes even same-day shipping. Concerned about arrival before xmas? Order immediately, and leave a note to “rush” in customer comments field at checkout. Thinking of putting this off until February? Please be aware that despite working around the clock we can get behind at that time of year. Best advice? Order early.
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Amy –
Will these grow in Oklahoma well? I live in zone 7. I was worried it might get too hot here. When is the best time to start growing these if my area is a good place?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Amy,
Medicinal herbs of this nature adapt wonderfully to many climates. Zone 7 is a great place for them. Our summers are somewhat hotter than your’s, and we are growers of these plants. The time to start them is spring.
Richo
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