“Growing Plant Medicine Vol 1,” by Richo Cech, illustrated by Sena Cech

(12 customer reviews)

$29.95

“Growing Plant Medicine, Vol. 1” is the much-expanded version of the original “The Medicinal Herb Grower.”

The book consists of:

“Theory and practice of natural garden techniques, newly augmented with bioregional medicinal plant recommendations, garden plans and materia medica.  Arranged by plant families,  alphabetically by kinship and common name.  Families A through H.  The rest of the alphabet will be left to Volume 2, which is in production.  This is a personal book, filled with ruminations on gardening and herbalism coming from a lifetime of observing, growing and advocating for medicinal herbs.  I hope the information is helpful and that you enjoy the style. ”

354 pages, Soft Cover

$29.95 USD

shipping is free on this website and within the USA

Realistically illustrated by Sena Cech, with line drawings of the actual plants, flowers, seeds, seedlings, mice and more.  

“As for the way of herbalism, my experience is that discovering what the herbs are used for is mighty useful.  How much better still when they teach me. . . what I am good for.”  –Richo Cech

 

In stock

Share your thoughts!

5 out of 5 stars

12 reviews

Let us know what you think...

What others are saying

  1. Kathy

    Great book,...

    Kathy (verified owner)

    I love, love this book. It makes me want to go live on the homestead. Even so, it has left me with a question, the book talks about the importance of plants, I have read that the leaves from magnolia trees have herbicide properties. Is this true?

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Kathy, Thanks for writing and thank you for reading the book. I haven’t heard that about magnolia, but i do know that herbicide residues cause magnolia leaves to deform. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  2. Erin Whittingham

    i dream for these kind of details

    Erin Whittingham (verified owner)

    Hi Richo and team, thank you so, so much for learning each plant and then sharing it with us. I love the book. Growing just got a whole lot easier and less stressful since I don’t have to research the needs and wants of each little plant. I can rely on your book (no screens needed – yippee!), and then experiment from there. Thankful for your life’s work <3

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  3. laura.mangels

    Detailed, Practical wisdom

    laura.mangels (verified owner)

    What a fantastic book. Thanks to the detailed instructions therein, I’m encouraged to try my hand with herbs I would normally have never considered. Costus and Tennessee purple coneflower, here I come! I have many gardening and herb books, and this level of detail has always been missing for me. I can’t wait for volume 2.

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 3 out of 3 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Laura, Thanks so much for taking a moment to add one more drop of honey to the good tea that makes up the world. As we speak, I’m well into the sages of Volume 2. Completion is somewhere there on the horizon, I can almost see it. Richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (3) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • laura.mangels (verified owner)

      I appreciate the use of stories. I’m noticing how much more deeply the lessons seem to go! I am appreciating all the practical wisdom too, and feeling excited to enjoy the development of my young garden. Dreaming of so many medicines for my people and my wider community! And I am enjoying, relying on, and widely sharing my steady harvests of thriving SM-seed mullein and coastal yarrow in the meantime (two that managed to naturalize before things took a busy turn). Getting back to it now and really so grateful to have this book!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  4. lingling_exeros

    Best book on the topic

    lingling_exeros (verified owner)

    Your connection with the land and the plants, and the real experience coming from that, comes through these pages, in addition to the wealth of information. Very delightful illustrations. I am thankful to have encountered this book, a true gift.

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  5. 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
    Liz Clark

    A Joy to Read, Learn, & Grow

    Liz Clark

    Hi and thank you Richo and Sena! I have never learned so much from any book…ever! Though I haven’t yet read your others 😉 The illustrations are such a fun and beautiful touch. Anywhoo here’s a big, heartfelt t h a n k  y o u.

    On a personal note, I’ve been on this kind of quest to learn how to have a truly symbiotic relationship with the earth. I went to school for landscape architecture, worked as a designer and at different botanical gardens –  and became frustrated because of the way plants are viewed and (mis)treated. I was in a kind of crisis bc I’m like I love plants and the earth and I don’t know what’s right? but it’s not what I’m doing. That’s where this book is so unique and helpful!

    This book is the most beautifully useful gardening book because of your true love, respect, and extensive knowledge in how to nurture plants, the soil, and ecosystems in a thoughtful way. I really appreciated the fun stories and useful tips sprinkled throughout, and the practical examples of how you sew love into what you do. 

    ALSO – For over a year I have been stumped on what to do with this one small piece of garden where the gophers kill everything save some alyssum, but a box was just too harsh. Now I’m stoked on the tortuga!!! Woohoo looking forward to the next edition!

    Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  6. Question

    Dustin Bryant

    Hello, I am very excited about the this book and I am looking forward for the new updated copy. As soon as I see it is available, I’m grabbing one immediately

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi dustin, yes, thank you! we’re still working on the index, trying to organize 2,000 plant names, life tends to intervene, but we’re making progress. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  7. 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
    claire griffin

    Hello

    claire griffin

    Will the book be available as a PDF/download? I will be traveling and will not be able to receive land mail. 🙏

    Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      we will try to do this!

      Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Taylor Shaw

      Hello! I was wondering if you had an idea when this book will be available once again. Thank you!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hello Taylor, everyone who hits “waitlist” on this is going to get notification when “Growing Plant Medicine,” the expanded edition of “TMHG” is available. We’re currently working on the indexes so it is a nearly completed work. Thank you very much for your interest, it is 366 very dense pages of herbal inspiration. Richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  8. Question

    conniehoffman55

    ohmygoodness!!! I totally missed out on a book I would LOVE to read – what a bummer!! I wish it could be re-printed the way it reads in addition to the new version…I just would love to read the original! Please dig me up a copy for me of the original in your garden, Richo!! Thank you and many blessings to you and your family and your amazing plants. The Lord made sure that we can take care of our health and bodies naturally – I have so much to learn! You are a blessing to us all, Richo!

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi connie, thanks for wanting to read the book, i have a couple of copies, they are not covered in dirt but may have bent corners. e-mail me your address to herbseed@budget.net and i’ll send you one. i’ve completed writing the updated version, it is being edited and formatted, it will be available quite soon. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • NikiDee

      I can’t wait for the new edition BUT if you have an old edition available I’d be happy to by that now.

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Niki, I searched my whole office and found exactly ONE remaining and something tells me i should probably keep it. i’m still editing the new book as we speak! richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • tonya792001

      Looking forward to the new version! Any idea on a date yet?

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      just now is saturday morning and we’re working on the 1,500 entry plant index–everything has to be right, it takes some time, we’re on the cusp of publishing, and THANK YOU so much for wanting it! r

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  9. One person found this helpful
    phd.permaculture.homestead.design

    The Medicinal Herb Grower: A Guide for Cultivating Plants That Heal by Richo Cech

    phd.permaculture.homestead.design

    Fun to read, full of personal stories and tall tales

    Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  10. One person found this helpful
    Mistique Angel Davis

    My All Time Favorite Garden Book!

    Mistique Angel Davis

    This is by far the best gardening book I have ever read! I generally interact with my garden books as reference books, looking up what I am curious about, but this one is actually fun to read! I read it from front to back. It’s full of information and I always recommend this book when someone asks me what garden book to get. And the had drawn illustrations are adorable!

    Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi mistique, wow thank you that is lovely to hear, there are very few people who make the effort as you did to let us know. um, i do think you’ll enjoy the updated version that is coming out soon. r

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Jessica Farina

      When will the new version be out? I can’t wait to read it !!!
      Thank you ?
      Jessica

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi jessica. you’ll see it soon, entitled “growing plant medicine.” Included will be a new formulary and 10 bioregional herb gardens of 37 species each = 370 + herbs to peruse. r

      Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Glenda

      Pls send us a reminder email! I will love to but the book!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 3 out of 3 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      ok, we’ll try to connect the “TMHG” waitlist with “Growing Plant Medicine” when it comes out. We will have plenty of books, and there will be fanfare. r

      Upvote if this was helpful (3) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  11. 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
    lazywildswan

    Excellent and accurate detail, interspersed with Richo's garden stories...worth it just for the stories

    lazywildswan (verified owner)

    Richo gives better detail than the assigned reading for my Chinese medicine study, and everything is really well-written. Mayche edited the book with the precision of old-time New York Times book review editors, so it is a pleasure to read. But, even if you just want to learn more about herbs, but do not want to grow them, this book will be well-worth buying.

    Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  12. 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
    stevemac2667

    Great reference

    stevemac2667

    This book not only tells you how to grow herbs, it teaches you how you can adapt and use the basics the author gives to create the conditions you will need to grow just about any herb you come across. The principle of teaching how to fish rather than just giving you the fish.
    You wont need to have hundreds of pages in a lot of volumes to grow any herb with only knowing the basics of where a plant grows on it’s own. You can then create the mini ecosystem ( conditions,,) to grow nearly any herb you will ever come across. Critical thinking directed by the basic facts.
    I now have all three of his books and although each works alone, they really give you a lot of deeper understanding of each herb and its properties when all three are used together.
    Whether you just want to propagate herbs for your own use or you want to sell the herb plants , this book is the best bang for your bucks I can find.

    Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  13. 6 out of 6 people found this helpful
    Tim Roberts

    My favourite herb growing book.

    Tim Roberts

    As someone who is primarily a TCM herbalist, but who actually does grow herbs, this book was both informative, and entertaining. It does cover the essence of herb growing quite well. A lot of vegetable gardeners are utterly awful when it comes to herbs (as they seem to think that everything likes the conditions that most garden vegetables enjoy). A book from someone who appreciates the difference in conditions that radically different plants need is a refreshing change.

    Pretty certainly the best book I’ve read on growing herbs, and certainly the most readable one, doing you the favour of getting the essence of how to do it (mostly by imitating the plants natural habitat) rather than a guide of temperature, water, shade etc measurements that a plant will cope with.

    If you want a ‘how to’ manual with a list of steps, this isn’t it. If you want to understand how you go about learning planting from the plants, then this will suit you fine.

    Upvote if this was helpful (6) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Tim,
      Thank you for this, it was really fun for me to read this, I wish I could give you something for writing that!
      Richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (2) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • conniehoffman55

      Tim, you are so right on! I am a 70-yr old veggie gardener who has grown veggies and a few culinary herbs my whole life. I could never understand why I wasn’t successful at growing medicinal herbs which I have recently been so interested in growing. Then Richo sent me a copy of TMHG and I finally understand….veggies are the work-horse of the garden and medicinal herbs are angels who are blessing our bodies with natural herbals for our health and well-being! Richo taught me to pay attention to each herb as an individual and what it needs to be happy in the garden…..not to mention how much the pollinators LOVE these herbs!! Thank you so much Richo – it’s so cool to find REAL people in this dark world!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi connie, thanks for writing. yes, you have it right, the veggies, as cultigens, can be pretty tame in comparison to some of our herbs. i’m super excited about the new book because it has a lot more in-depth info on what each plant might need to be happy. yesterday i came face to face with a caterpillar hanging from an errant meadowsweet stalk, in the process of becoming a chrysalis. i was like, wow, it really does make a difference! r

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  14. 4 out of 4 people found this helpful
    Robin

    Robin

    I love this book – I reread it every year to draw inspiration, fine-tune a compost recipe, discover forgotten pearls of wisdom. Will there ever be a volume 2?? I hope so! Unfortunately this book was stolen with my backpack last year, and after several months without, I MUST replace it now that it’s spring. This is a very readable, digestible, entertaining source of knowledge and inspiration if you love gardening with medicinals.

    Upvote if this was helpful (4) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • conniehoffman55

      Richo – thank you from the bottom of my heart for one of your copies of this most excellent book!! I must admit I am a guilty vegetable gardener that didn’t know that growing herbs is quite different from growing veggies – (quite right, Tim Roberts). I now look at every plant I grow to learn about what conditions it needs to grow to it’s fullest and happiest best!! I am already re-working my new design changes for the rapidly-approaching spring – thanks again!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi, my pleasure, it really is about finding the appropriate niche for each perennial, and if you change up your garden design with things like walls, pathways and water features, then that diversifies the choices. r

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • godsgem4life

      Hi Richo, will you be sharing couple pages as an example? I’m interested in your book but would like to know if I could read rather than on my shelf like so many others. 😉

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Good day to ya, I do think that Amazon does a “look inside” link that gives a preview. The new book is 400 pages of something for everyone. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

×

Login

Register

A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address.

Continue as a Guest

Don't have an account? Sign Up