Treat your ashwagandha the same as tomato plants

They roam the west in vast wild herds, taking their name from Mexican Spanish “mestengo,” meaning "animal that strays." The Mustangs descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish hundreds of years ago. Because of their resilience and character, Mustangs lent their name to a car that Ford introduced in 1964, a car expected to sell fewer than 100,000 units for the first year. But America fell in love with the “pony car,” and more than 1 million Mustangs were built within 18 months.

The strength of horses appears in the herb garden where a small shrub goes by the Hindi name “Ashwagandha,” meaning “horse’s smell,” a reference to the pungent aroma as well as the plant’s ability to strengthen the human body.

According to the traditional Hindu medical practice known as Ayurveda, ashwagandha is used much like ginseng as a strengthening tonic. The secret to Ashwagandha seems to be the high concentration of a chemical called “withanolides,” which fights inflammation and tumor growth.  

The ashwagandha plant is not hardy below 20 degrees F, so most gardeners treat it as an annual. Because the shrub only grows about three feet tall, it can fit even in the smallest garden or in a large pot. Best of all, once it is settled, ashwagandha is drought-resistant, and gets by with almost no maintenance.

Treat your ashwagandha the same as tomato plants, growing them where they get plenty of sunshine. If growing in pots, choose a potting soil that drains well.  

To grow from seeds you can either plant the seeds directly in the garden or start them indoors and transplant them later. Sow the seeds about three-eighths of an inch deep. Once the seedlings are up, thin them to stand two feet apart.

Water the seedbed frequently to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. After two to three weeks, the seeds will germinate, so you can cut back watering and let the soil dry out a bit between waterings. Ashwagandha is quite self sufficient; there is no need to fertilize it or give it any special treatment. The plants are not usually bothered by insects, though they can develop leaf blight.

To make your own Ashwagandha tincture, you will use the roots. Cut the washed and dried roots into small pieces and put them in a jar of pure grain alcohol, being sure that all of the roots are ffully covered by the alcohol. Let the mixture sit for at least two weeks, then strain it and store it in bottles out of direct light or heat. You can also use the leaves as an herbal tea, steeping several leaves in boiling water. It is recommended that women not use ashwagandha if trying to conceive, or if they are pregnant or breast-feeding. As with any herbal medicine, always consult your doctor before using.

Grow your own horse-scented Ashwagandha, and you may find your garden life is so vigorous that wild horses couldn't drag you away.