I am just barely beginning. I made a salve last year with chickweed in it. I told a friend about it and she said to make it better add Plantain to it. Next time, I 'll do this and also not make so much in one batch. We don't go through it that fast.
For the most part I buy herbal supplements because they are in measured doses. I'm nervous about taking too much of something. We just got in the ground some Black Cohosh that I hope to use medicinally.
Oh, I have to tell a funny story.... I gave some friends a garden tour of my place this spring. I pointed out the Wild Senna and one of them laughed and said, "Laxative Plant?!" She is a nurse and gives Senna to some of her patients. I grew it because it's native, but if it is thriving, I may collect the leaves.
About plantain, I dried some of those leaves to use instead of burdock to put on burns and cuts. It already grows here wild and I do not want to add another non-native to the area. Also, I learned something horrible about burdock recently, the seed heads are the inspiration for Velcro and think about what happens to any birds that land on it.
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/weekly/...