cultivation of herbs

[Guest guest]

Somebody mentioned how plants don't have the needed nutrients because

soil is depleted. Very true.

 

I used to own a greenhouse and do a lot of gardening and a little

farming. The basics are to improve the physical and nutrient quality

of your soil. You get less pest, weed, and disease problems because

the plants are healthier. (Kind of the same way for people and

animals too.) So it depends on the type of soil. If it's clay you add

compost and greensand. Sandy you add compost. That's is fixing the

physical.

 

I can't go into detail, that would require a book! but here's a bit

to get you started.

 

For the nutrient, add compost and manure. You can get chicken manure

by the ton. Look up in a book how much to add. And in the US you can

get your soil tested. Call your local extension agent to find out

how. I reccommend you get your soil tested, and add nutrients

according to what is lacking. Don't forget the micronutrients!

 

When i was living in Va, i ate what i grew and grew what i ate except

for a couple things. I became very copper deficient and had health

problems because the soils were poor in copper. Oops. When you shop

at the grocery store, food is grown in so many places that this

doesn't happen as readily. One farm is deficient in copper, another

in boron etc. So they often overlap as far as micro nutrients go. But

major stuff--- like calcium is often deficient everywhere.

 

Is it okay if i reccommend Eliot Coleman's books-- like the New

Organic Grower. He does double digging which is very labor intensive

and not necessary, but good info on much other things. Maps and such

for the US.

 

 

So yes-- get your soil amended and get the nutrients in it for

growing your herbs!! (Using organic materials and not artificial

fertilizers)

 

 

hope this helps

 

 

hope

 

PS-- i have a city apartment now and only northern exposure. I have

trouble getting pothos to grow!