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Herbal Cultivation session 5

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•
F
Fluke Fox

This document discusses creating an environment for growing herbs. It recommends mulching soil rather than digging and provides examples of herbs that grow well in different soil and light conditions, such as mints in shady areas and garlic and onions in sunny spots. The document also discusses bringing some herb plants indoors over winter and integrating herbs into existing flower and vegetable gardens.

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© Copyright PCNM 2011 Exploring the Growing Environment In this session we will be looking at: Managing the Soil and the Herb Growing Environment
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life Drawing by Keith Robertson
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • It is no coincidence that the planet Earth and the earth that we also call soil, share the same name, for they are both living systems. • Because the soil comes from the earth it is composed of and utilises the same molecules and elements that planet Earth produces, its composition is a microcosm of Earth, including Carbon, Silica, all minerals, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and other gases dissolved in rainwater - the water itself providing a binding agent.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • The soil provides a home and has a symbiotic relationship with many living organisms. • The earthworm is possibly the most important animal, as it not only aerates the soil as it passes through, but it actually enriches the soil it puts out after eating in its casts. • Darwin said that the earthworm is the greatest ploughman, drawing down humus in the form of leaves, so that without them the soil could not survive in good health for long.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • It is estimated that the combined weight of all the microbial cells on Earth is 25 times that of its animal life - every acre of well-cultivated land contains up to half a tonne of thriving microorganisms, not to mention up to a tonne of earthworms, which can excrete a tonne daily of humic castings. • The mycelium (the root-like part) of fungi can even make traps by forming loops, capturing eelworms etc which they then digest. • There are many different types of bacteria and other one-celled animals in the soil: the most important ones are the nitrogen-fixing bacteria. There is also a plethora of other insects, e.g. centipedes and spiders.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life! • Plants act as our go-between to help us access these nutrients out of the earth, by absorbing minerals with legumes even providing a base, in the form of nodules on their roots, which nitrogen-fixing bacteria can work from. • We can start to appreciate the basic cycle of life when we observe vegetation matter in the form of fallen leaves, dead trees, or any dead vegetable matter, which begins to decompose where it lies. • It is mainly the action of fungi and bacteria which break down the vegetative matter into humus and humic acid.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • This organic matter from living beings needs to go back into the soil to be reprocessed and therefore made available to other living beings, including ourselves. • It is the application of modern science and man-made substances which is threatening to break this basic recycling of life:- by employing chemical rather than natural fertiliser for the soil, as well as the chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. which are carelessly sprayed all over our land.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • Mechanical means also affect the health of the soil. Heavy machinery used to dig up the less fertile under soil, thus burying the topsoil, compresses the earth beneath it - reducing the ability of plants to grow through. By this process the aeration that the earthworms have provided is lost, as well as the rich topsoil, now made inaccessible underneath sub soil.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • The topsoil, which contains the most fertile components of the soil, is its most fragile part. If the earth was the size of a grape, then topsoil would be represented by the ephemeral bloom of the wild yeast on the grape.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life “Every individual has the opportunity to be part of the solution or part of the problem. As humans and caretakers of the earth, we have a responsibility to enhance nature's cycle by being aware of nature's tried and tested processes and working with them to the best of our abilities. Grow, buy, be organic – Save the Planet!” Keith Robertson MSc FNIMH Scottish School of Herbal Medicine • See also The Organic Federation of Australia www.aco.net.au
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • RECOMMENDED READING: • Secrets of the Soil, Peter Tomkins & Christopher Bird, Arkana, 1989. • Fertility Without Fertilisers, Lawrence D. Hills., Henry Doubleday Research Association, 1975. • Grow Your Own Fruit and Vegetables, Lawrence D. Hills, Faber & Faber, 1971.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Hippocrates the great Greek doctor and herbalist said “Let medicine be your food and food your medicine”. Health problems caused by increasingly stronger and more toxic drugs and additives coupled with the chemically grown and often deficient foods we eat are becoming more apparent these days. Thankfully there has been a move to return to safer and more time honoured methods for healthier living. There is surely no better place to start a return to health than in the garden.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • We should not be put off by lack of space or even if we live in the city. Herbs can give good return even grown in pots and, as the course goes on, we will be discussing methods for indoor and outdoor growing. • You do not need a lot of space and many herbs are happy growing in a window box or in a pot on a sunny window ledge; this is particularly good for city dwellers as there may be too much air and soil pollution to use the herbs grown in a town garden.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • It is worthwhile planning your garden now, however, and we suggest you make a sketch of the area. The site, especially if growing the Mediterranean herbs, should be ideally south facing and have perhaps some shelter to the north (particularly in Scotland). For these herbs the soil should also be light and well drained. Close proximity to the kitchen is also a consideration.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • The best way to prepare a piece of ground is not by digging (have you ever seen a plant with a spade - and yet they seem to spread themselves around alright!); simply cover the area with enough material such as lawn clippings, or compost (if you have enough), or rotted down leaves or straw or even an old non rubber carpet to keep the ground warm and to give the indigenous plants as hard a time to get to the light as possible. To achieve this you may have to add more material as you go and this technique is known as mulching, the material referred to as mulch. In the spring the young plants are then sown in pots and then planted in a hole made through the mulch - allow some room around the plant for water, but not so much that weeds can grow through.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • For cooler shadier ground, the earth can be enriched with compost or well rotted (not intensive farm) manure. The greedier feeders which will do well here are, for instance, the mints: peppermint or spearmint, applemint, Moroccan.... the list is mouthwateringly endless! The mints are a good transition herb for the boundary of dry and wet habitats as they actually like “their feet in the shade and their head in the sun”. As we get even wetter the watermints could come in.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Other ‘wetter’ area plants include: • Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) which often grows next to Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) in Scotland. The umbel flowered plants such as Lovage (Levisticum officinale or legusticum) or Angelica (Angelica archangelica) could also do well. • The ever-useful Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) right can take the richest feeding and as we shall see, makes excellent compost.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You may wish to think about incorporating herbs into an existing flower or even vegetable garden. Plants such as Garlic (Allium sativa) Onions or Chives even help to protect roses and other plants from disease if planted in the beds. • Garlic can be planted from November on - simply bury cloves or whole heads of garlic, even from the greengrocer, in sandy, sunny soil. Harvest in July/ August after the tops die down (they will grow inside in sand for a while and so could go in a pot - they do tend to smell of garlic, of course, so if it’s not your favourite I suggest you keep it outside).
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You can do the same with baby onions or onion sets in the flower bed and if you forget about them or leave a few in intentionally their flowers are quite spectacular in themselves. • Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), which have lovely purple (edible) flowers can be sown from seed or propagated by dividing clumps - ask around to see if friends have any to spare. • Marigolds (Calendula offinicalis) also have a ‘plant doctor’ reputation and remain of course one of the Queen of flowers. • Borage - recently famous as Starflower (Borago officinalis) once sown in a bed then self seeds itself and you will have trouble getting rid of it. However this big friendly, if a bit hairy, plant is a real beauty with its star shaped blue flowers that keep coming throughout the season and attracts many pollinators as a companion plant.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You can still bring some plants in from the garden and, for instance, Peppermint (Mentha piperita) roots – see below, could go in a pot to provide fresh mint over the winter. To bring a bush herb inside you have to go gently and I suggest you trim it back hard, place in a pot with as little root disturbance as possible and then gradually introduce it into the inside environment. Keep it trimmed over the winter and it should survive to go back in the ground in the spring. Smaller plants are best to try. • Raised beds with wooden planks -right can contain runners from Mints and Fragaria sps.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • ON SOWING HERBS • INDOOR SOWING - Use sterile soil. Pre-wet soil before sowing the seed. Cover seed lightly with soil. Do not allow seed to dry out after sowing. Often perennial seeds are slow to germinate, so be patient. • TEMPERATURE - Most herbs germinate at a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees F. There are some that require cooler temperatures, 50 to 60 degrees. These include lovage, lavender and chamomile. • DO NOT COVER TINY SEED - Pre-wet soil then simply press the seed into the soil. We recommend sowing tiny seed indoors.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • OUTDOOR SOWING - Outdoor soil should be warm and moist for starting seeds. Cover seeds lightly with soil, no thicker than the seeds own thickness. Do not allow the seed to dry out. It is not recommended to sow perennial seed outdoors as they are slow to germinate and do not always get the constant conditions needed for germination. Most herbs like a well drained sandy soil, with a sunny location somewhat sheltered from the wind.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • SOIL: garden soil. If clay, dig in leaf mould, rock potash, aerate with a fork. Check pH (lavender & marjoram) - dress with leaf mould or peat substitute - keep well drained. • Herbs for shady areas: mints - chives - lovage - bay - woodruff - parsley - tarragon • South facing wall: ideal, less hardy, i.e. basil. Tall herbs to the back • General propagation: Fine seed - indoor in pots. Pot and plastic bag or tray with glass. Seeds require: moisture - heat - and light as soon as germinated - Basil seeds when planted give off mucilage, they haven't gone off! • Roots and cuttings: runners from mints - invasive. Lavender and rosemary from cuttings. •
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • There are some basic concepts in gardening concerning the soil that it would be best to straighten out first. • Soil is a living organism and needs to be fed. It has basic requirements of water, humus, nitrogen and other elements which, in turn, support the abundant microbial and animal life. • There are, therefore, two classes of compounds that we can add to the soil. The first we are familiar with as muck. Manure and its vegetable counterpart, compost, are very obviously soil feeds. They add the much needed and precious nitrogen back to the soil along with a host of other nutrients. • The other class of soil additives are what are called soil improvers. They need not have much nutritive value but are very important for improving the texture of the soil and aerating it.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • A prime example of a soil improver is leaf mould and, before the exploitation of it on a grand scale made it ecologically unsound, peat was one such compound. The main difference between these being that leaf mould is often available simply for the gathering of it. Another soil improver is lime, discussed below. • It is important to see the distinction between the two processes that produce leaf mould and compost. In leaf mould manufacture, the process is anaerobic i.e. it requires no air whereas the process of making compost is aerobic i.e. it requires air. Anyone who has made wine will have experienced both types of reaction from the yeast. Initially the frothy stage requires oxygen, but this soon settles down to the main fermenting stage from which air is excluded by means of an air lock.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • With leaf mould and compost manufacture being very different processes it is probably best to keep them apart and, although some leaves can be incorporated into a compost heap, they are best treated separately. Simply packing fallen leaves tightly to exclude the air in plastic bags is the simplest method, but if you find this unsightly, simply build an enclosure out of chicken wire and wood and stamp the leaves down in it - fungi will then do the work for you. Another important soil conditioner is lime. • Rain is acid and has been getting more so, but even if it were a neutral liquid the drawing of minerals down from the topsoil into the subsoil would have the same effect. It is only plants such as the Heather family (Ericaceae) see left and Rhododendrons and Azaleas that like acid soils.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Most vegetables and herbs prefer a neutral or even slightly alkaline soil. Therefore, most soils will require lime from time to time but it is always wise to test your soil with the widely available soil-testing kits. Remember, lime is a soil conditioner, not a food. • There is an old saying that “Lime and lime and no manure makes the farm and the farmer poor” and so, as well as conditioners, soils also require food. You should remember never to mix lime and manure as the lime then releases off some of the valuable nitrogen as ammonia (NH3). Lime is not something that necessarily needs applied every year and has to fit into the rotation of vegetables. • Rotations for vegetables are probably better worked out than for herbs as they are often grown in the same areas. For long term soil health it is crucial to incorporate rotation system practice.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Consider the following example of Rotation System Practice: Potatoes are, on the whole, acid lovers and lime in the soil can give rise to the nasty blemishes of corky-scab (these are unsightly but do not affect the taste) so it is unwise to lime before potatoes. The main protection for the club root fungus, mentioned earlier, however, exploits the fact that club root does not like an alkaline soil, so the judicious use of lime for the Cabbage family (Brassicaceae) is one of the main preventative measures used. A very basic rotation could start with potatoes, which can take raw manure, raw leaves if you have a clay soil, or (ideally) compost in their trenches. Next year, this same plot could be limed up to grow peas or the pea family (Fabaceae). This family actually increases nitrogen in the soil, by having little ‘motels’ in their roots for nitrogen-fixating bacteria and they are happy with any unused feed from the potatoes.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 CROP ROTATION Potatoes (with comfrey or compost in the trenches) Followed by: Leeks, Winter Lettuce Mustard (to grow and dig in as a green manure) Lime heavily after potatoes PLOT 1. Broad Beans Peas Runner Beans French Beans Haricot Beans Followed by: Brussel sprouts Broccoli Cabbage or kale PLOT 2. Onions Carrots Beets Pumpkins or Marrows Parsnips Lettuce Summer green manure PLOT 4. Cabbage tribe (planted when this was Plot 2) Lettuce Radishes Turnips Swedes. Green manure of grazing rye. PLOT 3.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • The Cabbage (Brassicaceae) family probably require most attention and it is really around these that the rotations revolve. The pea plot is the preparation for the Cabbage family the following year and in the autumn you should dig in well-rotted manure, for fresh manure can weaken cabbages to its main enemy, the club root fungus, by making them grow too fast.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • The Club root fungus is truly disastrous to the plants if it gets a hold. It lives in the soil and is awoken by the root secretions of the cabbages. This explains the old method of cutting sticks of rhubarb, or rhubarb leaves, in the bottom of the hole to confuse the club root fungus, as once in the soil, it is said that you have to abstain from growing all members of the Cabbage family in that plot for seven years, although large doses of compost into the soil are said to reduce this time-gap considerably. Another aid is to place a ring at the base of the plant – see below.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • If you have trouble with pests, then Kale is the hardiest of the Brassicaceae tribe. Like cabbage it should be sown in a seed bed and transplanted. By the time it comes around to the cabbages’ turn, the soil is well limed, as the plot can have another dressing of lime after the peas, and the soil is firmed enough for the cabbages, which hate a loose soil, which makes them rock in the wind and causes root rot. • For instance, Brussel sprouts will not form tight heads in loose soil.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • From potatoes to peas to cabbage - in the fourth year of its rotation, our plot is ready to receive the roots. Herbs grown for their roots like sandy soil, so if your soil is clay you will have to add conditioner such as leaf mould (sand itself is often very difficult to mix manually into the soil) and/or grow a short rooted variety which can actually be excellent value. • Roots do not require fresh manure and the best way to get highly sculpted roots with many interesting forks (useful for sending in to TV programmes, but not much use in the dispensary) is to add fresh manure to the soil. It is very hard to mix things effectively through the soil, and so small pockets of rich manure will remain and the roots will fork out to meet and eat it.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Garlic is a great cash crop and is, of course, a fantastic medicinal plant. Alliums, (onions and leeks included) appreciate lime and, as with all seaside plants, a sprinkling of salt is also a good tip, as long as the soil is not solid clay. Simply water in and allow the hole to fill up with soil as they go along. They certainly appreciate rich feeding, although small leeks are even more tasty. It is worth keeping a plan of your vegetable plot to make sure that things like the Cabbage family stay out of the same plot for as long as possible. Another good crop to over winter is that of a green manure.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Green Manures • Another good crop to over winter is that of a green manure. • A green manure is a crop which is planted to grow quickly and sappily and then to be dug into the soil as a nitrogen-rich food while still green. A good example of these is vetch, or winter tares. They have the added advantage of being Pea family (Fabiaceae) and therefore add nitrogen to the soil along with the nitrogen from their green growth. These plants are valuable as they provide cover in the winter. The old idea was to open up the soil to frost and rain by digging it over which would be OK in countries that get more frost than rain. However, as we have already discussed, rain can wash nutrients out of the topsoil so the best thing is to have plants growing for ground cover or to use a mulch.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • A mulch is organic material spread thickly on the surface. It then acts to retain moisture, suppress weeds and allows the important use of non-digging techniques. Digging often simply acts to break down the carefully worked out soil structure the worms have provided and buries the topsoil under the subsoil. • Probably the easiest way to prepare a plot in advance is to cover it with a mulch. This will either have to be several layers of vegetable matter, seaweed etc, which will not only kill the weeds, but also feed the soil. Another alternative is to cover the area with carpet or polythene . If you are going to dig a bed over, then you must meticulously remove all perennial weed roots or you will be forever trying to dig the couch grass back out of your design. If you have a rotivator, then one option is to rotivate the area 4 or 5 times. Only this level of attack will chop up the perennial weed roots small enough so that you have not merely worsened the situation.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You have your choices of environments to grow herbs in: • 1. Traditional beds served by seedlings either sown outside directly onto the site or sown inside with propagators and then transplanted. • 2. Greenhouses to prolong growing conditions and control climatic influences.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • 3. Unusual sites eg roof gardens and vertical growing spaces. • 4. Hydroponics and futuristic growing spaces.
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Checkpoint!
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Summary Today we have covered: Herb Cultivation & Managing the Soil and the Herb Growing Environment
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Next Session We will cover: • Modern Farming methods used by herbal growers: • Fertilisers, • Pesticides, • Irrigation, • Harvesting and Storage
© Copyright PCNM 2011 Preparation Brief Notes • Don’t forget to log on to the LMS and download and print off your brief notes and handouts for the next session.

More Related Content

Herbal Cultivation session 5

  • 1. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Exploring the Growing Environment In this session we will be looking at: Managing the Soil and the Herb Growing Environment
  • 2. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life Drawing by Keith Robertson
  • 3. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • It is no coincidence that the planet Earth and the earth that we also call soil, share the same name, for they are both living systems. • Because the soil comes from the earth it is composed of and utilises the same molecules and elements that planet Earth produces, its composition is a microcosm of Earth, including Carbon, Silica, all minerals, Oxygen, Hydrogen, and other gases dissolved in rainwater - the water itself providing a binding agent.
  • 4. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • The soil provides a home and has a symbiotic relationship with many living organisms. • The earthworm is possibly the most important animal, as it not only aerates the soil as it passes through, but it actually enriches the soil it puts out after eating in its casts. • Darwin said that the earthworm is the greatest ploughman, drawing down humus in the form of leaves, so that without them the soil could not survive in good health for long.
  • 5. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • It is estimated that the combined weight of all the microbial cells on Earth is 25 times that of its animal life - every acre of well-cultivated land contains up to half a tonne of thriving microorganisms, not to mention up to a tonne of earthworms, which can excrete a tonne daily of humic castings. • The mycelium (the root-like part) of fungi can even make traps by forming loops, capturing eelworms etc which they then digest. • There are many different types of bacteria and other one-celled animals in the soil: the most important ones are the nitrogen-fixing bacteria. There is also a plethora of other insects, e.g. centipedes and spiders.
  • 6. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life! • Plants act as our go-between to help us access these nutrients out of the earth, by absorbing minerals with legumes even providing a base, in the form of nodules on their roots, which nitrogen-fixing bacteria can work from. • We can start to appreciate the basic cycle of life when we observe vegetation matter in the form of fallen leaves, dead trees, or any dead vegetable matter, which begins to decompose where it lies. • It is mainly the action of fungi and bacteria which break down the vegetative matter into humus and humic acid.
  • 7. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • This organic matter from living beings needs to go back into the soil to be reprocessed and therefore made available to other living beings, including ourselves. • It is the application of modern science and man-made substances which is threatening to break this basic recycling of life:- by employing chemical rather than natural fertiliser for the soil, as well as the chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc. which are carelessly sprayed all over our land.
  • 8. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • Mechanical means also affect the health of the soil. Heavy machinery used to dig up the less fertile under soil, thus burying the topsoil, compresses the earth beneath it - reducing the ability of plants to grow through. By this process the aeration that the earthworms have provided is lost, as well as the rich topsoil, now made inaccessible underneath sub soil.
  • 9. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • The topsoil, which contains the most fertile components of the soil, is its most fragile part. If the earth was the size of a grape, then topsoil would be represented by the ephemeral bloom of the wild yeast on the grape.
  • 10. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life “Every individual has the opportunity to be part of the solution or part of the problem. As humans and caretakers of the earth, we have a responsibility to enhance nature's cycle by being aware of nature's tried and tested processes and working with them to the best of our abilities. Grow, buy, be organic – Save the Planet!” Keith Robertson MSc FNIMH Scottish School of Herbal Medicine • See also The Organic Federation of Australia www.aco.net.au
  • 11. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Introduction to the Basic Cycle of Life • RECOMMENDED READING: • Secrets of the Soil, Peter Tomkins & Christopher Bird, Arkana, 1989. • Fertility Without Fertilisers, Lawrence D. Hills., Henry Doubleday Research Association, 1975. • Grow Your Own Fruit and Vegetables, Lawrence D. Hills, Faber & Faber, 1971.
  • 12. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Hippocrates the great Greek doctor and herbalist said “Let medicine be your food and food your medicine”. Health problems caused by increasingly stronger and more toxic drugs and additives coupled with the chemically grown and often deficient foods we eat are becoming more apparent these days. Thankfully there has been a move to return to safer and more time honoured methods for healthier living. There is surely no better place to start a return to health than in the garden.
  • 13. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • We should not be put off by lack of space or even if we live in the city. Herbs can give good return even grown in pots and, as the course goes on, we will be discussing methods for indoor and outdoor growing. • You do not need a lot of space and many herbs are happy growing in a window box or in a pot on a sunny window ledge; this is particularly good for city dwellers as there may be too much air and soil pollution to use the herbs grown in a town garden.
  • 14. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • It is worthwhile planning your garden now, however, and we suggest you make a sketch of the area. The site, especially if growing the Mediterranean herbs, should be ideally south facing and have perhaps some shelter to the north (particularly in Scotland). For these herbs the soil should also be light and well drained. Close proximity to the kitchen is also a consideration.
  • 15. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • The best way to prepare a piece of ground is not by digging (have you ever seen a plant with a spade - and yet they seem to spread themselves around alright!); simply cover the area with enough material such as lawn clippings, or compost (if you have enough), or rotted down leaves or straw or even an old non rubber carpet to keep the ground warm and to give the indigenous plants as hard a time to get to the light as possible. To achieve this you may have to add more material as you go and this technique is known as mulching, the material referred to as mulch. In the spring the young plants are then sown in pots and then planted in a hole made through the mulch - allow some room around the plant for water, but not so much that weeds can grow through.
  • 16. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment
  • 17. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • For cooler shadier ground, the earth can be enriched with compost or well rotted (not intensive farm) manure. The greedier feeders which will do well here are, for instance, the mints: peppermint or spearmint, applemint, Moroccan.... the list is mouthwateringly endless! The mints are a good transition herb for the boundary of dry and wet habitats as they actually like “their feet in the shade and their head in the sun”. As we get even wetter the watermints could come in.
  • 18. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Other ‘wetter’ area plants include: • Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) which often grows next to Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) in Scotland. The umbel flowered plants such as Lovage (Levisticum officinale or legusticum) or Angelica (Angelica archangelica) could also do well. • The ever-useful Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) right can take the richest feeding and as we shall see, makes excellent compost.
  • 19. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You may wish to think about incorporating herbs into an existing flower or even vegetable garden. Plants such as Garlic (Allium sativa) Onions or Chives even help to protect roses and other plants from disease if planted in the beds. • Garlic can be planted from November on - simply bury cloves or whole heads of garlic, even from the greengrocer, in sandy, sunny soil. Harvest in July/ August after the tops die down (they will grow inside in sand for a while and so could go in a pot - they do tend to smell of garlic, of course, so if it’s not your favourite I suggest you keep it outside).
  • 20. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You can do the same with baby onions or onion sets in the flower bed and if you forget about them or leave a few in intentionally their flowers are quite spectacular in themselves. • Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), which have lovely purple (edible) flowers can be sown from seed or propagated by dividing clumps - ask around to see if friends have any to spare. • Marigolds (Calendula offinicalis) also have a ‘plant doctor’ reputation and remain of course one of the Queen of flowers. • Borage - recently famous as Starflower (Borago officinalis) once sown in a bed then self seeds itself and you will have trouble getting rid of it. However this big friendly, if a bit hairy, plant is a real beauty with its star shaped blue flowers that keep coming throughout the season and attracts many pollinators as a companion plant.
  • 21. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You can still bring some plants in from the garden and, for instance, Peppermint (Mentha piperita) roots – see below, could go in a pot to provide fresh mint over the winter. To bring a bush herb inside you have to go gently and I suggest you trim it back hard, place in a pot with as little root disturbance as possible and then gradually introduce it into the inside environment. Keep it trimmed over the winter and it should survive to go back in the ground in the spring. Smaller plants are best to try. • Raised beds with wooden planks -right can contain runners from Mints and Fragaria sps.
  • 22. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • ON SOWING HERBS • INDOOR SOWING - Use sterile soil. Pre-wet soil before sowing the seed. Cover seed lightly with soil. Do not allow seed to dry out after sowing. Often perennial seeds are slow to germinate, so be patient. • TEMPERATURE - Most herbs germinate at a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees F. There are some that require cooler temperatures, 50 to 60 degrees. These include lovage, lavender and chamomile. • DO NOT COVER TINY SEED - Pre-wet soil then simply press the seed into the soil. We recommend sowing tiny seed indoors.
  • 23. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment
  • 24. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • OUTDOOR SOWING - Outdoor soil should be warm and moist for starting seeds. Cover seeds lightly with soil, no thicker than the seeds own thickness. Do not allow the seed to dry out. It is not recommended to sow perennial seed outdoors as they are slow to germinate and do not always get the constant conditions needed for germination. Most herbs like a well drained sandy soil, with a sunny location somewhat sheltered from the wind.
  • 25. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • SOIL: garden soil. If clay, dig in leaf mould, rock potash, aerate with a fork. Check pH (lavender & marjoram) - dress with leaf mould or peat substitute - keep well drained. • Herbs for shady areas: mints - chives - lovage - bay - woodruff - parsley - tarragon • South facing wall: ideal, less hardy, i.e. basil. Tall herbs to the back • General propagation: Fine seed - indoor in pots. Pot and plastic bag or tray with glass. Seeds require: moisture - heat - and light as soon as germinated - Basil seeds when planted give off mucilage, they haven't gone off! • Roots and cuttings: runners from mints - invasive. Lavender and rosemary from cuttings. •
  • 26. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • There are some basic concepts in gardening concerning the soil that it would be best to straighten out first. • Soil is a living organism and needs to be fed. It has basic requirements of water, humus, nitrogen and other elements which, in turn, support the abundant microbial and animal life. • There are, therefore, two classes of compounds that we can add to the soil. The first we are familiar with as muck. Manure and its vegetable counterpart, compost, are very obviously soil feeds. They add the much needed and precious nitrogen back to the soil along with a host of other nutrients. • The other class of soil additives are what are called soil improvers. They need not have much nutritive value but are very important for improving the texture of the soil and aerating it.
  • 27. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • A prime example of a soil improver is leaf mould and, before the exploitation of it on a grand scale made it ecologically unsound, peat was one such compound. The main difference between these being that leaf mould is often available simply for the gathering of it. Another soil improver is lime, discussed below. • It is important to see the distinction between the two processes that produce leaf mould and compost. In leaf mould manufacture, the process is anaerobic i.e. it requires no air whereas the process of making compost is aerobic i.e. it requires air. Anyone who has made wine will have experienced both types of reaction from the yeast. Initially the frothy stage requires oxygen, but this soon settles down to the main fermenting stage from which air is excluded by means of an air lock.
  • 28. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • With leaf mould and compost manufacture being very different processes it is probably best to keep them apart and, although some leaves can be incorporated into a compost heap, they are best treated separately. Simply packing fallen leaves tightly to exclude the air in plastic bags is the simplest method, but if you find this unsightly, simply build an enclosure out of chicken wire and wood and stamp the leaves down in it - fungi will then do the work for you. Another important soil conditioner is lime. • Rain is acid and has been getting more so, but even if it were a neutral liquid the drawing of minerals down from the topsoil into the subsoil would have the same effect. It is only plants such as the Heather family (Ericaceae) see left and Rhododendrons and Azaleas that like acid soils.
  • 29. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Most vegetables and herbs prefer a neutral or even slightly alkaline soil. Therefore, most soils will require lime from time to time but it is always wise to test your soil with the widely available soil-testing kits. Remember, lime is a soil conditioner, not a food. • There is an old saying that “Lime and lime and no manure makes the farm and the farmer poor” and so, as well as conditioners, soils also require food. You should remember never to mix lime and manure as the lime then releases off some of the valuable nitrogen as ammonia (NH3). Lime is not something that necessarily needs applied every year and has to fit into the rotation of vegetables. • Rotations for vegetables are probably better worked out than for herbs as they are often grown in the same areas. For long term soil health it is crucial to incorporate rotation system practice.
  • 30. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Consider the following example of Rotation System Practice: Potatoes are, on the whole, acid lovers and lime in the soil can give rise to the nasty blemishes of corky-scab (these are unsightly but do not affect the taste) so it is unwise to lime before potatoes. The main protection for the club root fungus, mentioned earlier, however, exploits the fact that club root does not like an alkaline soil, so the judicious use of lime for the Cabbage family (Brassicaceae) is one of the main preventative measures used. A very basic rotation could start with potatoes, which can take raw manure, raw leaves if you have a clay soil, or (ideally) compost in their trenches. Next year, this same plot could be limed up to grow peas or the pea family (Fabaceae). This family actually increases nitrogen in the soil, by having little ‘motels’ in their roots for nitrogen-fixating bacteria and they are happy with any unused feed from the potatoes.
  • 31. © Copyright PCNM 2011 CROP ROTATION Potatoes (with comfrey or compost in the trenches) Followed by: Leeks, Winter Lettuce Mustard (to grow and dig in as a green manure) Lime heavily after potatoes PLOT 1. Broad Beans Peas Runner Beans French Beans Haricot Beans Followed by: Brussel sprouts Broccoli Cabbage or kale PLOT 2. Onions Carrots Beets Pumpkins or Marrows Parsnips Lettuce Summer green manure PLOT 4. Cabbage tribe (planted when this was Plot 2) Lettuce Radishes Turnips Swedes. Green manure of grazing rye. PLOT 3.
  • 32. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • The Cabbage (Brassicaceae) family probably require most attention and it is really around these that the rotations revolve. The pea plot is the preparation for the Cabbage family the following year and in the autumn you should dig in well-rotted manure, for fresh manure can weaken cabbages to its main enemy, the club root fungus, by making them grow too fast.
  • 33. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • The Club root fungus is truly disastrous to the plants if it gets a hold. It lives in the soil and is awoken by the root secretions of the cabbages. This explains the old method of cutting sticks of rhubarb, or rhubarb leaves, in the bottom of the hole to confuse the club root fungus, as once in the soil, it is said that you have to abstain from growing all members of the Cabbage family in that plot for seven years, although large doses of compost into the soil are said to reduce this time-gap considerably. Another aid is to place a ring at the base of the plant – see below.
  • 34. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • If you have trouble with pests, then Kale is the hardiest of the Brassicaceae tribe. Like cabbage it should be sown in a seed bed and transplanted. By the time it comes around to the cabbages’ turn, the soil is well limed, as the plot can have another dressing of lime after the peas, and the soil is firmed enough for the cabbages, which hate a loose soil, which makes them rock in the wind and causes root rot. • For instance, Brussel sprouts will not form tight heads in loose soil.
  • 35. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • From potatoes to peas to cabbage - in the fourth year of its rotation, our plot is ready to receive the roots. Herbs grown for their roots like sandy soil, so if your soil is clay you will have to add conditioner such as leaf mould (sand itself is often very difficult to mix manually into the soil) and/or grow a short rooted variety which can actually be excellent value. • Roots do not require fresh manure and the best way to get highly sculpted roots with many interesting forks (useful for sending in to TV programmes, but not much use in the dispensary) is to add fresh manure to the soil. It is very hard to mix things effectively through the soil, and so small pockets of rich manure will remain and the roots will fork out to meet and eat it.
  • 36. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • Garlic is a great cash crop and is, of course, a fantastic medicinal plant. Alliums, (onions and leeks included) appreciate lime and, as with all seaside plants, a sprinkling of salt is also a good tip, as long as the soil is not solid clay. Simply water in and allow the hole to fill up with soil as they go along. They certainly appreciate rich feeding, although small leeks are even more tasty. It is worth keeping a plan of your vegetable plot to make sure that things like the Cabbage family stay out of the same plot for as long as possible. Another good crop to over winter is that of a green manure.
  • 37. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Green Manures • Another good crop to over winter is that of a green manure. • A green manure is a crop which is planted to grow quickly and sappily and then to be dug into the soil as a nitrogen-rich food while still green. A good example of these is vetch, or winter tares. They have the added advantage of being Pea family (Fabiaceae) and therefore add nitrogen to the soil along with the nitrogen from their green growth. These plants are valuable as they provide cover in the winter. The old idea was to open up the soil to frost and rain by digging it over which would be OK in countries that get more frost than rain. However, as we have already discussed, rain can wash nutrients out of the topsoil so the best thing is to have plants growing for ground cover or to use a mulch.
  • 38. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • A mulch is organic material spread thickly on the surface. It then acts to retain moisture, suppress weeds and allows the important use of non-digging techniques. Digging often simply acts to break down the carefully worked out soil structure the worms have provided and buries the topsoil under the subsoil. • Probably the easiest way to prepare a plot in advance is to cover it with a mulch. This will either have to be several layers of vegetable matter, seaweed etc, which will not only kill the weeds, but also feed the soil. Another alternative is to cover the area with carpet or polythene . If you are going to dig a bed over, then you must meticulously remove all perennial weed roots or you will be forever trying to dig the couch grass back out of your design. If you have a rotivator, then one option is to rotivate the area 4 or 5 times. Only this level of attack will chop up the perennial weed roots small enough so that you have not merely worsened the situation.
  • 39. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • You have your choices of environments to grow herbs in: • 1. Traditional beds served by seedlings either sown outside directly onto the site or sown inside with propagators and then transplanted. • 2. Greenhouses to prolong growing conditions and control climatic influences.
  • 40. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Herb Growing Environment • 3. Unusual sites eg roof gardens and vertical growing spaces. • 4. Hydroponics and futuristic growing spaces.
  • 41. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Checkpoint!
  • 42. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Summary Today we have covered: Herb Cultivation & Managing the Soil and the Herb Growing Environment
  • 43. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Next Session We will cover: • Modern Farming methods used by herbal growers: • Fertilisers, • Pesticides, • Irrigation, • Harvesting and Storage
  • 44. © Copyright PCNM 2011 Preparation Brief Notes • Don’t forget to log on to the LMS and download and print off your brief notes and handouts for the next session.