Growing Herbs

Many years ago herb growing and herb gardens were a very basic necessity for the pioneer home. Not only would you grow herbs for culinary purposes but, more importantly, you grew herbs as a medical necessity. When you were far from a doctor or any type of medical aid you need to be self sufficient in that respect. Medical herbs were an important part of your garden.

When you go about selecting a site to establish your herb garden, you have to consider soil drainage and soil fertility. After all, herbs are plants and are generally grown from seeds like other flowers and plants you place in a garden. Hence, you need to give them the same thought and care you would give to other members of your garden population.

In some ways herbs can be much easier to grow than other plants since relative few diseases or insects will attack your herbs. You may find red spider mites attacking in hot, dry weather, red spider mites low-growing plants and aphids may tend to be attracted to dill, anise, fennel and caraway. 

A few points to keep in mind when harvest time comes for your herbs:

	fresh leaves of herbs can be picked as soon as the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth
	pick leaves or seeds after dew has disappeared but before the sun becomes too hot to maintain good oil content
	harvest leaves before the flower buds open if you want to use dry them for winter use
	if the leaves or seed heads are dirty you can clean them with COLD water

Herbs can even be grown indoors as long as you give them the necessary sunlight, water and soil nutrients needed for growth.

And there may even be those of you out there that want to grow medicinal herbs as a way to make money just like farmers grow corn, wheat or sugar beets.

Our recommendation is to start out small [unless you are already an experienced farmer] with only a few acres to start. You may need a small tractor and some other implements but it is best to stay as small as possible to make it easier as you learn how to grow herbs for the open market. Treat it like any other business and you will do okay.

Remember that it may take a few years to establish your herb crop and start to derive an income from all your hard work. And, like other, farm commodities, the future is an unknown entity.

Echinacea angustifolia, St. John's Wort, Goldenseal [requires shade] and Black Cohosh are all herbs that have a growing market and ones you can take alook at in establishing your herb farm business. 

Don't forget to check out drying herbs

 Disclaimer: This text is provided is for informational purposes only. We make no recommendations with regard to use, preparation, consumption or cultivation of any form or any kind of herbs. Please consult your physician in all these matters.