Sweet basil, a common herb, is prized by gardeners.
Herbs, bought dry or fresh, add delicious flavors when cooking. However, the use of pesticides might concern you. A healthier and more economical alternative is to grow your own herbs---and sell them to like-minded consumers. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Find the ideal planting spot. Many families grow herbs successfully by planting them in small, separate pots placed on a windowsill. To grow herbs for profit, however, a larger plot of land, such as an outside garden, is required. The amount of space you need depends on how much you wish to sell. Herbs should grow separately, both to keep them from choking out one another and to harvesting easier, so decide what garden spaces each herb will occupy.
2. Have healthy soil. Healthy soil is important to produce healthy herbs, and quality soil is especially important if you want organic herbs. If you buy specialty soil, read the labels and buy soil not treated with pesticides or chemicals. The pH of your soil is also important; pH is the measure of the alkalinity or acidity of a substance, and purchasing slightly acidic soil that has a pH of 6.5 will provide the right mix of nutrients like phosphorus and trace minerals to grow healthy organic herbs.
3. Plant your seeds and watch them grow. Push seeds about 1 or 2 inches into the ground in early spring and cover with soil. Water the herbs at dusk to allow for maximum absorption and to prevent the sun from evaporating the water and them out. Keep the soil moist, but not saturated.
4. Protect your herbs against common pests. To keep with organic growing, don't use pesticides to kill insects that threaten your plants. Most insects, such as earthworms, will actually help your plants grow. Others, however, can pose a threat. To deal with these pests naturally, simply add a few squirts of gentle castile soap to a spray bottle filled with water and spray your herbs.
5. Pick the organic herbs when they reach full maturity. Herbs are sold both fresh and dried, although drying deteriorates some of their natural flavor. To dry them, simply wash them and hang them upside down in a warm, dark place until they crumble when touched. Crumble them up and put them in individual containers to sell as organic dried herbs. Herbs fresh and dry can often sell well at farmers' markets where other growers get together to sell their produce. Farmers' markets attract a large amount of consumers looking for organic products, so they make the perfect place to sell organic fresh and dried herbs.
Tags: organic herbs, dried herbs, fresh dried, grow herbs, your herbs