Buying Herb Plants...

[Davylp25]

Hi...

Never done this, but I wanna try. What are the variables with having herb plants in the pot, around the kitchen where you can use it fresh for recipe. How do you maintain, etc? Never done this. I'm not botanically astute, but I eat lot's of botanicals like a genius!

It seems purdy easy, but eh, I never owned a plant in my life, unless eating it as mentioned above.

So green thumbers, whats the 411?

Thanks

[Living Food]

Obviously, you have to water them, etc. I'm not going to get into that because I"m sure others will. Some lesser-known tidbits:

1. Talking to and projecting love to plants makes them grow better, makes them more disease-resistant, and makes the more nutritious.

2. Classical music enhances plant growth and has all of the above benefits (okay so quite a few people know that)

3. You can mix some mineral drops or diluted seawater into the water that you water your plants with to make them stronger and more nutritious.

4. Urine is a great fertilizer (there, I said it...now it's up to you to decide what to do with it *smile*)

5. Magnets and devices called "orgonite" or "orgone generators" enhance plant growth. You can also use these devices to "charge" water.

6. You can charge water with your thoughts alone...everyone should do this with all the water they drink. Just think positive/loving thoughts towards the water and visualize positive energy flowing into it. This works even better if you hold it between your hands. you can even "structure" water by swirling a spoon in it to create a vortex - do it for at least 90 seconds if possible.

7. You can also charge water by leaving it out in the sun for 5-8 hours in a glass container with a glass lid on it. This is also something that everyone should be doing when they can.

I'll stop now, I love talking about water though...it's a fascinating substance. I know this probably all sounds wacky to most of you reading this - look into it if you don't believe me.

Video on the surprising attributes of water: http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=5D...5FD744F9846D5A

I had loads of links like the one above, but can't find them right now...I'll try if anyone shows interest in the topic.

[Tannim]

I agree with most all of that everything likes to be paid attention to and if your talking to em handling and keeping an eye on it it will do better charging the water may sound goofy but there are many ways in which it will help warmer water is less of a shock to the plant letting it sit helps the chlorine evaporate and if you sit and stir the water one way till you get a vortex and then the other way back and forth you can add in oxygen and that helps if your new then just find a good bag of organic potting mix make sure your pot has drain holes and dont pack in the mix to much you want it to drain well plants need O2 in their rootsas well as h2o so go out get a few pots right now most of the big boxes by me have herbs for like 3 bucks a decent sized start get a few while your waiting for other seeds to germinate try and keep em in sunny places unless the need shade best thing is to just try if you screw it up well seeds are cheap starts are cheap check out john kohlers vids on youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/growingyourgreens he has lots of tips mostly on raised bed square foot gardening

[streetsurfer]

Get some library books and jump in. Sage, Rosemary, Basil, and Stevia have all done well for me under T-5 lights. These are efficient and low heat output small diameter fluorescent tubes. Light spectrum is a variable you'll want to consider. Blue(cool) light for growth and add in more red(warm) for flowering. These signal the seasons and the plants react accordingly.


Soil: You'll want good organic soil that drains well, yet is able to hold nutrients while not packing too tightly or excluding air voids. Preferrably soil without peat because of fungus gnat eggs, or if you're environmentally concious, it's sustainability. In another thread coconut coir is suggested as an alternate soil enhancer. I've mixed my own soils at times and have included things like small pine bark chips, charcoal, green sand, play sand, wood ash, diatomaceous earth, potting soil, compost, hydroton balls, and coconut coir. Coconut coir has a good cation exchange capacity or nutrient holding ability.

Water, filter tap water or let it gas offin an open container for a day or more if it is treated water. You can collect rainwater.

Know your plants requirements. Do they like wet feet or not. Do they flower based on length of day (photoperiod) or temperature? Are you shooting for flowers or vegitation? Do they do better in rich soil or poor. I think it is nasturtiums are said to do well in poor soil for example, maybe borage as well.

Air movement. Provide a gentle breeze at least part of the time. Plants need air movement to help strengthen their stalks and keep pests and disease at bay.

Just as seaweed is good for us it is good for plants.
You can treat your plants to a spritz of diluted kelp extract to boost their immunity.
For another benefit spritz or water with a solution of coconut water/plant water. It has a well balanced nutrient profile, with growth hormones and other goodies included.
Aspirin: plants have the ability to let each other know when they have been attacked or are stressed. One plant attacked by pest or disease can send signals (like people and animals send pheromones) to let neighboring plants know an attack is imminent so they can (and they then do) increase their immune defense by creating and sending out things like salicylic acid.

Plants got it goin on!

[MysticTree]

growing things is not a mystery. They are living things that try their very hardest to stay alive and grow. Water enough but don't over water and you be ok. Check that you aren't trying to grow them in too cold a climate and you'll be hard pressed to go wrong.