Quest for healthier lives has increased the demand for herbs. The health benefits of herbs are immense, and their tastes and smells are refreshing. The herbs add a distinctive flavour and taste to food. Also, the herbs contain anti-microbial substances that protect food from microbial attack. These benefits have presented an opportunity for farmers to intensify herb production to meet rising demand.
Growing culinary herbs is easy and requires little space to start. To begin with, decide on which herbs you would like to grow. The popular herbs are; basil, chives, cilantro, oregano, rosemary, mint and thyme.
Although most perennial herbs start from seed, it is recommended you start with rooted plants. Seeds of perennial herbs are usually harder to start than the annual varieties because they are smaller and more difficult to germinate. When small rooted herb plants arrive from the nursery they should be immediately planted out in a specially prepared bed with plenty of peat moss and sand worked into it. Protect the small plants from the hot sun until they become established.
Herbs with small seeds
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Herbs with small seeds, and particularly the perennial varieties, do best started indoors in flats and later transplanted to the garden. For this, we recommend the sphagnum moss method of plant propagation. Annual herbs are usually started from seed sown in the open ground. Adhere to recommended cultural practices you would use growing vegetables. One of the most important cultural considerations for herbs is site selection.
In choosing a location for planting herbs, pick an area with full sun exposure where plants will produce more essential oils and flavour. The essential oils produce the flavours and fragrances. The site should have good drainage, adequate water supply and few weeds. Seed selection is also important. For example, depending on the seed source, a high percentage of basil seed can produce an off-type leaf which may not be marketable. In addition, many herbs, such as members of the mint family, should never be grown from seed and must be reproduced vegetatively to obtain desired characteristics. Most herbs will benefit from being grown on raised beds because they allow the soil to warm early and provide good drainage. It is highly recommended to use mulch to control weeds, keep the foliage clean, and hold moisture in the soil. In most situations, irrigation is essential, with drip-irrigation being the best choice because it reduces incidence of foliar disease and permits harvest at any time.
Harvesting
Herbs harvested for drying should be cut at the first sign of flower buds forming on the plant. At that stage of growth, their leaves are at their peak of aromatic oils and flavour. When plants are ready to harvest do it on a clear, early morning as soon as the dew has dried. Herbs cut in late afternoon and allowed to dry in the excessive heat of the full sun not only lose much of their potency, but the foliage becomes faded and unattractive. Cut the plants with a sufficiently long stem so that the herbs can be tied in bunches and hung to dry. If you prefer to dry them on canvas sheets or screens, be sure to stir the material frequently to prevent it from moulding.
Packaging
Small-scale farmers can use several methods to package the herbs. For supermarkets and high-end stores, distinctive jars with artistic labels are recommended. However, this can be hard for beginners, because it will be difficult to penetrate this market because bigger companies have covered the stores.
