![]() The majority of amateur soil testing kits are very simple and rely on colour rather than a numerical scale. To help it retain moisture it needs to be fed in winter with leaf mould to retain moisture and with well-rotted manure for an extra source of nutrients.Ĭhecking the pH of the soil To test your soil buy a soil testing kit from any good garden centre or store. A plus point to this soil is that it is quick to warm up in the spring so sowing and planting can be started earlier than in clay soils. It is very free draining, which means that the plant’s nutrients are quickly washed away. Sand 4.5 pH: This soil feels rough and gritty when handled. A sandy loam is the best soil for growing the largest range of herbs as it is rarely waterlogged in winter, is dry in summer and it is naturally high in nutrients. There are various types of loam depending on the content of clay or sand. Loam 5.5–8.5 pH: This is often considered the ultimate garden soil in which most herbs will grow. However, considering the characteristics of this soil, to give it depth and help it retain moisture it may be easier to grow the herbs in a raised bed. A large number of herbs will tolerate chalk. It is possible to increase the nutrient content by adding loads of compost but it is difficult to lower the pH. It has a high pH making it very alkaline. Chalk 8.5 pH: This soil is light with lumps of flint or chalk, well drained and often shallow. This will improve the structure and allow young plants to become more easily established. Even though it can be rich in plant nutrients, because of its characteristics it is improved by working in extra well rotted leaf mould or compost. ![]() Clay 6.5 pH: This soil is composed of tiny particles that, when wet, stick together making the soil heavy and difficult for the roots to penetrate and in summer, when dry, sets rock hard. The following 4 basic soil types are the most suitable for growing herbs: At a neutral pH of 7, most of the essential chemicals and plant foods become available to the plant so producing healthy plants. This is because the minerals, especially iron, have become locked up in the soil. For example, an alkaline soil can produce stunted plants with yellowing leaves. It is a vital factor in the plant’s ability to obtain, via its root system, all types of plant foods and essential chemicals. The pH of the soil refers to its acidity or alkalinity. There are always exceptions, for instance Rumex scutatus, Sorrel, will tolerate acid soils. Most herbs will tolerate a range of between 6.5 and 7.5 pH which is fairly neutral. Soil can vary from acidic (pH 3.5) Sphagnum moss peat to alkaline (pH 8.5) Fine loam. Good plant growth is not only dependent on how much you feed the soil but it is also dependent on the structure of the soil. The soil is the engine of your garden, so it is important to know its condition before you start planting. Tropical a plant that can only survive in a warm, damp climate that does not drop below 15☌ at night. Tree a woody plant that usually has a single stem. ![]() Sub-tropical a plant that can only survive in a warm, damp climate that does not drop below 10☌ at night. Sub-shrub a small, short, woody shrub, especially one that is woody only at the base. Shrub a woody stemmed plant that usually freely branches from the base. Partial Evergreen a plant that holds some leaves throughout the winter. Perennial a plant that lives for a number of seasons, most flower annually once established (See Jekka's Perennial Herbs). Monocarpic a plant that dies once it flowers it can live for a number of years before flowering. Herbaceous a plant that dies back into the ground in winter, becoming dormant, before reappearing in the spring. Evergreen a plant that has leaves all winter (See Jekka's Evergreen Herbs). Deciduous a plant that drops it leaves in winter. Climber/Vine a plant that cannot grow without the support of other plants or structures. Biennial a plant that produces leaves in the first season and flowers in the second, then dies (See Jekka's Biennal Herbs). Annual a plant that lives for just one season (see Jekka's Annual Herbs).
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