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Use Your Garden To "Spice" Up Your Income
You can grow and sell herbs for fun, and profit at the same time! Market seeds to
plants plants of such varieties as parsley, dill, basil, cilantro, chervil and thyme, to
name a few.
It is surprising that with so many gardeners and the high prices of herbs on the shelves
of the supermarkets, that many more haven't gotten into the lucrative field of herb
growing and processing.
When you in the store for herbs and spices, they are usually expensive -- $2.00 per ounce
and up. Still many still grow wild! Bay leaves for example are available free by the
bushel on bay trees that grow all over the south.
Herbs and spices have been around for centuries -- they were used in ancient times to mask
"funny" tastes in meats that could not be refrigerated, "people odor"
before deodorants were invented and of course, to add a little variety to the same foods
eaten day after day, because all that was available was what was in season.
Spices were discovered and brought in by caravans to liven up otherwise drab diets and
making living "up close" more tolerable. Winters in the European areas were
limited to foods that wood keep; potatoes, salted meats, turnips -- but nothing green or
fresh! When spring came, everyone welcomed the new vigor they found in such
"magic" plants as spinach, celery, and various "greens."
We now know they were replenishing their supplies of vitamins (especially) and minerals
that were missing from their winter diets -- but they only knew that by eating certain
plants, or drinking their juices or "wonder elixirs" they felt better!
We also know a healthy patient recovers from most any aliment better than a frail one --
but in those days, "magic" plants were sometimes given credit for healing all
sorts of things: even broken bones (boneset)!
In the 18th and 19th centuries (before refrigeration), there was a thriving trade in HERBS
to rejuvenate, cleanse the blood and cure just about anything.. To this day, the
difference between herbs and species is mainly that spices can be dried for long, overland
camel caravan trips; while herbs are fresh and ready use!
To be successful in the herb and spice business, grow things that do well in your area --
that you adequate facilities and room for. Of course, you can expand the list of
possibilities with a greenhouse and various climate control devices, plus soil
manipulation. At the least you will probably need a small greenhouse (or hot frame) to
start your plants and perhaps a screened area for growing and/or drying that is secure
from insects and other pests.
Not only can you market plants and seeds as individual items, but there is also a
lucrative market in blends of herbs and spices. Fortunes have been made with these!
Once you establish a market, make agreements to buy from other growers (even out of state)
at wholesale rates of course to enable you to offer a well rounded selection to your
customers.
You can also buy or compile booklets on herbs and spices (their history, uses, reputed
therapeutic properties and folk lore) that can enhance your sales and profits.
To get started, the first thing to do is some HOMEWORK.
Get several books from the library, local (new, used, half price) bookstores, and mail
order (see Business Sources). Find out which plants will do well in your situation by
studying their climate, soil and sunlight needs and estimate the market that might be
created.
When you decide which ones you would like to try, Learn something of their background
(history, medicinal value, folklore, etc.). This is very important in herb farming -
people may not be interested in the history of a turnip,,, but mints once used to
"clean" eating boards (no dishes) for royalty might catch the fancy of a
customer or two.
Make arrangements with a local printer or desk publisher to make nice (and unique) labels
for your jars, bundles and packets. Have little folders of information on the more
interesting ones -- this will help raise the price. When you ship packages of herbs or
species, always include some of this type of literature -- these are some of your more
profitable sales, and you want them to order again!
Some indoor herbs, such as basil are notorious for attracting while flies, a perennial
greenhouse pest. They don't do all that much damage (unless they are really bad), but they
are a nuisance and extremely difficult to eradicate.
One way to help control them is to keep herbs that attract pets away from each other as
much as possible; another is to move the plants to an outside location where the wind help
control the size of the colony.
When confronted with a plant pest fungal problem find out exactly what the problem is --
then tale immediate steps to correct it. Too many gardeners and greenhouse growers waste
their time, money and plants (to say nothing of needless building of immunities) by
erroneous or "too late" treatments.
There are numerous chemical insecticides and fungicides that can help -- and many
non-chemical (organic) techniques as well.
Rotating crops, picking off pests and introducing natural controls, such as milky spore
disease (Japanese beetle, lady-bugs, praying mantis, lizards, (geckos) or frogs and
washing with insecticidal soap sprays are considered "natural," controls, Reuter
Laboratories specialize in "natural pesticides, which are sold under the trade name
"Attack".
It may become necessary to decide whether your herb garden will be "normal"
organic. In most cases, organically grown herbs are more in demand and bring higher
prices.
Your decision may be influenced by the type and number of pests in your area, your luck in
controlling them, demand. If you use toxins, be very careful for your own safety, and be
informed to protect your prospective customers!
Tip: One of the more effective controls for white flies is malathion, which is usually can
be sold or eaten a week later (check the label for accurate instructions).
Some experts tell use that when mixed with some city waters will break down into harmless
(to the bugs) solution in as little as 15 minutes! It still smells like it is working for
hours, but it isn't. You can either check on your local water situation or apply malathion
fast and in small mixed doses.
Toxic chemicals are rated by a factor called LD. The "acute oral LD factor"
indicates how much it takes at the indicated strength to kill 50% of orally dosed specimen
(those who eat the treated leaves).
There is also a dermal LD rating that concerns the effect on the nose, throat, eyes and
skin (through absorption). The low numbers are more toxic : LD 1 to 50 is highly toxic; LD
500 and above is only slightly toxic.
Most chemical pesticides available today are designed to breakdown into harmless compounds
within a week or so, but there are also "hard chemicals" (DDT, Deldrin, Aldrin,
Heptachlor, Endrin, Lindane and Chlordane) that remain toxic up to twenty years.
These chemicals normally used only by licensed professionals for things like termite
control (where "safe" chemicals would be ineffective). Many growers use some
forms of "soft" pesticides (Sevin, Diazinon, Pyrenthins and Malathionn that are
effective against pests, but usually not harmful to humans in the plants or are not eaten
within 7 to 10 days after the treatment.
When it comes to chemicals there is one cardinal rule: READ THE LABEL!
For an outdoor herb garden in areas where small animals, grasshoppers or too much sun
might be a problem, consider erecting a simple shade house.
Some gardeners combine a green house and shade house by constructing a simple enclosure of
treated wood, painted metal or plastic, covering it with shade cloth AND 4 to 6 mil
plastic for the greenhouse and pulling the plastic back to reveal the shade cloth for a
shade house.
A quonset frame can be used, or a corral constructed of landscape timbers spaced 8 feet
apart and connected with treated (or painted) 2 by 4s. Stretch the shade cloth over the
frame and apply the plastic -- there is your combination shade/green house!
Note that within a shade house, you will need a means of pollination.
If all else fails, use a water color brush to "tickle" the flowers every few
days. Herbs generally do not need fertilizing. In most cases, a good compost and a little
processed (purified) manure is fine.
If you need an easy way to apply fertilizers on a large scale, consider a siphon
attachment on your watering hose. Hyponex makes one that works fine and costs about $10
(retail).
Although it would be worthless as a learning aid for growing herbs, Culpepper's Complete
Herbal (See Bookseller, Sources) is a copy of a 17th century book outlining the uses and
powers of the various herbs.
This, and others that tell about their "magical" powers are no longer considered
factual, but nonetheless, fascinating -- they will help create interest in your herbs!
Marketing your herbs profitably is a matter of finding those with a need (gourmet
restaurants and cooks), and coming up with something that is different and interesting.
Check with small stores, health and gift shops. Ask them to try your products -- even if
it is on consignment. Ordinarily, you can offer a special introductory price to entice
shop keepers to try them.
Exposure of both your name and herbs is what you are after at this early stage. Work with
a printer to have a display package to show off your products to their best advantage. A
poster with a tray of products underneath would be a nice window display.
Meanwhile, advertise (radio, cable TV spots, newspaper ads) in your market area and write
some "news release" items for the local paper to help introduce yourself and
your products.
Herbs and their accompanying folklore lend themselves well to this approach. Of course,
your little articles will also mention where one can get such interesting things!
Put magnetic signs on your car and call on as many retailers and restaurants as you can to
establish a wholesale route.
Leave samples of your best products with the large, gourmet cooks. When building a route,
it is necessary to keep calling on prospective customers -- even when they haven't bought
anything. This tends to prove your reliability (why buy from an out of town supplier and
pay freight if they can get the same quality delivered?).
Remember that some retailers have been "burned" is the past by those who SAY
they are reliable. Since very little actual space and weight is needed for herb delivery,
your family car (with signs, of course) will do nicely as your first delivery van.
Tip: offer a plan to place and periodically replace, live, growing plants such as basil to
restaurants. This will allow them to advertise that they use fresh herbs!
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