Growing herbs is heaps of fun, but so many people come to us as they are struggling to keep their home grown produce alive.
Why do seedlings and established plants that you buy, die-back so quick? Its actually a very valid question.
Why are there no instructions on these things, where’s the feeding guide, how much food do I give them?
The reason most of the potted plants you purchase go downhill so quickly is usually an environmental factor but more commonly it is an underfeeding issue, you need to feed your plants food if you want them to survive, whether the nutrition comes directly from good soil or a bottle either way they need feeding.
The cultivators of these plants & cuttings also do not disclose what feeding regime your new plant has been on, even though they know that different nutrients can react biologically with each other causing lockouts etc. either way the information is not disclosed.
Soil can be highly nutritious or completely depleted of nutrients, which one is yours? If you don’t know the answer to this, you need to visit your local hydroponics store with a sample of your soil. The good shops will test it on the spot for you, and will help you understand how much nutrition is available in the soil and also what the pH of the soil is.
Hydroponics is the art of growing plants without soil.
Water is not a direct source of food.
Now we love herbs, so we actually want to share the secrets of how to sustain healthy herbs all year round- AND it's actually quite easy.
Once you are familiar with the steps, you will be germinating all your plants from seed and can put all the money the cuttings usually cost you into your new passion.
Propagation materials and accessories are not required to successfully germinate seedlings, but they can make a very big difference in your rate of success, not to mention they're not expensive!
20 seeds will cost a fraction of what the plant will, and now you could have 20 plants!
Nutrition will cost around $20-30 and will last you months.
Step 1: Acquire equipment
Propagation dome with lid & vents
Propagating heat mat
Grow cubes
3ml Pipette
Rooting solution
(Optional extra) Propagation enclosure/room
Step 2: Soak your Grow cubes
10L Bucket of water
Add 5mls of rooting solution using sterile pipette
Soak cubes for 1-2 hours
Step 3: Germinate seeds
Open seed packet and scatter seeds loosely on top of grow cube
Transfer all seeded grow cubes to the propagation dome and close vents
Leave vents closed, this creates humidity that will help soften the seed casing allowing them to germinate fast.
If you have a little propagation enclosure, install the light and place your propagation dome directly under it, for those using a heat-pad, your propagation dome sits on top of this.
Step 4: Wait a few days
Never lift up the Lid of your propagation dome, by doing this the “environment” you have created resets itself.
Most herbs from seed germinate within 2-9 days
Step 5: They are ALIVE!
Now your seedlings are alive you can remove the lid of the propagation dome.
Using the same rooting solution, add 5ml to 10L of water and micro-feed every 2nd or 3rd day to establish the root-zone of your seedling.
Do this for 7-10 days.
Step 6: Transplant into decorative pot
Fill your new awesome garden pot half way with coco coir or a good soil mix.
Place grow cube containing seedlings in the middle, and slowly cover over with soil etc..
Congratulations you have just completed a transplant!
Using a basic food source feed your new herbs once a week, and within a matter of weeks you’ll have bush of aromatic herbs!
