26 February 2004

Hi Steve,
            Thanks for your mail the best way for anything to grow is make 
sure the soil is well "aired" first lift soil with fork so there's gaps in it. 
Leave a few days to dry then work on it till it's all crumbly.

If nothing has grown in it for a few years and it has weeds in it this soil 
will be very fertile as the nutrients haven't been used :) that's unless you 
have clay soil. When you have finally found spot for your herbs prepare soil and 
put a "mulch" into soil a grow bag will do. 

If you want to be organic friendly then you have a battle on your hands :smiles: 
as slugs love herbs....so to prevent them there are a number of ways. If you cut 
an orange in half take centre out turn upside down with a little hole in it for 
slugs to crawl in :) same with grape fruits  or apple peal....or an old margarine 
tub or tin foil dish filled with a drop of beer..... slugs love this drink it then 
fall in "what a way to go at least they die happy" oh i am wicked! :Grins:      

There is also the wall of death technique and thats to protect your herbs from 
slugs by getting some straw bedding and lay a circle of it around your herbs but 
not too near. This is also good for growing your own strawberrys. The slugs hate 
the sharp bits.

      Small herb seeds are better started of in a tray i normally use B&Q 
multi purpose compost for a high sucess rate. Plus a flour siv is essential to 
cover them in fine dust of compost....it's time cosuming but fun and you won't 
be dissapointed. 

      For larger seeds pick a fine day and scatter lightly dont cover with 
heavey clods of earth make sure it's crumbly.

      When you do go in the garden you will see a whole eco system of creepy 
crawlies. Up untill a few years ago i kept finding a bettle in my garden and 
throwing it over the wall i thought it was the pest responsible for putting 
holes in my flowers and plants. I was wrong and it's a friend of all gardens
so if you see any dont get rid off em it's the lava of a ladybird      :)
Aphids love herbs and this one loves eating baddies.

I did find the culprit attacking my plants it's a vine weevil they love 
containers very hard to get rid off.

       Also if you digg the garden you might find white eggs in the soil so 
just move to a safe spot as these are worm eggs. Manure is good to add to soil 
but it's not always sold sterile and you could end up with more weeds than you 
bargined for it's best applied in autumn.

      I could go on and on but don't want to bore you. I am very passionate 
about the garden and have tryed many things including making my own wormery and 
my own fertiliser from the herb Knitt bone which is great for muscle sprains.

        Hope this helps if you need more advice then give me a shout :)

                        ttfn 
                             Jaki
                                 xxx

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