Potting Soil mixGood potting soil should be spongy (not woody), light and be a little bit gritty (easily crumbles in hand)Use a small bucket as a measure and mix into a wheel barrow or large bin

3 parts Peat Moss or COIR3 parts Mature Compost 1 part Perlite1/2 part sandScratch into top 2 inches a couple handfuls of Worm Castings (or other slow release organic fertilizer, read directions for amount)

Container GardeningCommunity Food Bank Garden Programwww.communityfoodbank.org/garden

Containers: Anything can be a container as long as it’s 5 gallons or larger (for veggies) and not toxic (not previously used for chemicals). Be creative! Be sure to make holes in the bottom for drainage or make a self watering container!Placement Close for easy maintenance Sun: 6-8 hours per day but protection on

west side Protected from wind, pests, pets, etc

Soil Potting mix can be purchased premade or

made yourself- should be moist but well draining, not compacted (see recipe)

Continually add organic nutrients to build soil life, compost, worm compost, mulch, etc.

Insects Don’t use chemicals! We love pollinators and decomposers Pest insects: wipe, pick or spray off

Love!Observation, look under leaves and TOUCH THE SOIL

Water Check for moisture under surface and deeper with a

stick or probe Water gently to the soil surface usually every day

(unless cool temperatures or rainy) Mulch!

Building a self watering container Self-watering containers allow us to grow plants that prefer continuous moist soil in arid desert climates and it’s a good way to reuse plastic containers! They also give you the flexibility of growing food in micro-climates on your site, in a rental property, indoors, or in an apartment.

A Partial list of herbs that thrive in TucsonAloysia Epazote Yerba mansaAmaranth Fennel YarrowAnise Globe mallow Lemon balmArizona wormwood Jojoba Lemon grassArtemisia Creosote OreganoBasil Lavender SageBay laurel Parsley MargoramBorage Rosemary HorehoundCalendula Rue Cilantro, corianderCaraway ComfreyCatnip SageChamomile SorrelChiltepin ThymeChives Taragon

Growing HerbsQuick Tips

Herbs make great companion plants for garden borders or inter-planted with vegetables. They: Repel pest insects and animals (rabbits, ground squirrels,

javelinas, don’t like the taste of many herbs) Provide habitat for beneficial insects Provide nectar and pollen for honey bees Often use less water and require less soil amendment

than vegetables Many are low maintenance perennials that you can

harvest year after year

Most herbs will also flourish in containers with well draining, sandy soil. Some herbs (particularly mint) spread quickly and should be confined to a container so they don’t take over your garden.

Fertilize with organic fertilizer (aged compost, worm castings, etc) in the spring, but don’t over-fertilize or over water as it can make flavors and essential oils in herbs less potent.

There is tremendous variety of medicinal, aromatic and culinary herbs and many native desert species that can be cultivated in yards! Look for further information for details on how to grow and use specific plants.

Recommended Resources:Father Kino’s Herbs: Growing and Using Them Today by Jacqueline A. SouleRodale’s Herb Book or Illustrated Encyclopedia of HerbsMedicinal Herbs of the Southwest, Michael Moore

Local sources for herbs and information: Bean Tree Farm, Barbara Rose www.beantreefarm.com Desert Tortoise Botanicals, John Slattery http://desertortoisebotanicals.com/ Tucson Herb Store, 408 4th Ave www.tucsonherbstore.com

Most herbs benefit from being pinched back or regularly harvested as it will encourage more bushy growth pattern. Many can be readily propagated from cuttings, and in fact, are difficult to germinate from seeds.

Culinary herbs can be used fresh, frozen in oil or water, dried or preserved in herbal oils or vinegars. Aromatic herbs can be made into potpourri or sachets. Medicinal herbs can be dried, made into teas, tinctures, bath salts or salves.