Herbs are probably the most popular and intriguing group of plants in existence. Undoubtedly, the explanation for this is that over the centuries herbs have been used in so many dif¬ferent ways. They flavor our foods, perfume our homes and bodies, decorate our gardens, and cure our ills. One way or another, herbs touch each of our lives.
In this article, we’ll show you how to grow an herb garden.
• Preparing Soil for Herb Garden Planting

Count your blessings if you’re lucky enough to have a garden with rich fertile soil, which is deep and easy to work. Good garden soil is not easy to find, and most beginning gardeners soon realize they must improve on one or more conditions of the soil. Herbs can survive in a wide variety of soil types, but by making some simple preparatory changes, your garden soil can become as easy to use and productive as you’d like. Good soil must be guarded by proper management. In this section, we’ll teach you the basics.
• Herb Garden Soil Preparation Techniques

Now that you know what you need, you’re ready to enroll in the soil-improvement program. In this section, you’ll learn how to test your soil for texture and fertility. Then, you’ll see how to improve soil deficiencies. There’s no need to worry if you’re not satisfied with the results of your testing. Improving your garden soil is easily accomplished and is a regular part of gardening. Remember, all of the soil-improving process doesn’t have to happen in the first year of gardening. Take time working with your soil, and you’ll reap the benefits of many years of fruitful production. We’ll show you how to improve your soil, fertilize, and recycle soil to give your herbs the best chance at growth.
• Growing Herbs

Sooner or later, most of us decide to try our hand at growing a few favorite herbs. If we haven’t prepared our soil, it usually starts with a pot of parsley on the kitchen windowsill or a short row of dill in the vegetable patch. Once started, most gardeners find themselves increasing the number of herbs they cultivate simply because so many of them flourish with little care. In this section, we’ll discuss the best methods to start an herb garden.
• Herb Growing Tips

Like any other garden, you have many different options for layout and design when planting your herb garden. Do you prefer a container garden close to the kitchen for the aromatic herbs that you love to use in your gourmet recipes? Do you like rows and rows of lacy anise to sway in the breeze on a windy day? Does a wistful sigh escape your lips every time you pass an intricate knot garden? Would you rather plant a mixed garden full of herbs, vegetables, and even edible flowers? In this section, we’ll explore the different herb garden options and help you lay out a garden plan to get you ready for planting.
Whether you like to cook or like to eat, nothing tastes as good as something you’ve made yourself. Your herb garden will be a source of fragrant, delicious seasonings for your favorite meals. Let’s get started by preparing the soil for herb garden planting.
Preparing Soil for Herb Garden Planting
Good soil is the key to an easy-to-maintain garden. While most herbs are pretty hardy and require little care, you’ll still find that a little preparation goes a long way.

Improving Your Garden Soil

Good soil is 50 percent solids and 50 percent porous space, which provides room for water, air, and plant roots. The solids are inorganic matter (fine rock particles) and organic matter (decaying plant matter). The inorganic portion of the soil can be divided into three categories based on the size of the particles it contains. Clay has the smallest soil particles; silt has medium-size particles; and sand has the coarsest particles. The amount of clay, silt, and sand in a soil determine its texture. Loam, the ideal garden soil, is a mixture of 20 percent clay, 40 percent silt, and 40 percent sand.

Herb Garden Image Gallery

Some people choose to add vegetables into the herb garden. In the interest of harvesting a bigger and better crop of herbs and vegetables, you’ll want to improve the texture and structure of your soil. This improvement, whether to make the soil drain better or hold more water, can be accomplished quite easily by the addition of organic matter.

Organic matter is material that was once living but is now dead and decaying. You can use such materials as ground corncobs, sawdust, bark chips, straw, hay, grass clippings, and cover crops to serve as organic matter. Your own compost pile can supply you with excellent organic matter to enrich the soil.

Each spring, as you prepare the garden for planting, incorporate organic matter into the soil by tilling or turning it under with a spade. If noncomposted materials are used, the microorganisms that break down the materials will use nitrogen from the soil. To compensate for this nitrogen loss, increase the amount of nitrogen fertilizer that you incorporate into the soil.

The next step in your soil-improvement program is to have the soil tested for nutrient levels. The local county Cooperative Extension office can advise you on testing the soil in your area. Your soil sample will be sent to a laboratory to determine any deficiencies of the necessary nutrients needed for successful plant growth. Instructions for taking and preparing soil samples can be found in our article How to Prepare Soil for Planting.

Be sure to tell the laboratory that the samples came from an herb and/or vegetable garden plot. The test report will recommend the amount and kind of fertilizer needed for a home garden. Follow the laboratory’s recommendations as closely as possible during the first growing season. We’ll talk more about fertilizing below and in the next section, Herb Garden Soil Preparation Techniques.

The necessary nutrient levels are relative to the soil type and the crop being grown. Although different herbs have varying requirements, the soil test institution calculates an optimum average for fertilizer and lime recommendations.

The results of the soil test will indicate the pH (acid-alkaline balance) of the soil as well as the nitrogen content, phosphorus content, and potassium content. The pH is measured on a scale of 1 (most acid or sour) to 14 (most alkaline or sweet), with 7 representing neutral. Most vegetable plants produce best in a soil that has a pH between 5.5 and 7.5.

The pH number is important because it affects the availability of most of the essential nutrients in the soil. The soil lab will consider the type of soil you have, the pH level, and the crops you intend to produce and make a recommendation for pH adjustment.

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels will be indicated by a “Low,” “Medium,” or “High” level. High is the desired level for herb and vegetable gardens for both nutrients. If your test results show other than High, a recommendation of type and amount of fertilizer will be made.

Although nitrogen (N) is also needed in large amounts by plants, the soil nitrates level is not usually routinely tested because rainfall leaches nitrates from the soil, which easily results in low levels. Additional nitrogen through the use of a complete fertilizer is almost always recommended.

Tests for other elements are available on request but are needed only under special circumstances.

Adjusting Soil pH

The soil test results may advise you to raise the pH by adding a recommended amount of lime to the soil. Ground dolomitic limestone is best and can be applied at any time of the year without harm to the plants. You may be advised to lower the pH by adding a recommended amount of a sulfur product. Ammonium sulfate is the sulfur product most commonly used. Spread the lime or sulfur evenly through your garden and incorporate it into the soil by turning or tilling.

Fertilizing: How & Why To Do It

Many inexperienced gardeners think that since their herbs have done fine so far without fertilizer, they’ll continue to do fine without fertilizer next year. But it’s not quite that simple. Although your plants will probably provide you with herbs without using fertilizer, you won’t be getting their best effort. Properly fertilized plants will be healthier and better able to resist disease and attacks from pests, providing more and higher-quality herbs.

There are two types of fertilizers: organic and inorganic. Both contain the same nutrients, but their composition and action differ in several ways. It makes no difference to the plant whether nutrients come from an organic or an inorganic source as long as the nutrients are available. However, the differences between the two types are worth your consideration.

Organic fertilizers come from plants and animals. The nutrients in organic fertilizers must be broken down over a period of time by microorganisms in the soil before they become available to the plants. Therefore, organic fertilizers don’t offer instant solutions to nutrient deficiencies in the soil. Dried blood, kelp, and bone meal are types of organic fertilizers.

Manures are also organic. They are bulkier and contain lower percentages of nutrients than other natural fertilizers. However, they offer the advantage of immediately improving the texture of the soil by raising the level of organic matter.

Because organic fertilizers are generally not well-balanced in nutrient content, you’ll probably need to use a mixture of them to ensure a balanced nutrient content. The table below, as well as the directions on the package, may be used as a guide to making your own mixture. Incorporate the mixture into the soil while preparing your spring garden. Apply it again as a side-dressing midway through the growing season.

When you fertilize with an inorganic fertilizer, nutrients are immediately available for the plant’s use. Any container of fertilizer has three numbers printed on it, such as 5-10-20, to indicate the percentage of major nutrients it contains. Nitrogen is represented by the first number (5 percent in this example); phosphorus is represented by the second number (10 percent); and potassium by the third (20 percent). The remaining 65 percent is a mixture of other nutrients and inert filler. A well-balanced complete fertilizer consists of all three major nutrients in somewhat even proportions. A complete fertilizer is recommended for herb and vegetable garden use as long as the nitrogen content isn’t more than 20 percent. A typical complete fertilizer used in edible gardens is 10-10-10.

Source: http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-grow-an-herb-garden1.htm

Comparison of crime rates between Philippines Angeles City and Clark Freeport Zone sheds light on the difference between the twin cities of Pampanga. Regular guests of Angeles City Hotels begin to migrate on base into hotels inside Clark Philippines not only for peace and quiet but peace of mind and a sense of safety and security.

It is important to many families to feel safe in a hotel in Angeles Pampanga. That is one of the main reasons that many tourists and local visitors from Manila choose to stay in a hotel in Clark Freeport Zone just outside Manila Philippines. Many tourists traveling with families and children do not like the hotels in Subic or some of the hotel in Angeles Pampanga. The resorts in Philippines Angeles City do not make guests feel comfortable and secure.

The beach resorts, leisure parks and vacation hotels in Clark Pampanga offer a unique ambience that supports a laidback relaxing lifestyle. Many visitors travel north to Clark Pampanga from Manila to unwind and relax in these resorts.

New developments from Clark Philippines that may be pertinent to businesses and investments in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone are posted on HotelClarkPhilippines web site. Clark Philippines is a fast growth economic and business city comparable to Manila Philippines.

Retirement in Philippines is an interesting investment opportunity for foreign companies. Many investors are looking for a destination near Manila that offers safety and quietness to develop residential and retirement projects and Clark Pampanga seems to be an attractive business proposition. Investment opportunities in Clark Philippines include hotel and resorts, retirement village, vacation rentals, condominiums and other residential projects, and other leisure, tourism and hospitality businesses. Land in the main zone of Clark Freeport is not easy to find and is not as cheap as before but Clark is still much more attractive compared to other investment destinations in Philippines.

For information as well as assistance with reservations in hotels and resorts in Pampanga, Clark Philippines, click here to contact HotelClarkPhilippines now

Or call us at

Hotel Clark Philippines
Creekside Road corner of Centennial Road,
Central Business District, Clark Freeport Zone,
Pampanga, Philippines 2023

Tel: (045)599-5949 0917-520-4403 0922-870-5177

Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 Rea or Chay

http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

Email: Info@ClarkPhilippines.com

Getting to this hotel in Clark Philippines
After entering Clark Freeport from Subic, Manila, Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along Clark’s main highway MA Roxas, passing Clark’s largest wine shop called Clark Wine Center on your right, continue to bear right making no turns at all, go past Mimosa Leisure Estate on the opposite side of the road, you will hit a major intersection. Go straight and the road becomes Creekside Road. YATS Clearwater Resort and Country Club is on your right just 200m down. Traffic in Clark Philippines is light so it should be quite easy for get to this hotel in Clark Philippines.

YATS Leisure Philippines is a HK-based developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine outlets http://www.YatsLeisure.com

To inquire with the beach resort hotel in Clark Pampanga visit http://www.ClearwaterPhililippines.com