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<br />ties from dispersing. Unlike the other biocontrol agents dis-
<br />cussed above, lady beetles can be stored in the refrigerator
<br />for 2 -3 months, which makes it possible to conduct repeated
<br />releases from the same order, saving on shipping costs. I or-
<br />dered some lady beetles for a project this summer and stored
<br />the leftovers in our plant sample fridge. Every week or so, I
<br />would release a few to clean up the scale insects on my of-
<br />fice plants. I was never disappointed!
<br />Research has found that lacewings perform better in hot tem=
<br />peratures, while aphid nudges and lady beetles were better in
<br />cooler temperatures. Aphidoletes was better in all tempera-
<br />tures at controlling aphids.
<br />All of the beneficials discussed above are also effective in
<br />field situations. Yoq can farmscape to conserve and enhance
<br />existing populations or augment with purchased insects.
<br />Small- flowered plants such as dill, mustard, thyme, parsley,
<br />Queen Anne's lace, yarrow, and white clover attract Aphi-
<br />doletes, Aphidius, and lacewings. Coreopsis, cosmos, sun-
<br />flowers, dandelion, goldenrod, buckwheat, and corn also at-
<br />tract lacewings and lady beetles.
<br />For more information on biological control or other pest
<br />management strategies for aphids, call me at 919 -542 -8202
<br />Growing Herbs
<br />as a Cash Crop
<br />Jeanine M. Davis
<br />NCSU Extension Specialist
<br />i I encourage growers and would -be
<br />growers to consider herbs as a po-
<br />%f f _ tential crop because of the tremen-
<br />dous diversity of herb enterprises.
<br />When vegetable growers consider growing herbs, they usu-
<br />ally think of fresh - market herbs, the most popular being
<br />sweet basil, cilantro, and flat -leaf parsley. Fresh market
<br />herbs can be grown on large acreages for sales to wholesal-
<br />ers and chainstores or on very small- acreages for direct sales
<br />to restaurants, farmers' markets, and specialty grocery
<br />stores. One of the largest obstacles to getting started in fresh -
<br />market herb production is the lack of reliable, commercially
<br />oriented production information. There is no cookbook
<br />method for growing all the herbs. Often, your only option is
<br />to try cultural practices appropriate for a crop similar to the
<br />herb you are growing. For example, when developing pro-
<br />duction information for sweet basil, I started with cultural
<br />recommendations for leaf lettuce.
<br />One of the most important cultural considerations for herbs
<br />is site selection. The site should have good drainage, ade-
<br />quate water supply, and few weeds. Remember that few, if
<br />any, agricultural chemicals are cleared for use on herbs.
<br />Seed selection is also very important. For example, depend-
<br />ing on the seed source, a high percentage of basil seed can
<br />produce an off -type leaf which may not be marketable. In
<br />addition, many herbs, such as members of the mint family,
<br />should never be grown from seed and must be reproduced
<br />Page 3
<br />vegetatively to obtain the desired characteristics. In North
<br />Carolina, most herbs benefit from being grown on raised beds
<br />because they allow the soil to warm early in the spring and pro-
<br />vide good drainagd. I also highly recommend the use of mulch
<br />to control weeds, keep the foliage clean, and to hold moisture
<br />in the soil. My research, however, has shown that mulch type
<br />can be important for some herbs. For example, I looked at a
<br />variety of mulches for basil production, including black plastic,
<br />hardwood chips, softwood chips, and straw. All provided good
<br />weed control, but fresh wood mulches severely reduced yields.
<br />Overall, best results were obtained with black plastic mulch. In
<br />most situations, irrigation is- essential, with drip- irrigation being
<br />the best choice because it reduces the incidence of foliar dis-
<br />ease and permits harvest at any time. In western North Caro-
<br />lina, most growers must set out transplants of tender annuals to
<br />obtain high early season yields. They also use high plant popu-
<br />lations, including double rows per bed and close in -row spac-
<br />ings, to get the highest yields per unit land area.
<br />Because there are so few agricultural chemicals cleared for use
<br />on herbs, the primary method of pest control is prevention.
<br />Multiple crops, strict crop rotations, careful sanitation, and
<br />small, multiple plantings tend to keep disease and insect prob-
<br />lems to a minimum. Because there is so little information avail-
<br />able on herb fertilization, a soil test should be taken and gen-
<br />eral recommendations for lettuce or vegetable gardens are usu-
<br />ally followed. My experience has shown that it is better to be
<br />conservative with fertilizer, especially nitrogen, because many
<br />herbs lose flavor if they are grown too rapidly. Because the
<br />best prices for many herbs are obtained in the off - season, grow-
<br />ers may try to extend their seasons with the use of row covers,
<br />tunnels, and small, moveable hoop structures covered with
<br />plastic. Greenhouse production is also popular and often profit-
<br />able.
<br />How and when the herb is harvested is critical for a high -
<br />quality product. For example, basil should be harvested in the
<br />cool of the day, handled very gently, and packed in coolers im-
<br />mediately after cutting. If you are creative and organized, there
<br />should be little waste. For example, if you have an overabun-
<br />dance of fresh basil, make pesto and freeze it. As with any
<br />crop, it is important to establish markets before the crop is
<br />planted. The most successful growers in North Carolina have
<br />been the ones who have been creative with their marketing
<br />strategies. For example, for restaurant sales feature an'herb of
<br />the week' and provide some free herb and recipes for chefs.
<br />Another herb enterprise that has been very successful is pro-
<br />duction and sale of herb plants. There is a high demand for
<br />bedding plants in the spring and the demand in fall is increas-
<br />ing. Unlike some other bedding plants, people want a variety of
<br />large, well - established herb plants. They don't buy many of one
<br />kind, but one each of many different kinds. This provides a
<br />nice little niche for small greenhouse owners who can produce
<br />a variety of herbs including annuals and perennials. Herb plants
<br />are sold in many ways including mail order, specialty shops,
<br />nurseries, and spring fairs and festivals.
<br />Another herb crop of interest in North Carolina is garlic, par-
<br />ticularly elephant garlic. Many small - acreage growers like gar-
<br />lic because it is planted in the fall and harvested in the spring,
<br />
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