Fun thread, thanks for everyone who participated! You know, I was goofing around Central Phoenix yesterday anyway (Art Museum, Biltmore Fashion Park (can't pass up a Brooks Brothers sale) etc) so I pulled over when I drove past Grotown Horticultural Supplies (1945 E Indian School Rd) just to check it out. It was really interesting and fun. SO MANY interesting supplies there. Everything from "hand picked" bat guano to Superthrive to all sort of pots, mats, materials and rooting supplies. Some of the prices were awesome, so I did stock up on pots, some new rooting media, and trace element solutions. I had stopped for perlite or pumice, but the only perlite they had was in Grant-sized bags and the particles were larger than packing peanuts so not quite what I wanted, but they had tons of other stuff. All in all a fun visit and I'll definitely head back. I don't grow cannabis, nor do I use any indoor grow lighting, so I'm not their target customer in general, but they had tons of fun stuff so I'll definitely head back next time I'm down there. Take care and happy gardening, whatever you grow!

Herbs add flavor to food and provide extra scent and color in your garden. They are among the oldest cultivated plants and are as fascinating now as they were hundreds of years ago. Herbs can be annual, biennial, or perennial. Most have modest flowers, but some have very showy flowers, while others have quite striking leaves. Many herbs attract bees and butterflies, which adds even more interest to your garden. Here are the 10 most popular herbs for you to consider. 1) Basil is a half-hardy annual with shiny green leaves; it is great in tomato dishes. It grows up to two feet and needs shelter, sun, and regular pinching out to keep it small. 2) Bay is often grown as a small, pyramid bush and can reach sixty feet if grown in the wild. However, it is quite slow growing in pots, so you donÂt have to worry about it getting this tall in your garden. You can use bay leaves in stews and sauces, and it is especially tasty in spaghetti sauce. 3) Chervil is a delicate, ferny annual or biennial. It grows to about one foot tall and has a peppery taste, which is quite strong if used fresh in soup or salad dishes. You can harvest this herb all winter long if planted in a sunny, sheltered spot. 4) Chives have tidy, grassy leaves and a mild onion flavor. They grow to be about 6 inches high. These are perhaps the most popular herbs used and grown today. They are most commonly used in salads and in potato dishes, as well as a garnish. 5) Dill is an annual that grows to be about three feet high. It has delicate, feathery leaves and strong-scented seeds. Its flat yellow flowers make a great border in any flower garden. Dill is often used with fish, eggs, and tomatoes, as well as in pickling. 6) Garlic has a very distinct flavor that is used to enhance meat, vegetables, and salad dressings. It is very easy to grow; you can plant single cloves in the spring and have complete heads of garlic by late summer. 7) Mint is very prolific in its propagation; it grows to be about 24 inches tall and spreads very rapidly. If you plant it in a garden, you might want to put it in a pot to keep it from overtaking the other plants. It is traditional to use mint jelly with lamb and fresh mint with peas and new potatoes. 8) Parsley is considered to be the most popular herb because it can be used to enhance any savory dish. It is a biennial, but sometimes grown as an annual, and grows to be about two feet tall. The fern-leafed plants make a very attractive border. 9) Sage comes in many different varieties; all are hardy shrubs that benefit from annual spring pruning. This herb is traditionally used in turkey stuffing, but is also popular with poultry and cheese. Tarragon is a floppy, course perennial, about two feet tall. It has a fresh, tart taste and is used in fish, chicken, and seafood dishes. The French variety is considered to be better than the Russian is. Here is a link that might be useful: How To Herbs

Hi solargrower, You will need to adapt crops seasonally. I can't guess how much area are you set up for. Your plan to change nutes & manage pH monthly will force you out of traditional edible vegetables. In the summer try (transplants) Huauzontle or Aztec "spinach" (Chenepodium berlandieri); the young leaf is edible & immature seed pods can be stir fry/braised/battered. It will take any heat, drought tolerant & possibly quick enough to shrug off any methodology induced problems. You can breed the seed easily if it does well for you. Another quick, beat the imbalance clock, harvest is "Rat Tail" radish; they eat the stir fried pods in SE asia. Dandelion is a likely candidate for surviving the cold season that possibly will shrug off pH fluctuations; gives you first tender greens & then flowers can batter fry/jelly. Borage - for the tiny flowers; may be more pH sensitive. Turmeric (hot season) being a root crop could roll with the pH. Fig (bush type) will survive your cold drop, but probably just as well grown in ground as gets rangy .

cilantro and dill i direct seed. Cilantro likes it cool/cold so does well fall/winter/spring and not so good in summer unless you are willing to seed it every 2 to 3 days, keep extremely well watered and shaded (like lettuce). Dill I direct seed in April/May/June and again in August and generally get some all summer (though it is never ever in the correct stage when the pickling cukes are coming in.). of these two cilantro is by far the better seller. Oh Italian parsley is another annual I do. That is started indoors under lights in Feb. I prefer the large leaf Italian to the curled parsleys. I am at 38� longitude on the western frontier of Ohio