Factors affecting the production of medicinal and aromatic plants

 The first factor is the soil

 Soil is where the plant's root grows and through which it gets water and nutrients

Including the major elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium And trace elements such as copper, manganese, boron and zinc

Soil varies in terms of its texture, acidity, percentage of organic matter, and moisture content

The soil needs of medicinal plants differ in terms of acidity, consistency, and the percentage of organic matter. For example, cactus, agave, cinnamic, marjoram, and licorice grow in light yellow and sandy soils.

As for plants of the tent family such as cumin, caraway, fennel, star anise, and plants belonging to the rose family such as eggplant, it is preferable to grow them in heavy and loamy soils.

In terms of the chemical composition of the soil, we find some plants growing in calcareous soils, such as lavender and gentian

Some of them grow in alkaline soils, such as olives, pomegranates, and henna

Some of them succeed in acidic soils, such as tobacco, cypress, garlic, onions and mustard

The second component is nutrients and fertilization

The soil is the main source of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, iron, potassium, calcium and magnesium

If the soil is poor in these elements, it must be added by composting. There are two main types of fertilizer here

compost

And it works to improve the natural properties of the soil, as it works to dismantle the soil granules

and increase its water holding capacity

It also adds to the soil a good amount of macro and micro nutrients

The organic fertilizer consists of the remnants of cattle, horses and sheep, and the addition of fishmeal, bone meal and cottonseed meal.

Organic fertilizer is added before planting to slow its decomposition

The organic fertilizer can be replaced with bio-fertilizer (green manure) by planting alfalfa and beans to form nitrogenous complexes.

Various types of biofertilizers are now used, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter, Nitrozomonas, and Azosspirillium).

As well as phosphorus-fixing organisms such as bacillus megatherum  ,microhizza and  saccharomyces cerevisiae 

These fertilizers are used either by spraying on the plant, adding it to the soil, or immersing the seeds and roots of seedlings in it