ADVERTORIAL
Herbal farming and manufacturing update
by Warren Morey | Herbalist and
Herbal identity is always a critical issue in Herbal manufacturing . All herbs used at PPC are independently tested by Southern Cross University , Analytical Research Laboratory . This TGA licenced testing laboratory are experts in their field . Failures are actually rare as we have welldeveloped Supplier Approval systems and well-established supply chains . It ’ s usually new herbs where we need to be extra careful .
A question we regularly get asked is : Where is your Alcohol sourced ? Our Alcohol is Australian Made from Australian Sugar Cane . It ’ s GMO free . Marleen Herbs use Organic Ethanol sourced out of South America . It ’ s also made from Sugar Cane and is of course GMO free as it ’ s organically certified .
The engine room of PPC Herbs is the Percolator room . It ’ s always busy and the percolators operate 24 / 7 . The room has many safety features to ensure a safe production environment . It ’ s been processing Barberry ( Berberis vulgaris ), Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera ), Globe Artichoke ( Cynara scolymus ), Oat Seed ( Avena sativa ), California Poppy ( Eschscholzia californica ) and Witch Hazel ( Hamamelis virginiana )
Farming Update by Ronald van de Winckel ( Marleen Herbs )
In Tasmania we sow many of the medicinal plants around the 15th of August in the hothouse . Because there are so many herbs with different requirements for propagation , we need to arrange them in several groups : Sowing is done in trays to get little seedlings for transplanting in the field late October ( Chamomile , Feverfew ).
However , for some ( Cardiospermum , Spilanthes ) our unheated hothouse is still too cold , and sowing is delayed until mid-September . The advantage of transplanting seedlings above direct
seeding is that competition with weeds will be less , but the little seedlings are more vulnerable to water stress .
We try to grow most herbs by “ direct sowing “ them in the field either early in August ( Oats , Burdock , Echinacea ) or later in September ( Astragalus , Calendula ) for the warmer demanding types .
Fertilizing medicinal plants is also not a one fits all approach , but at Marleen Herbs we grow our crops extensively , aiming at low kilogram yields , for we are of the opinion that stronger , slow growing plants , have better medicinal properties . This makes the issue of fertilising a bit easier since in our approach , only basic fertility of the soil needs to be maintained . This means a general application of lime and for some long living crops ( Lavender , Rosemary ) organic guano is applied . The main form of “ fertilizer ” comes from the 2 in 5-year crop rotation with nitrogen fixing crops ( Clover ) or green manure ( Oats , Sunflower and Tick Beans ) and of course we are lucky with our naturally rich fertile red soils . Photo Credit : Emma van de Winckel .
If you have further questions , please email warren . morey @ ppcherbs . com . au
Disclaimer : The views and opinions expressed in these advertorials are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ATMS or its Directors .
JATMS | Spring 2024 | 185