Trial Station Guide

Sarıcakaya Plant Guide

20 decares, 20 species, four irrigation zones. This guide answers one practical question: how did each crop perform in this microclimate, soil and water regime? Every plant card combines technical guidance with field-level observations.

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20Detailed plant cards

4 ZoneIrrigation and soil logic

A/B/CExpand, retest or remove

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Zone System

Four zones separate plants by water demand and evaluation cycle. Soil preparation must be tailored to each zone.

Zone A · Drought-Tolerant

Sage, Common Thyme, Greek Oregano, Rosemary, Immortelle

The driest, best-drained area. Excess irrigation reduces quality. Place rosemary and immortelle at the sheltered end.

Soil Preparation: Improve drainage with sand or perlite where necessary.

Zone B · Medium Water

Lemon Balm, German Chamomile, Echinacea, Blue Cornflower, St. John’s Wort

Crops needing more regular irrigation and flower-performance monitoring. Lemon balm is the most sensitive member of this zone.

Soil Preparation: Use a moisture-retentive structure that still drains freely.

Zone C · Seed Crops

Fennel, Anise, Cumin, Coriander, Black Cumin

A fine seedbed, emergence monitoring and weed control are critical. Keep tall fennel at the edge.

Soil Preparation: Prepare a level surface and a fine, firm seedbed.

Zone D · Root Crops / Long Term

Marshmallow, Licorice, Rhodiola, Soaproot, Hawthorn

The patience block. Choose the site correctly from the outset. Rhodiola is a stand-alone research trial; hawthorn belongs on the perimeter.

Soil Preparation: Cultivate deeply to 40–50 cm.

Companion-Planting Map

A concise guide to which plants belong together and which should be kept apart.

Core Aromatics

Sage + Common Thyme + Greek Oregano

Zone A

These three share the same irrigation regime and soil requirements, making them natural neighbours.

Mediterranean Pair

Rosemary + Immortelle

Zone A

Both carry winter risk; evaluate them together at the sheltered end of Zone A.

Flower Block

German Chamomile + Blue Cornflower + Echinacea + St. John’s Wort

Zone B

They have similar water needs and attract pollinators. Place lemon balm on the moister edge of this group.

Seed Crops Compact

Cumin + Coriander + Anise + Black Cumin

Zone C

They share a similar harvest cycle. Keep tall fennel at the outer edge.

Root Crops Block

Marshmallow + Licorice + Soaproot

Zone D

A long-term root-crop trial requiring two to three years of observation.

Special Trial

Rhodiola (separate plot)

Zone D

Its requirements are completely different; reserve the coolest, moistest corner.

Perimeter

Hawthorn (limited row)

Zone D

Use it as a windbreak and landscape element along the perimeter, not in the centre of the field.

Recommended Field Layout

Suggested field allocation based on zone and companion-planting principles. Yellow lines are paths; each white cell represents one crop plot.

Technical aromatic plant field plan showing Zones A–D, English crop names, botanical Latin names and the water source

20 Plants — Detailed Field Guide

Academic context and practical grower warnings for every species. Search by common name, Latin name, zone, risk, companion or note.

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Planting Calendar — Eskişehir

Tender transplants follow the last-frost date; cool-season direct-sown crops go in as soon as the soil is workable. Delaying every crop until late May creates maturity and yield risk.

Plant	Planting Method	Timing	Note
Hawthorn(Crataegus spp.)	Bare-root seedling	November – March	Plant during winter dormancy, after leaf fall.
German Chamomile (Medicinal Chamomile)(Chamomilla recutita)	Direct sowing	September–October or March–April	Surface-sow the very fine seed; avoid summer heat.
Coriander(Coriandrum sativum)	Direct sowing	Second week of October or March–April	Benefits from cool weather; delayed spring sowing can reduce yield.
Blue Cornflower(Centaurea cyanus)	Direct sowing	September–October or March–April	Use controlled spring sowing on commercial plots.
Black Cumin(Nigella sativa)	Direct sowing	March to mid-April	In Eskişehir, test autumn sowing only on a small pilot plot.
Anise(Pimpinella anisum)	Direct sowing	March–April	Sow as soon as the soil is workable; delay increases maturity risk.
Fennel(Foeniculum vulgare)	Direct sowing	April–May	Direct-sow when the soil reaches 6–8°C.
Sage(Salvia officinalis)	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	Plant after the last frost.
Common Thyme (Garden Thyme)(Thymus vulgaris)	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	Transplants are preferred for uniform establishment.
Greek Oregano (Izmir Oregano)(Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum)	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	After late frost
Lemon Balm(Melissa officinalis) Tender species	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	Plant only after the risk of cold damage has passed.
Cumin(Cuminum cyminum)	Direct sowing	February – 20/25 March	Sow early when soil is workable; do not delay until May–June.
St. John’s Wort(Hypericum perforatum)	Transplanting or seed	Late May – mid-June	Transplant after the last frost.
Echinacea(Echinacea purpurea)	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	After late frost
Marshmallow(Althaea officinalis)	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	Plant once the soil has warmed.
Licorice Root(Glycyrrhiza glabra)	Root/seedling planting	Late May – mid-June	Safer after the last frost.
Rhodiola(Rhodiola rosea) Tender species	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	Special preparation required
Soaproot (Gypsophila)(Gypsophila spp.)	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	After late frost
Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis / Salvia rosmarinus) Tender species	Rooted cutting	Late May – mid-June	Plant rooted cuttings in spring after the last frost.
Immortelle(Helichrysum italicum) Tender species	Transplanting	Late May – mid-June	Plant strictly after the last frost.

Observation and Record-Keeping System

Track the following parameters for every one-decare block.

First 30 Days

Emergence date (direct-sown crops): Record 7–21 days after sowing.

Initial establishment rate (transplants): Record the percentage established after 2–3 weeks.

First 30-day loss rate: Record the percentage lost on day 30.

Weed pressure: Score monthly on a 1–5 scale (1=low, 5=severe).

Mid-Summer

Disease/pest note: Add a description and photograph as soon as symptoms appear.

Water response: Rate good / moderate / poor after irrigation.

Heat-stress response: Record wilting, colour change and scorch in July–August.

Mid-summer vigour: Score on a 1–5 scale in July.

Harvest and Winter Survival

Start of flowering: Record the date of the first open flower.

Harvest date / maturity: Record the harvest date and maturity stage.

Aroma quality / apparent oil content: Add a sensory note at harvest.

Winter survival (perennials): Record alive / partly alive / lost in March–April.

Spring regrowth: Rate good / moderate / weak.

A / B / C Decision System

The end-of-season decision assigned to every plant.

Class A — Keep and Expand

Well adapted to Sarıcakaya, easy to manage and tolerant of stress. A candidate for expansion in year two.

Class B — Trial for One More Year

Shows potential, but the result may reflect site, irrigation or seasonal effects. Retest under adjusted conditions in year two.

Class C — Remove

Poor adaptation, uneconomic performance or persistent management problems. Replace it with a new trial or expand a Class A crop.

General Decision Summary

A quick-reference operating logic for establishing the plot.

Drought-Tolerant Aromatics

Use raised rows, drip irrigation and limited water for sage, thyme, Greek oregano, rosemary and immortelle.

Moderate-Water Flower Crops

Use lightly raised rows, drip irrigation and moderate water for lemon balm, German chamomile, echinacea and St. John’s wort.

Seed Crops

Use a level, fine seedbed and rigorous early weed control for cumin, coriander, anise, black cumin and fennel.

Root Crops

Deep cultivation, raised rows and patience are essential. Marshmallow, licorice and soaproot require multi-year observation.

Rhodiola

A separate trial requiring its own cool microclimate, prepared bed and management regime.

Hawthorn

Plant a limited row along the perimeter as a windbreak and landscape element, not in the middle of the field.

Critical Warnings

Operational issues that directly affect the reliability of the trial.

Irrigation Infrastructure

Four zones require four irrigation regimes. Zone-level valves are essential; Zone A and Zone B must not share one watering schedule.

Soil Analysis

Before planting, test pH, organic matter, macro- and micronutrients, texture and salinity. Take a separate sample from each zone.

Weed Management

Weed control is decisive in Zone C. Consider a stale seedbed: prepare the soil, wait two weeks, remove emerged weeds, then sow.

Wind and Microclimate

Northern winds can be severe. Use hawthorn on the perimeter as a windbreak and keep Rhodiola and immortelle out of exposed positions.

Pest and Disease Monitoring

Monitor cumin for Fusarium wilt, chamomile for aphids, and echinacea and lemon balm for root rot. Walk and photograph the plot weekly.

Record-Keeping Discipline

Use block labels, GPS coordinates and dated photographs. Without disciplined records, the trial loses decision value.