Composters You Can Spin By Glenn Medlin

 

The goal of a compost heap is to create nutrient rich organic matter collected from table scraps and commonly found backyard debris like leaves and grass clippings. Over time, this collection of biodegradable material breaks down and decomposes into an astoundingly rich soil used in gardens.

Ideally, a composter should be turned over a few times per month. Performing this operation makes sure the moisture, nutrients, oxygen, and microorganisms are fully mixed into each other in a well-balanced manner. This way the entire heap receives the benefits, not just one single side if the compost had not been turned over.

The problem with regular compost heaps is that the natural process of breaking down organic matter is much too slow for modern man. A compost heap needs to be turned to introduce oxygen. The action of turning a compost heap usually involves taking a pitch fork and flipping the heap over on top of itself.

This is where composters you can spin comes into play. Composters you can spin are basically made up of a spacious drum with an access panel, and a stand upon which it is mounted upon. After placing your after-dinner scraps and lawn trimmings, you simply take the attached handle and crank the composter for several revolutions.

The convenience of a composter you can spin is immeasurable. Let's say you've started your first compost heap in the summer, steadily collecting lawn matter and kitchen scraps over the next few months. Since compost reaches its nutritional peak over a period of time, and not overnight, it is not uncommon for your compost heap to exist well into the winter months for a spring planting.

Would you like to go out on a freezing winter's day and tire yourself by manually turning a compost heap? If you have a composter you can turn, then your time outdoors is reduced to mere seconds instead of agonizingly cold minutes. See the advantages, now?

Or how about a person with a bad back, or an old sports injury which prevents him or her from shoveling the compost heap on a frequent basis? Cranking the handle over on a spinning composter will bring a ton of relief for back pain sufferers.

Composters that spin are also beneficial for older generations of gardeners. There is no need to kneel down or bend over, as all the action can even be done by sitting on a chair beside the spinning composter.

When you're ready to purchase a composter that spins, your decision will be based on two main considerations. The first factor is of course cost. There are many price levels to choose from to fit every budget, but keep in mind, no matter how much you spend, you'll be throwing what is essentially trash into it. Then the second factor is size. Try to get a model that is slightly bigger than your present needs. It will give you a chance to expand in the future should you require it.

Using a composter that spins will make composting easier and much more convenient. When time comes for the new planting season, you'll have a mound of nutrient-rich compost you can till into your garden plot. The fruits (and vegetables) of your labor will be reaped ten times over!

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About The Author:
Glenn Medlin is nurse by day and a freelance writer in his spare time. He enjoys fiction, surfing the internet and spending time with his family. If you enjoyed this article you should read his other article how to choose a spinning composter and also visit his website spinningcomposters.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleSlash.net

Top 5 Health Benefits Of Organic Gardening By Dr. Davon

 

Organic gardening is one of those things which sounds like a little hobby for senior citizens. As far back as I can remember, society would look at organic gardening as something which only hippies or so-called tree huggers participated in. However, based on the current economy and food prices, organic gardening is fast becoming one of the best ways to save money and eat healthy. This article will show you the top 5 health benefits of organic gardening.

1) Increased Consumption of Healthy Organic Foods.
Before I first started organic gardening, I did not realize that I was consuming vegetables with weird chemicals included in them. The simple fact of the matter is that organic fruits and vegetables taste much better. Traditionally grown fruits and vegetables are dry and lack flavor because they do not have the trace minerals that are added to the soils in actual organic gardens. Many times dyes and food coloring are added to make these vegetables look better. I tend to find these unhealthy types in my local supermarket. The nice thing about organic gardening is that by the end of the season there is enough fresh harvest to last for a long while. I have easily been able to create a healthy luscious supply of fruits and vegetables.

2) Weight Loss from doing an Outdoor Activity.
As I mentioned earlier, I used to think of organic gardening as a simple hobby and nothing more. In actuality, it serves as a great and healthy hobby. After I finished medical school and started living on my own, I ate fried and greasy foods. This put on a great deal of weight to my body and I really needed something that was able to help me live better. Through organic gardening, I was able to burn a lot of calories each day because I really cared about the end results. Not only is weight loss a great incentive, but I felt as though I was one with nature. When I started spending more time outside, I realized how long I spent indoors studying or watching television. At least I was able to breathe more fresh air and get plenty of natural sunlight. Keep in mind that you burn more calories in active gardening.

3) Boost of Self Esteem and Confidence.
One thing I have noticed is that nature provides a euphoric feeling of health and calmness. Even as a medical doctor, I cannot fully explain this phenomenon. With the increase in technology and television programs, it is easy to forget the serenity and peace of nature. Aside from the point, I felt my self esteem and confidence go further. Perhaps it is the fact that I have accomplished a long term task, or even my realization that I can wait for a good harvest. What I can say, is that I have been able to control my emotions better and appreciate my quiet time while gardening.

4) Reduced Exposure to Harmful Pesticides.
Throughout my medical career, I have come to understand the devastating long term affects of pesticides. The one thing which boggles my mind is how the media is portraying this thing. I remember seeing a television ad some time ago saying that the pesticides were safe and effective at killing bugs. Plants have been known to produce their own natural pesticide to deal with the onslaught of bugs. Through organic gardening, you have the chance to free yourself from these damaging chemicals as well as preservatives. The soil you will be using is full of rich vitamins and minerals as opposed to whatever they are doing on the other farms for the public. Take a look at many of the scientific studies which have concluded that pesticides are known to cause cancers and other health problems.

5) The Ability to Save Money.
I cannot even begin to tell you the amount of money I have saved yearly with organic gardening. It makes me very happy when the season arrives because I know that I can create a well stocked harvest for the year. One example I will use is tomato sauce. Spaghetti and other pastas are favorites for my family. Instead of shopping for some strange and expensive brand, my wife and I take some of our fresh tomatoes and create our own sauce. Another benefit from this is that we do not have to worry about empty bottles lying around. Also, the ultimate way that organic gardening saves money is that we do not have to worry about buying a lot of fertilizer. My wife loves to compost kitchen scraps in order to create new foods for the next season.

All in all, organic gardening has many benefits which not only helps your health, but also the environment. I have been gardening for over 10 years and it has truly changed my life and the way I look at fresh foods. My medical experience has also helped me to appreciate the time it takes to produce food and take care of it. Organic gardening is by far the most healthy and inexpensive way to eat healthy and live longer.

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About The Author:
Hello, my name is Dr. Davon Jacobson, M.d. and I absolutely love gardening. There are many natural and health benefits to this hobby and I want to share them with you. To learn more about this, please visit my site at http://www.squidoo.com/easy_simple_organic_gardening_tips

Article Source: http://www.articlecoop.com

How To Attract Wild Birds To Your Garden By janetra

 

Sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, great tits, robins, doves, greenfinches and blue tits are the wild birds you are most likely to see in your garden in the UK. If you would like to attract any particular species you can encourage them to visit your garden by providing their favorite food.

Some wild birds, including thrushes and chaffinches are more likely to search beneath bird tables for food. If your garden borders on woods you may have woodpeckers, marsh tits, coal tits and nuthatches visiting your bird feeders. Wild birds belonging to the thrush species such as fieldfares, mistle thrushes, song thrushes and redwings love fruits and berries so add these to your bird table to attract them.

Some wild birds, such as treecreepers and wrens are insect feeders so will not be interested in the foods you provide on your bird table or feeder. To attract these birds let an area of your garden grow wild with native plants and flowers. These will then attract the insects that are insect eating birds food.

Attracting Finches To Your Garden
Many people love to see finches in their gardens and it is easy to attract these lovely birds if you provide their favorite food. Finches love thistle seeds which are best placed in a specialised thistle feeder. The seeds are tiny and thistle feeders enclose the seeds in a mesh which finches, with their long beaks, can easily reach through.

These types of feeder also prevent the tiny seeds from dropping to the ground which would be a problem if you placed thistle seeds in a conventional feeder designed for larger seeds. Seeds spilled ion the ground will also attract predators such as squirrels. Commercially prepared thistle seeds have been treated to prevent germination. You could also put out some sunflower or millet seeds on your bird table as finches also enjoy these.

Provide Fresh Water for The Birds
You can also attract wild birds by giving them a source of fresh water or bathing and drinking. This can be as simple as a shallow pan of water on the ground but make sure you replace it regularly. A bird bath is an attractive alternative and if you incorporate a dripper or other means to agitate the water the sound will attract the birds. This is particularly valuable in the winter months when water can be a problem for the birds.

If you place a small heater or agitator in the bird bath to keep it ice free the birds will have a source of fresh water all year round. Place the bird bath in a quiet area of the garden away from your bird feeders as wild birds need quiet when they bath. They also prefer a place underneath branches or other perches for a quick escape route from any lurking cats or other predators.

Feeding Wild Birds in Throughout the Year
Wild birds require different nutrients depending on the season. In the winter feeding is especially helpful as natural food sources may be scarce. They need high energy foods during this time with high fat content. Feed them twice a day and remove any uneaten food regularly.

In the spring and summer they will need high protein foods such as raisins, seeds, mealworms, sunflower seeds etc. You can also buy specially prepared summer mixes for insect eating wild birds. Fruit can also be put out for the fruit loving birds. They will enjoy chopped up apples and pears, grapes and bananas.

During the summer do not put out fat, bread or peanuts as they can be taken back to the nest and harm the baby birds. Home made fat balls are also a bad idea in the hotter months as they will become rancid very quickly.

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About The Author:
For more information on attracting birds to your garden and some good deals on garden bird feeders check out Garden Bird Feeders UK or Garden Bird Houses UK

Article Source: http://www.articlecoop.com

Organic Gardening: This Is How It’s Done By Benedict Yossarian

 

In a nutshell, organic gardening is the practice of not using pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers in the whole process of growing all sorts of plants, flowers, vegetables, or fruits. By doing so, people are not only able to do their part in saving the environment, but the harvests produced by this practice are also much healthier. Moreover, this agricultural technique is also more cost-efficient as it does not require the purchase of insect and weed repellents that simply wipe out all the harmful insects in the garden without taking its overall health into consideration. Here are the three basic steps needed to start an organic garden.

Organic is the Way
One criticism about genetically altered seeds is that their manufacturers are also the same companies that develop the sprays for these seeds. Some believe that these companies alter the seeds in such a way that they will only become abundant if they are sprayed with their products. This is a shrewd maneuver in terms of profiting, but its negative effects on the environment are nothing to be proud of.

This is why it is best to go for organic seeds. The simplest way to find these types of seeds is by going online and ordering them from organic gardening websites. Another alternative is to check local greenhouses that are also known for selling organic seeds. Although it is cheaper to get them online, the advantage of purchasing organic seeds from local greenhouses is that they are more readily available. One wouldn’t need to place an order and wait up to six weeks for their seeds to be shipped to them.

Soil Type is Essential
The next step on the list is looking for a good location for the garden. In order to make the most out of one’s organic garden, it is necessary to pick the right type of soil. Ideally, the selected soil should be able to have good drainage while still being able to retain sufficient moisture. A good test to see if the soil is rich enough is by digging around six inches deep in the area. At this point there should already be a good amount of moisture retention. Otherwise, one would need to get a bit creative by adding some compost if it’s too dry, or by mixing in some sand if the soil is too wet.

Plan Things Out
A big mistake committed by both beginner and novice gardeners alike is simply scattering the seeds around the garden without a plan that has been thought out. One of the cardinal rules of gardening is to have a plan before actually planting the seeds. It is necessary to understand the requirements of each plant, especially the amount of sunlight they need in order to grow. For instance, lettuce prefer shady environments and should only be exposed to indirect sunlight. On the other hand, some types of flowers may need as much sunlight as possible in order to flourish so it wouldn’t be a good idea if one were to plant them near corn, which block the sun’s rays.

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About The Author:
Angus Horticulture is a leading supplier of garden products such as lawn and garden fertiliser. If you prefer a garden that requires less maintenance why not try Dekorbeton’s imprinted concrete which provide a low cost alternative to natural stone paving.

Article Source: http://www.articleseen.com

Growing Perfect Tomatoes By Piper Cox

 

A tomato fresh from the garden, nothing is better! No tomato in the produce section can compare to one fresh from the field. Sun ripened and full of flavor and harvested at the perfect time. No green tomatoes forced to ripen as they are shipped off to the store. Harvested at the peak of perfection and flavor, there is nothing quite as good.

Growing the perfect tomato is easier than you think. It really isn’t hard at all. You just need a few tips to begin. Soon you will have the perfect tomato garden just by following this easy design:

Selecting A Planting Area
Just like real estate, location is everything for perfect tomatoes. Full sun is best for growing perfect tomatoes. Find a spot in your garden that gets plenty of sun all day long for your sun worshipping tomatoes!

Plan about 18 inches of space for each tomato plant. If you have a sizeable yard, you can plant as many as your garden will hold then sell them at a farmers market, or preserve them for later use. Tomatoes also grow well in containers so if you have a small garden they will flourish in a small space. Plant them in a container that is well drained and gets ample sun. A stake should be placed in a container tomato to help it stand straight.

Which Kind?
There are more kinds of tomatoes than you can number! It will be difficult to decide which kind is the best to plant. Your local garden center or extension office can help you choose the best variety for the area. You usually don't have to be concerned because most tomatoes grow well anyplace, but it is good to have a professional opinion. It is a great idea to plant some small kinds of tomatoes as well. They are perfect to pick fresh and add to salads and recipes.

Cherry tomatoes are perfect container plants and they also look great mixed in with your flowers. The little red fruit really looks striking planted together with marigolds. In addition, the marigolds help to deter bugs from attacking the tomatoes!

How to Begin
You don’t want to put your tomatoes in the ground until the possibility of frost has gone. After the threat of frost is gone, put your tomato plants in the garden or plant them in containers. You can get tomato plants at most nurseries or you can start your own from seed indoors. Tomatoes do best if they are transplanted into the garden rather than seeded into the garden. If you decide to grow your own with seed, then start them indoors six to eight weeks before you will be transplanting them outdoors.

Starting seeds indoors is simple. Simply fill a growing tray with a soil mixture made specially for starting seeds and gently place the seeds into the soil. The soil needs to stay damp, but don't get it soggy. You don't want to be able to see water standing in the soil, but if you press on it you will feel dampness. Within one to two weeks your seeds will begin to spring up. Keep the plants in a sunny window or under a grow light. Once the plants are big enough and the risk of frost is over, plant them in your garden.

Don't Let the Bugs Get You!
Although tomatoes are very easy to grow, they do have their share of insect problems. Most likely the biggest tomato pest is the hornworm. They like to go after the underside of the leaves so you won’t really see them on the plant. When you come across one, make sure you kill it by stepping on it. Parasitic wasps can be introduced to your garden, they will lay their eggs on the worms and then the young larvae will eat the worm Inspect your plants often to make sure you don’t get infested with the hornworm.

You can help to avoid pests by planting things like marigolds or garlic close to your tomatoes. If you have ever noticed marigolds planted in vegetable gardens now you know why. It is remarkable how nature provides it's own natural repellants.

As you can see, it is easy to grow the perfect tomato. With these easy steps you will enjoy delicious tomatoes all season long!

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About The Author:
Piper is a freelance writer who loves spending time with her kids, good nutrition, and the great outdoors. She enjoys working in her garden and loves growing perfect tomatoes. She loves gardening, reading and exercise. Check out her website, www.smallgardentiller.org to learn all about getting the best small garden tiller so you can have a beautiful garden too!

Article Source: http://www.articlelisted.com

How To Make Your Own Compost By Jacque Crook

 

Compost is known as black gold for the garden, the rich organic mix of decayed plant material that is rich with nutrients and minerals plants need to thrive and produce enormous yields of fruit and vegetables. With the economy being what it is, compost is often a little more expensive then we want to spend.

There is a solution at hand and it does not cost a great deal of money. Learning how to make your own compost is both fun and educational, so it is a great idea to involve the whole family in this project. Compost is beneficial for plants and the environment because it is recycling vegetative material that otherwise would be thrown away and would fill up the landfills.

The first item that you need is a composting bin; there are several different types on the market. This is one instance where it pays to spend a bit more and find a compost bin that will be easy to operate and durable. Set up the compost bin in a place in your garden area where it is not shaded by trees or difficult to work around. There are different styles and dimensions of compost bins available, the ones with the hand crank are especially nice because it is easier to mix the layers of dirt and plant material evenly.

After setting it up, start to add the ingredients to make rich compost. The first layer should be some soil from the garden area because it is already alive with the microbes and worms that help break down the plant material. The next layer should consist of green plant material, such as mown grass clippings; then next a dryer layer of vegetative material such as old leaves. Alternate the layers, adding enough water to keep damp. The other key ingredient is time; let the compost sit and decompose; turning often enough to ensure that the layers are mixed well.

The composter absorbs the heat from the plant material and the sun, causing the plants to decay faster. The correct proportions of water, dirt, plant material and heat all work together to produce compost. An important fact: only put plant material into the composter. This includes grass clippings, vegetable waste from the kitchen, coffee grounds, tea grounds, banana peels, etc. Do not include any meat scraps of any kind as it will draw animals that will try and eat it, causing a mess and costing time and money to repair the damage. After the plant material has decayed, mulch the plants in your garden to give them the nutrients they require.

You can keep adding vegetable matter as needed, just make sure the compost does not dry out too much and has enough air circulation to keep the cycle of decomposition going. A properly maintained composter should not smell sour or rotten, this is a sign that something is not working right. It is usually the lack of air or brown plant material. As you experiment more with how to make compost, you will find the right measure of ingredients to produce fantastic compost for your yard and garden.

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About The Author:
Learning how to make your own compost is both fun and educational.

Article Source: http://www.articleslide.com

Helpful Tips For Your Organic Vegetable Gardening Success

 

Many farmers are starting to garden organically because they are able to produce virtually the same yield of crops in a cost-effective manner. You can also do this at home, but first you have to understand certain principles.

Organic vegetable gardening does not make use of any fertilizers, nutrients or pesticides. Nature is your partner because you will be using two things to make it all work - sunlight and water. We don't produce these ourselves but you have to find the ideal area for your garden and provide adequate drainage.

Aside from sunlight and water, you can help the crops to grow by using a compost heap from leftover food, chipped bark, leaf moulds, garden compost and manure. Mix these together and then spread throughout your garden.

To keep your vegetable garden disease free, good sanitation is essential. Make sure that you wash your hands and tools thoroughly with soap before you work on your garden. Gardeners who use tobacco products should wash their hands especially, because many plant viruses can be passed through tobacco to your garden.

Some people use dead animals or meat products. You don't put these in the soil but leave it for a couple of weeks in the bin and wait for maggots to appear. This is what you use to help fertilize your garden.

Another helpful creature is the earthworm because it digs deep into the ground and aerates the soil, bringing various minerals to the surface which provide better drainage. Earthworms also leave casting behind that experts say is five times as rich in nitrogen phosphorous and potassium.

Organic gardening is challenging since you have to deal with unwanted guests. Some of these pests include crickets, gypsy moth caterpillars, slugs and squash bugs. In the past, people used fertilizer to kill them but in an organic setting, the best weapon is the toad. The toad is known to eat almost every type of insect. In some cases, you don't have to buy a toad. They may come in to your garden as long as you set the ideal environment for them. Put in a small pond and you may have some new occupants protecting your garden within days.

Plants can also be used to protect your vegetables. For example, the rosemary, sage or thyme is an effective deterrent against butterflies.

Despite all the flowers and creatures that nature has to offer, crop rotation is seen as the best way to keep the soil fertile. If you planted one particular kind of vegetable for this season, change it with another for next season and then return to the first after this one is harvested.

The principles behind organic vegetable gardening are very simple. You just have to put them into practice, and then harvest the vegetables you planted weeks ago.

As a final thought, it's always best to continue your education by reading as much information as you can find. There are many other ways to increase your success when planting an organic vegetable garden and enjoy fresh, healthy vegetables to eat all year round.

Useful Information On Orange Trees Selection By Rudy Silva

 

Orange trees are among the citrus fruit trees that you can grow in your yard. Each time they bear fruit, the trees provide a vitamin C-rich produce for the whole family. All the time they are planted, they offer a shady tree side shelter for everyone, particularly in summer.

Planting an orange tree is not hard to do. There are many cultivars to choose from. A dwarf orange tree is among the varieties that can give you an extraordinary experience. Its fruits have a wonderful flavor common among oranges. Even the scent is pleasant to smell.

Just because it is dwarf it does not mean it cannot be like any other orange tree. Its fruit is the size a typical orange tree. The only difference is the length of the tree. Because it is a dwarf, it will not take over the entire yard or your house for that matter.

The most popular among the Citrus mitis is the calamondin orange tree, which originates in China and introduced as an 'acid orange' to the United States in 1900. Because it is cultivated more for its physical appearance than for its edible fruit, the Calamondin orange tree can be grown as a dooryard tree or as an ornamental plant. It can even be planted on pots and containers.

Nonetheless, this cultivar is not known to grow indoors as it always yearns for direct sunlight or half shade. It is best grown in container culture.

Cultivated primarily in Arizona, Florida, Brazil, and California, a navel orange tree is a special cultivar. Inside at its blossom end is an undeveloped fruit resembling a conjoined twin. From outside, the blossom end is implicative of a human navel, thus the name.

Also known by its monikers such as Washington, Riverside and Bahia navel orange, the plant can be grown indoors and outdoors. Among its essential requirements are an average temperature between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit and sufficient sunlight.

It is also easy to propagate through its cuttings as the navel orange is seedless. Depending on your region, its fresh orange fruit is available from winter through late spring.

For those who live in apartments and condominiums, the Satsuma orange tree is the best choice. According to field research conducted by Texas Cooperative Extension, headed by Extension Horticulturist Dr. Steve George, the Satsuma orange tree is the most cold tolerant and produces the highest quality.

It is also the first ever citrus to be recommended statewide by the Extension Service, as the Satsuma orange trees can reach a maximum growth of 6 feet when planted in a container.

The Osage orange is among the common types of orange trees today, particularly on the Great Plains. They are grown as hedges or living fences along the boundaries of farms in Southern Oklahoma and Northern Texas.

Among the other types of orange trees are honeybell, mandarin, and blood. The honeybell grow best on sandy soils that are reminiscent of the Mediterranean environments. The blood orange is so called as such because of its darker orange color or red-fleshed orange. The mandarin on the other hand, is a small citrus tree that bears fruit like an orange.

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About The Author:
Are you looking for Navel orange tree. At Nature Hills, we carry these trees, which have been carefully grown so that they are healthy and strong. Get these trees into your ground, so you can enjoy their fruit. Visit us now at http://www.naturehills.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlecat.com

Green Eating For A Healthy Urban Lifestyle By Gregg Osbourn

 

Healthy diets are considered effective to lower cholesterol. A low cholesterol diet contains extremely low or no cholesterol at all. Healthy diets are rich in fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, seafood, poultry and low fat dairy products, as well as some oils, nuts, and unsaturated fats. Organic eating should be high in fibre but low in fat. Eating food high in fibre is one of the most important and useful decisions anyone can make towards healthy living.

Green eating focuses on low fat alternative foods. Fats are energy dense, meaning they contain many calories per serving. Organic eating diets are crucial to any weight loss program. People s diets ultimately target far more than just their weight loss. They also focus on nutritional needs and organic cooking is a healthy way to meet those needs.

A healthy diet is always important, but it’s especially important if you are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding uses a lot of energy and nutrients. Good nutrition is fundamental to the maintenance of good health and well being. Good nutrition benefits almost every aspect of our health, from birth to old age. A healthy diet is essential for an athlete. It s not the quantity of food intake, but the quality and selection of food that matters. An urban cookbook featuring healthy organic recepies is important to maintain an active lifestyle in the city.

Green eating is important for the human body to fight infection, prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, to have the strength to engage in everyday activities, and to maintain a healthy weight. Food even affects appearance and feelings of well being. A healthy diet is not difficult to follow. It is more difficult to avoid the tens of thousands of products and food items that are not healthy.

An organic eating regime is even more essential for women than men. As well as pregnancy, women have to cope with debilitating hormone irregularities which can impact adversely on both health and weight. A healthy diet is the first place to start. If you live in the city, an urban cookbook focused on organic foods can be a big help in maintaining green eating habits.

A healthy diet is useless if you aren t consistent with it. Remember, this isn t a temporary thing. A healthy diet is suitable for the whole family. Changing what you and your family eat may seem difficult at first; old habits can be hard to change. Green eating is balanced with a mixture of all the foods that are available. The variety satisfies all the body s needs for carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, proteins, fats and amino acids without requiring massive doses of supplements.

Green eating is a way of eating that reduces risk for complications such as heart disease and stroke. It includes eating a wide variety of foods including vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non fat dairy products, beans, lean meats, poultry, and fish. A healthy diet is one that is high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and sufficient but not excessive in protein. That translates to about 60 percent of your calories coming from carbohydrates, 25 percent from fat, and 15 percent from protein. A healthy diet is one that has balance, variety and healthy serving sizes.

Organic eating helps in minimizing artificial trans fats in the body and enhancing the levels of un saturated fats. These un saturated fats are found in vegetable oils, seeds, avocados, nuts, fish etc. A healthy diet is one that becomes a new way of eating, so the weight you do lose can stay off permanently. A recent scientific study on choosing a diet suggested that; as long as you choose a healthy and well balanced diet, the actual mix of protein, carbs, and fats is not that important. A healthy diet is important which means eating good food. Fruits and vegetables should be a larger part of your daily diet; fried food items should be reduced.

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About The Author:
I have always been interested in the possibilities of improved health through proper diet. Living in an urban environment, healthy cooking is a challenge. I have learned so much from professional instruction. I can apply the techniques I have learned at http://www.urbannutritioncookbook.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbar.com

Hydroponics And Indoor Gardening By Glenn Bronner

 

If you have heard of hydroponics or other methods of growing plants without soil and want to try it out at home, you can. Sometimes people get a misconception about hydroponics, but in reality it is really not as mysterious and complicated as it seems. A simple hydroponics system is easy to care for and set-up at home. There are materials you can buy or some you may be able to find around the house.

Hydroponics are most often times associated with the productions of food plants. This is a great way to have fresh vegetables year round but hydroponics are not necessarily limited to food plants. Many house plants lend themselves well to hydroponic culture.

The dirt or soil that you use to grow plants in a traditional method is substituted for a growing medium (full of nutrients the plant needs to grow) in hydroponics gardening. Using hydroponics means there is no soil the plants are grown in a liquid which is the growing medium. The growing medium is fed directly to the roots by method of a drip-feeder.The system can be completely automated and the gardener can control how many drips the roots receive in a specified time frame. The more of the growing medium the faster the plants grow.

Since the system can be automated, the amount of time and energy that is required to maintain a hydroponics garden is less than with a traditional garden. Because the system is automated the biggest requirement is that the gardener assures that the systems contains enough water and growing medium is present in the right amounts. With this taken care of then the plants can be left unattended for a longer period of time.

A home-based hydroponics garden can grow vegetables or house plants year round.The concern about soil borne pests and the composition of the soil are not an issue with this type of gardening. You still will need to pay attention for leaf attacking insects but it will be a lot less of a problem with out the soil for the insects to hide and hatch in.

Another bonus with this type of gardening is how fast you can have mature vegetables indoors(by increasing the amount of growing medium).

The types of plants that are best for hydroponics are ones with thin spider-like roots. Plants that have a bulb root system are still best grown in the traditional soil method inside a pot or outside.When you are ready to begin, germinate the seeds for your plants like you normally would.When the seed has started to sprout and has approximately 2-5 millimeters of growth it is ready to transplant to the hydroponics container and begin growing.

There are many great tutorials, books and resources on the Internet that can give you complete instructions and sources for formulas and growing mediums. The best thing about this type of indoor gardening is that you can start small with a simple system. As you experience success you may quickly get bitten by the hydroponics bug and expand to a bigger more sophisticated system. The choice is yours but I would suggest at any rate you give hydroponics a try.

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About The Author:
Glenn Bronner has been a professional grounds keeper for over 30 years. Glenn Has published hundreds of articles on the internet and owns several websites including Gardening Article Site.Com, Garden Blog Directory.Com and Glenns Garden where he offers free resources and advice for gardeners around the world.

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The Best Of Kitchen Herb Garden By Norm Stewart

 

Aside from being an amazing alternative for salt, homegrown fresh herbs will add healthy zest to any dish. Why not plant a kitchen herb garden today? Herbs are becoming popular day after day, most especially that famous culinary countries like Italy and China announced their delectable dishes rich with herbs. Any chef would tell you that any dish will be dramatically transformed once you add herbs, and this is the main reason why the famous dishes in the world has them.

If you wish to have an indoor herb garden, you don't need a huge space. A small spot in your windowsill will do. It doesn’t need to be big because herb plants can grow anywhere and on any soil types. Planting a kitchen herb garden can save you lots of space as you can place your herbs in pots or containers. If you love using herbs as much as I do, then I bet that you would agree that fresh herbs always taste better than the commercially available ones. It would also come in handy if you need a safe alternative for illness. How would you like to transform your cooking with the freshest herbs picked from your own garden? It’s very easy to do, and putting up a garden exclusively for herbs will ensure easy harvesting and convenient care!

Herbs are categorized into annuals and perennials.Annual herbs are those that last for one growing season and typically die during wintertime. Good examples of annuals are chamomile, cilantro, parsley, basil, marjoram, dill, and chamomile.Perennial herbs are those that grow year after year.Every year they only produce new leaves and continues to grow. Herbs of this type are chives, lemon, mint, balm, thyme, lavender, tarragon, sage, lavage and hyssop.

If you are new to herb growing, it's ideal to start with plants. In my experience in gardening, the most common herbs are hard to grow from seed. With this article, we also would like you to learn the important uses of some known herb plants which can put in your kitchen herb garden.Are you ready to learn?

1. Sage - Sage is a perennial herb that is a common favorite among growers. It has a strong flavor and is famous worldwide as it comes in many varieties.In Germany, the 'Berggarten' is extensively popular, and cooks normally use it as turkey stuffing. However, the Sage is traditionally used in bread and also as a dressing for pork.

2. Parsley - is biennial. This kind of herb grows for only 2 seasons and then dies.After 2 seasons, it will need replacement.Italy loves dishes garnished and mixed with parsley.This herb has a tangy flavor which can be perfect mixed with salads, sauces, dressings, and soups.The Japanese parsley has been creating a name too in the culinary industry.People say that Japanese cuisine is a nice blend of Italian parsley and celery leaves.Its also used in soups and for garnishing.

3. Thyme (perennial) - this is a perennial grow that grows about a foot tall and then spreads wider. A foot tall thyme is already cool and this can even carpet your pathways or accent big rocks.The most known Thyme variety come from France, they’re best used for vegetables and meats. It has a spicy and distinctive scent that can be used well to give flavor to cooked veggies or as a garnish for salads.Lemon thyme is also perfect for its aromatic foliage.

4. Rosemary (perennial) -this herb is a member of the mint family, and is widely known as the oldest herb.It has been traditionally used to alleviate headaches and boost memory.It gives a distinct flavor to poultry, breads as well as veggies.

Needless to say, selecting herb plants for your kitchen herb garden is both enjoyable and exciting. Don’t become too excited though, or you might end up too many plants that won’t fit the allotted space for your garden!

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About The Author:
Norm Stewart loves writing about his passion for herbs and loves sharing his 35 years of herb growing expertise with others. Discover more expert tips and valuable information about kitchen herb garden and how to successfully grow and use your herbs in wonderful and creative ways with his popular free ecourse, available at http://www.herbgrowing-guide.com

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Soil Care By Growhouse

 

October is a good month to start looking at the overall health of your soil. If you keep the soil in good heart it will support plant growth right through the season and your garden will be healthier all round.

If your garden soil is poor or depleted from overactive plant growth then improve it with a good soil improver. Choose one with a high content of organic matter, vital for healthy soil. Top dress around existing plants dig into bare areas over the autumn and winter.

You can also use your own homemade garden compost, which will be rich in beneficial microbes and earthworms, all essential for healthy soil. Make sure it is well rotted and apply as a top dressing or a mulch.

Well-rotted Farmyard Manure is also ideal for conditioning the soil and adds vital nutrients and water holding organic matter to garden areas where heavy feeders deplete soil nutrients quickly such as the vegetable plot or rose beds. Where possible dig over the whole area of soil that needs improving. If the area is planted then take care not to dig close to the plants or disturb their roots. Spread over the surface of the dug area and work it into the soil with a fork.

These natural materials will absorb and hold water in the soil and improve its structure, providing essential air pockets for drainage and for the roots to breathe. The high organic content also encourages the activity of beneficial soil dwelling organisms including worms, which will draw it into the soil.

If your garden soil has been depleted by years of vigorous plant growth, or never fed and nurtured it may be deficient in a variety of essential plant minerals. These can be topped up or replaced by using a rich soil additive such as rock dust.

Mulching
A garden mulch is used to protect the soil surface and the underlying plant roots from damage by extremes of temperature especially intense summer sun and severe winter temperatures. It can be made up of composted or chipped bark or even very well rotted garden manure. It also blocks sunlight from reaching the soil surface, which prevents weed seeds from germinating, and it holds moisture in the soil.

Established mixed borders, shrub borders and also tree plantings will all benefit hugely from a mulch. Over time the mulch will be broken down and incorporated into the soil and so it acts as a soil conditioner and soil improver. You can also use permanent materials as a mulch such as gravel, broken seashells and recycled rubber material which may work their way into the surface topsoil but will not significantly improve the soil.

Autumn is a great time to apply a garden mulch, especially after heavy rainfall. Dig out any perennial weeds and then apply your chosen mulch over the area to a depth of 3-4 inches. To make the mulch last longer consider applying it over a permeable membrane or planting fabric, this reduces contact between the soil and the mulch and slows down the degradation of the mulch. Always make sure that the soil is fully saturated with water before applying any mulch or it may prevent vital moisture reaching your plant roots.

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About The Author:
To know more about greenhouses and growing plants in your greenhouse in autumn season visit growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php

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Hydropnics Q&A: The Basics Of Hydroponics By Harry Gurney

 

* What is hydroponics?
Hydroponics is commonly referred to as "the cultivation of plants in water". However, studies show that various media can support the growth of the plant. The definition was broadened to "the cultivation of plants without soil".

* What is aeroponics?
Aeroponics is classified as a hydroponic method where roots of the plants are continuously or discontinuously placed in an environment soaked with fine drops such as a mist or aerosol of nutrient solution.

* What are the advantages of hydroponics?
The most apparent advantage of hydroponics is its manageability to control the plant-growing environment. Other benefits of hydroponics are:

• Restricted supply of enough water only
• Avoid high labor cost than traditional cultivation method
• No need for high cost of soil fertilizer
• Certainty of plant production

* Are there different kinds of hydroponics?
Actually, there are many different types of hydroponics. The major divisions are either media-based or water culture.

Under media-based hydroponics are the following:

• Flood and drain
• Drip system
• Wick Feeding

On the other hand, water culture hydroponics involve:

• Raft Cultivation
• Nutrient film technique

Still, other techniques fall under the water-culture category.

* How much time does a hydroponic garden require?
Starting a hydroponic garden requires time, commitment and dedication. It needs plenty of time if you want to make sure that the plants are in good condition at all times. It will also take you longer to mix the nutrient solutions. From time to time, it is necessary that you check on the pests or diseases that will attack your plant.

The time element also depends on the kind of hydroponic garden you plant as well as how big and complex it is. The time element also depends on the type of plants you want to grow.

* Can I grow hydroponic plants indoors?
Definitely, growing hydroponic plants can also be done in your indoor garden. You just need to maintain a temperature that ranges from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. There must be a sufficient supply of water as well. You'll need to maintain the nutrient solution that you will apply everyday.

* What should I use for a light source?
Light is also one of the requirements for plant growth in a hydroponics system. Most of the cultivated plants need sunlight. However, when you grow plants indoors, artificial light such as bulb light is necessary. The intensity of the light that you are going to use must be high but make sure that it does not significantly raise the temperature.

* Do hydroponic plants grow faster than the plants in soil?
It will depend on how you manage the techniques that you are going to use in hydroponics. If the methods are followed properly, the growth of hydroponic plants will be faster than those planted in soil and the duration could even be longer. It will also vary with the kinds of plants. There are plants that grow faster with hydroponics but there are also those that do not.

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About The Author:
Harry Gurney is a regular contributor to hydropnics- and gardening-related books and resources such as e Hydroponics. Website: http://www.e-Hydroponics.com.

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How To Make Your Own Organic Garden Fertilizer By Denise Loubert

 

Like many people, I have found myself wanting more control over the quality of what I eat. And so – like many people today, I decided to grow some of the herbs and vegetables that I eat the most. Growing them organically seemed the most logical way to know that what I put into my body is not only tasty, but good for me.

To grow organically however, requires learning what that means, and that is where my education began. Online, there are several definitions of what the word organic means.

The USDA defines it this way – anything that is produced without antibiotics; growth hormones; most conventional pesticides; petroleum based fertilizers or sewage sludge based fertilizers; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Or to put it more simply, food that is grown without artificial fertilizers or pesticides.

Now, there are two ways you can get the organic garden fertilizer for your garden. You can go out and buy it, and there is nothing wrong with that. I did it for quite a few years. It can be confusing sometimes, you don’t always know if what you are buying is truly organic, but there are a few companies out there that have a good reputation and you can feel comfortable buying from them. In fact, I sell them on my organic garden fertilizer website because I do trust them.

The other route is to make it yourself. This may sound extreme, but the truth is it is not that hard. There was a time when finding the right ingredients took some work. Many of the ingredients were not generally available unless you lived near a few good feed stores or had access to lime through special sources. These days, however, the internet can put you in touch with many wholesalers of all of the ingredients and you can have it all shipped right to your home. What is even better – it is less expensive than commercial organic fertilizers, and it’s much better for your soil life than harsh synthetic chemical mixes.

Here is my basic formula to produce a correctly balanced fertilizing mix composed entirely of natural substances:

Mix uniformly in parts by volume:

• 4 parts seed meal
• 1/4 part ordinary agricultural lime (finely ground)
• 1/4 part gypsum (or double the ag lime)
• 1/2 part dolomitic lime

I recommend adding the following ingredients for your best results. Guano, rock phosphate and kelp meal may seem costly but they add considerable fortitude to the plants and increase the nutritional content of your vegetables. I have also found that they make my plants more resistant to insect infestations.

• 1 part bone meal rock phosphate or high phosphate guano
• 1/2 to 1 part kelp meal (or 1 part basalt dust)

Add the fertilizer in the spring when you are amending the soil in preparation of your first planting and then add from time to time throughout the year in small amounts. Once you start making your own fertilizer, and see the end results in your garden, I think you will agree that for the time and money it is one of the best investments you will make in both yourself and your garden.

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About The Author:
Deni Loubert has been an organic gardener for over forty years, beginning in the early days of organic gardening and has continued to both eat and garden organically whenever she can. She recently created http://organic-garden-fertilizer.com as a website resource for organic gardeners.

Article Source: http://www.articlecoop.com

Keep Pests Out Of Your Vegetable Garden By John Chambers

 

If you have a vegetable garden then you know that can you lose quite a bit of the harvest to pests every year, this is why people adopt various methods of pest control. Plants that receive poor care are much more susceptible to pest problems than plants that get the proper fertilizers, water, and cultivation. First you'll want to choose plants for your garden that have a natural resistance to pests.

Few plants are actually resistant to insect problems, but you will find that many are resistant to common garden diseases. If you've grown your garden from seeds don't save your seeds to use in another garden project.

This is because seeds can carry these illnesses. To reduce the risk of disease, you should work with dealers that are known for selling high-quality seeds that are not prone to diseases.

If you buy transplants, make sure that they are strong and healthy. If your plant appears to be young or old, or spindly and weak, then you may not want to try and transplant these plants as they may not survive through the transplant shock and can be more susceptible to certain pests.

A good strategy for warding off soil based diseases is to rotate the crops in you garden on a yearly basis. Alternating corn with other crops is a good system.

Following corn with cole crops such as broccoli, cabbage, and greens, cole crops with solanaceous crops such as potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes, and solanaceous crops with legumes such as beans or peas, then legumes with corn again, is an intelligent four year rotation plan that you might go with.

You can control pests by weeding volunteer plants from the soil, and keeping cull piles and debris from the crop out of the way. It is not a good practice to save plant residues for mulching as many pests are able to survive in the residue.

Better mulching choices include straw, leaves and materials that are not leftover from the garden. Mulch is useful for keeping the ground moist and preventing weeds, but it has one major drawback that you should keep in mind. Mulch can serve as a home for certain pests, which introduces them to your plants unseen.

Good sanitation will also keep your vegetable garden disease free. Before any intricate cultivation or transplants make sure that you wash your hands and your tools thoroughly with soap. Believe it or not, gardeners that use tobacco products need to wash their hands especially, because many plant viruses can be passed through tobacco to your garden.

Weeds can also provide a place for garden pests to survive and they can end up attacking your plants. Certain weeds exist that will actually attract the pests to your garden all by themselves, so keep weeds out of your garden and also away from the exterior of it as well.

There are many potentially nasty things that can dwell in weeds and damage your plants including aphids, beetles, leafhoppers, many other insects, nematodes, and mites. Keep your garden well weeded and make sure to clear away any Johnson Grass, it is a perennial weed which can often hide harmful pests.

A good tool to use to keep the pests at bay in the garden is moisture control. Water early in the day to help prevent diseases from setting in.

This one simple rule can help you avoid a host of problems. You will likely suffer from fungus in watering your plants at night, since fungus loves wet and warm environments; watering at night keeps the moisture on the plants for greater amounts of time.

You can erect a small shield around your transplants to keep any insect pests away from them. You only need a shield that goes into the ground a few inches.

Any material from cardboard to leftover roof shingles and empty milk jugs can be used for this. Those barriers will protect the young plants from grubs, cutworms, wireworms, and other destructive insects that feed at or below the surface of the soil.

Although you can introduce your own type of predator insect to destroy an existing problem, you should take care to avoid this practice if you are able. It's much better to encourage natural predators, such as spiders, ground beetles, syrphid flies, lacewings, ladybugs, and praying mantises, to take up residence in the garden.

Pesticides are the last option you should go to if you are having a hard time removing a pest population from your garden by non-chemical means. Be sure to use any chemicals according to the directions on the label. When a label advises you to wait for a certain amount of time between treatments, you should follow this strictly, or else you may damage your garden.

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About The Author:

As a person looking for pest control, please visit here to learn more on the topic of organic pest control services.

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Benefits Of Hydroponics Gardening

 

Many gardeners are switching to hydroponics gardening for a variety of different reasons. Hydroponics gardens are small, can easily be grown indoors and are a perfect gardening solution for most vegetables. Also, the equipment required for hydroponics gardening is inexpensive and fairly easy to use.

Basically, hydroponics gardening is the growing of plants, fruit and vegetables without the use of soil. There are many methods of hydroponics gardening, most of which work better than regular gardening. Using this method it is far easier to give the plant exactly what it needs, and when it needs it.

Plants will only receive what you give them, therefore you will be able to regulate the pH, nutrients, nutrient strength, water and light which the plant receives. This makes it vitally important that you research the kind of plants you will be growing, so that you know what they will need to survive.

Hydroponics gardening can be over-complicated if computers with sensors are used to control water cycles, nutrients and light for the plants. It can also be as simple as a single plant and a bucket of water.

The normal home hydroponics system is usually made up of a few basic things, such as a growing tray, light (natural or artificial), a reservoir, a pump for watering (or some type of watering equipment), and an air pump to provide oxygen to the nutrients. You can get instructions from a gardening store, online or even buying separate parts to build your own. Kits are also available in gardening supply stores.

The growing medium used in hydroponics gardening can be any number of things, such as Rockwool, coconut fiber, gravel, sand or even air.

There are certain micro-nutrients that are necessary for healthy plant growth. These include magnesium, sulfur, calcium, cobalt, iron, copper and zinc. These nutrients are absolutely essential to plants, and if missing could cause health problems for anyone who eats it. It is also vitally important that you use a quality fertilizer.

Another important aspect of hydroponics gardening that must be closely regulated is the pH balance. When the pH balance varies, the plants will lose the ability to absorb the nutrients that they need. The ease with which the pH in hydroponics gardening is tested and controlled give it a huge advantage over regular gardening.

Even though there are hundreds of different variations, Wick, Water Culture, Ebb and Flow, Drip and Aeroponic are the five most basic types of hydroponics gardening systems. Hydroponics gardening is easy, affordable, and can provide you with fresh produce, flowers, herbs and spices all year round.

Herb Gardening Plans - Beauty Or Practicality? By Norman Kirby

 

What's nice about herb gardens is that they can both be pleasing to the eyes and functional at the same time, depending on what gardening plans you follow. From using simple plastic potting containers to intricately designed backyard gardens, it's all up to you.

You are only limited by the amount of space you can spare for the herb garden and how much time and effort you're willing to give to it.

There are 3 basic gardening plans you can use for your herb garden. All of them have their own advantages and disadvantages ; just choose the type of garden that suits your needs the best.

The first is container gardening. With this technique, you grow your herbs in pots that you can place wherever you want; you can place it on your porch or even just on a sunny windowsill. This is the ideal method of herb gardening for people who are really cramped for space, like those living in apartment buildings. With container gardening, you can choose to grow different herbs in small individual pots or mix them together in a slightly bigger container. This method can be used for growing either medicinal or culinary herbs for your personal consumption.

The next herb gardening method is the outdoor herb garden. For people who have a bit of yard space to spare, this kind of herb gardening is great. Like container gardening, you can use this method to grow whatever kinds of herbs you need. You just need to provide a small patch of dirt and a bit of prep work to get your garden going. Since herbs are a hardy bunch of plants, they need little to no maintenance work done. You basically just plant them and leave them there.

The last type of herb gardening plan is the decorative garden. As the name states, the main purpose of this kind of garden is to be aesthetically pleasing rather than to have a practical use. The common herbs that are planted in this method of herb gardening are those plants that have brightly colored foliage and may even have some that has a relaxing scent. The herbs in this kind of garden are usually not made use of since picking some of the leaves may ruin the overall look. Along with the herbs, you can also plant a few flowers to add even more color to the mix.

Herb gardening is so much better than regular flower gardening. With herb gardens, you can actually make use of the plants you take care of, and there are some herbs that can rival any kind of flower when it comes to beauty. And unlike flowers, herbs require less maintenance, they can almost take care of themselves. All they really need is ample amounts of sunlight and water.

So now that you have an idea somewhat on what kind of herb garden you'd like to have, why not try your hands at it now? Stop buying herbs from the store and grow your own.

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About The Author:

Kellie is an expert when it comes to Vegetable Gardening. To find out the latest News and Tips on Gardening, visit "Growing Vegetable Garden" at http://growingvegetablegarden.com

Article Source: http://www.articlecell.com

Simple Gardening Tips To Growing Your Own Vegetables By Norman Kirby

 

You must constantly be wary of the food you eat, most especially the food that you give to your family. Are the fruits and vegetables that you can purchase in the supermarkets are as healthy as they once were when you were a kid? Are you sure that they aren't soaked in harmful chemicals and pesticides that are very dangerous to the body? Are the fruits and vegetables you buy really safe for your kids to eat? These are just some of the questions that are troubling you regarding the produce that is being supplied these days.

In order to free yourself from these worries the only logical answer will be to grow your own vegetables. There's no contest to the taste of homegrown vegetables when compared to store-bought ones. And there's something about eating food that you have grown yourself using your own two hands. Plus, you know what absolutely went into growing these vegetables so you can be sure they're safe.

But you may be a bit scared of starting your own vegetable garden. It's true that not everyone has a green thumb, but if you just start out small, you'll be getting the hang of it in no time. If you're sold on the idea of growing your own veggies, then here are a few gardening tips to help you out.

Make sure that the plot of land you choose for your garden gets at least 7 hours of direct sunlight every day. A garden plot facing southwards is an ideal place to plant.

It's important to be mindful to where the shadows fall in your yard during the course of a day. Avoid placing your garden plot in a spot that's near hedges or trees as they may cast shadows over your plants.

Do not flood your plants. Make a good drainage system around your garden plot so that the excess water can seep out.

Use good quality soil. By combining organic manure or a good compost mix to your garden soil will make it an ideal place for plants to grow. You should fertilize your garden soil like this every year to ensure a good crop yield.

Remember that your garden plot needs protection from strong winds and from animals. Try building a small fence around your plot to shield it from both of these threats.

You need to choose what kinds of seeds you will be buying. Consult with the staff in your local nursery for gardening tips on what seeds you need to buy, they will be able to tell you what vegetables can grow best in your area's climate.

Decide on what layout works best for you. If you're a beginner it's best that you start with a small raised bed for a garden plot. And you also need to consider just how much space is available for you to plant in.

By following these simple gardening tips, you'll be on your way to growing your own delicious, healthy and, most of all, safe vegetables.

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About The Author:

Kellie is an expert when it comes to Vegetable Gardening. To find out the latest News and Tips on Gardening, visit "Growing Vegetable Garden" at http://growingvegetablegarden.com

Article Source: http://www.articlecell.com

Eight Major Benefits For Successful Organic Gardening

 

What exactly is organic gardening and why would you want to do it?

People who choose to go the organic route, when it comes to growing their own food, think of their plants as part of a whole system within nature that starts with the soil and includes the water supply, compost, wildlife and insects.

An organic gardener tries, as much as possible, to work in harmony with nature and not use such things as synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on their plants, and also to continually replenish any resources that the garden consumes.

I have outlined seven tips below to help you get the most from your organic gardening efforts.

1. Compost can easily be made from kitchen and other garden waste. Though this is more time-consuming than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it certainly helps by putting garbage to good use.

2. Chemicals that may have an adverse affect on your health are not used during organic gardening. This is especially important when growing fruits and vegetables.

We are told by the chemical companies that the chemicals and toxins we use are safe and, if used according to their directions, have no harmful effects on us. On the flip side, independent research shows that even small amounts of chemicals absorbed through the skin can cause various medical conditions, especially in young children.

A child ingests, on average, four to five times more pesticides from foods than an adult, and this can lead to disease later on in the child's life. These incidents are virtually eliminated when the food is grown organically.

3. Less harm is caused to the environment. Chemicals and toxins are often washed into our waterways, causing death to the wildlife that lives there. Organic gardening practices help to keep the environment safe for future generations of wildlife and humans alike.

4.Organic farming practices help prevent the loss of topsoil through erosion. The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated thirty billion tons of soil erodes from United States farmlands every year.

5. A simple mulch of pine needles will help to suppress the growth of weeds as well as keeping the moisture in.

6. Cost savings. You do not not need to buy expensive chemical fertilizers and pesticides when gardening organically. Many organic recipes for the control of pests and plant diseases come straight from the kitchen cupboard and other garden waste.

7. In some cases, other plants can be grown as companions to the main crop. An example of this is the marigold, which helps to repel aphids from fruit and vegetables.

8. Mixing one cup of cooking oil with one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap can make a cheap garden pest spray. Put three tablespoons of this mixture in one quart of water and spray on the plants.

Organic gardening is a worthwhile endeavour and the more people who practice it, the better for our environment and over-all well-being. When we garden organically, we are taking from nature and giving back all at the same time.

Hydroponic Gardens By Jane Hartman

 

When you lack the land for a traditional garden, consider one of the hydroponic gardening systems in order to raise vegetables indoors.

Hydroponics gardening techniques were brought into modern agricultural practice with the invention of nutrient additives and formulas in the early 1900s. Originally hydroponic gardening utilized water as the growing medium. Today hydroponic gardeners use various other forms for growing medium.

There are six basic types of hydroponics growing medium systems in use today: wick, water culture, drip, ebb and flow, nutrient film technique and aeroponic. There are other growing mediums available today but the are variations of these six basic types of hydroponics.

Hydroponics Gardening Wick Systems
Of the hydroponic gardening systems the most suitable for indoor gardening is the wick system. Most indoor gardeners prefer wick systems as the simplest ways to grow plants. The wick system is passive, so it has no moving parts. Growing plants using the wick method is very simple. A wick is simply placed into a container of nutrient solution. The wick draws the nutrient solution into the growing medium, so there is no need for any additional moving parts.

Other components of the wick hydroponic gardening system usually include:

• Growing medium
• Growing tray
• Hydroponics system air pump
• An air stone

To use the wick hydroponics system, you ll need to include a growing and rooting medium. Perlite, vermiculite and Pro Mix are commonly used for grow medium with hydroponic gardening systems. The major problem with the wick system is that plants requiring large amounts of water may use up the nutrient solution faster than the wick can supply it.

Ebb and Flow
This hydroponics gardening system is also known as the flood and drain method, The ebb and flow indoor system works by temporarily flooding the grow tray with nutrient solution, and then draining the solution out of the tray and back into the nutrient solution holding tank. A submerged pump run by a timer is responsible for continuously cycling the nutrient solution. The timer turns the pump on, and the nutrient solution is pumped into the grow tray. Then, when the timer shuts the pump off, the nutrient solution flows back into the holding tank. This process is carefully timed, and repeated several times throughout the day. The size and type of plants, humidity, temperature and the type of growing medium used can all affect the number of times the hydroponics system will ebb and flow.

Water Culture System
Another easy hydroponic gardening system that is simple to set up is the water culture system. Components include:

• a floating platform
• air line
• air stone
• air pump

The floating platform acts as a foundation system and holds plants in place while the roots dangle in the nutrient solution. The air pump is located outside of the tank and pumps air through the line to the air stone. The air stone, in turn, aerates or bubbles through the nutrient solution, providing oxygen for the plant roots.

An ideal plant to grow using the water culture hydroponics system is leaf lettuce. Leaf lettuce is a plant that grows quickly and requires a lot of water, making it a good match for this type of hydroponics system.

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Please visit us at http://www.squidoo.com/Hydroponic-Gardens-1 for more free detailed information on hydroponic gardening.

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Growing Fruit And Vegetables In Your Greenhouse By Gabriel Ash

 

Adding a greenhouse to your garden will give you the chance to grow your favourite plants all year round, including a variety of fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cucumbers and aubergines are just a few of the many types of fruit and vegetables that you can grow in your greenhouse.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables gives you the chance to enjoy a wide variety of food and can be particularly beneficial to those who opt to grow their fruit and vegetables organically. Organic fruit and vegetables provide a wide variety of health benefits. You can also keep your fruit and vegetables healthy by using organic methods of pest removal in order to avoid harmful chemicals.

In order to successfully grow your own fruit and vegetables, it is important to be aware of what your plants need. Be sure to add plenty of ventilation to your greenhouse and install extra heating if you think your plants need it. If you are a beginner, then you may wish to invest in a set of cold frames, which are ideal for tomatoes and easy to use. Cold frames come with a hinged lid, making it easy for you to care for your plants.

In addition to fruit and vegetables, you can also grow a variety of herbs in your greenhouse, which is ideal for those who love home cooking. Growing your own fruit, vegetables and herbs will provide you with a variety of fresh ingredients that you, your friends and family can enjoy all year round.

When growing your own fruit and vegetables, it is important to ensure that you provide them with enough care and attention. They will need to be watered regularly and provided with plenty of ventilation during summer. Be sure to research the needs of your plants before you start growing them. You will also need to make sure that you keep your fruit and vegetables safe from pests. Pests can be removed by blasts of water or sticky traps, which are a great alternative to pest removal sprays that contain harmful chemicals.

This article is free for republishing.

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About Author:
To know more about greenhouses and growing fruit and vegetables in your greenhouse visit http://gabrielash.com

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Tips On Growing An Organic Garden By Sharon Price

 

If you have always liked buying organic produce at your local supermarket you may have considered growing your own organic garden. Learning how to grow an organic garden is actually quite easy. The most important thing to remember is that the products you use must be free form chemicals and pesticides.

Steps You Should Take When Growing A Organic Garden:

1. The First thing you should do is test your soil. The test will tell you how healthy your soil is. If you test different parts of your garden you will be able to decide the best place for growing a organic garden. The soil should be sent to a lab who will conduct the tests and provide you with accurate results. You will then be able to make any adjustments necessary to ensure you have perfect soil for growing a organic garden.

2. The next step in growing a organic garden is the seeds. There are several outlets for gardeners to find the exact seeds they are looking for. The type of garden you choose to plant is entirely up to you.

3. Once you have chosen your seeds, you need to weed the area where you will be growing a organic garden. The weeding makes sure that the soil is kept at its best.

4. Planting the seeds, followed by watering is the next steps. Soil should be watered regularly; however it should never be over watered. Over watering will wash away all the nutrients you have been trying so hard to accumulate in the soil and ruin your hard work in growing a organic garden.

5. Fertilizing is also an important step when you are growing a organic garden. . Garden centers have fertilizer for purchase or you could mix your own fertilizer with products from your home. The best times to fertilize are in the spring, and then again during summertime. This will ensure that your organ garden will achieve the desired results you are trying to achieve.

Learning how to grow an organic garden is easy, with a few tips your garden will blossom in no time. Deciding on what you will plant is a different story. Some choose to learn how to grow an organic rose garden, while others may choose to grow herbs or vegetables. Using seed guides, you can determine what items would grow better in your region. You will learn from experience too as trial and effort in growing a organic garden will show in the results that you achieve. You will find what works and what doesn�t and you should have fun learning too.

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http://www.myorganicgardener.com is an informative site offering help and advice in all aspects of gardening, organic gardening, herb gardens, to help you grow and maintain your garden.

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Are Organic Foods Worth The Money? By Gerald Fitz

 

Food prices have risen faster in recent years than ever before. As many of us are feeling the pinch, it is time to reevaluate some of our food purchases. The term "organic" has been thrown around in the shopping aisles like sprinkles on the jelly donut you're trying to avoid. It seems like hundreds of new "organic" products have emerged, all with a price tag about 30% higher than the regular option. Is it really worth the extra money, or are we all being duped with a clever marketing campaign to get us to buy essentially the same thing for a lot more?

It is true that organic growing practices are a lot better for the environment. So if you're swayed by that fact alone, go organic. You actually are supporting practices that benefit the environment. If you want to go deeper into the nutritional value of organic vs. regular foods, research is mixed on that topic. Some studies suggest a higher level of anti-oxidants in organic foods. But other studies have failed to find a significant difference in anti-oxidant levels. The nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables goes down as soon as it is picked. You could argue that a cucumber that was picked yesterday and sold at a farmer's market has more nutritional value than one that was picked 3 weeks ago and flown across the country to your local supermarket. Overall, it is hard to make a case for organic fruits and vegetables containing higher nutrient levels. Both organic and regular varieties offer similar nutrient content and health benefits.

One argument that does hold some weight is the fact that regular fruits and vegetables are grown with pesticides and herbicides. There is residue from these toxic substances that can build up in the body over time. This increases the risk of cancer and can cause other health complications like fertility problems.

Apples, peaches, and bell peppers have consistently shown the highest herbicide and pesticide residue. The lowest on the list are onions, avocados, and frozen corn.

If you avoid the top 12 on the list of foods that have the highest pesticide residue, you can actually reduce your herbicide and pesticide exposure by 90%.

Here are the top 12 to avoid:

• Peaches
• Apples
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Pears
• Imported Grapes
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

The best way to eat healthy without breaking the bank is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and to be smart about the balance between organic and regular. Try to buy them in season in the location where you live because they will be fresher. If the organic is close to the price of the regular option, picking organic is better for you and better for the environment. In the case that the organic option is just far too expensive, try to avoid the top 12 with consistently high levels of herbicides and pesticides and you should be in great shape.

Another important diet tip for protection against unwanted diseases is to take a daily multivitamin. Combined with lots of fruits and vegetables every day, a multivitamin will insure you're getting plenty of all of the essential vitamins and minerals that you need to feel healthy and invigorated every day.

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Composting - It Can Save You Money! By Jonathan White

 

For many people, composting is just an alternative way of dealing with rubbish. It prevents the garbage bin from getting full and smelly. It's also a way of disposing of grass clippings and leaves, which saves many trips to the garbage depot. Whilst these things are valid, they are not giving compost the full credibility it deserves. Compost can be very valuable when used in the right way.

I have a completely different way of looking at compost. To me, composting is a way of building valuable nutrients that will, one day, feed me and my family. I only use compost on my vegetable gardens. The way I manage my vegetable gardens means that composting is an integral part of the whole food production system. I create compost as a way of collecting nutrients in one form (waste), and turning them into another form (food).

The average person buys food from a shop, consumes it and then sends the waste away. This is simply buying nutrients, taking what you need for that precise moment, and disregarding the remainder. It's a nutrient flow that only flows in one direction, like a fancy car roaring down the road. You admire the car for a moment, but after a second or two, it's gone.

My goal is to slow down the car and then get it to do a U-turn. I want to keep the nutrients within my property where I can capitalize on them. By doing this, I am able to use the nutrients again, so I don't have to buy them for a second time. Surely, that's going to save me money. It may seem strange to think of nutrients in this way when we can't even physically see them. However, all organic materials contain nutrients. My goal is to get those nutrients out of the form they are in and into a form that is useful to me and my family.

To put it in a different way; composting is a vehicle in which we are able to create a nutrient cycle within our property. We are part of that cycle because we consume the nutrients when they are, for a brief time, in a useful form. Then they return to the compost and slowly make their way into another useful form where we consume them again. This cycle can go on and on indefinitely. Of course, there will be many lost nutrients that you will never see again, but with a little diligence, you will be surprised at how much compost you can create, and hence, how many valuable nutrients you can recycle.

My composting system is large because I have a few large vegetable gardens. I believe that the size of your vegetable garden should be determined by how much compost you can create, and not merely by the amount of space you have in your backyard. To run a rich, high yielding vegetable garden you need to have some sort of soil conditioning plan, and the best thing for your soil is a generous layer of good compost on the surface a few times per year.

If you can create your own compost from the organic waste that you generate in your everyday life, then you can have a vegetable garden that is self-sustainable. Once it is set up, it will never need nutrients in the form of store-bought fertilizers. You will have established a flow of nutrients, and your nutrient-store will grow bigger and bigger, year after year. Applying compost to your garden will have a very positive effect on your soil structure and fertility. With good soil structure and plenty of organic material, you will be able to release nutrients that have been locked up and unavailable to your plants. You will be speeding up the flow of nutrients, thus increasing your yield significantly. Your soil will become alive and healthy with micro-organisms and soil bacteria that are beneficial to creating the conditions for proper plant growth. Your vegetables will contain all the essential nutrients in the correct proportions, giving your body the vitamins and minerals it needs to function at its best.

Composting is very easy once you make it part of your everyday life. A small container on your kitchen bench to collect scraps and a daily trip to the compost bin is all it takes. It's a small effort for huge rewards. The golden rule in making compost is never to have large clumps of a single type of material. Thin layers of hot and cold materials work best. Cold materials include leaves, shredded newspaper and dried grass clippings. Hot materials include fresh grass clippings, manures, weeds, discarded soft plants and kitchen scraps.

If you make composting part of you daily routine, along with an effective method of growing food, you can literally save thousands of dollars per year. This is possible simply because you won't have to keep buying nutrients over and over. You will buy them once, hold onto them and then convert them into useful forms again and again. It's that simple!

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Jonathan White is an Environmental Scientist and the founder of the Food4Wealth Method, a high yielding, low-maintenance form of vegetable gardening. For more information see http://www.Food4Wealth.com

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How to Start Your Own Organic Garden By Dave Mathews

 

Organic vegetable gardening has been done for centuries before the introduction of pesticides. This type of gardening requires that no artificial means be used to kill pests. So what is a garden of this type, how to create one and what to plant are some questions that need to be answered? This type of a garden is done without pesticides. This type of a garden is also nourished organically from a compost heap that consists of table scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, ect. This not only enriches the soil, it also allows for healthier plants.

So how do you create an organic vegetable garden? It is simple really. For organic vegetable gardening, you will need the following. A sunny location with soil that is well drained is the first step. You also need to measure a length and size that will be convenient for your garden and these beds should be about 30 inches. You will need to either build a frame that is between 10-12 inches high or stake out the bed. Before planting, you will need to mix your compost at least three weeks in advance. This can be either plant material or manure.

The next step in your organic vegetable gardening is to choose the varieties of vegetables that will not only be resistant to pests and disease, they also need to be well adapted for the region in question. The next step in your gardening should be to plant usually when the soil thaws in spring or in the fall. Your first idea may be to start planting broccoli, spinach and peas first. Corn, squash, tomatoes and peppers can be planted when the soil is warmer and after the danger of frost has passed. This will get the garden started quite nicely.

Now there are several things that you can add to your gardening in order to help your organic vegetable gardening. The introduction of beneficial insects such as ladybugs will keep your garden free of pests and help keep the garden growing. Another thing to do is to rotate your crops and keep the garden well weeded so that disease and pests cannot get a foot hold in your garden. Remember to water and mulch as needed. You can also cover susceptible crops with lightweight fabric to discourage pests. When you are speaking about beneficial bugs, remember to plant the plants that nourish these bugs as well.

So this, in a nut shell is how you do a vegetable garden of this type. It isn't that hard to do and the fruits and vegetables will nourish your body without the fear of pesticides. This is a win-win situation for all involved and will lead to a much healthier lifestyle for you and your family. It may take time and effort, but you will be well rewarded for your hard work with healthy fruits and vegetables that will nourish your body and be good for you as well. So an organic garden of this type is well worth investing the time and money in.

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If you are interested in knowing more on how to start your organic garden then do visit our site for more information . The author is an online marketing expert with LinksTonite, an Internet Marketing Firm helping firms get targeted traffic thru higher search engine rankings.

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