Growing Herbs In Containers By Mark Perlik

 

Anyone can have a beautiful herb garden right outside their door by growing herbs in containers. You'll be surprised at just how easy, and how much fun it can be once you get started! Whether you live in an apartment with a small balcony or have a big yard, container herb gardening can be an effective way for you to grow herbs.

Containers:

First, find a container with good drainage. Even something like a recycled market basket can be used for growing herbs. Whatever container you use, make sure that it is food safe, as some pots are made with lead or other materials that you don't want in your food. Always use the largest possible container for your available space. Larger containers equal less maintenance than smaller ones in terms of drying out and needing water more frequently. Be aware that terra cotta pots are porous and will require more frequent watering as well. Growing herbs in containers is generally an excellent choice, since they are tough and drought resistant.

Soil:

When you're ready to add soil, use a ready-grow soil mix with all the ingredients for optimal growth already mixed in. Mix a little "Soil Moist" (or something similar) with polymers into the soil so that the soil will hold more moisture. This way, you won't have to water every day.

Seeds vs Plants:

You can easily grow grassier herbs like Chives, Cilantro, Parsley, and Mint from seed. Experts recommend buying larger, woody herbs such as Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, and Marjoram from a local nursery and planting them into your containers. Basil and Sage are better purchased as plants instead of seeds.

Placement:

When you remove the plant from the little container that you bought it in, it will usually be root-bound, so tease the roots apart a little to help optimize growth. Plant herbs that grow taller in the rear of the container, plant shorter herbs in the front, so that all plants get plenty of light. Cascading plants such as Oregano and Thyme should be planted near the edges of the container so they can spill over the sides. Some tall herbs include: Basil, Dill, and Rosemary. Medium size includes: Chives, Oregano, Parsley, and Sage. Short: Thyme. If you plant many plants in a single container, you will have to harvest often to insure that the plants don't get overcrowded. Next, water the plants in.

Watering and Location:

Be sure to water when your thumb stays dry halfway up when inserted into the soil. Keep your container herb garden right outside your kitchen door so that it is easy for you to reach your fresh herbs whenever you need them.

Depending on your climate, you may have to re-plant some of your herbs each spring, or they may survive the winter. Or, if you allow the herb to flower and seed, you may find the plants coming back on their own. If you want to preserve some of your herbs at the end of the season, simply cut long stems, hang to dry (for a couple weeks), then harvest and store in an airtight container.

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As a student of Chinese Medicine, Mark Perlik has a strong understanding of the power of fresh herbs used for cooking and medicine. http://www.mygrowingherbs.com has been created by Mark to help others who are interested in finding resources and information about herbs.

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How To Plant A Vegetable Garden By Dave Mathews

 

If you are new to gardening, you may be wanting to know exactly how to plant a vegetable garden. There are many different things to consider such as the garden seeds that you will be using. One of the things that you will need to think about is where you want your vegetables to grow. You need to have a sunny place that the soil is able to drain well. You will then need to plan your plot accordingly. You need to be sure to have a place that you can easily get to.

Another consideration would be choosing the garden seeds that will bring the vegetables that will grow well in your garden. These need to be disease resistant. You will then need to till the soil so that it is ready for planting. You will need to plant the seeds evenly and at the distance that is recommended for the seeds. Once your gardening is planted, you will then need to mulch it as well as water it. Then once that is done, you will need to keep the weeds out of your vegetable garden and make sure that the pests are taken care of.

You will continue to do that until the vegetables are grown. By taking care of your gardening and by weeding as well as mulching, your garden seeds will have fully grown into healthy vegetables for you to eat. Your garden will be sound and full of good things for your family to eat. No matter what types of vegetables that you plant here, you can be assured of a good harvest providing you take care of the matters pertaining to that plot. It is fun to grow living things in this fashion and more people are turning to this way to avoid the high cost of food.

So this is basically how you plant a vegetable garden. When in the planning phase, you need to choose good quality garden seeds from either a nursery or someone knowledgeable about disease resistant vegetables in order to get the most for the seeds. Gardening is a good way to provide vegetables at little cost to you instead of paying high prices for vegetables that you could grow yourself. Not only are you growing your own food, you also are saving money on food that can save you money in groceries.

So why not grow your own vegetables and save on food costs. With preparations and time, you can have a wonderful garden which will keep you fed all season long. This is a great way to know what you are getting and without pesticides as well. An organic plot that grows pesticide free vegetables is a great way to keep yourself feed and take care of yourself at the same time. The procedure is easy to do and it will allow you to moderate food costs so that you are not paying as much for your vegetables as you would by buying them in a store.

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Author Resource:
If you are interested in knowing more on gardening 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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How To Grow A Vegetable Garden In A Pot By Corey Landis

 

Are you short on gardening space or maybe no garden at all? That doesn't mean you can't grow a variety of healthy vegetables. Just imagine picking your own juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and crisp green peppers. Here's how to grow a vegetable garden in a pot so you won't have to rely on your imagination.

Vegetables have 3 requirements: sunlight, good soil, and water

A minimum of six hours of sunlight is necessary for most vegetables. The exceptions are leafy greens such as lettuces, spinach, and chard. Even those do better with more sunlight. A sunny spot in front of a south facing window will work. However it's better if the plants are outside on a patio, deck, balcony, or front porch.

Good soil means fast growing healthy plants. Use potting soil not garden dirt. Dirt compacts easily and may have fungus and diseases. It also may not contain the nutrients plants require. Choose bigger pots over smaller pots, they won't dry out as quickly. Add a time released fertilizer to the potting soil and mix well.

Water is critical. Keep in mind how you will get water to your plants. If the pots are on a deck consider running a hose from downstairs. A balcony may require trips with a watering can, so don't place the pots too far from the source of water. During summer months it may be necessary to water each pot once a day.

Choose vegetables that are in season. Visit your local plant nursery to find varieties that grow well in your area. Seeds are fun and most vegetables start easily from seeds, but if you want a crop fast use started seedlings. Peas, greens, carrots, broccoli, and cabbages are spring crops. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and eggplant are summer crops. Spring crops can be planted in late summer for a fall harvest if frost comes later in your area. Most herbs can be grown from early spring to first frost with a few exceptions.

It is possible to plant more than one kind of vegetable per pot. A pizza pot would contain tomatoes, green peppers, basil, and garlic. Or try a salad pot of mixed greens, scallions, and carrots.

Take advantage of vertical space if horizontal space is at a premium. Many vegetables can be trained up a trellis, such as garden peas, pole beans, cucumbers, and of course, tomatoes.

Keep your vegetable selection to those you and your family like to eat, have a continuous harvest over a period of several weeks, and don't take up huge amounts of space. For example: fresh sweet corn is divine but the amount of space it takes up and the fact there are usually only a few ears on each plant make it a secondary choice for a small space gardener.

You can grow a vegetable garden in a pot.

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Author Resource:
More about easy garden care Dee Power is an avid gardener and uses many of the herbs she grows in healthy dinner recipes and easy grilling tips.

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

Great Reasons To Grow A Container Vegetable GardenBy Cynthia Wagner

 

A container vegetable garden is a terrific way to maximize the limited amount of space you might have on your property. A lot of people have houses or apartments with limited room to plant. Container gardening allows them to have a veggie patch on their porch or patio, and even in the house. Many people have small container gardens on a sunny window ledge in their kitchen, or in a sunroom or spare bedroom. There are those who even grow plants in a closet through the use of a grow light.

Another significant benefit of a container vegetable garden is the ability to move your plants around when you need to. If there is a storm on the way, it's simple to bring your outdoor plants inside so they will be sheltered from the elements. Also, if you find that there is overly much sun shining on your plants, or they're not getting enough sun, you can easily move them to a location that is more suitable. You can even move the containers around if you think they'll look better somewhere else.

Vegetables grown in containers don't have the same issues with disease that conventionally-grown plants have. It's true that plants raised in containers can still become infected with diseases, but you will find the likelihood is much less than if you had planted them in your garden. In most cases, the potting soil that you use for your plants doesn't contain any organisms that lead to disease, so your plants are not as likely to be damaged.

Keeping your vegetables fertilized is also less difficult when they're raised in containers. It's not so difficult to ensure the fertilizer you use reaches your plants if they're restricted to a small patch of soil. Whenever you fertilize plants that are growing directly in the earth, the nutrients may leach away or be taken up by nearby plants.. This is not as likely when plants are raised in pots. You do have to keep in mind that because there is less soil, you will have to take care when applying fertilizer. You will have to fertilize more often than you would an ordinary vegetable garden, using smaller amounts each time.

Another advantage is that the growing season is prolonged when your vegetables are grown in containers. Your plants can be started inside or in a cold frame and then be moved outdoors to bigger containers when the weather allows. At the end of summer, you can wrap them with blankets or other insulating materials, which will help keep them warm as the temperature falls. You can also make use of insulation to continue to produce vegetables even after the first frost, and you can bring them inside the house as soon as it becomes too cold to keep them outdoors at all.

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About the Author:
Here's a useful tip for watering your container garden: collect rainwater and use it to give your plants the moisture they need. Click here to learn about the advantages of garden rain barrels, and what the options are in traditional styles and the newer decorative rain barrels on the market.

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

The Principles of Organic Vegetable Gardening By Gargi Nath

 

More farmers are getting into organic vegetable gardening because it is cost effective and they are able to produce almost the same yield of crops. You to can do this at home but first, you have to understand the principles of organic vegetable gardening.

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

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

A lot of people are grossed about by manure. You don't have to scoop this from the toilet because this is sold in stores. If you have a dog, put on some gloves and put it there. Chickens are also great to have. Just let them roam around in the 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 because maggots will soon appear and 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 also provides better drainage. This long pink colored creature also leaves casting behind that experts say is five times as rich in nitrogen phosphorous and potassium. Again, this can be purchased from the gardening store.

Organic garden is challenging since you have to deal with unwanted guests. Some of these pests include armyworms, crickets, gypsy moth caterpillars, slugs and squash bugs. Before, people used fertilizer to kill them but in an organic setting, the best weapon is the toad that is known to eat more almost every type of insect. If you have caterpillars or spiders lurking in the garden, get a bird because this is not in the toad's diet.

In some cases, you don't have to buy a toad or a bird from the pet store. They may come in to your home as long as you set the ideal environment for them. You can put up a bird house or a small pond. Within days, you will have some new occupants protecting your garden. Other insect killers which you can get to do the job include the preying mantis and the ladybug because they mark their territory and eat anything that dares enter their domain.

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

But 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 this kind of vegetable for this season, change it with another and the return to the first after this one is harvested.

The principles behind organic gardening are very simple. You just have to be practice it so you can harvest the vegetables you have planted weeks ago.

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About the Author:
Gargi Nath, a Professor in English in a reputed college in kolkata for the last 5 years having done masters and Phd.A keen creative author and have written many articles on numerous topics.Many of the articles are published regularly in newspapers and magazines.Please visit my blog OrganicGardening-infos.blogspot.com for tips on organic gardening.

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Vegetable Gardening Tips At Your Backyard By Oliver J

 

Would it be possible for you to grow a vegetable garden at your backyard? Consider this option, healthy foods just within your reach. Even your children can help and cultivate their own vegetables. Having fun while learning is not a bad idea right? But you have to plan ahead before you start.

Which Veggie?
Plan which vegetables you would like to grow in your garden. Choose early, middle of the season and late kinds of these vegetables, which you like best.

Against all veggie odds
You have to know the odd characteristics of certain vegetables and use them to best advantage. Some vegetables bloom even in partially shaded positions, while others require lots of sunshine.

Goodie veggies
Good vegetables are of exceptionally slow growth during the seedling stage of development. You have to take advantage of this by using space between rows for quick-growing crops. For example, propagate beet seed by middle of April and position young lettuce plants between the rows.

Don't let the water run dry
Throughout dry periods, vegetable gardens need extra watering. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting.

De-pest the infested
During the growing season be attentive against insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will make it much easier to take suitable action and get rid of the pests. But be careful to not use pesticides once the vegetable have grown unless it becomes an absolute necessity. Organic gardening is one healthy and environment-friendly option. Once you have reaped your crop, put the used up vegetable matter into your fertilizer pile so that it can be recycled for next spring.

Animal appeal not needed
It is important to protect your vegetable garden. In most cases, the garden is surrounded by a fence adequately high and close-woven to keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during a season can equal the cost of a fence. A fence also can serve as a frame for peas, beans, tomatoes, and other crops that need support.

Protection is needed in order for your vegetable garden to yield a bountiful harvest. Hard work would pay off if necessary precaution has been made. Learning is a process, vegetable gardening needs time. See to it you have patience and dedication to it.

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Learn how I grow hydroponic strawberries. Find more tips about hydroponic gardening and DIY hydroponic nutrients.

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

Turn Your Waste Into Compost By Ned Benjamin

 

It's very easy to turn your household and garden waste into rich compost. Adding compost to your garden's soil is one of the best things you can do to improve it. If the soil is sandy, then adding compost will help it to retain moisture; whereas soils rich in clay will be made looser. Apart from improving the structure of the soil, it can help protect your plants from diseases and pests.

Making your own Compost
Making compost is a very easy process. The materials most suitable for composting are household vegetable waste, grass clippings, leaves, most weeds, etc. The best compost will be made from a mixture of these materials. Although there are many compost bins on the market, it's quite possible just to make it in a heap. The pile should be at least 3 cubic feet, this is necessary to provide the optimum conditions for the bacteria, which you need to break down the organic matter, to multiply and survive.

There are only two ingredients needed for the bacteria in the heap to break down the organic matter into useful compost: air and moisture. To give it enough air, all you have to do is turn the heap regularly with a fork or pitchfork. There are specialized compost tumblers on the market, but they're not really necessary. The heap needs to be kept moist, but not saturated with water. Too little and the necessary bacteria will not survive; too much and the compost will become slimy. You can simply add water if you think it's too dry, or cover the heap with a tarpaulin if rain is making it too wet.

How long it takes for the compost to be ready is dependent mainly on the materials used and the temperature. It could be ready in as little as 12 weeks, but six months to a year is more likely. You'll know when it's ready as it will become dark brown/black and crumbly, and have a pleasant, earthy odor. You should not be able to make out any of the original waste.

The finished compost is most commonly used as a mulch on top of the soil, where it helps the soil retain moisture, slowly adds nutrients, and helps keep weeds down.

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6 Easy Tips On Organic Gardening By Jack Walters

Organic gardening is hitting the UK by storm. People are taking pride in growing their own produce and cultivating wholesome and chemical free food. The cost saving and benefits to creating your own organic garden are immense. You can look forward to a healthier family, saving money at the supermarket and the satisfaction of picking your own fruit and vegetables. You need only standard garden tools and a little know-how to be a successful organic gardener.

Here’s some tips on organic gardening:

Improve your soil quality
The root to achieving a healthy and successful garden with plenty of thriving garden plants is getting the soil right. You may need to initially prep the soil to get the conditions just perfect for all those luscious fruit and vegetable plants. It can take some time and patience but it will be worth it.

Decide on your garden type and layout
Will you need raised beds due to the quality of soil? Do you want to avoid weeding by using containers? Do you like the idea of row gardening due to its neat look? Decide what is best for you and sketch it out.

Check what you add to your soil
If you want a truly organic garden you need to be sure that anything you add to your soil is organic also. Check out the sources of manure and seeds and ensure that garden plants are organic.

Be sustainable
Make your own compost. Add all the vegetable peelings, yard clippings and old plants.

Avoid chemicals
Think carefully about the use of chemicals. They are toxic for our bodies and damage the environment.

Give something back
Insects, birds and small wildlife will all abound in your garden attracted by your organic gardening. Be prepared and use safe netting, natural deterrents and raised beds.

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This article was written on behalf of Gardening Direct.
For more information on:
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4 Tips For Help In Growing Better Carrots

 

So, you've decided to plant a vegetable garden and carrots are going to take pride of place.

Here are four tips to ensure that your carrots grow to be big and strong and make you the envy of all your neighbors.

• Don't plant your carrots in soil that has a lot of weeds. Try to turn the soil as much as possible and use weedkiller to get rid of the weeds. Ideally, you should use organic weedkiller if you can get your hands on some. Unfortunately, once the carrots start to grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to weed them.



• Sow the seeds sparingly on top of the soil and cover with about 5mm of top soil. Mulching with straw or hay will help to keep the seeds moist, and this will also make it easier to water without disturbing the seeds. The plants need little other attention during their growth period, although the plants should be kept well watered - too little water results in coarse, woody roots.



• Carrots love light, well-drained, fertile soils. A stone-free environment is ideal. Carrots are pretty finicky growers. Perfect soil for growing carrots is typically rich, with well-rotted organic material in it.



• Start sowing the seeds 2-3 weeks before the last frost. One week before sowing your seeds, rake in a light dressing of general fertiliser. The temperature of the soil can be vital to the carrots, as they are cool-weather vegetables. They will almost certainly not germinate at temperatures below 5 degrees celsius. Germination will occur in around 10 days if the soil temperature is 10 degrees celsius.

From June to July onwards, start harvesting your carrots as soon as they're big enough to eat. It's best to harvest them in the evening to avoid attracting carrot fly. Many people are starting to grow their own fruit and vegetables in these tough economic times. With proper care and attention, your carrot harvest should yield a crop that you can be proud of.

The Bee All And End All

I've just been outside watering the garden, when guess what(?) Mr Wasp was lying in wait for me.

Now to be fair, he didn't stir very much until I accidentally drenched him with water, but the way he made a bee-line (pun intended) for my forehead was truly inspiring.

Had I looked into his eyes, I swear that I would have seen single-minded determination!

I personally think that we under-estimate our insect friends sometimes and they are not as stupid as they look!