Showing posts with label growing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label growing. Show all posts

Try Your Hand At Organic Gardening


By Ahmed Hajouj.


In today’s world, we are constantly confronted with the many reasons why we need to eat healthier and exercise more in order to live longer and better lives. That being said, I see not enough information getting out about how we can actually put those principles into affect. I read that I need to exercise more, but would someone please give me a solid plan that actually works to improve my level of fitness? I am tired of not reading any good advice for making health progress, so I’ve decided to write some advice of my own. I have been a dietician for many years, but I am just now breaking into writing. My first health tip for anyone trying to see changes in their health is to try organic gardening.

Unfortunately, you can be eating a lot of fruits and vegetables but still be doing harm to your health. Why? Well, the ways that many of our healthiest foods are grown and then prepared to be sold are very unhealthy for us. There are so many pesticides and chemicals used on fresh foods today that you can sometimes be better off not eating the foods at all. A far better alternative, however, is to try your hand at organic gardening. Basically, organic gardening is a method of growing fruits and vegetables so that they grow free from all harmful pesticides and chemicals.

Organic gardening does not have to be as overwhelming or hard as it may sound. A first important step to take is to visit a local library or book store and learn all you can about organic gardening. Check out or purchase books and read up on all the great reasons why you should make an organic garden this season for your and your family.

You can also talk to owners of organic gardens in your area. Chances are that there are more organic gardens growing in your town than you probably imagine. So do some research and even make plans to visit an organic garden or two. Talk to people who are really doing it about the challenges and about the benefits of organic gardening.

Organic gardening may just become one of your favorite hobbies. It became one of mine and now me and my family are reaping all of the benefits of having healthy and fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Do it for the sake of your health and for a little fun.

Fun And Food In Home Grown Vegetable Gardening

Growing vegetables in your garden will prevent cash. throughout season, your own manufacture becomes a part of your meals. Home gardeners feel deep satisfaction in making ready dish or seasoning the casserole with freshly picked plants from their own vegetable gardens. Their feeling of the style is incommensurable. recent surplus area unit distributed to friends and love ones whereas some area unit keep frozen.

It doesn’t require much space to grow vegetables. Even a container pot or a window box will do the trick. Where space is limited, you can grow a mini-garden indoor or outdoor. If you have a good sun, access to water and enough containers, growing a garden’s worth of fruits and vegetables in a limited space is a no-brainer. You can even harvest more than one crop if your choice of plants and planting schemes are all well planned and executed. Windowsills, balconies and doorstep areas can be used, as well as empty packs of milks, pails, plastic buckets and cans.

When planting in containers, proper spacing is very important. One sturdy plant is better than several weak ones. Crowding chokes root systems will slow growth and poor production. With container vegetable garden, you no longer need to worry about poor soil types and bad drainage, or heavy-duty tiller to break up hard clay and rocks. There is no weeding to worry about and you can change the looks of your container placements by simply moving them around anytime to a place you wanted to. 

Vegetable gardening offers a change from the monotony of the supermarket. You can grow variety of vegetables that you want. When choosing plants for your vegetable container garden, consider container worthy crops such as beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and radish. Other root crops such onions and turnips can also do well in containers, but remember to always take care of these crops by ample fertilizers and water. Also consider grapes and berries. Though some take a while to get established, they bear fruits more each year. Planting for fall crops can be started in early summer, though summer planting can still be done in June in most regions.

One great advantage of growing vegetables and spices in containers involves the advent of the upside-down gardening. Crops with the likes of tomatoes, basil, parsley, rosemary and peppers do well with this approach. The ideas is that the vines will cascade downward instead of growing up a stake. A grow box can be treated by punching perforations through the bottom of a container. The other option is to purchase a device specially designed for this purpose. Upside gardens do not require a great deal of space and is perfect for balconies and patios.

Equally important, seeds and soil must properly be taken cared of in your vegetable container garden. Seeds do not always have to be bought. Reasonably fresh dill, anise, fennel, coriander and other seeds already on the spice rack should grow. If not, they are too old to add much to food anyway and should be replaced. Scoop out seeds from vegetables you’ve bought, dry them a week or so before planting.

Soil preparation on the other hand is very crucial for good results. Have the soil tested. Every state has a land-grant college that will test soil for a small fee. It will give abundant basic gardening advice, and garden resources tips. Start growing those veggies in your garden and turn your home made meals into something truly special. Take care of your plants to make them productive by keeping them watered and harvested.

Grow Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden





By Ahmed Hajouj.


Organic systems recognize that our health is directly connected to the health of the food we eat and, ultimately, the health of the soil.

Here are some of the main features of organic growing:

- Organic growing severely restricts the use of artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

- Instead, organic growers rely on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops.

- Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.

Going organic may mean that you have to make a trade-off between glossy, same same supermarket looks with better tasting crops that aren’t perfect in shape or size, but many gardeners think this is a price worth paying. You’ll be able to grow different crops that are always relatively expensive to buy in supermarkets and at farmers markets and, growing your own vegetables is both fun and rewarding.

Among the many things an organic vegetable garden may offer towards a satisfying experience are fresh air, exercise, sunshine, knowledge, supplemental income, mental therapy, and fresh food, rich in vitamins and minerals, harvested at the best stage of maturity.

You can easily make compost from garden and kitchen waste, although this is a bit more time consuming, you will also make cost savings, because you do not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening.

Where animal manures are available, they are probably the best source of fertilizer and organic matter for the organic gardener. Use manure which has been aged for at least 30 days if possible, or composted. I am often out in the road if any horses have gone past gathering the manure for the garden. Its looks a bit odd to the teenagers on the street but the dung is worth it!

If you have space for a few pots, or a small space in the garden or even an allotment, it is a wise decision to grow your own organic vegetable garden. To better care for your health, grow your own organic vegetables -and a few pots is all you need at a minimum.

If you have a surplus you can sell these and you will be contributing to the ‘go local’ food movement which is flourishing – over 15% of people buy organic food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmer’s markets, box schemes, cafes and restaurants serving organic food increase. GuideMeGreen helps you to find locally produced foods which are fresher, healthier and more economical. It cuts down on transport costs and ‘food miles’ where an average shopping basket can include fruit and vegetables transported from all over the world. Even in the UK or USA food is transported from the farm, to the packing centre, then to distribution centre before arriving at the supermarket to be bought which is then transported by car home!






Chives Allium Schoenoprasum


By Ahmed Hajouj.


Known as common garden chives, Allium schoenoprasum, can be grown indoors and out. Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and calcium. They are grown for the flavour of their leaves, which is reminiscent of onion, although much milder. Both the stems and light purple flowers are used in cooking and the snipped leaves are an addition to many dishes. Chives lose their flavour with long cooking so it is best to add them to dishes at the last minute. For chopping stems, a pair of scissors is the best tool.

Chives can be frozen or dried. They are less flavourful when dried rather that frozen, so they are best used when fresh and snipped, or snipped and frozen. In both cases sort them carefully, removing any yellowing leaves and shoots, and keep only the plump green ones. It is possible to place chives in non-iodized salt, keep them there for several weeks, remove the leaves, and then bottle the ‘chive salt’ for use in flavouring.

Chives are a perennial in the garden and grow approximately 12 inches (30 cm) tall. They are extremely easy to grow, are drought tolerant, rarely suffer from disease or pest problems, and don’t require fertilizer. Cultivation requirements for growing chives: full sun, will tolerate light shade; grow best in well-drained, organic, fertile soil; keep soil moist – use mulch, and water during periods of drought. Chives tend to get overcrowded so dig and divide every three to four years.

Chives are easily grown from seed or can be brought indoors at the end of the growing season. If you are bringing chives indoors, divide a clump, and pot up in good houseplant soil. Leave your chive plant outdoors for a month or so after the first frost to provide a short period of dormancy. Bring them indoors and provide the requirements needed for them to start growing again. To harvest, snip leaves 2 inches (5cm) from the base of the plant. Cut flower stalks off at the soil line once they have finished blooming. This prevents the plant form forming seed and keeps it more productive.

Chives require at least five to eight hours of sunlight a day. Grow them on a southern or eastern exposure to the light. If you are growing them on a windowsill, turn regularly to ensure every side receives light. If you are unable to provide this amount of light, they also grow well under fluorescent lights. Hang lights 6 inches above the plants and leave lights on for 14 hours per day.

In the garden, plant chives with carrots. They are good companion plantings for tomatoes and fruit trees. Chives or garlic planted between rows of peas or lettuce control pashas and are reported to control the incidence of aphids when planted between roses. In the kitchen, use chives in omelets, scrambled eggs, casseroles, rice, dips, gravies, butter, meat, and seafood. Chives can be added to soft cheese, salads, sandwiches, sour cream, vinegar, and bake potatoes. Chive blossoms can be used for garnishing and are particularly attractive in salads. Chive stems can be used for tying up little bundles of vegetables for appetizers.

Grow Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden


By AHmed Hajouj.


Organic systems recognize that our health is directly connected to the health of the food we eat and, ultimately, the health of the soil.

Here are some of the main features of organic growing:

- Organic growing severely restricts the use of artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

- Instead, organic growers rely on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops.

- Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards.

Going organic may mean that you have to make a trade-off between glossy, same same supermarket looks with better tasting crops that aren’t perfect in shape or size, but many gardeners think this is a price worth paying. You’ll be able to grow different crops that are always relatively expensive to buy in supermarkets and at farmers markets and, growing your own vegetables is both fun and rewarding.

Among the many things an organic vegetable garden may offer towards a satisfying experience are fresh air, exercise, sunshine, knowledge, supplemental income, mental therapy, and fresh food, rich in vitamins and minerals, harvested at the best stage of maturity.

You can easily make compost from garden and kitchen waste, although this is a bit more time consuming, you will also make cost savings, because you do not need to buy costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides with organic gardening.

Where animal manures are available, they are probably the best source of fertilizer and organic matter for the organic gardener. Use manure which has been aged for at least 30 days if possible, or composted. I am often out in the road if any horses have gone past gathering the manure for the garden. Its looks a bit odd to the teenagers on the street but the dung is worth it!

If you have space for a few pots, or a small space in the garden or even an allotment, it is a wise decision to grow your own organic vegetable garden. To better care for your health, grow your own organic vegetables -and a few pots is all you need at a minimum.

If you have a surplus you can sell these and you will be contributing to the ‘go local’ food movement which is flourishing – over 15% of people buy organic food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmer’s markets, box schemes, cafes and restaurants serving organic food increase. GuideMeGreen helps you to find locally produced foods which are fresher, healthier and more economical. It cuts down on transport costs and ‘food miles’ where an average shopping basket can include fruit and vegetables transported from all over the world. Even in the UK or USA food is transported from the farm, to the packing centre, then to distribution centre before arriving at the supermarket to be bought which is then transported by car home!