Tag: Fruits And Vegetables

Organic Herb Gardening Is Something You Need For The Kitchen

Organic Herb Gardening Is Something You Need For The Kitchen

Do you use a lot of herbs and spices whenever you are cooking? If you do, perhaps instead of buying these from the grocery, you can get this for free by making your own organic herb garden. In fact, it is so easy to do that even kids can get into it.

So what kind of herbs should you plant? Since they are going to be used for cooking, why not go for herbs that are either Italian or Thai. These herbs are called culinary herbs. Other examples that you can plant for cooking later on include basil, bay leaves, chives, dill, marjoram, oregano and parsley.

Chances are you would like to start from the very beginning which means you have to buy herb seeds. These are sold in packs and it is best to read the instructions before opening them.

Some organic herb seeds can be sown directly to the soil while others have to be raised in seedbeds. Best of all, you do not have to worry that much about pests because they are not that frequent when compared to planting fruits or vegetables.

One herb plant that you should avoid mixing with others is mint because it acts just like a weed and has the tendency to kill the rest. But since you need it, it is best to grow it in a pot so it does not harm your other crops.

Organic herb gardening is not different to organic farming because similar techniques are used to make them grow. The first step is to find the right location that offers adequate sunlight and drainage. Also, check on the soil conditions because what you have in your backyard may not be suitable for it.

When the soil is ready for planting, the rest of the work is easy since you just have to monitor their progress daily. You should also use compost bins so you produce your own organic fertilizer that can be applied to the garden.

Aside from making an organic herb garden outdoors, you can also do the same indoors so it is much closer to the kitchen. Instead of planting these on the ground, you will have to buy organic containers. These can be made from clay, plastic or wood. The important thing is that it provides excellent drainage and good air circulation.

When you use pots for your organic herbs, do not use soil but a mixture of peat, perlite and vermiculite. They need to be watered regularly so make sure it is moist and not damp. Since they also need sufficient sunlight, you can place these outdoors and then bring them back in when it is too cold or put these in the western or southern windows of the home.

Regardless if your herbs are grown indoor or outdoor, you still have to deal with pests and weeds. You can pick them off by hand or get other insects to do your dirty work. Mulch is another solution and you should apply at least 3 to 4 inches or 8 to 10 cm in order for it to be effective.

Herb gardening is a lot of fun since it can be used for other things aside from culinary like for cosmetic, craft, household or medicinal purposes. But if you are into cooking, then organic herb gardening is good for the kitchen.

Organic Gardening Supplies That You Can Use

One of the most important aspects of a successful organic garden is to know the list of organic gardening supplies that you will need. This is very important because these tools can help and assist you in growing healthy crops in no time.

Finding the right organic gardening supplies

Aside from regular care and proper monitoring, having the right organic gardening supplies would definitely ensure that you would have a successful and healthy garden. Experts say that knowing what you need and have them readily available would lessen the time that you would have to spend in taking care of your crops. This will also ensure that you will have fun in watching every development in your garden.

The following are the most important organic gardening supplies that you need for your organic garden:

1. Water. This is very important because this will serve as the secondary lifeline of your plants. Having enough supply of water nearby is very crucial because you will never know when the plant would need some of it. Although there is scheduled time to water the plants, it is always best to have ample supply of water just in case you or somebody forgets to water the plants on time.

2. Soil. This is considered as a lifeline of any plant in any organic garden because this is where all the nutrients are derived. Although you dont need so much of it if you only a few number of pots and trays, it is best to have an extra supply of soilclay soil is the best for its capability to hold water betterjust in case accidental dropping of containers happens. Having extra supply of soil can also make it possible for you to make another organic garden.

3. Organic matter. This is also crucial because it will provide nutrients for your plants. Although you need not worry about having enough supply of this because these are always readily available in your backyard through grass clips and dried leaves and in your kitchen through decaying vegetables and peel fruits. You can also use the dog or cat manure, if you have a pet, in the compost pit as well as head of fish that has not been consumed.

4. Light. This is very important especially for indoor gardening because it will provide the light needed by the plant. Light is very important from the germination of the seeds to the growing of the sprouts. It is also very important for leaves because it paves the way for a very important process called “photosynthesis.” If possible, make a garden site where there can be direct exposure to sunlight. If this is not possible, try to create alternative light from a fluorescent bulb or tube that is placed directly on the container.

5. Tools. These are also very important organic gardening supplies for a successful gardening because it will make the work easier for you. Important tools might include cutting tools, weeding tools, watering tools, clawing tools, and sweeping tools. These will help you in cleaning and maintaining the plants especially if they are growing fast.

These tools can also help you organize the plants so they won’t get tangled, as they grow taller. In buying tools, make sure that you only buy those that you really need. Use the size of your garden as a guide. If you have small garden, there is no need for you to buy large tools for gardening.

Organic Gardening Information

Organic food products are more important than they were before. This is after numerous studies have shown that inorganic farming techniques which have been used in the past are harmful to our health. To give you an idea, here is some organic gardening information that you should know.

Having healthy soil is the basic foundation of organic gardening. There are three types namely clay, sandy and silt. Each one has its own pros and cons but clay soil appears to be the best to have since it is able to retain water especially during droughts so the plants will be able to stay alive.

Also, organic gardening is a technique that does not involve the use of fertilizers or pesticides. Nature does most of the work and by following an organic pest management system you will be able to protect your crops from insects that once threatened the field.

Such a system could mean introducing certain insects to provide security to your crops. You can also use some livestock, birds and toads to do the same thing or plant some of them as they work as a natural insecticide.

To maintain the fertility of the soil, farmers and hobbyists are encouraged to rotate their crops. This simply means planting a new vegetable or fruit every few months so the nutrient levels do not change.

Organic gardening is often referred to as a holistic approach because various methods are used. Aside from crop rotation which was just mentioned, you can also make this happen with the application of compost, manure and cover cropping.

Some farmers may also use processed fertilizers that are environmental friendly such as seed meal and other mineral powders like rock phosphate and greensand that is a natural form of potash.

To create a set of standards for organic gardening, the US government designated the US Department of Agriculture to oversee things. This is similar to what the European Commission has been doing since 1991 which has proven to be very successfully as a lot of their products are imported into the States.

But the governing body for organic gardening is provided by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture or IFOAM that has been in operation since 1972.

Although organic gardening is labor intensive, it generally produces lower yields but is very effective in times of drought. This is because the crops do not require that much water to help them grow which means there is a steady supply that will be harvested.

Because fertilizers and pesticides are not used, it means fewer nitrates and there are more nutrient qualities in the soil especially the number of flavanoids which are an important antioxidant.

The demand for organic products will continue to grow in the future. This is as people become more aware of food safety issues and there is a concern for the environment.

If you do some research over the web, you will realize that there is a lot of organic gardening information out there to help you get started if you want to plant fruits or vegetables in your own garden.

Armed with the proper tools, you will be able to know how to work the soil, which plants are ideal to plant depending on your location and the season and how to take care of them until it is time for harvesting.This just goes to show that you can go a log way with some organic gardening information.

Organic Gardening Containers

Organic gardening isnt just for people who have backyards. This is because you can also do it when you live either in an apartment or a condo with the help of organic gardening containers.

Organic gardening containers have advantages despite their limitations. They may serve as dcor when this is placed in the balcony or patio, it can easily be brought indoors during the winter and you will not encounter that many problems normally found in the garden like weeds, insects or soil borne diseases.

When you decide to buy organic gardening containers, you should also use premium potting mix instead of soil since it is much lighter and provides excellent draining for whatever you are growing. Chances are you will also be using nutrients so make sure you follow the directions since too much organic fertilizer will burn the roots.

Organic gardening container plants require more water than those you plant. This should be given in small amounts half an hour after initial watering so you avoid drowning your crops. It is best to hang them instead of putting them on the ground and if there are no holes, go ahead and make a few. Since it gets pretty hot during the summer, you can add mulch which really helps prevent it from drying out.

What plants or herbs work well with organic gardening containers? Some examples of these are capsicum, carrots, bush beans, eggplant, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and tomatoes. Strawberries will also grow well here so if you want to know more ask someone at the local gardening shop or do your own research online.

Plants inside organic gardening containers need sunlight. Ideally, this should be about six hours everyday preferably in the morning rather than the later afternoon. If the area where you plan to put them is quite windy, it is best to group these together with the tallest along the walls to give cover for the others.

What is the ideal organic gardening container? Fortunately, it can be made of clay, plastic or wood. The important thing is that it can drain the water because your plants will die if it is unable to. Since they come in different sizes, you have to know the right one to get from the store.

Your basis should be the average root depth as well as the diameter of the plant. If your plant has 6 inch deep roots and grows about 10 inches wide, the ideal organic gardening container should be 8 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches wide. There must always be a small room for allowance because it is possible that whatever you are growing will grow to be bigger than you anticipated so better to be safe than sorry.

Should there bugs like hookworms around your plant, bring them to the sink and wash the leaves. If there are slugs, sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the soil so you can get rid of them.

If there aphids on your plant, get some other insects to kill them by buying a pack of ladybugs so they will eat it without causing any collateral damage to your produce.

You could say that organic garden containers are an innovation to gardening. This is because you can do it almost anywhere like in a condo or an apartment so that you no longer have to buy organic fruits or vegetables from store when you can just get it from the balcony or the window.

Organic Gardening At Home

Organic gardening at home is not that different from what they do in the farm. This is because the same techniques are used to make your choice of plants and vegetables grow even if you have a smaller area to work with.

The first thing you have to do is choose the location. It is important that it gets at least 6 hours of sunlight everyday and it has access to water. You should also check if the spot has good drainage otherwise you will have to build a raised bed garden instead.

When the location has been found, it is time to prepare the land. This is the time you bring out your gardening tools and gloves so can get rid of weeds that are present. All debris must also be removed so do this for a few days to make sure the area is secure.

The moment of truth will come when you test the soil. For that, you will need some compost from the store and then mix it with the soil. If it is able to integrate and stabilize itself, then you can begin planting your crops in the next 2 to 4 weeks. During such time, you can already add fertilizers into the soil to make sure that the nutrients hold.

The fun part is when you put in the seeds. Dont forget to start your own compost pile at the same time by using coffee grounds, dead leaves, grass clippings, manure and vegetable or food waste that become organic fertilizer for your crops. By doing so, you will no longer need to buy these from the gardening store.

If you dont already know, not all fruits or vegetables planted in one area are the same for another. This is because some may not survive due to the conditions of the region such as the weather, pests and other plant borne diseases. You can check at the store, do some research or get advice from fellow organic gardeners.

It will also be a good idea to plant a variety of fruits and vegetables. Some protect the rest from pests while others can only be grown during a certain season. In short, you get to practice crop rotation so you do not use up all the nutrients in the soil. Aside from plants, the use of birds, insects and toads can also help protect your garden.

Although you already removed the weeds before you planted, you still have to check for them again because they do some back. You will have to inspect the area and then pull them out which is one of the responsibilities of owning a garden.

Since larger animals not only insects could do damage to your organic garden, you should also protect it by putting up some fences. Some gardeners have also used animal hair, baby powder and deodorant soaps that act as deterrents.

Surely, you have noticed that organic vegetables being sold at the grocery are quite expensive. They cost a few dollars more than the regular kind so instead of putting this on your list, why not cross it out and simply get this from your backyard.

With some practice, you will realize that organic gardening at home can be challenging and at the same time fun. It is your way of going green and being environment friendly.