Tag: Vegetables

Planning Before Planting Vegetable Gardens

In periods of financial difficulty, planting vegetable gardens becomes a viable option that achieves two things: it helps the family reduce expenses related to buying food, and it offers the opportunity to sell excess yield to friends and neighbours. Starting a vegetable garden is not particularly difficult, for so long as you put enough thought, time, and effort.

The first decision you have to make is the location of the vegetable garden. You must place this vegetable garden in an area where it is exposed to at least 6 hours of sunlight. The location must also be near where you will source the water you will use to water the plants. It must be near enough for you to make a short trip if you are carrying a pail of water, or it must be near enough to be easily accessible to the hose you will connect to a faucet inside your home. Also, check if the area has soil conducive for growing plants. It must have good drainage, and must be free of silt, stones, and other hard objects. Lastly, the location of your vegetable garden must be somewhere accessible, so that you can frequently check for pests and weeds when you walk by.

Included in your plans should be the sort of plants that you intend to plant, and how many of them you intend to grow. This will help determine the size of the plot you will need. Afterwards, make a list of all the plants you want to grow in your garden. This decision cannot be completely random, especially because the yield of the garden will be what you will consume as a family. Make sure to plant vegetables that your family would love to eat, or vegetables that you often use for cooking. This way, you are ensured of a direct benefit from growing your own vegetable garden.

Make a plan for the arrangement of the vegetable plants in the garden as well. The first consideration is the frequency of yield. Perennial plants, or those who yield vegetables for constantly throughout the year must be placed at the back of the garden, where it will be undisturbed by whatever gardening activities you may have in the rest of the garden. Put the crops that produce early yield together. These crops include radishes, spinach, carrots, beets, and the like. Make some space for replanting successively. Once these crops have seen their yield, you can plant in their place crops that produce yield later in the season.

The last consideration for arrangement is the reality that there are plants that cannot grow beside other plants. For instance, there are those plants that enhance the growth of another when planted together; there are those that inhibit the other. It is important to take into consideration which crops inhibit the growth of the other. For instance, potatoes are capable of inhibiting the growth of both squash and tomato plants. Broccoli also inhibits tomato growth. Beans, on the other hand, inhibit the growth of onions. Carrots also inhibit the growth of dill plants. This does not stop you from planting all these plants in the garden. This only acts as a reminder of which plants you should separate from the other when planting vegetable gardens.

Long-Term Plans for Planting Vegetable Gardens

Long-term Plans for Planting Vegetable Gardens

A lot of people are beginning to see the benefits of planting vegetable gardens. Its usually healthier because you get to decide whether or not to use commercial pesticide on them. Since vegetable gardens are typically manageable in size because theyre not grown for profit, its easier for people to manage the plot without having to resort to using commercial pesticides. Vegetable gardens also assure you of fresh produce because theres no need to pick the vegetables and refrigerate it. Vegetables stay fresh as long as you dont pick it from your garden, except if it becomes overripe. Aside from health reasons, planting vegetable gardens is also economical because the produce is not going to be as expensive as those that you buy from markets or groceries.

People who have been successful in planting vegetable gardens usually know that you cant keep growing only one type of vegetable in a garden. Its usually more advisable to rotate crops instead of planting only one kind of vegetable year in and out. Rotating crops will make sure that the micro nutrients in the soil will be preserved, and that diseases will not build up in soil particulates.

Planting vegetable gardens take some careful planning on your part, and also an understanding on plant families to know which vegetable types are compatible with each other. These are some examples of groups that can be considered compatible and are safe to be rotated together:

Alliums – onions, leeks, shallots, and the likes Crucifers – such as radishes, turnips, broccoli, cauliflower, and the likes Brassicas – brussel sprouts, mustards, cabbages, kale and the likes Legumes – peas and beans Cucurbits – cucumbers, squashes, melons, etcetera Solanaceae – peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, and the likes Mescluns – arugula, endive, radiccio, etcetera

Rotating vegetables of the same family would also mean that (more often than not) they would be susceptible to the same kind of pests. This makes pest control a bit more manageable for you since you dont have to adjust to different types of pests for different families of vegetables.

Vegetables such as asparagus, rhubarbs, and other perennial vegetables must not be rotated. They should be planted separately because of this. The more hardy and semi-annual vegetables can be rotated yearly so that no family of vegetables is planted in the same bed for four years. If you have done some planning before planting vegetable gardens, a small plot would like similar to this: four beds for plants that can be rotated, and one bed for perennial, non-rotating plants.

It would also be ideal for people who planning on planting vegetable gardens to spread out the kinds of vegetables they plant so that they dont harvest too much of the same vegetable in one season. You wouldnt want to be stuck with too many cucumbers in one season, would you? Throughout the growing season, try and plant varying types of short-season vegetables so that youll be assured of many different types of vegetables throughout the season.

If you really plan to get the most out of planting vegetable gardens, its best if you do your research first. Check which plants go together, check whether you have enough space to rotate your plants, check which plants you can actually rotate to prevent poisoning and depleting the nutrients of the soil, and spread out the type of vegetables you plant so you wont have too much of the same thing for the whole planting season.

Building And Planting Vegetable Gardens

The structure of your vegetable garden does not have to be entirely functional but it should also look and feel good. Building some decorative arches and some tomato cages not only makes your garden look good but also helps it produce more crops. After all, there is more to planting vegetable gardens than just cultivating a spot of land.

Function Over Form

The most well known form garden structures are those that are built to sustain plants and give them the room to climb, hold up the weight of its fruits and other plants as well.

Building cages and poles lets you have a vertical garden which boosts your produce per square foot since youll have more space to plant in the ground.

Vegetables like cucumbers, peas, peppers and eggplants need lots of garden support. Carrying these vegetables above ground not only will produce better crop it also protects it from insects found in the soil. Plus, the fruits will be less likely to rot if planted this way. Building other support structures like stakes and cages will help in making your plants grow stronger and taller.

Choose Your Structure

If you plan to shop for things for your garden online or in a garden store, youll notice how many choices there are when it comes to garden structures. A great online garden resource is a company called Garden Supply Company. Not only do they have a mail-order catalogue, they make trellises for plants like cucumbers that serve as a shade to neighboring plants, tomato cages, spiral supports, bean towers, maypoles and others.

Garden structures may vary especially in terms of form and function because they not only are very supportive of plants it also makes your garden look good. The best kind of garden is not only beautiful, but also enhances the health of the vegetables planted there.

Form over Function

There are so many options when it comes to building your vegetable garden especially if youre purpose is purely aesthetic. You can build ornaments like arches, trellises or archways to beautify your garden. You can even build walls or doorways to surround your garden for a more visual appeal.

For gardens like these, you can decorate them with plants aside from vegetables. You can plant beautiful flowers to cover your trellis but choose flowers that are sun friendly and attract helpful insects.

An example is trumpet flowers, which are not only beautiful but they attract bees for your vegetable garden. Since you also want to attract helpful creatures, you can build a bird bath or a bird house in your garden. If youre particularly into organic gardening, the birds can certainly help eliminate pests

As long as you keep your garden attractive to birds and other helpful insects, they will spend a lot of time in your garden and repay you by eating away harmful pests.

Supporting Your Plants

Building plant supports are essential garden structures which is why its necessary to use them in the proper way to maximize results. This does not mean building stakes or cages in the ground and leave the plant to grow on its own.

There are other materials like plant ties, jute cords or twines which you can use to tie up your plant to the cages or poles but dont tie them too tight.

Another great support when it comes to planting vegetables gardens are stakes. Make sure to drive them properly into the ground and space them a little further from your main plant to avoid hitting its roots.

How to Eat Italian Food in Italy

If you want to get to the heart of Italian food, it’s best to go the source. For an authentic experience you don’t just need to get into the country of Italy, you need to get into Italian homes where traditional Italian food was birthed. That’s right, if you want to get to the heart of the cuisine you need to go where it’s cooked and served from the heart, in an actual Italian home.

There are some differences to the layout of an Italian home cooked meal versus other cuisines that you’ll want to be aware of. First off, real Italian food is not meant just to bring sustenance; it exists to bring family and friends together. An Italian meal is at least three to four courses and is not something to be rushed through. Meals in general are longer in Italy because of the cultural view that meal times are not just about feeding the body, but about feeding the soul.

One of the most surprising things to foreigners about an Italian meal is the first course it typically the most filling. There is an antipasti or appetizer course, but there is no salad or soup to ease your way into the meal. Right from the antipasti diners delve into the primo or “first course”. This is the course that will look most familiar to foreigners because it is where that delicious pasta that Italian food is famous for is served. This primo course is where most people’s knowledge of Italian food ends. Few people realize that there is much more to Italian food than just this primo pasta.

The next part of the meal is the secondo or “second course”. Here is the main dish. Yes, that’s right, the pasta that was just served in the primo, while filling, is not the main dish. The second course is where you’ll find the meat of the meal. In the North there will most likely be veal, pork, or chicken. In the South and coastal regions you’re more likely to find freshly caught fish. With this course will come a contorno or “side dish”. This is where you’ll get a chance to get your daily vegetables in. Traditionally this will come in the form of a fresh salad.

To end the meal diners get not one, but two desserts. The first is a cheese and fruit course that will help prepare you for the dolce or main dessert. The dolce will be the rich dessert of the evening, such as cake. Of course, the meal will end with coffee or espresso, a classical capstone to the array of Italian food that has been served. However, there is one last course to come that foreigners may not be so familiar with. The last course is actually the digestive course and consists of liquors and is often referred to as the “coffee killer”.

After having an authentic dining experience as the one outlined above, foreigners will leave Italy with a much better grasp on what Italian food is. There is more to this fine cuisine than pasta and pizzas. In fact, by the time the “coffee killer” comes around the primo pasta course is starting to fade in memory, buried by the exciting meat dishes, fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and coffees that have made Italian food one of the most sought after cuisines in Europe.

What’s Special about Rachel Ray Receipes

Rachel Ray receipes are special because they’re recipes that almost everyone can make. You don’t have to be an expert cook to make many of her 30 minute meals recipes. And even her more complicated recipes are much simpler than you’ll find with some other TV chefs.

With Rachel Ray’s meals, you get a very basic recipe at the core. While some recipes do have a few exotic ingredients that everyone won’t have in the pantry, most do not. This shows that Rachel understands what the average home cook is looking for.

How many times have you been watching a cooking show and been disappointed, This is a common problem with many recipes you’ll find on television. The finished product is beautiful and looks delicious, but only a chef can actually make it!

Often, the recipes are exotic things that few ordinary people would even try. When there are more than a couple of ingredients that you don’t already have, it’s easy to get discouraged. And when there are expensive ingredients that you would buy and never use except for that recipe, it’s unlikely you even want to try it.

Rachel Ray recipes, however, are full of ingredients that are common. Basic ingredients like pasta, vegetables, fruits, cheese, milk, extra virgin olive oil and things you probably have on hand are the staples in her meals.

This makes her recipes easy for almost anyone to try. And usually, when there is an ingredient that you might not have on hand, it’s one that you can use in many other things. Capers, for instance, aren’t something everyone buys. But if you buy them for one recipe, she’ll have several others that use them, too.

This gives even the most inexperienced cook a chance to try something new. Done this way, you won’t be stuck paying a lot of money for an ingredient with one use. This is all too often what happens when you follow other top chef’s recipes.

With Rachel Ray’s recipes, you also don’t have to buy any of her pre-packaged products. While she does have some food products available, like chicken and beef broth, her recipes don’t require that you use them. Rachel Ray’s meals are truly recipes that you can use without special knowledge or brand-name purchases.

It’s also fun to cook along with someone who’s really enthusiastic about the recipes. She actually makes the meals in 30 minutes on the television show. Unlike other cooking shows, nothing is pre-chopped or prepared in advance. So you could actually do the same thing she does and follow along.

If you’re looking for a simple and fast meal, Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals can’t be beat. You can make a main dish, a side dish, and usually a salad and a dessert all in a half an hour. And since the ingredients are mostly common ones, you can find the exact things she uses.

With Rachel Ray receipes that are so simple and easy to follow, everyone should be able to enjoy her fun and healthy 30 minute meals.