Organic Vegetable Garden - Your Source of Healthy Veggies

January 17th, 2008 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Benefits of eating fresh fruits & vegetables are very well known to everyone. It has been said a lot about their impact on our immune system & metabolism. Fruits & veggies are a great source of many essential nutrients so necessary for our bodies to stay healthy & active. And so… So far so good. We all agree that a healthy diet is impossible without veggies, but it’s equally important that our vegetables are natural & not stuffed with chemicals & pesticides.

Benefits of Organic Vegetables

Though vegetables are easily available, not all of them are good for our diet. An organic vegetable garden is the best place to provide you with natural & pure vegetables for your needs ? vegetables that are going to do only good to your body. An organic vegetable garden is a much better choice than a regular supermarket, unless you know for a fact that the food grown & sold to the supermarket has been grown completely organically. Buying foods that were grown in an organic vegetable garden, you’re not just doing a great thing for your own health, but for the environment as well.

If you’re still unaware what exactly an organic vegetable garden is, here are some fast facts. Right. When something is grown organically, that is with no chemicals or other preservatives that have been used in the growing process, it’s thought to be organic, or natural. This means that there was nothing used either to get rid of bugs, or to fertilize the soil, or for any other reason, that was not completely natural.

Reasons to Opt For Organic Vegetables

Even if you’re not worried about chemicals used to treat non-organic vegetables, considering them of no harm for you, think about the environment that does suffer. Buying food grown in an organic vegetable you can contribute to keeping the environment clean & healthy, at least in one small way.

Whenever possible, you should attempt to consume foods that were grown in an organic vegetable garden because you know that they were not treated with any harmful chemicals. Clear? In this way only you can ensure that those chemicals & toxins will not end up in your body. You can not get rid of all the chemicals by simply washing the vegetable ? only using organic foods you can be sure that you’re not digesting anything that might be harmful to you.

For more information on Organic vegetable garden check out http://www.myorganicgardeningsecrets.com You will find loads of tips & techniques plus you will find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Organic Gardening Software at absolutely no cost.

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Reasons to Start Organic Vegetable Gardening

January 14th, 2008 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Many generations have been enjoying & getting practical benefits from gardening. Gardening started as an organic process, but as the decades passed by & technology set in, chemicals & machines have become a regular part of it… Organic vegetable gardening is bringing the initial concept of pure gardening back, & it’s obvious why.

While advancing in technology is something we all support & want, some things such as the vegetables & fruits need to remain as they are. They need to be in their purest form in order to provide us with the essential vitamins & minerals for a healthy body & mind. In our quest of trying to get biggest & tastiest vegetables & fruits, we have destroyed the most essential part, i.e. the vitamins & minerals original fruits & vegetables have in abundance.

Consider planting your own vegetables the organic way ? either in your back yard or even at home. Indoors organic vegetable gardening can be as successful as outdoors; in actual fact indoors you’ll have even more control as you can adjust the heat & light as per your requirements.

By having your own organic vegetable garden you’ll ensure that you eat vegetables in their purest form, unmodified or chemically treated to alter their growth or taste. Chemicals & artificial fertilizers will eventually result in some side effects on your health.

Organic vegetable gardening starts with the soil you’re going to plant your vegetables in ? so, it should not contain any chemicals at all. If you have the slightest doubt, change the soil for organic soil found in natural & organic stores. All the seeds must also be purely organic, & to ensure this get the seeds from organic gardening stores only.

Be careful not to use toxic fertilizers ? if you can not make your own fertilizer, purchase one from an organic store & be sure that it does not contain any chemicals. Actually, there’re many natural things that you can use directly from your own kitchen to help the growth of your vegetables.

Nothing can compare to eating fruits & vegetables from your own organic vegetable garden, when you know that all of them are totally natural & beneficial to your health. Besides, gardening is a relaxing hobby that improves your health by itself & brings a lot of satisfaction.

For more information on Organic vegetable garden check out http://www.myorganicgardeningsecrets.com You will find loads of tips & techniques plus you will find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Organic Gardening Software at absolutely no cost.

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Organic Vegetable Gardening - Important Aspects

January 11th, 2008 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Organic vegetable gardening isn’t only an engaging hobby, but it’s also healthy & totally rewarding. If you plan carefully & get all necessary supplies, your jaunt into the world of organic vegetable gardening can be all that you’re dreaming it to be. Just remember, that you’ll not have a successful garden on accident. Your organic vegetable garden will require some preparation & efforts, but you’ll see ? it’s worth it all!

Planning Your Space

The first step to organic vegetable gardening is choosing your location. Make sure that you have enough space, though too much isn’t required. In other words, attempt to avoid growing more than your family can use. Remember, growing an organic garden isn’t so easy & does require a lot of efforts & different approach. Your location should have a well drained soil that is close to your water source. Once you have your space, consider planning your garden’s design so you can arrange your veggies where you want them, before you start planting.

Preparing Your Soil

An important aspect of organic vegetable gardening is preparing the soil. This is because the fertilizers you’ll use in organic vegetable gardening are slow to do their job, unlike non-organic fertilizers. So… So, it’s best to place the fertilizers into the soil no less than three weeks before you’re planning to plant. Mixing the soil carefully ensures that all of the clumps of fertilizer are broken up, & have begun to rot in the soil.

Watering Your Garden

One more vital thing in organic vegetable gardening is the way you’re going to water the plants. There is more. Thorough wetting your soil every week is essential for the plants’ growth. If it rains sufficiently, then you can skip this moistening, but only with plenty of rain. Remember, this has to be a drenching rain in order to get all the way down to the root of the plants. Clear? If you use organic soil conditioners, your soil will have an easier time absorbing the moisture from your watering attempts.

Mulching

Mulch is an organic material that you cover your soil with to help keep the water in, stop weed growth & provide nutrients to the plants. Leaves, grass, & wood shavings are all successfully used for mulching. Do you follow? This is one more important aspect of organic vegetable gardening.

For more information on Organic vegetable gardening check out http://www.myorganicgardeningsecrets.com You will find loads of tips & techniques plus you will find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Organic Gardening Software at absolutely no cost.

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Thinking Green - Environmentals of Lawn Care & Water Quality

January 8th, 2008 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

If you are not careful when taking care of your lawn, you’ll directly have negative effects on your local environment & watershed. There will be runoff from your lawn or garden into storm drains that end in local rivers, ponds, & lakes. If you use pesticides, organic matter, or other additives on your lawn, they will end up contaminating areas both near & far from just your own neighborhood.

This does not mean that you can not use any pesticides or fertilizers, but you must be very careful with their use. You can be committed to the environment & still have a great looking lawn.

Taking proper care of your lawn benefits you & virtually everyone in your area. You should promote proper care to your neighbors as well, since more people being thoughtful in their use of pesticides & fertilizers will create a healthier environment for everyone. Having a healthy yard somewhat makes up for the disturbance to the environment that the building process created in the first place.

An important first step to successful lawn care & water quality & quantity used is selecting the correct type of grass. Almost fifty percent of the water used in residential areas in the summer is used for lawn care. You should check to make certain your sprinklers are not watering unnecessary areas, & that they’re being as efficient as possible.

Specifics of Lawn Care & Water Quality

Watering deeply, but not often, is important for a healthy lawn & good water quality. Make sure that the water fully reaches the soil before you water the grass any more. The water should reach four to six inches deep. An exception to watering infrequently is for newly seeded areas, that need to be watered often, but only lightly instead of deeply.

If you’re planting a new lawn, do so at the prime growing time to make certain it grows properly. A very important thing to keep in mind isn’t to use pesticides right before watering. You’ll have the disadvantage of it being washed away right away & not helping your lawn, & at the same time, the disadvantage to the local watershed & environment.

The soil can be tested to find out how much lime & fertilizer is needed. This will often help you to have a healthy lawn without contaminating the environment. Applying too much does nothing to help, & it will just be washed away. Having a form of nitrate that is slowly released into the soil is much less likely to get into the water system. Also, a layer of mulch on the soil helps to stop runoff & soil erosion.

Keith Markensen shares truths on homeowners safety with pesticide dangers for homeowners & always offers advice from years of landscape experience at www.Plant-Care.com where professional landscape advice is only a click away.

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Can Outdoor Organic Plants Grow Indoors?

January 5th, 2008 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

It may appear as news to you, but you can actually grow many organic plants indoors, & it’s quite easy! From herbs to flowers, there’re many plants that grow very well indoors; you’ll be easily able to enjoy your own organic plants all year round.

Will Outdoor Plants Grow Inside?

If your organic plants are currently growing outdoors, you can bring them inside, providing you do it properly. You should pick robust plants ? after the end of the spring & summer growing seasons select the plants that fit this description. Take these plants, & dig them up before the first frost hits. Dig deeply down into the dirt to make certain you get the entire root of your organic plants. Clear? Immediately plant them in your plant with fresh, new potting soil. The root ball should have around two inches of dirt around it in the pot. Eliminate insects if any ? use organic methods, like spraying plants with soapy water. After this, water the plants thoroughly.

Now, before you bring the plants inside, you have to keep them from hardening off. Start by placing them somewhere outdoors where they will not receive much direct sunlight. Keep them watered & pruned; do this for a week to accustom your organic plants to their indoor light conditions.

After all this you can bring your organic plants indoors. Make sure they will be getting five hours of sunlight. If you can not keep them in the sun, a fluorescent light that hangs six inches above the plant & left on while you’re awake, around fourteen hours, does the job of providing light perfectly. Do not let the temperature indoors go lower than sixty degrees. Clear? In cold environment your organic plants will not do well. You should also provide enough moisture by placing their pots in water & gravel trays. Finally, keep them away from cold drafts.

Keeping Organic Plants Indoors All Year

Your organic plants can stay indoors throughout the entire year. The secret is to duplicate the outdoor environment to the maximum. Remember that your organic plants are going to enjoy a humid environment, so when you bring the outdoor plants indoors, remember to set the pots in trays of gravel & water. By doing so you ensure that the soil does not become too damp, yet the plants have the required moisture. And so… So far so good. While watering is essential, over watering is harmful. Finally, make certain that your organic plants get plenty of light. Follow these simple rules, & your organic plants will feel great indoors!

For more information on Organic Plants check out http://www.myorganicgardeningsecrets.com You will find loads of tips & techniques plus you will find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Organic Gardening Software at absolutely no cost.

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Organic Cotton Clothes for Kids

January 2nd, 2008 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

How do you like to dress your child? Do you want him or her to look like a miniature adult or to be a child as long as possible? From my own observations there does seem to be a need in some people to dress children like mini adults which I feel is a pity. I would argue that these years are very precious & from my own experience as a mother I can tell you they pass all too quickly. I would be really interested to hear your viewpoint on this question. One thing which I’m sure we will agree upon is that children’s clothes need to be versatile & give value for money.

There are some great clothes available now in organic cotton which is soft & cosy for your child because the cotton fibres are intact & not broken by the chemicals & machines used in conventional cotton farming & production of textiles. An important point to consider is that organic cotton is less likely to trigger allergies because there’re no harmful chemicals used either in growing the cotton or in finishing the material. Organic cotton has maximum breathability because it doesn’t contain anti shrink resins. But do not worry all clothes sold on the website are sized to allow for shrinkage, but having said that it is not a good idea :idea: to ‘cook’ them in the tumble dryer but they’re fine dried on a low heat. As ever I would recommend using an environmentally friendly washing powder like Ecover which has the additional benefit of being kinder to tender baby skin, but perhaps that is just me on my hobby horse! Even though colours & patterns are funky they’re produced without toxic dyes & fasteners are nickel free. And so… So again less likelihood of allergic reactions.

Clever designs which are produced with thought & care can make a lot of difference to your child’s comfort & that is really important for little ones. There is more. They can not tell you when the material is harsh & rubbing or waistbands are constricting & pinching. But all this care & attention to detail doesn’t mean that clothes need be boring & unattractive. Visit us at Sonesuk to see some of the lovely outfits we have on sale from dungarees to tee shirts. There is more. The new autumn range which will be arriving soon has even more clothes which are reversible; so not just have you two different tops in one garment, but on those occasions that seem to happen all too often with kids when you leave home with a clean top & arrive to find there has been an accident with an ice-cream or similar, no problem just turn it inside out. (This used to happen to me all too often on the way to the baby clinic!) Another clever idea :idea: is rollups on trousers & dungarees with contrasting patterns which can change the whole look. You might say more looks for less money… As the clothes are made with best quality organic cotton they will wear well & pass down to little brothers & sisters. So… So style for little ones is achieved without sacrificing that all important comfort factor & moreover they look like the small children they are.

If you want to hear more about organic cotton visit http://www.sonesuk.com
Pan-uk

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How To Grow Organic Beans - One Of The Top10 Super-Foods

December 30th, 2007 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Beans ? both fresh & dried green beans are rich in the B vitamins & potassium. They may have even more antioxidants than blueberries & as much cholesterol-lowering fibre as oats (another super-food). They also are an excellent source of lean protein.

Climbing beans originate from the warm / temperate to tropical regions of the Americas. There is more. There’re 36 species, some being annual & some perennial.
Most grow on twining climbing plants, with bright green trifoliate leaves. There’re many bush varieties available now that do not require staking. Flowers can be purple, red, white or yellow, followed by round, long or flat seed pods.
Some plants are grown for the beans inside the pods, & others are eaten pods & all.

Beans will do best with a long, warm to hot growing season. They should be grown in full sun & need ample amounts of water to grow vigorously. Beans will thrive in a light, well-drained soil that is rich in humus (well rotted compost).
Wait until the last frost & the ground has warmed before planting seed in it is permanent position, sowing from mid-spring to early summer.
Watch for snails & slugs in the early growing period.

Beans are heavy feeders, so make certain to add compost at the time of planting & give additional feeds of organic fertilizer every three to four weeks. They will take between sixty & ninety days to mature ? depending on what variety you’re growing.

Select the healthiest looking plant & let the beans mature & dry on the vine to save the seed for next spring.

*My own personal tip is to keep picking your beans just a tiny bit before mature. That way you will enjoy tender baby beans & your plants will keep producing more beans so you will end up with a higher yield. *

Beans are such easy plants to grow. They are a great plant to encourage your kids or grandkids into the garden. They taste great fresh off the vine too.

To make certain you have a long supply of fresh, health promoting beans, plant a succession of plants & varieties to last you well into autumn (fall).

Beans also enrich the soil with nitrogen. They will grow quite happily with companions of cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, squash, strawberries (with Bush Beans), & tomatoes, but should not actually be grown with any of the onion family or fennel.

Hi, I’m an avid organic gardener & am known by my friends as the recycling queen. I live on a small country property in South Australia. It’s my mission to encourage as many people as possible to start organic gardening. Do you follow? This will improve both our individual lives & the wellbeing of our personal & global environments. Please visit my website & get your free 3 part Composting Guide. For Companion Planting info click here.

Happy gardening, healthy living?
Julie Williams
http://www.1stoporganicgardening.com

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Growing an Organic Salad Garden - More Than Just Gardening

December 27th, 2007 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Gardening, being one of the most relaxing & rewarding hobbies has such benefits as bringing the entire family together & providing good health. While growing flowers is rather aesthetic joy, growing your own vegetables & herbs is something more practical & you can enjoy the crops in a much greater way. Having your own organic salad garden will ensure fresh & purely natural foods on your table nearly all year round.

Reasons to Grow Organic Salad Garden

The main concern we all have when we purchase from a store is that the vegetables & salad may not actually be fresh and/or they’re chemically treated. Chemicals are more likely than not to have side affects on our health, especially when consumed regularly; therefore many people have taken the initiative of growing their own vegetables in an organic environment. OK. Starting & maintaining an organic salad garden is easy & you’ll have the possibility of having fresh from-your-garden salad everyday to accompany your meals.

Starting an Organic Salad Garden

The first & basic thing in starting an organic salad garden ? as well as any organic garden at all ? is to ensure that the soil in which you’re going to plant the vegetables isn’t chemically treated in any way. Then you really need to get the seeds from an organic store only to ensure that they’re not treated artificially either. Maintaining an all organic salad garden also implies the use of chemical-free fertilizers, which can also be easily found in organic stores.

For example, lettuce is very easy to grow ? it only needs plenty of water & sunlight. However, if it’s winter & you have a green house you must ensure it has all the light it requires or else it will not grow much.

Having Salad Everyday Improves Health

Salad is a very healthy complement to your food, which will not just add a dash of taste but will ensure that your metabolism works fine, blood stays purified & gives iron to the body. Having salad that is organically grown ensures that you do not alter any of those properties nor compromise on your beliefs.

It takes very little to start your organic salad garden today. You can also get your family to help with planting ? & all of you’ll be easily able to enjoy wonderful results together. Besides, gardening is also a great way to bond with the family & teach the kids some golden rules, such as, eat right & exercise in order to lead a happy :) & long life. You can achieve these numerous positive results by such simple thing as growing an organic salad garden.

For more information on Organic salad garden check out http://www.myorganicgardeningsecrets.com You will find loads of tips & techniques plus you will find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Organic Gardening Software at absolutely no cost.

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Organic Vitamins & Herbs of Your Own

December 24th, 2007 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Organic vitamins & herbs are being chosen by many people who are concerned about their health. Organic herbs & vitamins are those that are grown without the use of chemicals, either pesticides or non-organic fertilizers. So… Since they’re purely organic & natural, they do not have any harmful side effects associated with toxic & chemical materials. There is more. The best thing is that you can grow your own organic vitamins & herbs, not relying on supermarkets.

Perhaps you’re wondering if organic vitamins & herbs are really so important. When you grow organic foods in your garden, you can partake of their bounty without washing the food. By example, if you want to taste your onion plant, you can break off a stem & take a bite! There is no need to wash off harmful chemicals first!

Also, when you’re growing these plants, you do not have to wear gloves when handling chemicals, because there’re no dangerous chemicals involved with organic growing! There’re more vitamins in those foods grown organically, & many feel that they taste better… What’s more ? you help protect the environment when you do not use those harmful toxic chemicals.

There are many reasons to enter the world of organic vitamin & herb gardening. Do you follow? There’re many physical & emotional rewards around growing your own fruits, vegetables & herbs: you get excellent physical exercise & also reap the psychological benefit of seeing fruit of your labor.

One more reason for organic vitamin & herb gardening is its low cost. Organic foods in the grocery store are expensive & can take a considerable part of your budget. Also, because organic foods are not treated with the harmful chemicals that you’re trying to avoid, they do not ship as nicely as non-organic food. This is why the organic food looks less appetizing than the chemically grown. When you grow it yourself, you can eat healthy organic vitamins & herbs that never need to see the inside of a shipping container. There is far less cost involved as well.

Organic gardening isn’t as hard as you probably think. It’s just little different than traditional gardening. Do you follow? The main characteristic of organic gardening is that it uses no pesticides & chemical fertilizer. By example, if you find your organic vitamin & herb plants are infested with a pest, instead of spraying them with chemicals, you introduce another bug that eats the pest, such as ladybugs to eat aphids. There is more. There’re other organic methods for pest control & fertilizing, too. The result is a healthy product you can be proud of & confident to feed to your family.

For more information on Organic vitamins & herbs check out http://www.myorganicgardeningsecrets.com You will find loads of tips & techniques plus you will find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Organic Gardening Software at absolutely no cost.

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Growing Organic Coffee Means A Cleaner And More Efficient Environment

December 21st, 2007 largie Posted in Gardening and Organics No Comments »

Not all coffee beans are grown in environments that consist of enormous commercial coffee plantations that are located in remote places in far off southern Latin American countries & it’s also another common assumption that growing coffee requires plenty of sunshine as well.

There are however different kinds of coffee crops that grow under different conditions & which use different procedures of harvesting. Do you follow? Thus one can think of two different types of coffee that include the shade grown or organic coffee & the traditional coffee that is grown in direct sunlight.

Two Types Of Coffee

These two types of coffees are diametrically opposite as far as their production is concerned. There was a time when coffee was only grown in the shade & it was much like the present day organic coffee that we drink today. It’s not usual for most kinds of coffee to grow properly under direct sun light & grow at their best when under shade.

Thus shade grown coffee or organic coffee are used to benefiting from the falling of leaves that are instrumental in mulching the soil & helping in retaining moisture. Also, such type of coffee, when grown beneath trees means that the trees provide a home to birds & thus are a way of controlling pests.

Till about thirty years ago there was not very much fertilizer or pesticides used & thus organic coffee was synonymous with healthy production. Then, in the seventies a number of new varieties of coffee began to appear & new methods of producing coffee became known which meant production of more Coffee beans, slower rate of harvesting & also use of direct sun light to grow the crops.

Thus, the coming of non-organic coffee meant that farmers began to cut down on trees so that they could make plantation rows & in the United States alone it meant almost two million acres of land being dedicated to both organic as well as non-organic coffee growth. Only those farmers that were too poor to use fertilizers as well as pesticides continued producing organic coffee.

There is little doubt that organic coffee does cost a bit more, but the transition from organic to the sun coffee has also meant that the environment is being sacrificed. With erosion of soil & the depletion of nutrients, more chemical fertilizers are being sprayed into the ground & there has also been the removal of rainforest land just so that non-organic coffee can be grown.

This has led to just a few countries remaining that are still producing organic coffee & these countries include Ethiopia, Panama, El Salvador & Mexico. The bigger producers of coffee such as Costa Rica & Brazil are now producing sun coffee.

In the end, organic coffee does mean a better & cleaner environment that does produce a better coffee as far as health & a clean environment are concerned.

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