Or ever imagined being able to collect fresh vegetables just a few stone throw away from the kitchen door each evening to spice up your supper? This is the lifestyle I was used to in my old house before we moved into a new apartment in a new town. In our small garden (just 30x25ft), we used to harvest various kinds of vegetables, herbs, fruits and edible flowers.

For me to have gotten such a bountiful and various yield from such a small-spaced garden, I used some very helpful permaculture tips, which I can also recommend for you.

Below are the tips;

1. Nourish your Garden soil

It’s funny to have this thought in mind that despite all human achievements, our existence still depends on a-six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that we have rainfall at regular intervals. I can say that soil is everything; if there is no soil, we wouldn’t be able to grow our foods, and having a rich, productive, and deep soil is the key to bountiful yields on your garden.

I got a good deep soil in my garden by creating two 5x5ft beds raised to a height of about 2 feet by using reclaimed scaffold planks and placed them in that portion of the garden having more sunlight. I filled them with a bottom layer of wood chip; I then mix it with top soil and manure. At first, the wood chip was only used to help build up the biomass, but I later noticed that as the wood chip broke down, the mycorrhizal fungi in the wood spread throughout the beds, transporting nutrients to the roots of my vegetables as it went. This really got me excited as it helped to improve my garden yields.

Once these beds were made, I avoided walking on the soil so that it did not become compacted, and I never had to do any further digging on the soil, so that the worms and micro organisms will do their job by channeling and transporting air and nutrients to the plant roots. I also prepared my own compost from my kitchen wastes and chicken dung, and used this compost as mulch on each of the beds at every spring and autumn. Doing this regularly made me to add more nutrients to the soil to give more yields during harvest time.

From these 2 small-sized beds, I had a good harvest of vegetables throughout the year to complement my family meals.

2. Increase your surface area

The shape of your beds can influence your yield. If the raised bed looks like a dome with sloping sides, you are successfully gaining more surface area to grow more crops on the same path. For instance, if the bed is 5 feet wide across the base, it might give you a-6-feet arch of soil. This will as well give you the opportunity to make little micro-climates that are favorable to certain crops. Some prefer more shady areas during the day, while others love it under warm sunny conditions.

When I had the chance to make a new bed in my garden, I chose to make the bed like a dome shape, with old bits of chestnut on the edges to help hold the soil. Along the south facing edge, I planted asparagus, on the northern edge I planted wild strawberries, and in the relatively domed middle, I planted annual crops like beans, kale and chard.
The wild strawberries grew well, and were easy to pick because they leaned out into the path, and I also enjoyed good yields of chard and beetroot in summer and kale throughout winter. The asparagus was still quite young when I moved to a new location, so I cannot be 100% sure that I would have had plentiful yields from this crop; even in its young state (just 2years old) I got a modest yield.

Another example of growing crops in domed beds, as developed by Sepp Holzer, is called ‘hugelkultur’. This is a means that helps to increase fertility of the soil by piling up huge amounts of biomass on the surface area which will ultimately bring about bountiful yields on a relatively small-spaced garden.

3. Tessellate (arrange) your crops in similar pattern

The conventional way of growing vegetable crops are done in rows, but this does not allow you to utilize your little space. No row occurs naturally, you just have to properly utilize any bare ground that appears free and fill the space with plants in a tessellating manner. So to imitate this and to get maximum output, it’s best to sway your plants by arranging them in triangular forms. For example, when I planted out broad beans and the packet advised me to leave 9 inches between plants, using a dibber, I marked out a triangular pattern leaving the corners 9 inches apart and planted each bean in the holes. The method earned me around 10% more crops in the same amount of space.

I’ve also learned over time that packing plants so tightly is not too ideal, as the plants will have to compete for nutrients to reach their full size, and as well be exposed to threats from pests.

4. Utilize your vertical space fully

In a natural forest you will see plants take charge of all layers in a 3 dimensional space, all the way from the ground where the root is held, up to the canopy. We can copy this in the garden by arranging crops in multiple layers, rather than having them all in one dimension as with mono-cropping. In my garden I used this principle in diverse ways:

In my raised beds, I nurtured vegetables such as peas, beans and cucumbers up poles or trellis so that I could have little space in between to plant more of lower growing veggies such as salads, chard or beetroot.
In the remaining part of the garden I cultivated fruit trees, shrubs and climbers, imitating a natural forest with its different layers. For instance, I planted strawberries on the layer below, currants and raspberries in the shrub layer, and apple and pear trees in the canopy. I also grew wine berries, loganberries and bayberries, all leaning on the fence, and I used hanging baskets and grew strawberries inside tall pots.

5. Know your plants guild

A ‘guild’ is a group of plants that are beneficial to each other and when planted, you will be able to save space and increase your harvest. When I used the classic Native American combination, for instance, the ‘three sisters’ in my garden; squash, sweet corn, and climbing beans. The strong sweet corn stalks gave support to the beans to climb, while the beans deposited nitrogen into the soil, thereby making the soil nutrients-rich, and the squash grew between all of them, helping to keep the soil moist and to curb weeds. I also had nasturtium winding its way through the crop. You can find a useful guide for companion planting here. Other combinations I’ve tried:

*Climbing beans with nasturtium spreading across the ground between them, which helps attract black fly away from the beans.

*Sowing radish and parsnip together so that I can harvest the quick yielding radish before the parsnip gets going.

*Sowing blocks of carrots and onions together so that the onion smell deters the carrot fly.

*Creating a jumble of various herbs and veg together to create a Polyculture to confuse cabbage white butterflies and other pests.

6. Grow your crops in succession

With successional planting you can grow more than one crop in the same space over the course of a growing season. My experience of the UK climate (living in the South) showed that I was able to grow up to three different crops in a single area over the course of a year. For example I would start with an early crop of Purple Podded Peas, followed by a quick crop of Summer salads, then in Autumn I’d sow a crop of Broad Beans to overwinter.

The trick is to use fast maturing varieties, or sow lots of things in modules so that they are ready to go as soon as they are transplanted, and to replenish the soil after each crop is harvested with a fresh mulch of compost.

7. Extend your growing season

Getting to know your garden’s micro-climates helps you to find the best spots to grow crops for a longer growing season. I put my raised beds in the sunniest part of the garden so that it would warm up faster in Spring and stay warm for longer in Autumn.

Other ways to extend the season include using a cloche over your crops to create a more sheltered environment, and growing seedlings in modules on a windowsill or in a cold frame so that as soon as the weather is warm enough you can plant them out and grow them on quickly, ahead of those sown outdoors. Putting black plastic over the soil in nearly Spring helps the soil warm up quicker so that warmer loving crops do better, sooner. I didn’t have space for a polytunnel or greenhouse in my small garden, but one day I’d love to have one so I can extend the growing season even further.

It also helps to get to know your plants. I discovered that a variety of kale called Ragged Jack (also known as Red Russian) was an ideal crop to overwinter, and as soon as the days started to get a bit longer in the new year it would reward me with an abundance of new leaves and tasty flowering shoots, a bit like Purple Sprouting Broccoli. I also discovered a perennial broccoli which was very quick to produce white florets in early Spring.

Perennials are very useful in the garden because they yield greater quantities year on year, and are quick to get going early in the season. It’s always nice to harvest rhubarb and red currants, when other annual crops are still in their modules. Sorrel is useful perennial that I enjoyed harvesting for early salads. I would have liked to have Ransoms (wild garlic) growing under my fruit trees as they yield delicious leaves and flowers in early spring before the canopy closes, but alas I had no room. Perhaps I’ll try growing them in my new garden?

8. Get more value from your yield

You can increase the value of your yield, by choosing to grow crops that are expensive to buy in the shops, such as organic asparagus, blueberries, potatoes and tomatoes, This means that each handful of crop that you harvest is worth more in terms of cash value, saving you more money in the shops – and there’s something rather satisfying about that!

It’s also rather satisfying to be able to harvest things super-fresh, such as salad leaves or raspberries that quickly deteriorate when bought in plastic packaging. And it’s hard to put a price on a prickly cucumber still warm from the sun, and a variety that isn’t even available in the supermarket.

9. The only limit to yield is your imagination

This is a permaculture principle that amuses me, and stretches my mind to see the garden as more than a set of crops to weigh out in the kitchen. Permaculturists tend to argue that there are other slightly less material yields to be found in the garden system. For example it’s hard to quantify the enjoyment I get from watching it grow and how this feeds my sense of wellbeing, or how it provides me with gentle exercise while enjoying the sound of birdsong, or how sharing a glut of courgettes can help build community relations! These can all be counted as a yield and I find it fun to think of life in this way.

Source: PermacultureDesigner.co.uk

Ensure the floor has been tested and found free of contaminations. Make sure it contains the necessary nutrients for effective growth.

In the area of ​​urban gardening, soil either make or break you. To nurture healthy soil that will provide nutrients to your garden growing, knowledge of the composition of the soil and the ways you can improve your structural pattern is necessary.

Components of Soil

To understand how best to care for the soil, it is crucial to know its composure. Each soil sample contains the same basic ingredients in relatively the same amount.

About 50 percent of a soil sample is a product of divided minerals resulting from ages of occurrence of erosion and sedimentation. These divided portions come in three basic sizes: The Sands (visible to the eye), silt and clay (particles of clay individual flat can only be seen with an electron microscope). The USDA uses the percentage of soil that falls on each of these size categories to access soil texture.

Soil texture plays an important role in determining other qualities of the soil, so it is best you know your soil components. Soil with a higher percentage of clay drain poorly, While the ones with a higher percentage of sand cannot hold nutrient.
A laboratory analysis of soils can perform a test of texture in any given sample of ground, but this is not always required. Often, a simple “feel” test will show, take note of this tips

• Clay soil: a dense bush is formed when wet
• sandy soil: it feels brave; will not form a clump
• The silt soil: powder when dry; forms a loose group when wet

Pore ​​space of a soil sample is approximately 35 to 45 percent, containing water (water-soluble nutrients) and air. Soil texture determines the amount of pore space and pore size. Sandy soils have larger pores, while the clay-based soils have smaller pores, but many more of them. As sandy soil drains faster than a clay-based soil. Organic matter is present in the soil in about 1-6 percent proportion. This small percentage plays the most vital role in the soil. It is a great source of plant nutrients, food for beneficial soil microbes and higher ingredient to develop a good soil structure – the greatest determinant of soil quality.

“Soil structure” is the property of soil describing how mineral particle connects or forms together. It is an important soil health and plant factor. Organic matter forms a good structure by joining the particles together and determining how they aggregate. For Clay particles, it only separates them, It binds the sand particles to decrease the pore spaces and increase the rate of water retention. It later results in loose, broken , nutrient deficient soil.

Living organisms are the final component of the soil. They are of different size varying from microscopic bacteria and fungi to mice, moles and earthworms (vermacompost), soil life is important for plant growth, they Process soil, transform certain nutrients into a usable form and most of them add more nutrient to the soil. The soil life is also partly responsible for soil aeration and helps develop a good soil structure. Fungi’s activities below the soil surface form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, so to gather more plant nutrients from a larger area.

pH of Soil

Soil pH, which is the measure of the acidity of a soil is an important quality. Soil pH is plotted on a scale of zero to 14, (seven being neutral). Measurement below seven are considered acidic soil, while above seven is alkaline soil. In some certain levels of soil pH, nutrients are more much available to plants, while it is not so for other level. In general, soil pH 6.5 is the widest range of nutrients available. Blueberries and evergreens are exempt from this rule because they use large amounts of iron, a nutrient available mainly at pH values ​​of more acidic soil. Testing of soil is the only way to determine the soil PH, If the results of the tests shows that the soil is too acidic, then add lime to raise the soil PH. For an alkaline, result. Add sulfur to lower the pH of the soil. Most of the results of soil analysis will give ideas on the amounts of these products needed to adjust the pH of the soil properly.

Ensure you know that plant will later utilize calcium and magnesium provided by lime for its growth, and these nutrients, along with any added sulfur may also be filtered from the ground. Due to this, changing that affect soil pH is not permanent, lasting three to four years maximum. It is essential to keep re-pH soil test regularly, since you can easily change.

Testing the Soil

To get a good grip on your soil’s fertility, test the soil. Once existing nutrient levels and soil pH are determined, it’s easy to research what’s needed to appropriately adjust them. Soil tests are available from both independent laboratories (found online) and your county’s cooperative extension agency.

Most soil tests come with instructions for acquiring a representative soil sample. Retesting soil every few years is recommended. Soil testing is necessary to determine nutrient deficiencies or excesses, plus it provides an exact soil pH measurement and may reveal important information like organic matter content or the presence of heavy metals. (Consider these uncommon soil tests.)

An important note: The practice of regularly adding quality organic matter to the soil may eventually eliminate the need for any additional fertilizers. To generate peak fertility, create a healthy, balanced soil with great structure and plenty of active soil life.

Summing Up Soil

It can be said that an urban farm lives and dies by the health of its soil. Best management practices go a long way when it comes to soil maintenance, so remain constantly mindful of the objectives discussed above: Build good soil structure by regularly adding organic matter, habitually testing the soil, promoting beneficial soil life, handling soil preparation with care and making use of soil-enhancing cover crops. Soil preservation is not necessarily the most glamorous job on the farm, but it comes with huge rewards. Ultimately, the result of proper soil maintenance is a thriving city farm.

Featured Image: credit to Flickr

Source: UrbanFarmOnline

What are Benefits of Earthworms Your Garden Soil

Earthworms are beneficial to gardeners in many ways and are commonly found in healthy organic soils. Many people believe that worms feed on dirt, but in real sense, they actually feed on the bacteria and fungi that are produced on decomposed matter and release ‘worm castings’ which can be called manure that contained the nutrients plants love.

Earthworms are categorized into more than 7,000 species, further sub categorized into 23 families and have over 700 genera. All of these worms perform one major function, which is, tilling and aerating the soil naturally. They hasten up the decomposition (composting) process, they assist to mix soils for more benefits, and they are excellent performer at monitoring soils’ health.

Red wigglers are commonly known with compost, as they live mostly in compost heaps and are the ones used mostly for vermin composting (composting involving worms). They are better and faster at the job than any other organism.

Increasing Earthworms in Your Garden Soil

We all know that worms could be purchased in pounds from many garden stores and spread them on the garden. This method will only work temporarily and will not be as beneficial as expected since worms are in high demand throughout all season.

Encouraging worms naturally is the best way. It’s a case of “if you build it, they will come” as in the better your soil for worm habitat, the more worms that will live in it. You don’t need to add worms, just encourage them to be there and they’ll show up on their own.

First, worms love soils that contain more of organics with a lot of nutrients and a zero acidity level. Begin the process by carrying out primary tests on your soil if you have the ability or better still, add sufficient amount of organic matter to it. Dig the organics deeply into the soil and then add more at the top. Either growing material which could be cover crops like clover or buckwheat or mulch which are straws, clipped grass, leaves and other quality mulches will work best for this purpose. Add light water and dig in manure into the soil at intervals.

After a few weeks, perhaps two months, dig a cubic foot of soil and examine how many worms are in it. You should notice a marked increase. By the end of the season, you should not only have a lot of worms per foot, but also have very rich, healthy soil.

Once the soil is healthy, just maintain it and the worms will stay, no matter what you’re growing in it. An added bonus is that the great soil will not only grow huge yields, but by periodically checking the worms in it, you can tell if something might be going wrong when the worms start leaving.

Maintaining a Healthy Environment for Earthworms in the Soil

Worms, as said earlier, love nutrient-rich, healthy soil. If you keep adding compost and mulches regularly, you’ll always have great soil. The worms will become part of its ecosystem.

Source: GardeningChannel

Personally, I’ve been growing the dwarf versions of some tropical variety fruit-bearing trees, as well as a pine tree, a ficus, and a coffee tree. Every one of these is in a container. I keep the tropical trees in the garden, and the coffee tree on my patio. When the frost comes, I simply take them inside, except for the ficus, which lives indoors full-time, and the pine tree, which only lives outside.

Here is some experience that I’ve amassed over the years, and which I’d like to share with any aspiring container farmers:

1. Use Plenty of Mulch.

Most people, for some random reason, seem to forgo any kind of mulch when they are planting in containers. There’s no reason to avoid this just because your plant is confined. It’s a good idea to use mulch to keep the soil from drying too quickly. You can reduce the amount of time you spend on watering significantly if you add some rock, gravel, or even recycled cork to your tree’s container.

2. Get a Decent Pot.

Ceramic pots may be more attractive, but plastic is durable and keeps water from evaporating too quickly. If you want your plastic containers to look aesthetically pleasing, darker colors usually look more attractive and contrast well with the color of your trees. As far as shape goes, pick a rectangular / square pot if you can, since these will hold more volume, which means they can accommodate a larger root system.

3. Don’t Bother With a Draining Layer.

Nowadays, commercial soils drain well enough that you don’t have to put a layer of broken ceramic at the bottom of your pot for drainage. Just make sure that there are holes poked into the underside of your container to keep moisture from getting out of control.

4. Use Organic Fertilizer.

Too much artificial fertilizer can harm your tree’s root system, so mix in a small amount of organic fertilizer when you’re first planting your tree in its new soil. Organic fertilizer also lasts longer, so you won’t need to add it week after week.

5. Start Composting.

Soil is basically dead organic material. As time wears on, it will break down, so every one or two years, you will want to replenish it with nutrients. The easiest way to do this is to gently extract the tree from its pot, add some compost and fertilizer to the bottom of the container, and then put the tree back. You might also want to place some compost on the sides of the container as well, but make sure not to overdo it, since you want to leave room for mulch near the top.

6. Get in the zone.

If your container tree spends the winter outdoors, its roots will be exposed to colder temps than an in-ground tree—a whole zone colder, in fact. For example, if you live in zone 6, your container tree will feel like it’s living through a zone 5 winter. Keep this in mind when selecting container trees for hardiness.

7. Invest in some wheels.

If you want to move your container trees indoors for the winter, consider investing in a hand truck (also called a dolly). I consider my hand truck the best $60 I ever spent because I no longer have to lift or carry my heavy containers. And it’s useful for other tasks, such as moving furniture and appliances.

8. Set up where the sun is sure to shine.

Remember, sunlight is the plant’s main source of food. Place indoor trees in a sunny window. Mine spend the winter in front of a large west-facing window that gets strong afternoon sun.

9. Tune in to your tree’s language.

Here’s the most important tip: It’s impossible to maintain perfect conditions for a potted tree 24/7/365. At some point, your tree will wilt, drop leaves, not set flowers or drop fruit. These aren’t disasters. Instead, they are lessons in your curriculum as a new tree tender.

If your container tree has been content with watering once a week but then drops some leaves, this is an opportunity for you to discover why. Maybe it’s reacting to being moved to a new spot that’s too sunny or too shady or low on fertilizer and the newer leaves have raided the older ones of their nitrogen. Or maybe it’s just the season when even evergreens normally drop older leaves, so there’s nothing to worry about. Dwarf trees are living things and becoming a good gardener is a matter of recognizing the little clues they give you.

Source: UrbanFarmOnline

The American persimmon in particular is heavenly in taste, a tiny fruit bursting with sweetness, possibly the closest thing to a nature-made dessert in existence. Best of all, it’s actually good for you.

This might all sound like some exaggerated infomercial, but it’s all quite true. Persimmons really are that good, and you can find out for yourself by simply growing a tree in your own garden. The only rule is to be sure that the persimmon is ripe enough before you partake, or you may be in for a mouthful of bitterness.

American persimmon trees have a long history and a huge range. They can be found as far North as New England, and as far South as Florida in the Eastern-most half of the continental United States. This plant is extremely hardy, and can survive in all sorts of weather and climate zones. In all likelihood, you will easily be able to find a strain of the plant that will do well where you live.

The Persimmon is a beautiful tree to behold. During the summer, its leaves are a deep green with a touch of blue and, depending on the climate, its leaves can range from various shades of yellow to strong, dramatic reds. The tree has a lazy-looking branch system, that hovers over the ground with a hunched posture. The mature fruit of the tree adds an attractive gold into the color scheme. Long-living persimmons can reach heights of over fifty feet. In its earlier stages of growth in particular, a persimmon tree will shoot up rapidly in height, and it is only once it begins putting energy into bearing fruit that the growth rate begins to naturally slow.

PLANTING AN AMERICAN PERSIMMON

Persimmon trees are very simple plants to take care of, though they are unfortunately a bit rarer to find compared to more common fruit-bearing trees. It might take a bit of looking around through the various nurseries in your area before you might find an appropriate sapling. Worse comes to worse, though, you can always order one online.

Most of all, be sure to find a strain of American persimmon that will tolerate your particular local climate well. Though it may be tempting to find wild Persimmon trees to add to your garden, a transplant of this kind is unlikely to be successful because the critical tap root of the tree is unusually deep and fragile, and any significant damage to it will probably lead to the plant’s death. In addition, domestic persimmons are quite a bit tastier than their wild cousins, anyway.

Since quite a number of varieties of American persimmon tree cannot reproduce asexually like some other fruit trees, you will want to plant both male and female trees if you desire a decent harvest of fruit. However, if space is limited and you can only accommodate one plant, it is possible to graft a male branch onto a female tree, or to simply stick to a variety that can pollinate itself.

These plants are fortunately not too picky about the quality of their soil, though they can suffer if the soil is too moist or simply not moist enough. Keep the soil around the tree somewhat damp and be sure to fertilize it twice a year, during the spring and during the summer. As the tree grows, prune any dead or inconveniently shaped branches to keep it healthy.

PESTS AND PROBLEMS

American persimmon trees are resilient to most diseases. The most troublesome problem you will have with your persimmon tree will be your competition with the local wildlife over your fruit. The wildlife may be able to tolerate the tartness of the fruit before the fruit is ripe enough for you to enjoy, so be on guard.

VARIETIES TO TRY

• ‘Meade’  is the hardiest of all American persimmons, and it can withstand temperatures to -30° F. Its fruits are seedless. The fruit matures early making it a good choice for regions with short growing seasons. It is also self-pollinating.
• ‘Early Golden’ is a popular, easy-to-grow variety. It produces fruit early in the season and is hardy to USDA Zone 5.
• ‘Eureka’ is the type of persimmon you would most likely find in the grocery store. But this is a Japanese variety of persimmon, not an American one.

If you would like more information on the American Persimmon, check these two links:

Edible of the Month: Persimmon – National Gardening Association

Persimmons – Texas A&M Extension

Source: GardeningChannel

These small insects could spell disaster to your ability to enjoy breakfast.

Diaphorina citri (the Asian citrus psyllid), a citrus pest that gobbles away at the leaves of orange trees, is wreaking havoc in Florida’s citrus industry, costing them over three billion dollars in a span of only six years. Though the pest itself does little to harm orange trees, the germs that it carries certainly do, and once a plant is infected, its leaves will begin to die until, within a short number of years, the whole tree succumbs to the infection.

Scientists in the industry are searching for ways to stop the destructive little bug, and one promising method involves the use of sound waves instead of chemical pesticides to negatively affect the animal’s mating process.

Richard Mankin, a specialist in the study of insects (entomology) who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicates that these efforts are an attempt to avoid the overuse of pesticides, which, through natural selection, can cause increased resistance in a population of insects and make the problem even less controllable in the long run. After his research on using sound waves to disturb the pest’s mating calls, he presented his discoveries to the American Acoustical Society.

The mating call of a male diaphorina citri essentially consists of his perching on a tree’s leaves and sending a buzz of small vibrations through the branch system by shuddering his wings, thus revealing his intentions and location to a female. Scientists mimicked the sound and disturbed the mating display by using a buzzer attached to a simple microprocessor.

Currently, the device is impractically expensive because of its lack of range—only about 2 feet—so researchers are attempting to lower its cost, which is currently up to 200 USD per unit. According to Mankin, the acoustic method is still currently inferior to using pesticides, but he expects that as chemical agents become less effective due to resistance, prices for this new technique will fall, and using sound waves to fight the bug will become more practical.

Mankin said he hopes the device can work in tandem with pesticides, targeting infestations to reduce the amount of chemicals used and to help postpone the psyllids’ development of resistance to insecticides.

“We’re looking at the devices more as partners than as a replacement,” he said.

The idea of using sound to catch or deter insects has wider applications, Mankin noted. Acoustic devices have been successfully used to trap pests such as mosquitoes, midges, mole crickets, field crickets, moths, cockroaches, and fruit flies. Ultrasonic signals that simulate bat cries could deter night-flying insects.

“Trying to develop electronic-based pest control is a good idea, because it will help the production of food-and we need all the help we can get to feed the world’s growing population in the future,” Mankin said.

Featured Image: credit to Flickr/Nikita

Source: Takepart.com

Do you know that because of MSM’s ability to enable metabolic wastes to be eliminated from the cells, it is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Excess body weight is inflammation. Click on the link to read more information about MSM in article entitled “MSM – What Are Its Health Benefits and Possible Side Effects?“.

The good news is that if you live in an environment that is too cool for growing tomatoes from seeds, there are other options: you can simply buy or grow (indoors) your own tomato seedlings, and shield them from the cold until the summer comes, when you can transplant them. Of course, there are downsides to this. For one, tomatoes don’t always take well to being transplanted, and in fact such a sudden change may slow their growth, injure the plant, or even lead to its demise altogether.

People who don’t have a lot of space for their gardening hobby might try to cultivate their tomatoes in pots, and it may very well work for them, but sadly when it is time to transfer the plant outside, tomatoes that began their lives in pots are particularly prone to transplantation shock as compared to those who started their lives outdoors in more natural surroundings. Because of this, if you plan to cultivate your tomatoes in pots, there are a few measures that you need to take to ensure that they will grow well:

1. Examine the plants closely before you buy. As the old saying goes, you reap what you sow. A healthy plant from the beginning is much more likely to lead to a healthy tomato fruit. Go with a nursery that has a good reputation, and that is willing to offer refunds or replacements if your plant dies too easily. Go for the greenest-looking plants with stems and leaves that don’t appear soggy or wilted. If the leaves are discolored or splotchy, avoid these as well, since they are possible signs of disease. If you happen to reside in a very humid area, it is especially important that you choose a hardy, healthy-looking plant, since areas like these are a breeding ground for botanical diseases.

2. If you have the choice, go with smaller tomato plants instead of large ones. Lately, more and more supermarkets and big box garden centers have been offering large-sized tomato plants that have already begun to bear some fruit. If you don’t care to transplant these into the ground and just want to leave them in their store-bought container, this isn’t a problem, but if you plan on moving the plant into a bigger container or even just into the ground directly, go with plants that have not grown more than about a foot in height. Small plants tend to suffer less from transplantation, and will recover and grow faster than larger ones when they are transplanted into your garden. If you are planning to transplant the seedlings that you grew yourself, however, it’s best to transplant them when they are even smaller—no less than 4 inches, and no more than 8 inches in height.

3. Don’t be rushed; wait it out until the spring or even summer. Because pots don’t insulate as well as earth will, it’s best to go through the transplantation process when the temperatures outside are at least 70 F during the day. If there’s an unforeseen drop in temperature, just bring them inside and cover them up until the cold is gone.

4. Pick a pot of the right size. Since tomato plants tend to spread their roots out in a wide pattern, you need a pot with a diameter that can accommodate. How big your pot is will depend on how large your specific variety of tomato is. If it’s a small bush, you may only need a 5-gallon bucket. If it’s a particularly large heirloom tomato variety, for instance, you might need a container that can hold as much as 15 gallons.

5. Consider the soil quality. You may have a habit of using normal commercial gardening soil for your plants, but avoid this with your potted tomatoes! Pots tend to squeeze and contain the dirt, which can deprive the roots from proper air circulation, in addition to possibly promoting certain kinds of disease. Your best bet is to buy potting soil made specifically for container gardening.

6. Acclimate them before you transplant them. This may seem pointless, but it honestly makes a difference. Put your potted plants in a shady place near your garden for a few days so that the plants can get used to the outdoor environment, to the temperature, wind, and humidity that might be different from its indoor conditions. Give them as much water as you usually do, but otherwise leave them alone. If you’re buying from a nursery or the garden section of your local big box store, this might not be a necessary step, though, because they may already have been stored outside.

7. Make sure the roots are deep. When you transplant into another container, be sure that the plant has been placed deeply enough; you may even want to bury the first few leaves at the bottom of the stalk. In addition, it might be helpful to get rid of any flowers, so that the plant might instead expend its precious energy solely on strengthening its roots.

8. Take special care of your plant. For the first few weeks, keep a close eye on your transplanted tomato bush. You may want to add fertilizer and give it some extra water to prevent the soil from getting too dry. Since the plants are particularly fragile until their roots have gotten over the shock and once again begun to expand, try to place them in a spot where they are protected from the elements as much as possible.

“If the meal consists entirely of cooked foods, then a lacto-fermented condiment is a must.”-S.Fallon

Why you should eat fermented vegetables?

Shield the body against infection by accelerating the ability of the immune system.
Improve digestion and help break down proteins and carbohydrates, thus requiring less insulin in the process of digestion.

• Providing excellent source of antioxidants.
• Help in combating candida and other yeast overgrowth.
• Helps maintain balanced flora along the digestive tract through a normal diet.
• Increased bioavailability of vitamins and minerals.
• Reduction of blood glucose levels.

What are fermented vegetables and how are they made?

Vegetables, especially cabbage, have in them naturally lactic acid bacteria. The vegetables are cut or crushed, to expose more surfaces and often beat their cell walls break, allowing a release of their juice.

Salt is added to the vegetables in the course of this process, because it aids them in releasing juices. After storage in jars, the vegetables are fermented at room temperature before they are stored in the refrigerator, for about 2-6 months or more.

In the process of fermentation, lactobacillus bacteria convert starches and sugars into lactic acid. The salt present in the mixture aids in maintaining decay until the important acids and enzymes are developed to continue in the preservation process. Due to the anaerobic nature of bacteria all air must be pressed out of clay when undergoing the fermentation process. It is advisable to use warmer home, which has a temperature of 70 degrees or more, because it accelerate the fermentation process. It is vice versa for the cooler home

I have added some favorite tips below. One thing I love about fermentation process is its freewill of allowing creativity, so far you follow normal principle, You will surely get the same result. Any unsuccessful turnaround of this process gives you another idea of what is not working.

You will need the following supplies:

• Sea salt(don’t use table)
• Non-chlorinated water
• A good mud without defects or clean jars with two-piece lids; or the fermentation vessel Korea
• Well washed organic vegetables (and other optional food ingredients listed below), the ideal room temperature
• Additional items are plastic re-sealable bags, tea towels, and a wood matrix.
• A two-gallon plastic bucket without scratches, stainless steel bucket or deep wooden bowl (large clay pot can substitute this stated material)

Method

1) For each quarter striped vegetables, you will require 1 to 2 teaspoons of sea salt, its best to learning how to make vegetables without taking measurement; it helps in your accuracy. Use more or less sea salt depending on how you want it. You can also use the fruit, especially apples, organic-waxed lemons, quinces and even berries. If you need to combine fun with nutrient additions (iodine and other minerals), then you can add Seaweeds like dulse, kelp and wakame.

2) Using your hand, measure two big hand-full of vegetable in your jug ​​or bucket. Add about one teaspoon sea salt. Then stir the mixture of vegetable and salt together with either your hand or wooden mallet, you can also choose to squeeze the vegetable. This process can be slow, but worth it.

3) When the juices begin to pop up, add two handfuls of vegetables and salt to it. Then stamp as usual.

4) Depending on your quantity, continue this process until all the vegetables are sealed and they are swimming in a generous amount of salt water brine. It takes about 10-30mins for the process of compression or stamping to complete, depending on the quantity of your batch.

5) At this stage, depending on your preference, you can decide to add an additional spice such as: juniper berries, turmeric, spirulina, mustard seeds, pickling spices, fresh ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cumin, etc. just to enhance its nutritional level.

6) Fresh herbs, chopped nuts or raisins, lemon juice, or bark-waxed, whey and dried seafood can also be added if you wish to.

7) After packing all the vegetables and their juices in bottles or mud, using your fist, fingers, or very useful to press down firmly on the content as it moves stamper, the release of all the air.

8) At the point you’ve finished packing their vegetables to the top, the juice should rise above them and still leave an inch to two inches of headspace in the bottle (if this is your storage container).

9) For some people, the last step is the hardest, keep down vegetables. Here, you need some piece of creativity: using folded outer cabbage leaves or vine leaves submerged in brine; nuts used; They use the carrots into thin slices lengthwise, so they are flat and long; use a small glass bottle that fits perfectly; use the optional zip lock bag full of salt abovementioned water; to act as a weight (1 tsp. of 2 cups water) or simply compacting the product so deeply that not even think about getting up in aerobic rebellion. (The bag can be used in a dish, whether in the mud, if you can find one that fits the inner diameter of the vessel. If in a bottle, the bag is pushed down directly into the bottle and a cloth kitchen covered, uncovered, until the fermentation process takes place. In-case the bag break, we use the sea water.) If you’re using jars control with two caps, ensure they are secure, but not hard.

10) Now the vegetables are prepared. Keep them in a dark environment, hot, about 70 degrees for about a week, until bubbles start showing on its surface. It might take this much longer process than a week if your house is cold or if it’s cold every night and reheated in the morning. Usually, it is better for a fermentation process to be lengthy. Be sure to maintain control of the vegetables under the brine and correct the situation if not (do not worry!). This is an obvious challenge. One batch took about 4 weeks for the fermentation process to complete because the house was so cold every night. But I still had a great result. Just ensure that the bubbles have stopped rising and the action of fermentation is stopped before moving the product to refrigeration. If the fermentation is short in duration, the bubble will continue in the stomach.

11) Finally, move the kraunt to the refrigerator when done. It is mostly encouraged to wait for 3 weeks before consumption though it is not compulsory. Note that each new prescription will knock-your-socks-off, the taste is concerned. Feel adventurous before you take your first bite!

Note- Spoilage is not common. If your vegetables turn brown on the top it means they’ve been exposed to the air. Remove the bit spoiled and rinse inside liquid so they won’t float again. A bad batch smells awful. A change in its color is not something to worry about, it is normal.. Even a little bit of mold on the top can be removed with what is moving. Nothing bad can survive in its lactic acid brine if it is generally going in the right direction. Things like Clean products, knives and work surfaces as well as non-chlorinated water will aid you getting their items off on the right foot.

There are endencies that the white east known as kahm yast can show on the surface, although harmless, it lacks taste, giving us no reason to be left on the surface. Search for information about kahm yeast if you got confused at a point. Several photos, information and idea are available to set your mind at ease or give clue. Again, with the fermentation, the rule is, if it looks and smells bad, throw it away; otherwise, remove and add more brine or re-dip the vegetables. If there is a need to stem a yeast or mold, disinfect the top of the vial with a small amount of food-grade alcohol around, even real vanilla extract, or apple cider vinegar; this gets around the outside of the second container set right again. The result is a pleasant sour smell.

Fermented Vegetable Recipes

Traditional Sauerkraut Ingredientssauerkraut

1 big head cabbage

2 tablespoons sea salt

Caraway seeds, 1 T. (opt.)

1) Wash the cabbage. Shred it by hand with a knife or using a food processor.

2) Place in bucket with sea salt and mix well. Leave for 15 minutes (optional), to allow juices to begin to exude.

3) Use stamper or clenched fist to pound and press the cabbage. This may take a full 5-10 minutes, until the juices are flowing well.

4) Pack the cabbage into your jar/jars, layering caraway seeds or other spices you may like (mustard, celery seed, coriander, bay leaf etc.).

5) Pack the cabbage down tightly so that all the air is pressed out and the brine rises above the vegetable.

6) Put the lid on and screw down loosely, allowing natural gases to escape.

7) Place the jar/jars on a plate or pan, lined with a dishtowel or rag. Keep in a dark cupboard, preferably somewhat warm, or on top of a warm fridge, covered loosely with a dishtowel for darkness, for one week.

8) Assuming the fermentation bubbles have stopped rising to the surface, transfer the jar/jars to your fridge. But if the bubbles are still active, wait, as this stage will cause gas in your gut. Once refrigerated, wait 3-4 weeks before dipping in. I have had my fruit and vegetable concoctions take as long as one month to complete their fermentation because of our cold home temperatures during the nights; so be patient if necessary.

Variation- Russian Sauerkraut Ingredients

Use the head of cabbage, sea salt and caraway shown in the master recipe (above). But also add 3 carrots, 1 grated beet, & fresh or dried dill.

Follow the master sauerkraut recipe, stamping the carrots and beets at the same time as the cabbage and adding the dill, to taste, with the caraway.

Great-with-Chicken Sauerkraut Ingredients

1 big head cabbage, grated

1-2 apples, sliced thinly or chopped

½ onion, sliced

fresh lemon juice from one whole lemon and/or grated rind of 1 organic lemon or thin slices of 1 whole lemon

1 T. dried thyme or a sprig of fresh thyme into each jar

1 t. allspice

Sea salt

Method

Follow the master sauerkraut recipe, stamping the apples and onions with the cabbage. Add the allspice to the brined vegetables and mix. Layer the lemon slices, if using, with the thyme. Alternately, mix the lemon juice or rind with the cabbage mixture and allspice before packing it into jars.

Note- I love lemon in the krauts, salty lemon…it’s a new flavor experience; so be open-taste-budded and let yourself acquire a taste for this sophisticated treat!

Source: EatBeautiful.net

Because we’ve grown so detached from the natural life-cycle of our food, many people in city environments have sought to reconnect with nature and produce their own edibles. All sorts of landscapes and locations among urban society can be used to grow a local supply of food, whether it’s on a rooftop or a vacant lot. If there is abandoned, squandered space that can be put to good use not only to produce food, but also to strengthen the sense of community among the locals, why not take advantage of it? In a sense, this desire to get back to nature and connect with our food has sparked a revolution in both urban and suburban environments to make plants not only decorative, but productive, and has inspired countless community gardens.

This idea of a “community garden” is essentially a plot of fertile land that is collectively maintained and used by local people. These gardens can be on either individually- or collectively-owned private land or on public land. Every garden is different, as diverse as the community from which it is born, but generally-speaking they all have the same value of strengthening community ties.

1. Urban Gardens Help People to Have Access to Fresh Food

Urban gardens tended by the community allow people to enjoy fresh produce at little or no cost, even where such food would be otherwise scarce. Gardeners (or those living in the same household as a gardener) have a tendency to consume more fruits and vegetables than people who don’t grow their own food. A survey that examined residents in Michigan found that over 82% of people in households that didn’t grow their own food had less than the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, while only about 58% of people in gardening households failed to intake these 5 servings.

2. Urban Gardens Help Build Ties in the Community

In addition to providing fresh, locally-sourced food for residents, community gardens help people come together and work on a common project, where they can build relationships with their neighbors. There is nothing that brings a community closer together than feeling ownership over their shared resources, and the sense of responsibility among local gardeners that this fosters.

3. Urban Gardens Promote a Healthy Lifestyle and Provide an Oasis from a Noisy Cityscape

Since most people now live in urban areas, communal gardens can offer a welcome sanctuary from all the commotion that can be found in a city. Even just the act of gardening on its own can benefit an individual immensely, by offering physical exercise and reduction of stress, as well as increasing a person’s sense of purpose and self-esteem. According to research, the activity of gardening can greatly reduce the risk for dementia, as much as 36%. Some studies have even estimated that gardening can lower this risk by a hefty 47%. (1)

4. Community Gardens Are Good For Local Business & Help Reduce Crime

The economic benefits of community gardens are just as diverse as the people and produce grown at them. There is evidence to suggest that community gardens make communities safer. Two studies in the ‘Journal of Environment and Behaviour’ investigated the impact that nature has on mental fatigue (often an instigator of aggression and violence), and the relationship between vegetation and crime rates in the inner city. The study found that aggression and violence was “significantly lower among those people who lived near some green space than those who lived in more barren conditions”.

They also attract small businesses looking to relocate. Community gardens also foster and can help provide employment, education, and entrepreneurship. They provide opportunities for a wide variety of people, including students, recent immigrants and homeless people. They can also have the benefit of reducing the cost for local councils, as vacant lots can be magnets for litter and criminal activity.  All of this often comes at little or no cost to the city. Developing and maintaining garden space is less expensive than parkland area, in part because gardens require little land and 80% of their cost is in labor.(2)

5.Community Gardens Can Have a Positive Effect on Property Prices

Community gardens also have a positive impact on nearby property prices. A New York University study looked at the impact of community gardens on the neighboring property values. The authors of the study, Vicki Been and Ioan Voicu, compared the sales prices of properties within a certain distance from community gardens, to prices of similar properties in the same neighborhood, but not near a garden. By comparing prices in the same neighborhood, the authors hoped to deal with the potential price difference due to neighborhood location. The study found that community gardens have statistically significant positive effects on the values of property within 1,000 feet of the garden. Interestingly, the authors found that these positive effects were strongest in lower-income neighborhoods. Community gardens raised property values by up to 9.5 percent within five years in the poorest neighborhood measured. The effect also increased over time; as each year went by after the opening of a community garden, the prices of nearby properties increased more and more in relation to properties that did not have access to a community garden. (3)

Source: Collective-Evolution.com

(1) http://learn.eartheasy.com/2014/09/6-unexpected-health-benefits-of-gardening/

(2/3) from Rethink…Your world, Your future.

The homesteading life has never been more of a popular dream. It can be used as a hedge against the fragility of corporate employment as a psychological antidote to the intensity of modern life. More and more people are finding wans to bring their food production on site to their urban or suburban yard.

The obstacles can make it difficult to begin. Below are some ideas that might help you getting started working under those challenges and head towards a better life.

1. Neighbors And Regulations

When the community around you does not support you, it can be very frustrating. In order to be successful in urban farming, you need to get your neighbors and other community members on board. The lack of support can vary from not being invited to community events to being sent reports from the city by not following guidelines. It would be great if everyone would mind their own business and leave each other alone. Unfortunately, participating in something that is unusual such as growing your own food (GASP!) will often cause eyebrows to be raised or worse.
I am fortunate to live in an area where we all think very similarly. However, I know that there are some communities that are not as lucky. There are some basics I have learned to help keep the community be okay with a productive garden:

• Start small. It does not help your case to begin with 20 raised beds in your front yard. When you start discretely, a little at a time, your neighbors will never realize how big your garden is.
• Consider “stealth edibles” and naturalistic plantings. Not all gardens have to be rows of corn in order to be productive. You can also consider attractive perennials like fruit trees or shocking exotics like asparagus.
• Be discrete and considerate. You now that in a community of neo-colonials a Portlandian front-yard garden is going to be out of place and will stick out like a sore thumb. You need to work with the layout of your property and community to find discrete places to starts your productive crops. Keep everything maintained. Avoid animal smells and do not leave a ton of woodchips in your driveway for a great length of time.
• Involve your neighbors. It may seem troublesome to reach out to your foe but a simple line like, “Hey, how’d you feel about…” can do a lot of good to a community. It also helps a lot to show up with a fresh salad with crops you have already been growing under their noses. As supportive as our community is, we made sure we asked around before adding raised beds in the front yard. We also take duck eggs over to the neighbors and making sure we are not being too noisy or smelly.

2. Soil Quality

If the soil in your yard is low grade, it would not hurt to think about building raised beds or remediating the soil already there.

A lot of urban areas suffer from poor soil quality and origin. There is a good chance that the best you will have to work with is biologically moribund fill dirt. One reason raised beds are so popular is that they allow you to use your own soil that is ready to go and keep it separated from the underlying dirt. If you are concerned about toxic contamination in your soil you can build fully closed-bottom raised beds. However, you need to know that this calls for extra maintenance. A soil test can be expensive but may help you rest at ease about what toxins or metals are in your soil.
Permaculture techniques are becoming increasingly popular. Fans have reported success in building soil essentially from scratch. There are a wide variety of techniques from obscure practice to edging towards the mainstream. In order to discuss the holistic approach to agriculture in detail, we would need a hefty book. However, the soil building of ideas of using layers of scrap wood are easily adaptable. Other soil building variations like lasagna beds can also work. Do some research and find out which works best for you.

3. Lighting And Layout

Often urban or suburban yards are not designed for farming. Narrow side yards maximize real-estate value; mature trees provide attractive shade, privacy, and summer shade; expansive driveways provide parking for multiple cars, SUVs and motorhomes. But none of these things helps grow a crop! At a certain point, you’ve got to accept the reality of where you live, but clever solutions can work make the best of it.

Container gardening, also useful if dealing with poor soil quality, is a great solution that can turn decks, driveways and patios into productive yard space. Perhaps lacking in grandeur, container gardening is actually ideally suited to many crop types. Potatoes, peppers and tomatoes are classics, as are zucchini and summer squash, and, of course, herbs. If the pot is big enough, even dwarf fruit trees can be made to work. Containers can be raised up on sturdy shelves (my grandfather did this with his tomatoes to overcome an irksome fence), moved into shelter when necessary (consider wheeled pot stands), even grown on a balcony or deck.

Making your urban or suburban garden into a productive space may involve compromise, it may involve patience, and it will certainly involve some ingenious outside-of-the-box thinking. But if you want to take the plunge into the homestead lifestyle, then you’re already ready for these challenges. If there’s one piece of advice that I can share, more than anything specific, it is to remain flexible with your dream and to let it change and mature to fit the circumstances of your life.

Source: UrbanFarmOnline.com