HowdiniGuru

www.howdini.com Organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden What does it mean to grow vegetables organically? Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening magazine shows how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden. Keywords: organic gardening organic garden organic vegetable gardening organic gardening tips

Paddy

Gargi Nath

Anybody can do organic vegetable gardening at home because the principle behind this is not that different from what they do in the farm. The only difference is that you work in a smaller area and you get to choose what you like plant.

The first thing you have to do is find an ideal location. A lot of people do organic vegetable gardening in their backyard. To make it work, whatever you are planting should get at least 6 hours of sunlight everyday and access to water.

Just like the ancient civilizations that relied on an efficient irrigation system, you too should do the same by making sure there is adequate drainage because if you don’t, you will have to do organic vegetable gardening using a raise bed.

When your ideal location has been found, it is time to cultivate the land. For that, you will need your gardening tools and a pair of gloves to pluck out the weeds on the ground. This might take a few days to make sure the area is ready for planting.

You will only know if the ground you are going to plant your vegetable is a good spot by testing it with some compost and mixing this with the soil. Should it be able to integrate and stabilize itself with the soil, this means that you can start planting your crops and see it grow in the succeeding weeks.

If you don’t like to buy compost from the gardening store, you can make your own using coffee grounds, dead leaves, grass clippings, food waste or even manure. They also serve as excellent fertilizers.

As for your vegetables, take note that some of these may not be suitable in the land you are planting these on. This is because of several factors that are beyond your control such as the weather, pests and other plant borne diseases. You can avoid making this mistake by doing some research on what vegetables are ideal to plant in your area and asking fellow organic gardeners.

One way to protect the organic vegetables you are planting is by planting a variety of them at a time since some of these protect each other from pests. Such practice is better known as crop rotation especially when you want to adapt with the weather in your area. Another defense system that works is getting the help of Mother Nature as birds, certain insects and even toads have proven to be useful.

If you live in an area where wild animals may eat your vegetables, you should put up fences so they are not able to get through. Other tools you can use are animal hair, baby powder and deodorant soaps.

Part of preparing the land is removing the weeds. But remember that new weeds grow after some time so you have to inspect the area from time to time.

Planting your own organic vegetable garden at home will surely save you money as these are quite expensive in the supermarket. If you have some excess stocks when it is time to harvest them, maybe you can give some to your neighbors or make some money by selling it at the local market which isn’t that bad given that you don’t shell out that much cash for this investment.

Eric

Pawel Kalkus


important to feed your plants with the right nutrients from the very beginning. That is why choosing fertilizers and preparing soil is so crucial when planting tomatoes and various other plants. In order to answer this question you will have to spend some time in your local gardening store researching different mixtures and asking some questions. We will show you where to start.

The idea of getting the best tasting, healthiest tomatoes is what drives most gardeners. What’s a bit problematic is the fact that we want to avoid using pesticides where possible. The way you prepare the garden bed will help to ensure that this happens for you.

If you are starting with seeds, then you will want a good organic potting soil to start with. By doing this young plants will be more resistant to diseases in the early stages of growth. Once the plants have begun to grow, you’ll want to put them in your selected spot when they are about 6 inches or so tall. There are a variety of methods used to keep cutworms and slugs away from the plants. You can do a little checking to find the one that’s best for you without the need of using pesticides. Some people use strips of newspaper, while still others will use plastic containers and such to keep the critters away.

In case of fertilizers you will probably notice that there is a huge variety of mixtures available in your local garden center. It’s simply a matter of choosing the one that you want to use. One of the most popular seems to be Miracle Gro, but depending on where you live, that might not be available. The garden center will be able to help you choose the one that is best for you, but remember, just because something is more expensive doesn’t necessarily means it’s the best one for you to use! Use your own judgement where necessary.

Sometimes, trying different things will help you to decide the one that is best for you to use so perhaps in one end of the garden you can use product A, and in the other end use product B. You will know what’s working best by looking at the differences in the fruit production.

There’s absolutely nothing better that a sweet tasty tomato that has come directly from your own vine! It’s no wonder that the tomato is the most popularly grown garden staple!

Taylor

Stan T. Little


The amount of sulfides used is lesser in comparison to traditional wines, which makes it a healthier beverage for consumption. In addition to this, this process also makes use of a bio dynamic environment for growing grapes, by balancing the natural harmony among different elements of the ecosystem.

Most of the organic food that are grown need to adhere to stringent norms and specified criteria to be labeled as organic. The best part about organic wine making process is that they are free from chemicals and use the basic procedure, which makes use of yeast at the time of fermentation, without the addition of artificial flavors. It retains the original flavor of the wine and gives it a distinct taste as compared to traditional wines.

Growing popularity of organic wines

In the recent times, many people prefer to drink healthier wines, which are based on organic wine making methods. It is believed that organic farming techniques have the ability to produce rich and high quality wines with great flavor. The grapes which are grown organically in healthier soils are free from pesticides which results in a good blend of wine. Wild yeast strains are allowed to survive which gives a delicate taste to the wine and offer vital health benefits. The grapes that are used in organic farming methods are specially handpicked and the ripe ones are selected in the process without causing any harm to the grapevine.

There are different kinds of organic wines which are available in the market so one needs to have a thorough knowledge and do a good research before purchasing them. There are some organic wines which are made using 100% organic grapes which do not have any sulphites in them. Besides, there are others which contain about 70% organic grapes and some amount of sulphite is added in them. In this manner, there are many combinations, which are used in organic wine making methods so one needs to be careful while buying these kinds of wines.

Benefits of consuming organic wine

Grapes that contain lot of harmful chemicals can prove hazardous to the health and organic wine making techniques eliminate some of the health risks posed by traditional means of cultivation. Besides, most of the traditional wines contain sulfites which may even result in allergic reactions in some people which can be prevented using organic methods. The percentage of sulfite in organic wines is very less when compared to other wines which makes it a healthier option. Organic wine is definitely a healthier alternative as it tastes better and preserves the original flavor which is required for producing high quality wines.

Try growing grapes organically and use organic wine making method to get some tasty wine.



Floyd

Mary Hanna


The definition of organic gardening is a garden that does not use pesticides to kill pests. This method can be used in either vegetable or flower gardens. In vegetable gardens organic is the safest for you since you will be consuming what you have grown. But, if you utilize it in flower gardening also, it is safest for the environment.

Raising an organic garden has many sound reasons to encourage gardeners to go this route. As mentioned above all of your vegetables will be pesticide free, which means no poison on the food you are growing. While in flower gardening, many people plant flowers that will attract butterflies or bees which you won’t attract if you use pesticides. You especially want to remain pesticide free if you have small children or pets because chemicals could be harmful for them.

Your organic garden will be anything but simple gardening. Every garden takes effort and research and your organic garden is no exception. As with all gardens you must start with a plan. Research the plants you wish to grow. Find out what their needs are when it comes to light, fertilizer, PH in the soil and drainage. Be diligent in picking a spot that is well suited to your plants. If you are planting an herb garden select a site that is close to your kitchen door for easy harvesting. Find out if there are companion plants and if there are, consider using them.

When planting an organic garden you will need some really good compost. You can make your compost out of soil and organic matter. Organic matter includes leaves, manure, vegetable refuse, coffee grinds and eggshells. You can include peels from fruits and vegetables. (Potato skins, apple skins, orange rinds, etc.) Start your compost early, find a place to put your compost and work it frequently. By working it I mean turn it with a shovel so the organic material will break down. When you are ready to start planting work your compost into the garden beds before you plant.

Your garden location is very important. You need to pick a spot that gets lots of light and drains well. If it is a very windy spot you will have to figure out some way of sheltering. Don’t pick a low spot on your property since that might flood during heavy rains. You really want to put the garden in a place that has easy access for you and for watering with your hose.

Mentioned above were companion plants. Companion plants are plants that repel unwanted pests. If you plant roses, plant some garlic. It is said that garlic will repel rose’s nemesis, aphids. Cucumber beetles will not be a worry if you plant oregano. Marigolds will also repel many pests. For a good natural pesticide follow this recipe:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

If you come up with a good plan you can have flowers and vegetables mixed together. Make sure that you know your zone and the conditions that apply in your area. Flower and vegetable gardens will be very different in Alaska than in Florida.

Your organic garden will take some work, but it will not be in vain when you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful blooms or make some culinary delights from the vegetables and herbs you have grown.

Happy Gardening!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.



Warren

Paul Hata


What is organic food? While we may have heard about it for over thousand times,many are still in the dark about organic food and its benefits.We hope this article would shed some light on organic food.

The Organic Revolution - The organic revolution is a global phenomenon witnessed in every part of the world. Global organic food market was about USD40 billion in 2006 and over 30 percent or USD12 billion of the global demand stems from the US. The world organic market has been growing by 20% a year since the early 1990s, with future growth estimates ranging from 10-50% annually depending on the country.

What Is Organic Food - Organic food are foods that are grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste or sewage sludge.and processed without ionizing radiation or food additives.For livestocks, they are reared without the routine use of antibiotics or growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.

The word organic food does not only apply to the food from your own home garden, but also to the store bought food products, in which no synthetic artificial inputs are used. In the contemporary times, the term organic food is usually used in reference to the certified organic foods. It has been claimed by health experts that organic food is more nutritious. Some of the features that can be associated with organic food are more attention to quality, good taste, proper selection of crop varieties etc.

Organic Gardening - Organic Gardening is gardening without the use of man-made chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. It is said by some of its supporters to be more in harmony with nature. An organic gardener strives to work in harmony with natural systems and to minimize and continually replenish any resources the garden consumes. Organic produce is also known for its superior flavor.

Organic Fertilizers - Organic fertilizers can actually be cheaper, because you can make them yourself. Fish emulsion is a common organic fertilizer. It is a sort of tea made from dead fish. Seaweed fertilizer is another tea-like fertilizer that many organic gardeners swear by.

And of course there is natural compost that can help you make use of your kitchen waste! The benefits of organic gardening far outweigh the few drawbacks. It may be a bit more work, but it is so rewarding!

Organic Food Consumption - Organic food consumption has become the trend of the time, but still there are many who do not have a clear idea regarding the definition of organic food and this can be attributed to the fact that we do not possess adequate organic food information. Well, organic food in simple terms can be defined as food that is natural and does not involve the usage of any kind of preservatives or artificial pesticides. Read further to explore organic food facts

Organic Food Production - Organic food production is legally regulated. Currently, the United States, the European Union, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain organic certification in order to market food as organic.Organic products protect us from toxic and chemical induced diseases while nourishing our bodies to promote good health. Non-organic food only appears to be cheaper, but it costs us our health, our farmland, our eco-systems and taxes to pay for the disasters that chemical farming create. Chemical farming has led to dramatic erosion of the soil, killing off whole species of birds and near extinction of some of our beautiful wildlife. Sustainable Organic Agriculture is already feeding people around the world. Chemical farming can seriously damage farmer’s health.

Benefits of Organic Food - Organic foods contain phenolic compounds that protect you from developing heart disease and cancer. Organic food ensures high food quality, which other conventional foods cannot commit. Since organic food is natural and fresh, it boasts off its rich taste. So, head your way towards leading a healthy lifestyle, by eating organic foods.



Emma

James Copper


Wine is nothing but a mixture of wild species of grapes, rice and different types of yeasts without the use of sugar, enzymes or any lactic acids. The word “wine” is a Latin word derived from indo-European countries.

Composition of wines: Wines consist of water to a large extent. In addition to this, wines also contain variety of acids such as lactic acids, ethyl acid, minerals such as iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, sulphates and vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin P.

There exist different types of wines according to the base product, two of which are listed below:

1) Fruit wine: ex-apple, berries

2) Vegetable wine: ex- wheat, barley

The production of wines was first found in places of Georgia and Iraq at around 6000 BC to 5000 BC. Traces of wines were also found in Greece, ancient Europe.

Cultivation of wines was started in North East areas at around 3000 BC. Cultivation of red and white wine, as we know them today, first started in Egypt, but wide-scale cultivation of wines began in Rome, which produced the best quality wine. They produced different flavors of wine.

Dry wine is one of the most popular types of wines. During fermentation, when sugar is converted into alcohol, the toxic alcohol kills the yeast and the resulting wine is called as dry wine. Wines are mainly produced from the grape species known as Vitis vinifera.

There exist different types of wines like red wine, white wine etc. They are distinguished on the amount of sugar used and the time required for fermentation.

A few types of wines are listed below:

1) Vintage wines: In order to produce a vintage wine it is a must that at least 95% of the volume of grapes used, are produced in a single year. They are mostly produced in USA.

2) Non vintage wines: They are produced from vintage wines itself. In these, at least 50% of the grapes used should have been produced in the same year.

3) Organic wines: Organic wines are produced from grapes without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. They do not contain any harmful material and are used to cure a number of diseases.

4) Red wines: They are produced from black grapes and are red in color. It prevents cancer and heart diseases because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

5) White wine: They are produced from white grapes; and they are pale yellow in color.

When alcohol is added in a wine it is called as fortified wine. Taste of wines depends on the drinker’s palate.

Vintage wines are costliest of all wines. They can cost thousands of dollars per bottle.

Some of the most expensive wines are Bordeaux and Cult wines.

Production:

France is the largest producer of wines. Italy is the second largest producer.

Italy is the largest exporter of wines.

Uses: Wine is the most popular beverage, and can also be used as a flavoring agent.

Wines also have a good effect on cardiovascular problems. Wines can also used for religious and ritual purposes.



Travis

Kathy Patalsky


Sulfites are a commonly used preservative found in foods, alcoholic drinks, and medications. The most commonly discussed sulfites are those found in wine.

“Sulfites are bad.”

“Wine sulfites give me massive headaches.”

“Sulfites are toxic. I stay away from them.”

“Sulfites are not natural.”

…these are just a few of the common responses when I ask people their thoughts on sulfites.

The reality is that few people know the true facts on sulfites.

There are lots of questions….

Is cheap wine the worst?

What about sulfite-free wines?

How can I tell if I am allergic to sulfites?

So lets discuss, and debunk ten sulfite myths.



1. MYTH: Sulfite-free wine is the best way to go if you don’t want to consume sulfites.



TRUTH: Sulfite-free wine doesn’t exist! A wine maker can claim that there are “no sulfites added, but all grapes create sulfites as a result of the fermentation process. Fermenting yeasts found on grape skins generate naturally occurring sulfites, about 6 to 40 ppm (parts per million).

2. MYTH: Organic wine is sometimes sulfite-free.



TRUTH: Organic wine often contains less sulfites. But as stated in #1, there is always going to be some amount of naturally occurring sulfites.

3. MYTH: If the label on a wine bottle doesn’t say “contains sulfites”, the wine is sulfite-free.

TRUTH: As stated,  all wine will contain naturally occurring sulfites. By law, any wine with above 10 ppm sulfites,  must post a “contains sulfites” label.  If the wine contains below 10 ppm of sulfites, no label is required.

4. MYTH: Both red and white wine contain the same amount of sulfites.

TRUTH: A general rule is that white wine contains more sulfites than red wine. So a white wine headache may actually be a reality if you are slightly sensitive to sulfites.

5. MYTH: If wine says it contains sulfites, it is probably a significant amount, and should be avoided.

TRUTH: By law, all imported and domestic alcohol exceeding 10 ppm of sulfites must bear the label-warning “Contains Sulfites”. Wines that contain less than 10 ppm sulfites are not required, however, this does not mean the wine contains no sulfites.

6. MYTH: Sulfites are unhealthy and many people are allergic.

TRUTH: The FDA says that only about .4% of the population is highly allergic to sulfites. However, many people are slightly sensative to sulfites. Asthmatics are especially at risk of sensitivity. Those who are sensitive should stick to organic wines, and choose red over white. Or avoid alcohol completely.

7. MYTH: Wine contains the highest concentration of sulfites out of any product on the market.

TRUTH: Actually, sulfites ranging from 6 to 6000 ppm are found in these products: fruit juices, dried fruits, fruit concentrates, syrups, sugar, jams, gelatin’s, cake toppings, baked goods, pizza dough, frozen potatoes, processed vegetables, cheeses, ans many prescription drugs. Two ounces of dried apricots, have 10 times the sulfites as a glass of wine. Eating dried apricots is a great way to test your allergic reaction to sulfites. But do so with caution under a doctors’ close guidance.

8. MYTH: Sulfites cause more harm than good.



TRUTH: The possible negative effects of sulfite consumption is still unconfirmed. Sulfites are an amazing preservative,  and have been used for hundreds of years. Without them, we would not be able to have wines that have the ability to age for many years. Sulfites also kill off any bugs that result from a ages-old, not-so-clean wineries. Some brand new wineries in California are extremely hygienic, and can use low sulfites for drink-quick wines. This couldn’t happen at centuries old European wineries. So sulfites make it possible for us to drink certain high quality, aged wines with a bit of assurance. Sulfites also allow common household food items like strawberries and bread to keep for a much longer period of storage.

9. MYTH: European sold wines do not have the “contains sulfites” label warning, and thus have no or less sulfites.



TRUTH: Not true. Europeans think Americans are ridiculous for saying “has sulfites” on wine labels. To them it’s like requiring a label saying “Has seeds!” on a store bought apple.

10. MYTH: Cheap wine, Massive Headache!

TRUTH: OK, this one can be true! There is an impurity called a cogener. Cogener is more concentrated in lower quality wine or dark alcohols.

Cogeners cause hangovers. Why do hangovers hit the morning after? Well interestingly, alcohol inhibits the action of the cogeners. So your hangover is usually delayed until after all the alcohol leaves your system and only the cogeners are left. (About the next morning, right.)

But don’t worry, if you do get a massive hangover, you can always reach for some fresh young coconut water for the ultimate hangover remedy.



Kylie

chris j meagher


rld War 2, ALL gardening was \’organic\’, as there were no chemical fertilisers

until discoveries were made during the administering of bomb production and subsequent

dropping of said bombs on innocent peoples heads.

Back in the late 60\’s early 70\’s, when growing things naturally started

to attract a

ground-swell of interest and was subsequently given the title of

\’organic gardening\’

(previously known as plain old \’gardening\’); there was a knee-jerk

reaction by people who could not quite grasp the idea (amazing, isn\’t

it?) - that led to the rather erroneous belief that in order to be an

\’organic grower\’, one had to dance around naked under a full moon,

replete with tamborines, candles, chanting and flowers in the hair, in

order to understand this mysterious \’organic\’ mumbo-jumbo.

Room was even made for articles in popular magazines, albeit

tongue-in-cheek, about this new \’hippy hobby\’. Even today, in these

supposedly enlightened years, there are many who just don\’t trust all

that hippy-shit.

The general belief being, that if produce is not enormous, shiny, not a

mark on it, and under vision altering lights - surely it just cannot be

all that good.

There is not much variety with organic produce, either! It\’s always

lots of cabbages and daikons, then in summer, you just cannot see over

the piles of tomatoes and beans.

The concept of seasonal produce will never catch on.

Modern consumers are too used to getting whatever they want, whenever they want it.

Let us not forget, either, that organic produce is more expensive to buy.

Yes…. it costs more, it\’s smaller - and well, just doesn\’t look as good, does it?

Then things get really tricky, if, as is fairly common knowledge,

supermarket produce

gets more and more expensive, due to the expense of increased use of

fertilisers,

insecticides, chemicals in general and freight costs; why then is

organic produce STILL more expensive if they don\’t use those things?

The cost of water goes up every quarter, but organic growers use lots

and lots of mulch, ground covers and the like, using less water, so

THAT can\’t be it.

Well, sorry folks, it\’s just greed. The prospect of money to be made always gets in the road.

Organic growers used to be little hobby farmers, pooling their wares,

or selling out of road-side honesty stalls. Then organics went legit,

became corporate and the fix was in - here there be money!

In the early days of organic growing legitimacy there were governing

organisations to oversee the industry\’s practices, and of course to

keep all the cheats in check. Well, if it has been \’grown\’ you cannot

deny that it is organic, a block of wood is organic, so, grave fears

were held that the market would be infiltrated by cheats and

non-believers.

An Organic certification process was instigated and in order to get top

dollar for organically grown produce - one had to become \’certified\’.

But due to the fact that most administrative type people, might be a

bit pressed to tell the

difference between organic or not, the fledgling industry was run by

organic growers themselves. Or by people who had \’dabbled\’ in organic

growing (or failed), at the very least they had some knowledge about

it, albiet a pretty laid-back attitude.

This led to numerous problems, the most interesting being the \’true believer syndrome\’.

A certified grower would periodically be inspected by a representative of an organic

regulatory body, who in theory would then go around your farm and check that everything was kosher.

Balanced, integrated farming practices and no hidden bags of \’super\’, flyspray, etc.

But the \’true believers\’ had the attitude of “we\’re all in the same club, we ALL believe,

there could not possibly be any cheating”

This idea that all organic growers were of the same mind and could not possibly tarnish

the pristine ideals of harmonious, organic growing (and doing the world a big favour

at the same time) - was just astounding!

These certified organic organisation inspectors had to be forced to

actually have a close look! It was practically impossible to get one to

pull up a plant and inspect the root formation, or fish around in your

liquid fertiliser tank (god forbid actually \’testing\’ something).

The attitude was one of “your an organic grower, YOU\’RE alright” coupled with “it\’s your

patch, so I am not going in there without your express permission”.

True believers, organic warriors, brothers in the cause, mates - not to be doubted.

Due to the ludicrous nature of the industry in it\’s formative years, and money already having

been invested in regulatory organisations, something had to be done and it was mostly taken over by large corporations.

These guys regulate prices, they want a significant return. They don\’t actually care

about the blood sweat and tears involved, nor snap frosts. It\’s all about the bottom line.

Organic produce had come of age.



Shawn

temp_139402


Here’s all you need to know about starting your first home vegetable garden. Regardless of where one lives, growing conditions are bound to be different from the conditions described in most Gardening books. To plan a successful Garden, ask some questions. Which vegetables grow well in this area? What soil types are common? Are there unique conditions in the Garden to consider, for example, high winds, compacted soils, poor drainage and wet spots? Finally, what are the first and last frost dates and the growing season? Later as skills develop add more difficult Crops such as small fruits and perennial vegetables, and add more area to the Garden’s size. When selecting plants of a first garden, keep in mind several suggestions. So before I even get started the garden is already divided into four equal quadrants that are easy to identify and keep separated. When planning the layout of the vegetable beds there are four main considerations that I keep in mind to guide my planting and growing strategy. If you plant a particular crop or family of related crops in one raised bed the previous year, it goes in a different area or garden bed the next time around.

A very important consideration when planning your vegetable garden is to think about the size, height, and growth habit of the crops and to plant according to these characteristics. Getting this right will enable you to employ succession planting techniques to grow two or three separate harvests in the same space that many gardeners grow a single vegetable crop. When the bulbs are harvested in mid summer the bed can then be used to plant fall crops such as kale, mustard greens, cabbage, broccoli, and other cool weather vegetables and planning ahead the same area can be used to grow tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants can be replanted with your crop of fall garlic. In September after the tomatoes have slowed production, pull the vines, add a layer of compost to the bed and use the area to plant garlic to over-winter, or sow transplants of other fall and winter vegetables. There are many unique vegetable varieties available that are not only tasty, but can also add an ornamental flavor to the vegetable garden with their unusual shapes, textures, and colors. There are several factors to consider when planning what will be grown in the vegetable garden.

Growing from seed gardeners should consider whether they are willing and able to grow any of their plants from seed under fluorescent lights. In cooler climates, starting seeds indoors helps to extend the growing season and provides the gardener with more control over what specific varieties of tomatoes, peppers, beans and other vegetables will be cultivated. When planning the vegetable garden, decide which plants will be grown from seed, and which plants will be purchased as seedlings. Gardeners who grow vegetables may also enjoy growing fruit in the garden. Planting a fruit tree such as apple, pear or cherry is also a satisfying addition to the vegetable garden. Gardeners tend to neglect the plants they don’t like to eat. To avoid being wasteful, gardeners should grow only those edible plants that are regularly eaten in their household. Although most vegetable plants grow in varying shades of green, some heirloom vegetables grow in a wide variety of colors. Incorporating edible flowers such as nasturtiums or violas also adds a touch of color to the vegetable garden. When planning the next seasons vegetable patch, gardeners will also need to consider the time and energy they have available to spend working to maintain the garden, as well as any storage space required once the baskets of fruit and vegetables begin to be harvested. Sunlight full sun is the preferred exposure for growing most vegetables. Install your beds away from trees or other objects that could shade the garden. Remember that trees are plants too and locating garden beds too close to tree roots will place your vegetables in competition with trees for water and nutrients.

 Windbreaks trees, fences, walls, even hedges can be used to protect young plants, as long as they are far enough away from your garden not to cause shade or competition problems. The size of your garden depends on the vegetable needs and wants of you and your family, what land is available to you, water requirements, and how hard your want to work at it. Many people enthusiastically plant gardens larger than their needs and their abilities to care for them, and then realize, late into the season, that their vegetable garden has just gotten away from them. Spinach, radishes, leaf lettuce and other like vegetables need relatively little space. There are new bush varieties that are constantly being developed for these types of plants that can be used in small gardens. Placement if you are planting corn in your garden, plant it on the north side, so it wont shade other plants as it grows taller. Map your garden when your deciding what goes where, so next year, you can rotate some crops. Successful garden all deepens on you and your planning so get started on your new garden. For more information on gardening go to www.Teegoes.org



Trish