“The cause of plant disease is poor nutrition and an unhealthy soil ecosystem. The fate of plants is as inseparably entwined with that of the soil as our fate is entwined with theirs. If we want to eat nutritious food we need to take care of the soil, for we too are part of this web of life.” – Heide Hermary
They may be small, but this blue fruit packs a powerful punch. In fact, just one cup provides a fourth of the daily requirement of vitamin C and manganese, as well as vitamin K, along with a host of other nutrients in smaller quantities. All these and a considerable amount of fiber come with very few calories, making blueberries a sweet snack that everyone can enjoy.
Most vegetables need plenty of sun to flourish. Corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, beans and peas are sun lovers, and you need to grow them in full sun for bumper crops. However, there are a number of vegetables that do better with a bit of shade, especially during the hotter parts of the day.
Gardening is a soothing, peaceful pastime that brings you in touch with the earth and allows you to spend time cultivating life and growing food and flowers for your family. That is until a massive wave of pests come through and rips your carefully tended plants to shreds. Though it’s impossible to keep every single creature from your garden, there are ways to limit the pesky critters that seem obsessed with eating your plants. Check out our favorite pest control methods, that don’t require harmful chemicals.
High blood pressure or hypertension is a common condition where the heart pumps blood with extra force. This puts the arteries under heavy load and eventually leads to cardiovascular disease, a major cause of death in many developed countries, including the United States.
Starting out with hydroponics can be a little confusing, but one of the first things you’ll need to understand if you want to try this sustainable and innovative water-agriculture is the idea of growing mediums. Hydroponics doesn’t use typical soil; however, it does utilize the power of water and specially mixed soilless growing mediums to encourage hearty, productive plants. Soilless mediums are used in place of traditional soil to support the root systems of your plants and retain nutrients in this type of gardening. Here are a few of our favorites to use for your next hydroponics project.
Unlike other sugar alternatives such as honey, maple syrup, and molasses, stevia is not metabolized by the body and has absolutely zero calories. This sweet sensation has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years and is quickly becoming the go-to sweetener for people with diabetes, those looking to lose weight, or people with a sweet tooth who still want to eat a healthy diet. Thankfully, growing stevia at home is super easy and is a great way to round off an herb garden, increase your sustainability, and improve your health by ditching processed sugar.
Epsom salt is familiar to gardeners as a fertilizer. When you find your plants looking tired, giving them a small dose of Epsom salt is a quick way to rejuvenate them. This is particularly true for ferns and palms. Roses, azaleas, tomatoes, peppers, and fruit trees also respond well to its regular application with increased flowering and yield. If that’s not enough, this inexpensive non-toxic solution can help keep pests out of your garden, too.
Herbs are an essential addition to any garden and are an excellent ways for the beginner gardener to get their feet wet. They are easy to grow and will produce throughout the whole year if cared for properly. From the kitchen to various beauty products, and medicinal salves, you are almost guaranteed to start using fresh herbs in virtually every room in your house. Thankfully, growing herbs from seed is easy and is a wonderful (and inexpensive) way to create a bountiful herb garden.
Fresh, earthy potatoes are an easy crop to grow, and just a few plants will produce pounds of potatoes in a single season. However, the traditional method of planting potatoes in hills is not ideal for the small-space gardener since the plants need a lot of space to spread out. Thankfully, you can plant potatoes in a bag and get a bountiful harvest in just a few square feet.
There’s just something so delicious about fresh, summer strawberries. They taste so much better than the strawberries you find in the grocery store, and it doesn’t take much effort to grow that juicy goodness. Fortunately, strawberries can be grown in containers on your porch, patio, or front stoop, so you don’t even have to have a garden to enjoy basketfuls of beautiful strawberries this season. Plus, when your plants are right out your back door, you’ll be more likely to catch the fruit at the peak of ripeness and enjoy optimal flavor.
Susan has been nurturing her gardening tips and advice for over 00 years, it’s fair to say she knows her beans. She’ll be sharing her knowledge from tried and tested methods.
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