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.
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.
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.
Though onions are usually easy to grow, gardeners who want to plant onions face a universal problem known as bolting that can plague even the most skilled gardener. So what is bolting and how do you keep it from happening to your onions? Read on to find out.
Inflammation is your body’s natural protective response to an injury or illness and can help speed up healing and encourage your body to repair itself. This is referred to as acute inflammation and is a healthy, helpful process. However, chronic inflammation, when your body is continually inflamed and at a heightened state of emergency for an extended period, can be incredibly detrimental. Rather than protecting your body, inflammation has suddenly become the enemy and can lead to pain and a host of health issues.
When planting your vegetable garden, it can be challenging to keep all the advice straight, “build a raised bed,” “make sure that you try companion planting,” “always use fertilizer,” “never use fertilizer.” Eventually, the overwhelming words of well-meaning fellow gardeners go in one ear and out the other, and you usually end up winging it. That works for a time, and usually, you will see a harvest, but here are a few essential things that you should be doing differently to maximize yield and encourage healthy growth.
Small space gardening is all the rage and rightly so! It is absolutely amazing how many types of veggies you can grow in a very little space when you grow them upwards. While many plants are naturally inclined to trail – others need a little coaxing at first, but will happily comply as long as they have great soil, plenty of sunlight, enough water, and a good support system.
Peppers are a bright and cheery addition to any garden space. They are also easy and rewarding to grow. Probably because they never fail to give you at least something to show for your effort, if not a large crop. And a few peppers go a long way, especially the hot ones.
Years ago, the Farm Equipment Association of Minnesota and South Dakota was quoted as saying, “Despite all our achievements, we owe our existence to a 6-inch layer of topsoil.” It makes perfect sense because this critical half-foot of dirt is where plants access moisture and nutrients.
Kale is a popular superfood but why pay the high price for organic greens at the market? You can easily grow your own kale, even without much gardening experience. This is one of the most foolproof vegetables you can grow. It’s even possible to get several harvests throughout the summer and fall for an abundance of kale.
When you finally find a vegetable that is easy to grow and produces a prolific harvest, it is tempting to plant rows upon rows of that particular plant. However, this can often lead to a boring palate when you end up having to eat the same vegetable day in day out.
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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