Article by M Wilson

There are many advantages to growing plants in water without soil. When growing plants in soil, you eliminate the labor of working with soil and all the soil born pests. Plus you don’t [...]]]> How To Grow Plants In Water The Easy Way

Article by M Wilson

There are many advantages to growing plants in water without soil. When growing plants in soil, you eliminate the labor of working with soil and all the soil born pests. Plus you don’t have to make the plants work as hard to extract water and nutrients form the soil, instead you give it to them directly. Here is the easy way to grow plants in water.

Most plants naturally grow in soil and that is what they are adapted to do, but plants don’t actually require soil. Roots go into the soil to absorb nutrients and water out of it, but they could care less about the soil itself. People have been growing plants in soil for thousands of years, mostly because that was just the way they knew how to do it. But working the ground involves a lot of back breaking labor, or expensive machinery. Not only to till and fertilize the soil, but to also control weeds and other pests. And that is assuming you even have soil worthy of growing anything. In the modern world, many advancements have been made for growing plants in water without a need for soil, from commercial farming to growing a single plant in a jar at home.

One of the biggest problems with growing plants in water is maintaining nutrient levels. With soil, nutrients can get absorbed into the soil where they can be released to the plants over time. But with water only, you have to pay more attention to maintaining proper nutrient levels. This is one reason why hydroponics (growing plants in water without soil) has not caught on as fast as many people expected it to. But there is a form of hydroponics that is quickly becoming very popular because it is such an easy way to make plants grow like crazy, and it is all organic.

Aquaponics is a way to put fish to work for you, and let them take care of all the fertilizing of the plants. Fish are excellent sources of plant nutrients. The waste materials they release into the water through their gills and excrement are full of plant nutrients. And unlike manure and other forms of fertilizer, it is released directly into the water. Friendly bacteria turn these wastes into forms that plant can use, and the plants clean them out of the water like a filter.

If you have ever had a fish tank, you probably know that changing the fish water often or having a filter is important. But with this kind of system, the plants are your filter, so you don’t need a mechanical filter and don’t need to change the water. This is a natural balance that will grow healthy organic plants and will also produce fish, all with much less work than growing plants alone in the soil.

Learn more about aquaponics with this aquaponics how to guide.

About the Author

aquaponics how to

http://TilapiaFarming.org

grow plants in water

Article by Chad Ringer

Herbs can be traced back into the times of the ancient Egyptians and the ancient Chinese. Also references in the Bible and medieval documents that show herbs were used by most households.Herbs [...]]]> Herb Garden Info-Tips to help you grow your own Herbs

Article by Chad Ringer

Herbs can be traced back into the times of the ancient Egyptians and the ancient Chinese. Also references in the Bible and medieval documents that show herbs were used by most households.Herbs were and still are very popular because its variety of uses. Herbs can flavor food and tea, become potpourri, be used for medicinal purposes or to control pests in gardens. The way they are grown can be geared toward these uses. Herb plants can also be raised with other plant species whether indoors or outdoors. Even though one of the more popular uses for herbs is in the culinary world, they are also grown for the beauty of their flowers and their aromatic foliage. Whether they are freshly picked or dried herbs can be used to perk up the flavor of a dish, garnish a plate or add zing to a salad. Herb gardens can be grown in different ways such as an indoor herb garden in the kitchen or a small plot in the garden. A small plot of four feet by six feet is a large enough area to support a small family. Like all plants, herbs grow as annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. When planting herbs it’s important to have well-drained soil. If the soil is too heavy or compacted and organic matter can be added to it, however, fertilizers are not necessary. Even though a sunny location is preferred, many herbs prefer either an afternoon shade or growing in full shade. When beginning an herb garden know that you can both purchase them already started and simply transfer the plants to your garden or containers or you can start the herbs from seeds. Starting them from seeds allows a person to see the plants throughout the whole process. Seeds should be placed in a shallow pot or box in late winter. A light, well-drained soil should be used to grow the seeds. Make sure not to cover the seeds too much because they do not have a deep root base. A good rule to follow is: the finer the seed, the more shallow the soil. Once spring comes, the seedlings can be transplanted. However, dill, fennel, anise, and coriander do not do well with transplanting so these herbs should be planted directly in their intended destinations. Herbs are pretty resilient plants with very few diseases or insects attacking them. Occasionally in dry, hot weather herbs such as dill, caraway, anise, or fennel may have aphids also known as plant lice attach to them. Some of the low-growing plants can be attacked by red spider mites. Mint can be affected by rust. Although growing herbs in a home garden is extremely easy and worthwhile, a lot of information s needed to understand herbs. Hopefully, this article has given you a lift and journeying through the rest of the website will give you all the information you need.

About the Author

Chad Ringer is a writer who specializes in home gardening activities. You can check his latest website at Herb gardening information, where he provides unbiased reviews and advices about growing and caring for a herb garden, including the herb garden plants,growing a herb garden, herb garden kits, Italian herb garden and much more

Article by Salt Magazine – Writer Frances Frangenheim

GULP FRESH AIR, squish your hands in rich soil and feel the sun on your back.

There’s no denying that gardening and good health go hand in hand. Bring people together to garden and [...]]]> Coast gardens grow communities

Article by Salt Magazine – Writer Frances Frangenheim

GULP FRESH AIR, squish your hands in rich soil and feel the sun on your back.

There’s no denying that gardening and good health go hand in hand. Bring people together to garden and just watch the benefits grow.

While community gardens have thrived as a staple village asset in Europe and the United Kingdom since the late 1800s, the first community garden in Australia wasn’t launched until 1977 in Melbourne.

It was thanks to the former Nunawading councillor Dr Gaven Oakley, who thought the local community could benefit from the community garden scheme because older people in the municipality who lived on their own were “a bit lonely” and there “were a lot of kids unemployed with nothing to do”.

The garden thrived because it celebrated the community’s diversity, inviting everyone to get their hands dirty and share in the soil’s bounty. The garden is still going strong today with the people working the plots over the years reflecting Nunawading’s eclectic mix of cultures including Dutch, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese and Chinese.

New community garden projects are springing up every year all around the country and the Sunshine Coast is certainly an avid champion of the concept. Garden groups are thriving in Peregian, Maroochy, Noosa and Yandina, with Buddina next on the cards. The community garden concept kicks many important goals, including lifelong learning, healthy living and food security.

And of course each project naturally tends to bring its members closer together so that gentle friendships are sparked over carrots and aubergines (or whatever is in season, of course). Schools and kindergartens are also getting on the bandwagon – for example, thanks in part to a council grant, Mapleton State School nurtures its own kitchen gardens and orchards so kids learn to enjoy growing healthy food and eating it too.

Community gardens reflect the diversity and dreams of its community – hence the name – so no two gardens are the same. This means there are no rules for how gardens should be run. Peregian’s ‘Veggie Village’ crew nurture their individual garden beds as well as the communal plots and have built a cob oven to make tasty pizzas and other treats at social get-togethers. They’ve also helped rehabilitate the natural spring running alongside their garden, which was strangled by the noxious (but beautiful) Singapore Daisy, and run public workshops to share knowledge with the broader community.

Yandina Community Garden members grow waterwise tropical vegetables for sale to the public for a donation and also run an aquaponics project that produces organic veggies and fish. They also explore different sustainable living projects so, for example, their headquarters runs off solar hot water and photo-voltaic systems, and their sun shelters are made of straw bales. Anyone is welcome to pop in to the education centre to learn more about permaculture and organics.Another interesting twist to the community garden concept is the ‘Urban Orchard’, recently initiated by popular Melbourne community garden, CERES. The Urban Orchard invites members to come together and share their home grown or gleaned surpluses (think: bulging mango trees). Regular events involve a free produce swap as well as workshops run by gurus in useful skills such as jam making or savvy tree pruning.

The idea is to ensure food doesn’t go to waste, to cultivate networks within the neighbourhood, and to share valuable skills in gardening and food preparation. It’s a fresh reminder of just how many different ways there are to bring communities together around the shared joy of fresh food.

Here we look at three of the Sunshine Coast’s community garden projects.

PEREGIAN’S ‘VEGGIE VILLAGE’

http://www.veggievillage.com.au/peregian

Peregian’s residents can in part thank local resident Bruce Molloy’s itchy feet for their community garden. In 2009, Bruce’s career as a graphic designer suddenly lost its shine and in its place he decided to turn his attention to the pleasurable pastime of growing food. The only problem was he didn’t have sound skills in gardening so he thought, ‘I’ll help build a classroom and wait for the teachers’.

He set about talking to people in his community and found kindred amateur green thumbs. Fortunately for the group, the field behind the Peregian Bowls Club was waterlogged and so its plan to become a hockey field was thwarted. The State Government and Sunshine Coast Regional Council granted Veggie Village members a three-year lease on a section of the property and they promptly set about designing their garden to their collective vision.

Bruce says the Veggie Village has a clear mission.

“The idea is to allow people who live in units nearby to grow food and also to teach people with gardens how to grow food so they can take that knowledge home,” he says.

There are about 40 garden beds for individual lease at per year, however some members may only stay for six months until they learn the skills they need to apply to their own kitchen gardens. This allows for new characters to join the group, bringing new skills and renewed vigour to the project.

Members can choose to garden when it suits them individually or to meet to garden together. They can attend the monthly workshops or join the bi-weekly fun working bees to contribute to the communal garden and ask questions of the garden guru. There are also public workshops for adults and kids so everyone can get involved. Bruce credits many local gurus for sharing their knowledge and passion for gardening, including permaculturalists Janet Millington and Alan Atkinson as well as Leonie Shanahan, who often runs children’s courses at the Veggie Village.

COTTON TREE COMMUNITY GARDEN

http://www.maroochync.scc-cooperative.org

As a community coordinator at the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre in Cotton Tree, it’s Mark Ellis’s job to bring people together to build a better neighbourhood. When Mark thought he’d test the water for interest in building a community garden he didn’t expect such a big response.

“There are many units in the area so I saw that people had lost their backyards,” Mark says. “I stuck five flyers up at local shops and wasn’t short of responses.”Sixty people attended the first meeting and planning began immediately.

It took the group just six months to realise their garden and in June this year Cotton Tree’s community garden newly launched in a section of the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre’s property. Members are already enjoying tending to their own one-metre by two-metre allotments at the cost of per week (this money is plugged back into the garden project) while also helping build the communal area of herb spirals and veggie beds for all to pluck from as they please.

“We have 30 individual beds that people use to grow their own food,” Mark says before listing the benefits. “It saves them money and they know what they’re eating. And there are a lot of people who know a lot about gardening so it’s fantastic to watch everyone share their knowledge and chip in to help each other plant and grow their plots.”

Plans are already underway to dedicate a new section of the property over to community gardening to respond to the increasing demand from locals to get involved.

PERMACULTURE NOOSA

http://www.permaculturenoosa.com.au

Permaculture Noosa work to a different model from that of the traditional community garden however it still upholds the values of education, food sharing, food growing and social interaction. The group has been going strong for almost 20 years and currently has more than 200 members on the Sunshine Coast.

Members embark on Permaculture Energy Transfer days, which involve a visit to one another’s properties to tackle planned permaculture gardening activities together. The group enjoy a shared meal afterwards and bask in the mutual satisfaction of helping one of their members build a better herb, veggie, flower garden or orchard for their family to enjoy.

They also meet monthly for workshops and talks, have a seed saving bank to donate to or access, and run an open garden program to tour a member’s properties for gardening tips and inspiration. Recent tours include a trip to Kin Kin to visit Dee Humphries’ edible backyard, which sustains 300 fruit trees, three veggie patches, a large herb garden and chook run. Members also visit gardening guru Elisabeth Fekonia’s beautiful permaculture farm at Black Mountain near Cooroy.

WHAT TO DO

If you think you’d like to help start a community garden in your area, here are some early steps and issues to consider. For more information, visit http://www.canh.asn.auind a comprehensive planning guide of how, why, when and if to start a community garden.

? Anyone can start a community garden. Gardens have been initiated by individuals, groups, school kids, sports clubs and retirees. All it takes is one person with a passion for gardening.

? Ask yourself if you need to start a new community garden. Consider the alternatives – is there a nearby garden already set up that you could help expand? Or would another form of ‘gardening’ be more helpful, for example, gardening collectively in people’s backyards or redistributing fallen fruit from people’s trees?

? Find like-minded people in your community who are willing to form a working group to get the idea off the ground. Talk to your local councillor, your local environment groups or landscapers – there is much local knowledge to build on.

? Have meetings with your working group and develop a shared vision and design for the garden. Make sure you have an experienced facilitator to keep the meeting flowing and to bring the ideas together. Remember, the garden must be a fun place that people of all ages and interests will enjoy visiting. It must reflect and celebrate your community’s diversity.

? Talk to your council. No doubt your council will have already contributed to a community garden in your region. Councils have grants to help with start-up costs and may also be able to help source local land that will benefit from a garden project.

To read more about community gardens or to view the article’s images follow the link:http://saltmagazine.com.au/articles_features_sunshine-coast-gardens-grow-community-peregian.aspx

About the Author

Salt magazine is a quarterly tourism and lifestyle magazine based on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.

Article by Toni Stokane

For thousands and 1000s of years we have ventured into plants we call natural herbs for flavor, dye, perfume and cosmetics. We have believed that each herbs held the capacity to repel insects, evil and [...]]]> Figure Out How To Grow Indoor Plants

Article by Toni Stokane

For thousands and 1000s of years we have ventured into plants we call natural herbs for flavor, dye, perfume and cosmetics. We have believed that each herbs held the capacity to repel insects, evil and vampires, while others attracted an ideal lover, good luck or bees to pollinate our crops. For some, the use of herbal products can cure headaches and burns. And, of course, what would fine dining be with no culinary herbs?

Here are some methods for herb gardening indoors which will simulate the conditions in an outside garden. For Herb gardening inside the growing climates have to be pretty much the comparable to the conditions outside.

Make sure you have a very sunny windowsill that your herbs will like. Use a container which is at least 6-12 inches width deep.

Get your herb plants coming from a good garden center nursery who will have plenty of garden advice that may help you with your inside garden. You will need some garden equipment like a small digging garden tool, garden gloves, organic fertilizer and a few small gardening containers. You probably already have these types of garden supplies in your shed.

Soil is the most important aspect of growing herbs indoors. Use only top grade potting soil with an organic fertilizer blended in. If you think it’s too fine a garden soil, use a little perlite. Fertilize while potting the herbs and they should be happy until spring. If you have an herb that’s not growing vigorously add a little organic liquid fertilizer towards the water.

When you go in order to transplant the herb, go one inch up in the size of the gardening container. If the plant is a two inch cooking pot, go to a several inch gardening container. Leave the roots alone and listen to bruise the stem.

Don’t plant oreganos, mints, lemon balm or bee solution with other plants given that they will overgrow everything. Pot these herbs in the garden container all their unique. You may want in order to always plant those herbs in containers simply because they tend to “take over” the particular garden.

Some people swear you need to put garden stones from the bottom of the growing plants container, but I dispute that will opinion. I feel that the actual garden stones take valuable space far from the herb roots. You might want to put a small piece of wire screening over the hole to keep the idea from getting clogged.

Allow time for your herbs growing used to their new conditions. Once you see growth start using you herbs. Snip and use your current herbs often to encourage them to grow full and bushy.

When it comes for you to light, all herbs must get 2 to 3 hours of sunlight every day on your window sill. If your window doesn’t supply very much light then purchase lawn grow lights and suspend them three inches over the plants. If you live in an hot climate shade the herbs through the hottest periods. If you live in an cold climate keep the herbs far from the cold glass window panes.

When it comes to watering, don’t let the herbs normally dry out but don’t drown these individuals either. Herbs do not love to sit in wet soil. An inexpensive water meter from your garden center nursery may help with this important help growing your herbs. Always use room temperature water in order not to shock.the herb’s roots.

About the Author

Are you looking for top quiality LED Grow lights? Then, visit our website right now!

Article by Tyson Fowler

Most of the common garden vegetables do well with aquaponics, except for a lot of the root vegetables like potatoes, onions, garlic, etc, At least not in floating raft systems. In [...]]]> The Types Of Plants That Grow Well In An Aquaponics System

Article by Tyson Fowler

Most of the common garden vegetables do well with aquaponics, except for a lot of the root vegetables like potatoes, onions, garlic, etc, At least not in floating raft systems. In order to grow these you may need a medium like sand. Growing root crops with aquaponics is possible but they can be tricky in this kind of system.Common fruit bearing vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, squash, peppers, melons, strawberries and even corn if supported will grow beautifully. Leafy greens like lettuce, cabbage and herbs like basil grow amazingly well. Common legumes like beans and peas also do quite well. Viney plants like pole beans and cucumbers are great because they can be rooted in the grow bed, and the rest of the plant can grow off in some direction and take advantage of space and light away from the grow bed.If there is a type of plant that you question whether it will grow well in an aquaponics system, sometimes the best way to know, and also the most fun, is to plant some and give it a try. Seeds are usually relatively cheap to buy and easy to germinate, so give it a try.It is not difficult to design a basic aquaponic system that can be placed indoors or outdoors. The options you have are to purchase a readymade kit or get the components from your local hardware and hobby supply stores and build the unit yourself.What are the components of a basic aquaponics system?

A fish tank with fish, the size you select will be determined by where you locate it and the scope of your system.A grow bed with plants, there is no limit here in terms of what you can grow, it will depend on your goals, the type of water flow and the space you have dedicated to the aquaponics system.A water pump and filtration system, it is vital that a perfect balance be maintained for healthy plants and fish. It is a symbiotic relationship between the fish and the plants.There are several different types of water flow and filtration systems, the type you choose will be determined by the scope of your grow project, the room you have dedicated to the aquaponics system and the amount of time you can dedicate to the maintenance of the system.A very basic system is similar to the a common fish tank you can purchase from a pet store, however since it is a continuous flow system you are limited to growing plants that will thrive in a constant water environment, a good example would be the lettuce plant. Other plants that require more oxygen will develop root rot and not thrive.There are several considerations before starting a aquaponics system:Check to determine with you will need any special permits for aquaculture.You need to use food grade plastics only and other materials for potable water.Plan for the times you may be out of town.Research your source for fish, because you do not want diseased fish!Plan ahead so that you have enough room for your system.The idea of designing an aquaponic system can be very appealing and it certainly makes sense because of all the benefits. But it is wise to do your homework, start small and scale up. It would be wise to invest in an aquaponics guide that will give you step by step detailed instructions and advice.

About the Author

DIY Aquaponics Master – Backyard Fish Farming with Implementation of Growing Methodsaquaponic systems

To grow snap beans, plant each seed in a grid pattern about two inches apart in a raised bed. Keep the soil moist for the best snap beans with helpful information from an organic gardener in this free video on edible gardens.Expert: Ali Reynolds Contact: www.alisorganics.com Bio: Ali Reynolds owns Ali’s Organics where she [...]]]>

To grow snap beans, plant each seed in a grid pattern about two inches apart in a raised bed. Keep the soil moist for the best snap beans with helpful information from an organic gardener in this free video on edible gardens.Expert: Ali Reynolds Contact: www.alisorganics.com Bio: Ali Reynolds owns Ali’s Organics where she sells organic gardening supplies and accessories and raises organic vegetables for sale. Filmmaker: Mike Phillips Series Description: Growing your own vegetables is a great way to maintain a healthy diet, free of preservatives and chemicals. Grow a variety of vegetables in your own backyard with help from an organic gardener in this free video series on edible gardens.

Growing summer squash requires using a fertilizer with a good nitrogen and phosphorous balance, such as a bat guano-based fertilizer. Encourage healthy squash growth with helpful information from an organic gardener in this free video on edible gardens.Expert: Ali Reynolds Contact: www.alisorganics.com Bio: Ali Reynolds owns Ali’s Organics where she sells organic gardening supplies [...]]]>

Growing summer squash requires using a fertilizer with a good nitrogen and phosphorous balance, such as a bat guano-based fertilizer. Encourage healthy squash growth with helpful information from an organic gardener in this free video on edible gardens.Expert: Ali Reynolds Contact: www.alisorganics.com Bio: Ali Reynolds owns Ali’s Organics where she sells organic gardening supplies and accessories and raises organic vegetables for sale. Filmmaker: Mike Phillips Series Description: Growing your own vegetables is a great way to maintain a healthy diet, free of preservatives and chemicals. Grow a variety of vegetables in your own backyard with help from an organic gardener in this free video series on edible gardens.

A fresh take on a traditional salad, this recipe incorporates pea shoots and Romano cheese to give vibrant bursts of flavor to an otherwise ordinary dish. Create healthy, wholesome dishes with helpful hints from an organic gardener in this free video on garden-to-table cooking.

Article by Sarah Rockberg

You might have mainly flower borders and wish you had space to develop vegetables. Properly you could grow vegetables inside your flower borders, Plenty of vegetables are very decorative and generate flowers also. Green beans [...]]]> Grow your Own Vegetables with your Flowers

Article by Sarah Rockberg

You might have mainly flower borders and wish you had space to develop vegetables. Properly you could grow vegetables inside your flower borders, Plenty of vegetables are very decorative and generate flowers also. Green beans for example have a good flower on them (specifically the assortment known as Cobra), in fact at one time they were only grown for their flowers until someone realised you could consume the seeds. So you could place vegetables in a number of the gaps within your flower border, Green beans can add some height growing them over a wigwam of canes and if you plant sweet peas with them they will appear much more decorative also add some height for your borders. Carrots have fern like foilage so you can plant some groups of carrots amonst the flowers this would add some different leave formations and look like ferns expanding among the flowers. Lettuce or Salad leaves are another great option for flower borders as you can get different colours from various leaves. You might edge all your borders with green lettuce which would give a related impact to framing them with box hedging (like you see in some of the huge stately home gardens). Tomatoes and peppers have delicate flowers on them just before the produce fruit and could give height in the back of the garden and add additonal colour towards autumn when they ripen. The choice is only restricted by your imagination (and also the size of the borders of course). Even a tiny raised be could be extremely productive. (A single of the claims from a 1m square raised bed is that you will get 50lb of potatoes from eight tubers, particulars below). If you have a portion with the garden you’re not very positive what to perform with or perhaps a spare corner performing absolutely nothing you can attempting creating a raised bed. A raised be is easy to build in the event you can get the supplies. All you need is some lengths of wood preferrable already treated. You can use some decking boards (occasionally DIY shops sell odd decking boards inexpensive), or scaffold boards should you can get them. There are also suppliers who sell railway sleepers which are excellent for raised beds simply because they’ll final nearly for ever. If you’re not positive the best way to go about creating a raised bed or not confident sufficient to build your own you then can acquire kits at very affordable rates. Beneath are some examples of raised bed kits on the market. You don’t must invest lots of cash to obtain began specifically when you have access to some top quality boards you’ll be able to have two square metres of growing space for beneath 50 dollars. A timber framed raised bed is an appealing addition to any garden or patio and will supply 1 square metre in which to develop a good choice of vegetables. Vegetables to grow properly in raised beds because the soil warms up faster and is kept an a lot more even temperature which helps to produce good, healthful vegetables.

About the Author

You can find high quality but cheap vegetable seeds and lots of growing advice on this fantastic seed website. Among the herbs you can find colourful flower seeds too.

Growing the best yellow squash requires using kelp meal and a well-balanced fertilizer for the most fruitful production. Sprinkle kelp meal over the soil to keep the squash bugs away with helpful information from an organic gardener in this free video on edible gardens.Expert: Ali Reynolds Contact: www.alisorganics.com Bio: Ali Reynolds owns Ali’s Organics [...]]]>

Growing the best yellow squash requires using kelp meal and a well-balanced fertilizer for the most fruitful production. Sprinkle kelp meal over the soil to keep the squash bugs away with helpful information from an organic gardener in this free video on edible gardens.Expert: Ali Reynolds Contact: www.alisorganics.com Bio: Ali Reynolds owns Ali’s Organics where she sells organic gardening supplies and accessories and raises organic vegetables for sale. Filmmaker: Mike Phillips Series Description: Growing your own vegetables is a great way to maintain a healthy diet, free of preservatives and chemicals. Grow a variety of vegetables in your own backyard with help from an organic gardener in this free video series on edible gardens.