Top Five Perennial Vegetables

top five - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about top five, i was write this article for sharing Article organic gardening, Article Perennial, Article top five, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Top Five Perennial Vegetables
link : Top Five Perennial Vegetables

top five

In one of our earlier article we have stressed on some points on the importance of growing perennial vegetables. There are so many vegetables which can be grown as perennials. Here in this article we will give you five of the most common perennials which are our favourite also. So here is a list of our fav five:

1. Papaya: A good choice as a fruit and also as vegetable (the raw ones). A papaya plant can produce more than 100 kgs of fruit in a year. They can be grown from seeds as well as through vegetation.
   
2. 
   Garlic: Though in most of the places garlic is grown as annuals it is basically a perennial plant. It is one of the healthiest vegetable you can get in the nature. 
   
    
3. Groundnut: Apart from their perennial features they are also known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. The edible part of the plant is tubers. You can easily grow them by sowing tubers in moist soil.
   
   
4.  Sweet Potato: Apart from the roots of the plant leaves are also edible and are used in many parts of the world. The leaves are much more enriched in protein than the tubers.
   
   
5. Bitter Melon: as the name suggests they are bitter in taste. Their immature fruits are the most consumed part of the plant. They growing techniques are more or less similar to that of growing cucumbers.

This is a short list of our favourites. Which one do you grow? Share your experience with us.

If you liked the article share with your friends. You can use the sharing tool below:

In one of our earlier article we have stressed on some points on the importance of growing perennial vegetables. There are so many vegetables which can be grown as perennials. Here in this article we will give you five of the most common perennials which are our favourite also. So here is a list of our fav five:

1. Papaya: A good choice as a fruit and also as vegetable (the raw ones). A papaya plant can produce more than 100 kgs of fruit in a year. They can be grown from seeds as well as through vegetation.
   
2. 
   Garlic: Though in most of the places garlic is grown as annuals it is basically a perennial plant. It is one of the healthiest vegetable you can get in the nature. 
   
    
3. Groundnut: Apart from their perennial features they are also known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. The edible part of the plant is tubers. You can easily grow them by sowing tubers in moist soil.
   
   
4.  Sweet Potato: Apart from the roots of the plant leaves are also edible and are used in many parts of the world. The leaves are much more enriched in protein than the tubers.
   
   
5. Bitter Melon: as the name suggests they are bitter in taste. Their immature fruits are the most consumed part of the plant. They growing techniques are more or less similar to that of growing cucumbers.

This is a short list of our favourites. Which one do you grow? Share your experience with us.

If you liked the article share with your friends. You can use the sharing tool below:

5 Tips to faster decomposition

top five - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about top five, i was write this article for sharing Article compost, Article composting, Article current trends in gardening, Article top five, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : 5 Tips to faster decomposition
link : 5 Tips to faster decomposition

top five

We have discussed about compost earlier also. This article will focus on some of the steps which will improve the decomposition speed of the pile. Now one of the headache people feel when doing composting is that most of the time they do not get desired result. Here we will give you some simple but very important steps which you can take to improve the decomposition speed drastically. It will also result in good quality compost. So let’s start:

Chopping and shredding: The first thing to remember is to chop the ingredients into finer pieces. The finer the materials easier it is to decompose. Chopping and shredding increases the surface area of the pile and make the microbes work faster than in normal condition.

Use Proper mix of Brown and green materials: We have discussed about various composting ingredient in our earlier article. It is essential that you choose your ingredients wisely. Ingredients such as dry leaves, saw dust, wooden chips etc are generally rich in carbon (C). They are also called the brown ingredients. On the other hand kitchen scraps, grass clippings, fresh cow dung etc is rich in Nitrogen (N). A proper mix of Carbon and nitrogen in the pile is a prerequisite which will increase the speed of decomposition.

Moisture: Moisture is very essential for the smooth decomposition of the pile. But while adding water you need to be careful not to exceed the limit. Too much or too little moisture will dampen the whole process. Generally if your pile contains more than 60% water it will result in stinky anaerobic oxidation whereas less than 35% water means it will not decompose properly as the microbes will not be able to continue their metabolism process. Though it is not possible to measure the moisture to such an accuracy the thumb rule of moisture is that you make sure that your pile has water contents that of a “wrung sponge”.

Keep them moving: It is one of the key to proper decomposition. Remember cooking? You just cannot leave the vegetables on oven with keep stirring. The same logic applies here. If you do not stir them frequently most of the pile will not get decomposed. The best principle is to turn the pile every 3 days. Take the material from the center of the pile and replace the center with lesser composted materials on the other sides of the pile. Moving the pile helps in better air circulation and proper distribution of the microbes through out the pile which results in faster decomposition.

Add microbes: Microbes are the main cause for decomposing your pile. If you make a new pile and perform the above actions properly you will get microbes inside the pile within few days. You can definitely fasten the process by adding a bit of decomposed material from your earlier compost. It will provide the pile with instant microbes which will proliferate much more quickly and also make the decomposition faster.

So do you follow these steps? If not, try applying them to your pile and see the result. Share your experience in composting with us. 



If you like the article use the following sharing tools share the article with others:

We have discussed about compost earlier also. This article will focus on some of the steps which will improve the decomposition speed of the pile. Now one of the headache people feel when doing composting is that most of the time they do not get desired result. Here we will give you some simple but very important steps which you can take to improve the decomposition speed drastically. It will also result in good quality compost. So let’s start:

Chopping and shredding: The first thing to remember is to chop the ingredients into finer pieces. The finer the materials easier it is to decompose. Chopping and shredding increases the surface area of the pile and make the microbes work faster than in normal condition.

Use Proper mix of Brown and green materials: We have discussed about various composting ingredient in our earlier article. It is essential that you choose your ingredients wisely. Ingredients such as dry leaves, saw dust, wooden chips etc are generally rich in carbon (C). They are also called the brown ingredients. On the other hand kitchen scraps, grass clippings, fresh cow dung etc is rich in Nitrogen (N). A proper mix of Carbon and nitrogen in the pile is a prerequisite which will increase the speed of decomposition.

Moisture: Moisture is very essential for the smooth decomposition of the pile. But while adding water you need to be careful not to exceed the limit. Too much or too little moisture will dampen the whole process. Generally if your pile contains more than 60% water it will result in stinky anaerobic oxidation whereas less than 35% water means it will not decompose properly as the microbes will not be able to continue their metabolism process. Though it is not possible to measure the moisture to such an accuracy the thumb rule of moisture is that you make sure that your pile has water contents that of a “wrung sponge”.

Keep them moving: It is one of the key to proper decomposition. Remember cooking? You just cannot leave the vegetables on oven with keep stirring. The same logic applies here. If you do not stir them frequently most of the pile will not get decomposed. The best principle is to turn the pile every 3 days. Take the material from the center of the pile and replace the center with lesser composted materials on the other sides of the pile. Moving the pile helps in better air circulation and proper distribution of the microbes through out the pile which results in faster decomposition.

Add microbes: Microbes are the main cause for decomposing your pile. If you make a new pile and perform the above actions properly you will get microbes inside the pile within few days. You can definitely fasten the process by adding a bit of decomposed material from your earlier compost. It will provide the pile with instant microbes which will proliferate much more quickly and also make the decomposition faster.

So do you follow these steps? If not, try applying them to your pile and see the result. Share your experience in composting with us. 



If you like the article use the following sharing tools share the article with others:

Edible flowers

top five - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about top five, i was write this article for sharing Article growing flowers, Article top five, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Edible flowers
link : Edible flowers

top five

Flowers are generally not for eating they are left so that you can grow vegetables which are generally much tastier. Having said that; there are some flowers which are definitely worth eating. The reason may be that in not in all cases these flowers develop any tasty fruit. Or in some cases they can be added to you cuisine to add a different tinge to the taste buds. Though there are many vegetables which are biologically flowers, like cauliflower or broccoli but we have not added them here as they are considered more of a vegetable than flower.

This article is about flower which may not be popular vegetables but you can definitely use them as for some change in your cuisine. Some of the flowers which you can eat are:




Squash flower: All squash flower are edible. You can use both summer and winter squash flowers for stuffing and other type of cooking. Plants such as Zucchini are famous for their large sized edible flowers.

Nasturtium: Young flowers can be used in salads. It has pepper and slightly spice tasty. Apart from the flowers you can also use the leaves for eating purpose.

Borage: Borage flower taste like cucumber. You can add this to salads drinks etc.

Marigold: they are called poor man’s saffron. You can use the petals to color your dishes. They can also be used as a garnish on salads.

Rose: The petals of roses are used in many Indian dishes. Those fragrant petals always add the special aroma to the food. Click here to know more on rose gardening.

Basil, chives, dill, fennel, and arugula: These flowers are all aromatic and can be used in the food for flavor or color.

Here are a few tips on edible flowers:

Feed the plants once the first bud appears. Plants such as roses need a good caring. If you are planning to grow roses check out our tips on rose growing.
Choose the compost ingredients which are rich in Potassium (K) and Phosphorous (P).
Use much to control weeds and retain enough water into the soil.
Do not eat any flower on which any pesticide or chemical has been applied.
Not every flower is edible. Some can even be toxic. Use the scientific naming process to select your flower.


What is your favorite edible flower? Share your experience. Use the comment box below:

Flowers are generally not for eating they are left so that you can grow vegetables which are generally much tastier. Having said that; there are some flowers which are definitely worth eating. The reason may be that in not in all cases these flowers develop any tasty fruit. Or in some cases they can be added to you cuisine to add a different tinge to the taste buds. Though there are many vegetables which are biologically flowers, like cauliflower or broccoli but we have not added them here as they are considered more of a vegetable than flower.

This article is about flower which may not be popular vegetables but you can definitely use them as for some change in your cuisine. Some of the flowers which you can eat are:




Squash flower: All squash flower are edible. You can use both summer and winter squash flowers for stuffing and other type of cooking. Plants such as Zucchini are famous for their large sized edible flowers.

Nasturtium: Young flowers can be used in salads. It has pepper and slightly spice tasty. Apart from the flowers you can also use the leaves for eating purpose.

Borage: Borage flower taste like cucumber. You can add this to salads drinks etc.

Marigold: they are called poor man’s saffron. You can use the petals to color your dishes. They can also be used as a garnish on salads.

Rose: The petals of roses are used in many Indian dishes. Those fragrant petals always add the special aroma to the food. Click here to know more on rose gardening.

Basil, chives, dill, fennel, and arugula: These flowers are all aromatic and can be used in the food for flavor or color.

Here are a few tips on edible flowers:

Feed the plants once the first bud appears. Plants such as roses need a good caring. If you are planning to grow roses check out our tips on rose growing.
Choose the compost ingredients which are rich in Potassium (K) and Phosphorous (P).
Use much to control weeds and retain enough water into the soil.
Do not eat any flower on which any pesticide or chemical has been applied.
Not every flower is edible. Some can even be toxic. Use the scientific naming process to select your flower.


What is your favorite edible flower? Share your experience. Use the comment box below:

Top Five Aquaponics Fish for The Fish Tank

top five - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about top five, i was write this article for sharing Article Aquaponic gardening, Article organic gardening, Article top five, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Top Five Aquaponics Fish for The Fish Tank
link : Top Five Aquaponics Fish for The Fish Tank

top five

In our earlier article we have given you an elementary idea about Aquaponics system and basics of Aquaponics Design. To extend our discussion here, in this article we will give you an idea about the various Aquaponics Fish which you can grow in the system. Though you can grow almost any fish you want, we recommend that you stick with fresh water fishes as most of the vegetables don’t like salt water.


So here is top five Aquaponics fish of our choice:

1.    Tilapia: Tilapia is a warm water fish. Ideal temperature ranges from 70 to 85 degree F. The best part of growing tilapia is that most of the varieties are resistant to diseases and pests and can survive low oxygen  level also. Tilapia grows very fast and can reach a weight of 1 kilo in 6 to 8 months. A downside of the story is in some places growing tilapia is prohibited. So if you plan to grow them first check the rule book of your country.

2.    Koi: They can survive in a high variety of water temperature (ranging from 30 to 80 degree F). They are brightly colored and can be considered as ornamental fish. Over time they grow whiskers around their mouth and can grow really large. Koi are very tasty and you can definitely use them as food. They are generally expensive compared to other fishes.

3.    Catfish: They are bottom dwellers; meaning they remain in the bottom of the tank. They are warm water (love temperature of 60 to 80 degree F) fish. The mature fish can reach a length of 18 inches and can weight up to 1and half kilos. Use a fish tank whose diameter is at least 4 feet if you are planning to grow catfish. It doesn’t have any scales and is a good choice if you are planning to eat your fish. A mature catfish can feed an entire family. A word of caution: some of the catfishes have spines on their fins; so be careful while harvesting.

4.    Goldfish: Goldfish are cultured mostly for ornamental purposes and less for eating due to their fantastic color varieties and body types. They like the water temperature same as the catfishes. They can reach up to 10 inches in length. They are very social and love interacting with humans. Goldfishes release a lot of ammonia into the water which is why it is a great choice for the Aquaponic system.

5.    Trout: This is a cold water (ranges from 50 to 65 degree F) fish. They are delicious and thus used mostly for eating purpose. These fishes are carnivorous.  For growing trout you are required to provide them a lot of oxygen and quality water. Some people prefer to grow trout in the winter and some warm water fish during the summer seasons.


Here are some points to remember:

1.     Don’t mix herbivorous and carnivorous fishes together. Otherwise you will be left with only one variety of the fish in the tank.

2.    Don’t mix warm and cold water fishes.

3.    Maintain the proper temperature inside the fish tank.


<<<How to improve your vegetable production nearly 10 times by using all organic methods>>>



We hope you enjoyed the article. Please share your views by using the comment box below.

Related articles about Aquaponics:

Aquaponics System: Know the basics of Aquaponics Design

Advantages of Aquaponics System
Aquaponics System: 5 Steps To Success

Video: Preparing Aquaponics Fish Tank | Aquaponics Design A Step by Step Guide

In our earlier article we have given you an elementary idea about Aquaponics system and basics of Aquaponics Design. To extend our discussion here, in this article we will give you an idea about the various Aquaponics Fish which you can grow in the system. Though you can grow almost any fish you want, we recommend that you stick with fresh water fishes as most of the vegetables don’t like salt water.


So here is top five Aquaponics fish of our choice:

1.    Tilapia: Tilapia is a warm water fish. Ideal temperature ranges from 70 to 85 degree F. The best part of growing tilapia is that most of the varieties are resistant to diseases and pests and can survive low oxygen  level also. Tilapia grows very fast and can reach a weight of 1 kilo in 6 to 8 months. A downside of the story is in some places growing tilapia is prohibited. So if you plan to grow them first check the rule book of your country.

2.    Koi: They can survive in a high variety of water temperature (ranging from 30 to 80 degree F). They are brightly colored and can be considered as ornamental fish. Over time they grow whiskers around their mouth and can grow really large. Koi are very tasty and you can definitely use them as food. They are generally expensive compared to other fishes.

3.    Catfish: They are bottom dwellers; meaning they remain in the bottom of the tank. They are warm water (love temperature of 60 to 80 degree F) fish. The mature fish can reach a length of 18 inches and can weight up to 1and half kilos. Use a fish tank whose diameter is at least 4 feet if you are planning to grow catfish. It doesn’t have any scales and is a good choice if you are planning to eat your fish. A mature catfish can feed an entire family. A word of caution: some of the catfishes have spines on their fins; so be careful while harvesting.

4.    Goldfish: Goldfish are cultured mostly for ornamental purposes and less for eating due to their fantastic color varieties and body types. They like the water temperature same as the catfishes. They can reach up to 10 inches in length. They are very social and love interacting with humans. Goldfishes release a lot of ammonia into the water which is why it is a great choice for the Aquaponic system.

5.    Trout: This is a cold water (ranges from 50 to 65 degree F) fish. They are delicious and thus used mostly for eating purpose. These fishes are carnivorous.  For growing trout you are required to provide them a lot of oxygen and quality water. Some people prefer to grow trout in the winter and some warm water fish during the summer seasons.


Here are some points to remember:

1.     Don’t mix herbivorous and carnivorous fishes together. Otherwise you will be left with only one variety of the fish in the tank.

2.    Don’t mix warm and cold water fishes.

3.    Maintain the proper temperature inside the fish tank.


<<<How to improve your vegetable production nearly 10 times by using all organic methods>>>



We hope you enjoyed the article. Please share your views by using the comment box below.

Related articles about Aquaponics:

Aquaponics System: Know the basics of Aquaponics Design

Advantages of Aquaponics System
Aquaponics System: 5 Steps To Success

Video: Preparing Aquaponics Fish Tank | Aquaponics Design A Step by Step Guide

Top Five Companion Plants For Tomatoes

top five - Looking for Aquaponics And Hydroponics Systems Today i will give you some info about top five, i was write this article for sharing Article companion planting, Article Tomato, Article top five, I hope this article very helpfull for you

Judul : Top Five Companion Plants For Tomatoes
link : Top Five Companion Plants For Tomatoes

top five

Here in this article we will give you some of the best choices for companion plants of tomatoes. As a companion plant they provide one or more than one of the benefits to the tomato plants like:

1.    Reduce pests
2.    Improve health and flavor
3.    Reduce diseases
4.    Help in pollination

We have discussed about the basic of companion planting in our earlier article. So if you have missed that by any chance you can find it by clicking here. There are so many plants which can act as a companion to the tomato plants but here in this article we have chosen our top five.

Best Companion Plants For Tomatoes

Marigold:

These brightly colored flowered plants are known to everybody for their pungent smell. And surely you can use them to deter pests. It is a best controller for the nematodes (More on nematodes in this article).

How To Grow Marigolds

They produce a substance called alpha-terthienyl which reduces the root knot nematodes in the soil. The best way to do it is to first grow the plant and at the end of the season chop and till them into the soil. Apart from nematodes, slugs, worms and other garden pests can be reduced by planting Marigold plants along with Tomatoes.

Spinach/Lettuce:

Planting Basil, Spinach or Lettuce along with tomatoes can greatly increase the taste of tomatoes. You can also save a lot of space by planting them in union. It increases the rate of pollination for both the plants. As a “cherry on the top of the cake”, it also saves your tomato plants from whiteflies, mosquitoes, aphids etc. Being larger in size tomato plants also provide shades for these leafy vegetables.

Carrots:

As they say: “Carrots love Tomatoes”. Carrots share the space well with tomatoes. The roots of the carrot break up the soil very well. So if you have planted it along with tomatoes, the tomato plant can take nutrients, water etc very easily. It is also helpful in harvesting. Plant the carrots when the tomatoes are very tiny and they will be ready to be harvested by the time tomato plants require more space to proliferate.

Carrots Love Tomatoes Best book on Companion Planting

 

Onions/Garlic:

Onions and garlic are natural deterrent of pests. This is due to their pungent odor. Planting them along with tomatoes will definitely reduce your pest management cost. They are a good option if your tomatoes are infested with spider mites. Planting garlic cloves around tomato plants is like providing a natural insecticide to the plant. 

Borage:

Borage protects tomatoes from the hornworms. Growing borage along with tomatoes can help deterring the worms and keep your tomatoes healthy. Borage also has a fresh flavor to it so you can use the smaller leaves to salads or refreshing drinks. Besides tomatoes you can also use borage as a companion plant with Cabbage to deter cabbage worms.

For more ideas about companion plants of tomatoes see the video below.



We hope you have liked the article. We look forward to your comments regarding the article. Also feel free to share this along with your friends:

Here in this article we will give you some of the best choices for companion plants of tomatoes. As a companion plant they provide one or more than one of the benefits to the tomato plants like:

1.    Reduce pests
2.    Improve health and flavor
3.    Reduce diseases
4.    Help in pollination

We have discussed about the basic of companion planting in our earlier article. So if you have missed that by any chance you can find it by clicking here. There are so many plants which can act as a companion to the tomato plants but here in this article we have chosen our top five.

Best Companion Plants For Tomatoes

Marigold:

These brightly colored flowered plants are known to everybody for their pungent smell. And surely you can use them to deter pests. It is a best controller for the nematodes (More on nematodes in this article).

How To Grow Marigolds

They produce a substance called alpha-terthienyl which reduces the root knot nematodes in the soil. The best way to do it is to first grow the plant and at the end of the season chop and till them into the soil. Apart from nematodes, slugs, worms and other garden pests can be reduced by planting Marigold plants along with Tomatoes.

Spinach/Lettuce:

Planting Basil, Spinach or Lettuce along with tomatoes can greatly increase the taste of tomatoes. You can also save a lot of space by planting them in union. It increases the rate of pollination for both the plants. As a “cherry on the top of the cake”, it also saves your tomato plants from whiteflies, mosquitoes, aphids etc. Being larger in size tomato plants also provide shades for these leafy vegetables.

Carrots:

As they say: “Carrots love Tomatoes”. Carrots share the space well with tomatoes. The roots of the carrot break up the soil very well. So if you have planted it along with tomatoes, the tomato plant can take nutrients, water etc very easily. It is also helpful in harvesting. Plant the carrots when the tomatoes are very tiny and they will be ready to be harvested by the time tomato plants require more space to proliferate.

Carrots Love Tomatoes Best book on Companion Planting

 

Onions/Garlic:

Onions and garlic are natural deterrent of pests. This is due to their pungent odor. Planting them along with tomatoes will definitely reduce your pest management cost. They are a good option if your tomatoes are infested with spider mites. Planting garlic cloves around tomato plants is like providing a natural insecticide to the plant. 

Borage:

Borage protects tomatoes from the hornworms. Growing borage along with tomatoes can help deterring the worms and keep your tomatoes healthy. Borage also has a fresh flavor to it so you can use the smaller leaves to salads or refreshing drinks. Besides tomatoes you can also use borage as a companion plant with Cabbage to deter cabbage worms.

For more ideas about companion plants of tomatoes see the video below.



We hope you have liked the article. We look forward to your comments regarding the article. Also feel free to share this along with your friends: