Raised Garden Beds: How To Build A Bed in 4 Simple Steps

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Raised garden beds are always a good option for Gardening. Though it might sound...

Raised garden beds are always a good option for Gardening. Though it might sound pretty troublesome to prepare garden bed it is not that tough. This article will put some light on Garden bed preparation.

The first thing you need to do to make a raised garden bed is to kill the weeds in the area you have planned your bed. The best way to do this is to first till the area with a tiller or plough it (in case the area is larger).

Next add a thick layer of compost and till again. You can also add layers of newspaper or cardboard to cover the area before tilling the soil.

It will kill most of the weeds in the first place. Weeds which have deep roots or runners can be killed easily by this process.

After covering the area with compost add some water to the soil and till it a bit. This will make the weed seed (which are present in the soil) to germinate. Once they germinate, till it once more.

This total process of watering and tilling you need to follow quite a few times. After making sure that there are no more weed seeds present in the soil, you can use your vegetable or other plants. Try not to use seeds at first and go for transplanting in the first year. After that you can use seeds as per your likings.

Another way to get instant garden bed is to cover the whole area with the topsoil bags which are readily available in any garden store. Try not to use cheap quality product but go for the company which is known for their product quality.

Cut one or two areas of each bag and plant your seedling or seeds there. After covering the whole area with topsoil bags, cover the exposed plastic area of the

bag with thick layer of Mulch. Now you have it, your own garden bed.

This type of permanent raised bed gardening is always helpful and it also makes the surrounding soil much more fertile and healthier. Raised beds warm up faster than normal soil. The best part about garden beds is you can make it any size you want. Keep enough space for walking, beside the garden beds and never walk on the beds.

Keep adding composts at regular intervals. It will keep the beds fertile. First year it is recommended to add 4 to 6 inches of compost. In the subsequent years ½ inch of compost will be enough to provide the required nutrition to the plants.


Have you prepared you garden beds yet? Share your experiences with us.

Things To Avoid In a Compost Pile

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In our earlier article we have discussed on the various ingredients which you can add to the compost pile. Now as we know most of the products which we can see around us can be composted. But to make the process of composting smooth and to prevent any unwanted impacts on the plants we should shun some elements in the process of composting. In this article we will discuss some of them.

Coal/Charcoal:

Avoid coal or charcoal ashes. They are known for their slow decaying rate. This is the reason why archaeologist used charcoals for calculating age of ancient and prehistoric materials which are more than thousand years old. So when our basic purpose is to decompose the materials quickly, it makes sense to avoid such material. Besides coals some times contains excessive amount of sulfur and iron which can be toxic to most of the plants. So just to fill the gap created by shrinking of the compost pile don’t add charcoal or coal ash. The impact might not be as good as you have predicted.

Colored Papers:

Colored, glossy papers usually contains chemicals which some time infested with heavy metals such Lead or Mercury. These chemicals can be very lethal to the well being of the plant as well as for the person who will consume the crop. Though now a days governments around the world have made strict laws to prevent the use of heavy metals in the production of color pigments, we are never quite sure about the contains. So if you are interested in using papers, use the white ones. Paper is basically cellulose so it will break down slowly. Add the paper in small amount and prevent it from forming a layer by spreading them through out your compost pile.

Diseased Plants:

It is basically a common sense to avoid diseased plants or part of them. The pathogens present in the plants can some time survive the heat generated by the compost pile and then it can cause fresh attack on the plants where you are putting your compost. Potato tubers which are affected by wart diseases or the stalks affected by sclerotia should not be put inside the pile. Cabbages affected by club root, celery leaves with blight, onions with mildew are some of the example of the diseased plants which are very hard to destroy and only an “ideal compost pile” provide the necessary condition to destroy these pathogenic organisms. So if you have any doubt about the steady heating of the your compost pile it is better to avoid these plants.    

Pet Droppings:

Cats and dogs droppings contain disease causing pathogens. Cat droppings in particular contains nematodes and other parasites which can enter through mouth and can cause eye or brain diseases. This is also the reason why children and pregnant women are advised not to handle cat litter.

Non-biodegradable Items:

As the name suggests they are not going to get decomposed in the pile. Materials such as plastic, aluminum and other metals, glass, synthetic fibers etc. are not going to add any value to your compost heap. They though, are not necessarily toxic to the plant but it will remain as it is and would be of no help in the composting process. Real rubber is though organic in origin and biodegradable, the rate of degradation is pretty slow. So it should also be avoided.

Sludge:

If you live in a place where there is little or no industry, the sludge from your sewage is may be safe to use in the compost. None the less, it is not a very good idea to use sludge in your compost. Most of the time the toxic materials get infested in the sludge and can cause disaster for your garden. Most of the gardening experts also recommends not to use them. If you are getting treated sludge which are available commercially in different garden centers you may use it but make sure these are treated under EPA’s(environmental Protection Agency) guidance.

Toxic Chemicals:

Never put insecticides or pesticides inside the compost pile. It will kill those organisms which conduct the process of composting. And as an organic gardener we should always be at a safe distance from those hazardous chemicals.

I hope you liked this article. Post your thoughts in the comment box.

Growing Cauliflower: Some Important Points

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Most of the people are really not sure about growing Cauliflower in their garden....

Most of the people are really not sure about growing Cauliflower in their garden. Some might think it is too difficult for a beginners to try their hands on cauliflower and only an experienced gardener can come up with  great results. Though I agree that it is not as easier as some of the other vegetables which I have discussed earlier, it is also not a very hard nut to crack. Follow the points discussed in this article and I am sure you will not be disappointed.

 

Though primarily it is a cool weather crop, they are very sensitive to extreme temperature so it is sensible to start with a transplant. In case you want to start with seed plant them indoors in coconut coir or other media and make the seedling and then transplant in the garden. Using paper pot also helps preventing root disturbance while transplanting.

A pH of 6.5 to 7 is best for cauliflower. Just like Cabbage, Cauliflower also flourish in nitrogen and potassium rich soil. A little bit of organic matter from time to time will definitely help the plant. Make the soil loose up to a depth of 15 inch by using a tiller and mix 2.5 inch layer of compost with it. Plant the seedlings 20 inches apart. Like most of the vegetables it also require minimum 6 hours of direct sunlight everyday.

Make sure your soil has enough moisture. Don’t wait for the soil to dry out before giving water(want to perfect your watering techniques? Check out this article). This will cause the head to open up and become unpalatable. Whereas constant moisture would make large but tender head. A thick layer of mulch will also help to keep the moisture intact for longer period of time.

Once the head(also called “curd”) become the size of an egg, it is important to cover it(also called blanching) and protect it from the direct sunlight. This is important because it will make your cauliflower milky white in appearance. Missing this step can cause brown or yellow head, which may not taste so bad but definitely less aesthetic visually(don’t cover the heads in case you are using colorful varieties of cauliflower or it is of the self blanching type). While covering use plant’s own leaves, and tie them up using a rubber band or plastic tape. While covering the head don’t forget to leave some space for air circulation and future growth. Make sure the leaves you are using for covering the head is not wet. Otherwise it can cause rotting. So it is better to cover the head in the afternoon when the plants are usually dry. From time to time unwrap the covering to check on the growth of the head and any possible pest attack.

Cauliflower matures within 50 to 60 days. Though it depends on the variety of the plant, generally a mature head ranges from 6 to 10 inches in diameter. Once you find your desired size cut them with sharp knife below the head with some leaves to protect the head. Though it is best to eat right after the harvest, you can also store them well. Cover it with perforated plastic bags and put it in the refrigerator. For more on “storing vegetables” check out our earlier blog.

Storing Your Vegetables: You Must Know the Basics

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Storing of vegetables properly is a very important part of practicing gardening. Though we are doing very well in gardening, the importance of storing of vegetables can’t be ignored. All our efforts for producing good quality crops will be wasted if the vegetables are not stored properly. This article will give you some tips on how you can store your garden yield.

While storing fresh vegetables 2 main points you need to take into consider.

1. Water loss
2. Respiration rate

The meaning of proper storage is to place the harvested vegetables in an environment where essential life processes like respiration can continue in a very slow rate and the water loss can be minimal.

Preventing water lossis one of the important factors in storing vegetables. Water loss can cause wilted and dull looking vegetables. Storing in low temperature with high humidity will prevent the vegetables from loosing water.

Respiration of the vegetable is another reason which you need to take into consideration while storing. The rate of respiration varies with the water content of the vegetables. For example at a given temperature leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce will respire more than potato or carrots. The rate is also higher in immature vegetables.

During respiration oxygen is absorbed and sugar present within the cells breaks down into energy, carbon Di oxide, water and heat.  For keeping the vegetables in a proper edible condition the respiration level should be held at very low level. You can slow down the respiration level by reducing the oxygen level.  This is done by keeping the vegetables in perforated plastic bags or by covering the pot in which the vegetables are kept. Please don’t use total airtight containers these will stop the respiration process entirely and the vegetables will not be as tasteful as it should be.

We usually store vegetables in refrigerators. The refrigerators keep the temperature usually uniform but the temperature may vary within different compartments. In most of the cases temperature is lowest just beneath the freezer.  This causes the warmer air to circulate around the side. This air is also sometime lower in humidity and thus causes any uncovered vegetables to dry out.

For the storing purposes the vegetables are divided in 4 groups:

Group 1: these vegetables are the most sensitive to temperature and humidity. These have the highest respiration rate and water loss can be huge if not taken proper care. They should be stored in 30-40 deg F and 90% humidity. It can be sub divided into group A and group B.

Group A: Lettuce, Spinach, green onions, Swiss chord etc.

Group B: Broccoli, beet, Cabbage, Celery, Radishes etc.

Group A vegetables are best stored when kept in crisper state and washed before storing. Store Group B vegetables in plastic bags or containers and keep them in the main compartment of the refrigerator.

Group 2: These types of vegetables are little less sensitive to temperature but very sensitive to humidity. Storing these vegetables requires 40-50 deg F temperature and 90-95% humidity. Though most of the time it is not possible to maintain such a customized temperature and humidity, don’t keep these vegetables in refrigerator for more than 7 days.

Vegetables such as Bell peppers, Cucumbers, Squash, ripe Melons etc. are in included in this category.

Group 3: Vegetables such as ripe tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Okra, Eggplants are included in group 3. These vegetables are prone to chilling injury. Ideal temperature for storing is 60 deg F You don’t need to put them inside the refrigerator for storing. Rather it is better to keep them in a cool and dark place.  

Group 4: Dry Garlic, melons are grouped in this group. Store them where there is an absence of direct sunlight.

Another piece of advice, don’t store many ripen food together with fresh vegetables. Ripen fruit emit ethylene gas. It will cause the vegetables to become yellow, sprout the potatoes and cause bitterness in carrots.

Which Container To Use In Container Gardening

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Container gardening these days is very common. Gone are those days when a strip of land was necessary for practicing the wonderful habit called Gardening. Now anybody can start their own garden if he/she has the interest to start. When we talk about container gardening, the most important word is container. Many people have asked me in the past about the containers. What material is good for the plants? is it necessary to plant in earthy pots only? Can we plant in metal containers? So I have decided to write an article on the very basics: About the various containers which you can use for planting.

Following are some of the various materials used for making the containers which we use in container gardening.

Terra cotta: These are good value for money. Usually in reddish orange in color, these can be in found in many color and texture. Their earthy looks make them suitable for almost any garden. The porosity of the material helps the excess moisture to evaporate and allow plant roots to breathe.  To make their water retention capacity better, the unglazed side of the pots is sometime fired with glass like coating. These are waterproof and can hold moisture better than the normal unglazed one.

Plastic pots:Plastic pots are very common these days. They can be found in many shapes and sizes. You can also use your old bottles to plant. They are clean and non-porous and easy to move from one place to another.

Wooden pots: Pots made up from rot resistant red wood or cedar can be useful for planting. They provide very good insulation from weather outside. To prevent the pots form rotting you can also add some sand (at least an inch deep) at the bottom of the container and then put the soil.

Fabric pots: These are ultimate portable containers. These are made up of fabric these are rot proof as they are usually made up of polypropylene. They look much more like terra cotta or wooden containers.

Concrete pots:  You can prepare concrete pots of your own or you can buy it from outside. These are weather resistant and durable. On the other side, these can be heavier than the other pots.

Metal pots:  Pots made up of brass, copper iron etc can look aesthetically very superior.  Many planters use them to enhance the beauty of their gardens. If you are using metal containers it is advisable to keep your containers far from the direct sun light. These containers can get very hot in the sun and can harm the plant. It is also not easy to make drainage hole in the metal containers.

Biodegradable pots: these pots are made up from bio degradable materials like peat moss or coconut coir.  These biodegradable pots are very useful for sensitive plants like Lupins. These pots are designed as such that you can put them into a larger pot. The roots grow through the material and after some time the pot decomposes and thus it minimize the root disturbance.

If you are doing container planting it is a good idea to use self watering containers. We have discussed the basics of seal watering container in our last article. You can find it here. 

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Self-watering Containers: Know the Basics

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I have discussed about the watering techniques in the past. Today’s topic will be an extension to that. It is called “Self Watering Containers”. This topic has been requested by one on our reader. I hope this will clear some doubt in this topic.

Self watering containers are great for gardeners especially in the warmer climate. As the name suggests the pot is made in such a way that you don’t need to keep an eye on the watering of the plant. Rather it takes the water by itself when required.

Self watering containers are little bit different from your regular container pots. They are generally consists of two containers. One is the container where the plant is planted the other one is the water reservoir. The planting container has minimum two holes, one for the overflowing of water and the other one is for placing a wick. The wick connects the planting container with the water reservoir, so it keeps the soil moist.

Once your pot has been prepared, put the soil into the planting pot and water it. The excess water will go out from the pot through the hole. If you want to know more about watering techniques, check out our earlier article on watering techniques.  After planting your seed or transplant in the pot, you add water to the reservoir. Now when the soil of the container will be dry, the water will go from the reservoir to the planting container. It is much more natural way for the plants to soak up the water from the soil rather than to receive it from the top.

You can easily cultivate many perennials, and annual plants in this method. Though many gardeners cannot think about growing vegetables in self watering containers, it can be very easy and beneficial to the crop. Plant such as tomato, cabbage, garlic, carrots, cilantro and other leafy vegetables can be grown easily by this method.

This will enable you to make sure that you don’t need to test the soil for dryness you just need to make sure your reservoir is never goes dry.nects with the water reservoir, so it keeps the soil moist.uots with the water reservoir.

The best plants that thrive in this are those which grow well in moist soil. So it is not a good idea to try this method on plants which are happier to grow in dryer soil.

I am very happy to realize that many of you people have liked my articles and are sending me valuable inputs. I hope this blog will continue to delight you in the future also. If you have any topics which you want to know more about, mentioned them in the comment box below.