Benefits of Organic Farming

What is organic farming?

Organic farming works in harmony with nature rather than against it. This involves using techniques to achieve good crop yields without harming the natural environment or the people who live and work in it. The methods and materials that organic farmers use are summarized as follows:

To keep and build good soil structure and fertility:

• recycled and composted crop wastes and animal manures

• the right soil cultivation at the right time

• crop rotation

• green manures and legumes

• mulching on the soil surface

To control pests, diseases and weeds:

• careful planning and crop choice

• the use of resistant crops

• good cultivation practice

• crop rotation

• encouraging useful predators that eat pests

• increasing genetic diversity

• using natural pesticides

Organic farming does not mean going ‘back’ to traditional methods. Many of the farming methods used in the past are still useful today. Organic farming takes the best of these and combines them with modern scientific knowledge. Organic farmers do not leave their farms to be taken over by nature; they use all the knowledge, techniques and materials available to work with nature. In this way the farmer creates a healthy balance between nature and farming, where crops and animals can grow and thrive.

On an organic farm, each technique would not normally be used on its own. The farmer would use a range of organic methods at the same time to allow them to work together for the maximum benefit. For example the use of green manures and careful cultivation, together provide better control of weeds than if the techniques were used on their own.

8 Benefits of Organic Farming

What would happen if what you’re doing at home with your small organic garden could be reproduced on a mass scale?

Here are eight benefits we might see:

1. The Promotion of Biodiversity

Organic methods such as rotating crops to build soil fertility and naturally raising animals helps to promote biodiversity, which returns health to each species. Organic farms are havens to wildlife, so our ecosystems are improved, as well.

2. The Reduction of Farm Pollution

No, there’s no such thing as “farm smog,” but conventional farms di create their own kind of pollution in the form of chemical pesticide and synthetic fertilizer run-off that harms the areas around them. With these chemicals removed from the equation, organic farming is far more beneficial and less impactful on our environment.

3. The Reduction of Toxic Substances in the Environment

Organic farming is not simply the substitution of approved input materials. It is the replacement of a treatment approach with a process approach to create a balanced system of plant and animal interactions. Over 900 million acres of land subjected to chemicals for fertilizer and pesticides, as well as other substances used in livestock farming. Any reduction of this number would have a benefit to the environment around us.

3. Better-Tasting Food

It’s not just imaginary: organic food actually can taste better than its conventionally farm-raised counterpart. One scientific reason for this is that some organic produce has lower nitrate contents than its non-organic version. This leads to sweeter-tasting fruits that also have been shown to contain higher levels of antioxidants. So it’s not really all in your head. Organic farming can lead to better flavor.

4. Better Soil

A Cornell University study estimates that conventional farming’s dependency on chemical fertilizers destroys topsoil, which generates a $40 billion annual loss. If organic methods were used – instead of chemical fertilizers and ammonia – we would instead see an increase in the healthiness of this topsoil, which in turn would produce fruit and vegetables higher in minerals and micronutrients.

5. Job Creation

The most recent statistics from the Organic Farming Research Foundation indicate that there are more than 10,000 certified organic producers in the United States. Compare that to the nearly 2 million conventional farms. However, the organic farms are more profitable – even though they often require more employees. It’s not difficult to equate the economic benefit and job creation that a shift to organic farming would create.

6. Assisting the Fight Against Climate Change

Because organic farming eschews chemical fertilizers and pesticides, it reduces nonrenewable energy use. It takes considerable amounts of fossil fuel to create the synthetic fertilizers and pesticides used in conventional farming. What’s more, organic farming increases the amount of carbon returned to the soil, which in turn lessens the impact on the greenhouse effect and global warming.

7. Safer Water

The runoff of chemicals from conventional farming seeps into groundwater supplies, and groundwater pollution has become a serious issue. Soil itself is a natural water filter. Organic farming enriches the soil, which not only removes the risk of groundwater pollution but can also act as a way to rehabilitate soil in areas where damage to water supplies has already occurred.

8. Preservation of the Culture of Agriculture

It is said that every culture shares one thing in common: Food. It is a universal celebration. Organic farming celebrates healthfulness and biodiversity. It removes damaging chemical toxins from our environment and our food. That is something to promote and foster!

Good Vegetables For Planter Boxes

Planter boxes give you the benefit of raising organic vegetables right outside your door or window. Rising costs of produce have caused some budget-conscious people to reconsider the money they spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. But at what cost to their health? And the price of organic produce is even higher. You can grow your own vegetables, even without much space. Roots, leafy vegetables, and fleshy vegetables can all grow well in planter boxes, if you choose the right varieties and provide the attention they need.

Root vegetables are edible roots of plants. Vegetables which fall in this category include carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, radishes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Root vegetables can work well in planter boxes, as long as the planters are deep enough. Try carrots and radishes.

Leafy vegetables also can grow well in containers. Lettuce, kale, and Swiss chard will provide a base for healthy salads or will give you some extra crunch in your sandwiches. You can also cook some leafy greens for a hot side dish. Whatever your culinary plans, consider growing your own leafy vegetables in your planter boxes.

Finally, some varieties of fleshy vegetables adapt well to containers. Try fresh cucumbers in your salads or make your own dill pickles. You can also grow eggplant and squash in planter boxes. Certain varieties of tomato work well, as do peppers (both sweet and hot). To obtain further information on which varieties of vegetables grow well in planters, consult an experienced container gardener or the staff members at a greenhouse.

When you grow vegetables in planter boxes, your primary concerns will probably be the nutrients in the soil and the moisture of the soil. Some growers recommend a peat-based potting mix as the best base for your soil. Whatever your preferred soil, you can enrich it with compost. Combine your homemade compost with the soil mix, one part compost to two parts mix.

Plants in containers usually require more frequent watering than plants in the ground because the soil in planter boxes dries out more quickly. You should check the soil surrounding your vegetable plants every day to evaluate the need for a watering. If your plants wilt during the day, or seem to have a dull color, these could be signs that they need more water. Give them a little more water and observe if they perk up.

Watering your vegetables in the morning may allow more water to penetrate the soil. Lower temperatures and less wind equal slower evaporation of the water.

If you enjoy the freshest vegetables, try growing your own. Even if you have little space to devote to growing things, you can grow vegetables in planters. Select vegetables that grow well in containers, or varieties of vegetables bred especially for container gardening. Select roots, leafy vegetables, and fleshy vegetables that you enjoy eating. Consider the best ways you can provide nutritious soil and sufficient water for your vegetable garden. Stick to natural options if you wish to harvest organic vegetables. Start selecting your favorite recipes for your homegrown produce.

Grow Your Own Vegetables

Growing your own vegetables is both fun and rewarding. All you really need to get started is some decent soil and a few plants. But to be a really successful vegetable gardener, and to do it organically, you'll need to understand what it takes to keep your plants healthy and vigorous. Here are the basics.

"Feed the soil" is like a mantra for organic gardeners, and with good reason. In conventional chemical agriculture, crop plants are indeed "fed" directly using synthetic fertilizers.

When taken to extremes, this kind of chemical force-feeding can gradually impoverish the soil. And turn it from a rich entity teeming with microorganisms insects and other life forms, into an inert growing medium that exists mainly to anchor the plants' roots, and that provides little or no nutrition in its own right.

Although various mineral nutrients (agricultural lime, rock phosphate, greensand, etc.) should be added periodically to the organic garden, by far the most useful substance for building and maintaining a healthy, well-balanced soil is organic matter.You can add organic matter to your soil many different ways, such as compost, shredded leaves, animal manures or cover crops.

Organic matter improves the fertility, the structure and the tilth of all kinds of soils. In particular, organic matter provides a continuous source of nitrogen and other nutrients that plants need to grow. It also provides a rich food source for soil microbes. As organisms in the soil carry out the processes of decay and decomposition, they make these nutrients available to plants.

Make Efficient Use of Space

The location of your garden (the amount of sunlight it receives, proximity to a source of water, and protection from frost and wind) is important. Yet just as crucial for growing vegetables is making the most of your garden space.

Lots of people dream of having a huge vegetable garden, a sprawling site that will be big enough to grow everything they want, including space-hungry crops like corn, dried beans, pumpkins and winter squash, melons, cucumbers and watermelons. If you have the room and, even more importantly, the time and energy needed to grow a huge garden well, then by all means go for it. But gardens that make efficient use of growing space are much easier to care for, whether you're talking about a few containers on the patio or a 50-by-100-foot plot in the backyard.

Get Rid of Your Rows

The first way to maximize space in the garden is to convert from traditional row planting to 3 or 4-foot-wide raised beds. Single rows of crops, while they might be efficient on farms that use large machines for planting, cultivating, and harvesting, are often not the best way to go in the backyard vegetable garden. In a home-sized garden, the fewer rows you have, the fewer paths between rows you will need, and the more square footage you will have available for growing crops.

If you are already producing the amount of food you want in your existing row garden, then by switching to raised beds or open beds you will actually be able to downsize the garden. By freeing up this existing garden space, you can plant green manure crops on the part of the garden that is not currently raising vegetables and/or rotate growing areas more easily from year to year. Or you might find that you now have room for planting new crops—rhubarb, asparagus, small fruits, or flowers for cutting—in the newly available space.

Other good reasons to convert from rows to an intensive garden system like raised beds or open beds include:

Less effort. When vegetables are planted intensively they shade and cool the ground below and require less watering, less weeding, less mulching—in other words, less drudge work for the gardener.

Less soil compaction. The more access paths you have between rows or beds, the more you and others will be compacting the soil by walking in them. By increasing the width of the growing beds and reducing the number of paths, you will have more growing area that you won't be walking on, and this untrammeled soil will be fluffier and better for plants' roots.

Grow Up, Not Out

Next to intensive planting, trellising represents the most efficient way to use space in the garden. People who have tiny gardens will want to grow as many crops as possible on vertical supports, and gardeners who have a lot of space will still need to lend physical support to some of their vegetables, such as climbing varieties of peas and pole beans. Other vegetables that are commonly trellised include vining crops such as cucumbers and tomatoes.

The fence surrounding your garden may well do double-duty as a trellis, so long as the crops grown on the fence can be rotated in different years. Other kinds of trellises are generally constructed from either wood or metal. However, no matter which design or materials you use, be sure to have your trellis up and in place well before the plants require its support—preferably even before you plant the crop. With some vegetables, such as tomatoes or melons, you may also have to tie the plants gently to the support, or carefully weave them through the trellis as they grow.

Keep Crops Moving

Crop rotation within the vegetable garden means planting the same crop in the same place only once every three years. This policy ensures that the same plants will not deplete the same nutrients year after year. It can also help foil any insect pests or disease pathogens that might be lurking in the soil after the crop is harvested.

To use a three-year crop rotation system, make a plan of the garden on paper during each growing season, showing the location of all crops. If, like most people, you grow a lot of different vegetables, these garden plans are invaluable, because it can be difficult to remember exactly what you were growing where even last season, much less two years ago. Saving garden plans for the past two or three years means that you don't have to rely on memory alone.

A Continuous Harvest

Planting crops in succession is yet another way to maximize growing area in the garden. All too often, though, gardeners will prepare their seedbeds and plant or transplant all their crops on only one or two days in the spring, usually after the last frost date for their location.

While there is nothing wrong with planting a garden this way, wouldn't it be easier to plant a few seeds or transplants at a time, throughout the course of the whole growing season, rather than facing the herculean task of "getting in the garden" all at one time?

After all, a job almost always becomes easier the more you divide it up. Plan to plant something new in the garden almost every week of the season, from the first cold-hardy greens and peas in late winter or early spring, to heat-loving transplants such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant once the weather becomes warm and settled.

Then start all over again, sowing frost-hardy crops from midsummer through mid-fall, depending on your climate. Keep cleaning out beds as you harvest crops to make room for new vegetables that will take their place. You can even interplant crops that grow quickly (radishes) alongside other vegetables that require a long season (carrots or parsnips), sowing their seeds together. This makes thinning out the bed easier later on, since you will have already harvested the quick-growing crop and given the long-season vegetables that remain some much-needed elbow room.

Another benefit of succession planting, of course, is that your harvest season lasts longer for every crop. This means that, instead of getting buried in snap beans or summer squash as your plants mature all at once, you can stagger plantings to ensure a steady, but more manageable supply of fresh vegetables.

Keep Good Records

Finally, we end up where we started—with the realization that, although vegetable gardening can be rewarding even for beginners, there is an art to doing it well. There is also a mountain of good information and advice from other gardeners available to you. Yet one of the most important ways of improving your garden from year to year is to pay close attention to how plants grow, and note your successes and failures in a garden notebook or journal.

Just as drawing a garden plan each year helps you remember where things were growing, taking notes can help you avoid making the same mistakes again, or ensure that your good results can be reproduced in future years. For instance, write down all the names of different vegetable varieties, and compare them from year to year, so you will know which ones have done well in your garden.

Many people keep a book in their car to record when they change their oil and perform other routine maintenance. In the same way, get in the habit of jotting it down whenever you apply organic matter or fertilizer to the garden, or the dates on which you plant or begin to harvest a crop.

Over time this kind of careful observation and record-keeping will probably teach you more about growing vegetables than any single book or authority. That’s because the notes you make will be based on your own personal experience and observations, and will reflect what works best for you in the unique conditions of your own garden. As in so many other pursuits, so it is in the art of vegetable gardening: practice does make perfect.

5 Organic Foods Every PCOS Woman Should Eat

Here's an article to inform women with PCOS to understand the importance of eating these foods in an organic form. The reason is that these 5 foods that listed below may contain growth hormones, antibiotics, food colorings, etc...

We know that women with PCOS have to avoid all foods with added hormones because of the hormone surge it can create in our body. Remember the secret to getting your PCOS in remission is stabilizing out you hormones and blood sugar levels.

Eating these foods in an organic form required you to seek out stores that carry these foods. Your safest bet is always a health food store, although some grocery stores are starting carry a lot of organic brands as well.

Eating organic does take some work and research to see what stores carry these products in an organic form. But it's well worth the effort. This does not mean that you have to get rid of everything in your refrigerator and replace it with organic; all it simply means is that foods that may contain growth hormones, we should avoid.

In general everyone should, but more importantly woman with PCOS.
.
Try these 5 organic foods the next time you go shopping.
Once you try these foods in an organic form you should notice a cleaner taste, and feel better overall from not ingesting extra hormones into your body.
Try eating these organic foods for a two weeks and see if your body notices a difference.

5 Organic Foods Every PCOS Women Should Eat:

1) For starter's yogurt and/or diary products should be organic. For starters Organic diary products are made without the use of added hormones or antibiotics and can have higher levels of omega-3s. Organic dairy products are not only good for women with PCOS - they can be much less damaging to the environment. So next your reach for a snack in the afternoon, make sure you reach for an organic yogurt and/or diary products.

2) Salads are equally as important as diary to have in an organic state. The reason is conventional salads have some of the highest levels of toxic pesticides. So it's best to choose organic greens. When making your salad, try adding in some extra organic vegetables and boost your intake of antioxidants.

3) Apples are not too missed. Apples also contain toxic pesticides. With that being said its best to have its best to buy organic apples. You may want to start looking up local farmers markets that come to your area so you can stock up on fresh organic fruits and vegetables that don't contain any harmful pesticides.

4) Tomatoes. Yes these colorful round tomatoes are also best when they are organic so you can again avoid all those harmful pesticides. Fresh organic tomatoes are so health for you; they provide your body with lycopene, an antioxidant that may lower cancer and heart disease risks and may do other wonderful things as well.

5) Don't forget your Meat products. Most people don't realize that animals are treated in such an inhumane way; by injecting animals with growth hormones, antibiotics, force fed, etc...that why meat is so important to buy organic. The best quality of meat is from grass fed cows and it's often leaner than other meats and contains more of the good omega 3 fats. Try switching over any of your meats to organic and notice the cleaner, fresher taste.

- Try these delicious ways products in an organic form and notice how much cleaner and fresher your meals will taste.
- Now that you have this information isn't this a great way to spell 'relief' for yourself?

Organic Vegetable Garden Planting Tips

Vegetable garden planting is becoming one of the crazes today, especially since the media is promoting organic foods. However, vegetable garden planting is not just about being “in”. It is also about keeping you and your family healthy by eating only organically grown foods, like vegetables, which are free from artificial fertilizers that take not only the taste away but minutes of your life since artificial fertilizers have been proven to be detrimental to ones’ health in the long run.

If you already have a vegetable garden of your own or planning to grown one, here are some vegetable garden planting tips that you can learn from.

Sun, Sun, and More Sun

Yes, one of the greatest vegetable garden planting tips any vegetable farmer knows is that the vegetable crops need sun, and lots of them. If you already have a vegetable garden, check to see if they get ample sun. If not, then move them to a place where the sun is the brightest.

The Soil Matters

It might not be much, but the soil does matter when it comes to vegetable garden planting. So before you plant your seeds, prepare your soil first. Dig up the soil where you are going to place the beds and break apart any compressed soil. Your vegetable garden will need a good drainage, and by breaking up solid soil, you are promoting good water flow to the roots.

Remove Weeds Earlier

Another vegetable garden planting tip is removing the weeds earlier. Do not wait for the weeds to grow. Remove them now because it will haunt you later if you do not. When removing your weeds, remove the rocks as well. Both of these two can compete for space once your vegetable garden is in bloom.

Know Your Vegetables’ Neighbors

Knowing your vegetables’ neighbors is a great planting tip. It pays to know that some vegetables, when planted close to another kind of vegetable, can inhibit or benefit its neighboring vegetable crop. For example, planting beans next to onions can inhibit the growth of the onions.

Keep Them Near

If you are constantly going to go out and pick vegetables from your garden, you should then plant them nearer your kitchen where you can easily look at them as they grow. If you need anything, it will be easier for you to go out and pick the vegetables that you will be needing for your dishes.

The Basic Planning of an Italian Herb Garden

In order to have the best garden possible, you will want to properly plant it. The Italian herb garden is no exception to this rule. Many people would like to start an herb garden to accompany their cooking. In order to do this, you may need to make some accommodations. Take into consideration light, wind and rain. This allows the plants to get what they need to thrive. It is possible to give every plant what it needs without making others suffer. With the right plan in place, you will be able to enjoy your garden for years to come.

The first thing you will want to do is choose the right land. Herbs grow best when on level ground. The ground itself should not be in a depression. This is because the rain will collect in a pool and drown your plants. Avoid having your plants on a slope, as water will wash away protective topsoil. Remember, the more level the ground is, the more likely your plants will get the right amount of water. Another benefit is the height of your plants can be featured by being on level ground.

The Italian herb garden prefers hot and dry climates. This does not mean to water your plants less. The best idea is to check the seed packet. The climate and humidity levels are usually labeled. You can plant the herbs, which will grow best in your environment. You may want to plant your herbs next to other plants that absorb moisture. Box hedges are great for providing shade and sucking extra moisture out of the air. This is because of the amount of leaves the hedges have.

The height of the plants in your Italian herb garden will determine where they should be planted. Looking on the back of the seed packet tells you how tall they grow. You want to keep in mind the amount of sun the herb will need as well as root structure. Hedges can offer partial shade during the later part of the day. Herbs that are short and require lots of sun need to be planted in shade free areas. Keep in mind not to plant too many shrubs close to each other. They compete for water in the ground. This starves other herbs from the water and nutrients they need.

The soil you plant your Italian herb garden in will make a difference in how well they grow. Herbs prefer soil, which is not hard packed. Loose soil is best when it is low in nutrients and lime. One thing to be careful of is making sure your soil is not water logged after a rain. Make sure your soil is retaining the proper amount of water. You can accomplish this using gravel and sand. This will give you a happy balance for healthier plants. Not only will this allow your herbs to grow, but also it is very attractive.

Making your herbs accessible is another big point in planning. Using what you grow in your Italian herb garden actually helps the plants to survive. The more accessible they are the more likely you are to tend to them. The more you tend to your plants the healthier they will be. The trade off is you will also feel better by getting more involved. The aromas and the activity will be good for your overall health.

Troubleshooting Your Organic Vegetables

You have now planted your own organic vegetable garden and have done everything that you can to get it started. Unfortunately the seeds have not started sprouting or your started seeds have not grown much if it all. Before you throw in the towel and give up on organic gardening there are a few things that you should try.

First of all, have you been hand weeding your garden daily? This might sound like a pain and stupid chore but it could make all the difference in the world. Make a point of visiting your vegetable garden each day and carefully checking for weeds. Do not let the children do it and do not rely on a glance from your back window to tell you whether weeds are growing or not.

Many gardeners have done casual checks and later realized that the sprouts they thought were growing in their garden were really weeds. Make a close inspection each day and weed by hand to make sure the job is thoroughly done. Throw these weeds away do NOT put them into your compost pit. In order to get the best results dedicate 20 minutes each day to pulling weeds.

If you have been weeding your garden each day and your plants still seem to be growing slowly start adding rich, aged, compost to the slow growing vegetables. Many plants just need a helping hand and some vegetables, corn, pumpkins, and squash, all need compost to provide richness and nutrients. Spreading some aged compost from your composts pits will help your vegetables grow properly.

After adding compost to your vegetables every few days leads to no results consider investing in some manure from your local garden supplier. They will often have organic manure on hand for your gardening needs and this will act as a stronger fertilizer than your compost. If you are afraid to try manure you can invest in some aged compost purchased from a nursery first. In many cases your compost pits will only be a few weeks old when you are trying to use them to encourage growth some older compost might just do the trick.

Do not be afraid to increase the amount of water that you are giving your garden. You should be careful not to over water your plants but you want to make sure that your plants are getting enough water to survive and thrive. When you water your plants in the morning always check to see if the soil appears dry. If the soil seems dry one day after watering you might want to consider increasing the amount of water you are giving them. The soil should always be a little damp around your plants.

Lastly, do not be afraid to spray your homemade pesticide or even a bit of diluted soapy water on your plants to get ride of insects. If you notice a lot of pests are attracted to your vegetable garden consider spraying once every ten days or once every two weeks. Also, spray diluted soapy water directly onto vegetables that have insects on them all the time.

Tips of Building Your Own Greenhouse

It's a great idea to have your own greenhouse, but finding where you can purchase cheap greenhouses is not so easy. Now you can build your own greenhouse for a fraction of the price with great online diy greenhouse plans. Before you get started though, you might want to read these handy tips for building your own greenhouse.

Tip #1. Before you get started, you will want to research a few different types of greenhouse designs to see which might be the right design for you. Depending on the amount of space you have available and the kind of food you want to grow, you will have a few different designs that will best suit your needs.

For those with limited space, consider a flat greenhouse or hot bed. These are excellent for growing vegetables as well as low running fruit and berries such as strawberries. They are designed so that you can get into them and work them easily. If you want to grow plants that need to climb such as tomatoes then you will want to build yourself a tall greenhouse. These are great for balconies too as they take up very little ground space, but can produce a decent amount of fruit and vegetables.

Tip #2. For larger greenhouses, there are a variety of different designs from hoop to lean to as well as Victorian. Each has its own benefits and limitations, but each has ample room for you to move around in. Hoop greenhouses can be built very cheaply because they can be made entirely from PCV piping, but they take up a fair amount of space and are not as durable as some of the other designs. Getting a greenhouse guide that will show you each of the designs and explain to you how best they can be used is an excellent investment.

Tip #3. Ventilation in your greenhouses is very important and knowing how to moderate the climate inside your greenhouse, no matter what the temperature outside is vital. When deciding what kind of greenhouse to build, it's worth the investment of finding a greenhouse plan guide that includes information on how keep your greenhouse temperate when the weather outside is not ideal.

A good greenhouse diy guide will also tell you how to keep your soil healthy, how to keep your greenhouse from fungus and mould and also how to keep unwanted bugs at bay.

Growing Runner Beans

The ideal plant for the beginner gardener. If the soil is prepared well with lots of compost, runner beans are very forgiving vegetables. The foliage is attractive, and the red or white flowers making this a beautiful garden feature.

Runner beans prefer a position in full sun, although they tolerate part shade very well. Because of their height, they should not be grown in areas exposed to winds, they will easily be blown over.

Remember also that their foliage is very thick and this results in them casting deep shade over a wide area. Useful for some vegetables but not so good for others.

Part of the 'legume' family of vegetables, runner beans are able to extract nitrogen from the air and fix it in little nodules on its roots. For this reason, the soil should not be rich in nitrogen, which would only result in lots of leafy growth and few beans. The ideal soil is deeply dug with lots of well-rotted organic matter (peat or peat substitute is ideal) incorporated. This will ensure that the soil is capable of holding lots of water, a key need of runner beans.

If unprotected, Runner Beans are in almost all cases damaged by any degree of frost. Where the seedlings have appeared above the soil surface and a late unexpected frost strikes, it is best to remove them and plant more seeds in their place. The best time to plant Runner Beans outside is a week before the last frost.

Cloches or supported plastic will protect them if a late frost is predicted, as will plastic bottles with the bottom cut off placed over the seedlings. The other alternative is to sow the seeds in peat pots and initially grow them on the windowsill until all danger of frost has passed and then plant them, peat pots and all, directly into the ground. Remember to soak the peat pots in water prior to planting so that they will quickly break down in the soil.

A good tip for extending the cropping season of runner beans is to sow half the seeds indoors or in a greenhouse. When you come to sowing time, sow the seeds as normal on one side of the row and plant the indoor reared plants on the other (see picture on right). The indoor grown plants will crop first, followed by those sown directly in the ground a couple of weeks later.

Runner Beans can be given a head start (about four weeks) by sowing them inside and / or under cloches. Simply place the poly-tunnel in position two weeks before sowing (to warm up the soil), then sow the seed three or four weeks earlier than normal.

Supporting Runner Beans

Runner beans grow to about 1.8m (6 foot) high and they definitely need support. The idea is to provide a structure which their tendrils can grow round and pull the plant up.

The most attractive form of support is a wigwam - four or five bamboo canes tied together at the top will be sufficient. The growth at the top will be a bit crowded, but this structure will still produce a good crop of beans.

It is a good idea to twist some gardening twine round the bamboo canes, this will give the growing plants more to grab hold of.

Where space is really short, this type of structure can be used for container growing runner beans. In this case, insert one cane centrally in the container, tie six or so lengths of garden twine to the top of the cane and secure the other ends of the twine to the edge of the container. Plant three or four seeds, which will then grow up the twine. The plants will need their tips pinching out when they reach the top of the twine.

Other methods are to erect a criss-cross of canes, each pair tied together at the top, or simply a line of canes connected together with mesh netting. Both are illustrated in the diagrams below. Finally, don't forget that runner beans can be be grown up an existing fence which has been covered with mesh netting.

Two poles tied at the top - erect a row like this with each pair joined to the next with nylon twine.

A single row of canes with plastic mesh

Wigwam support

Row of canes support

Caring For Your Runner Beans
The requirements of runner beans are simple - water and weeding, possibly some feeding. All three can be accomplished by a mulch of organic material spread round the plants - this will help retain moisture, keep the weeds down and gently feed the plants. If the soil has been prepared as described previously the only other attention is hand watering in very dry conditions, especially as the flower buds begin to develop. Finally, pinch out the growing tips when the plants reach the top of the supports.

How to control garden aphids organically

Bugged by bugs? Afraid of using toxic chemicals in your yard? There are many ways to control garden pests the natural way. Aphids are a very common garden pest which can be easily controlled without dangerous chemicals.

1. Step 1

   The first, and most important step, is to identify the insect in question. Many bugs are in fact GOOD for your garden! This is why it is a bad idea to spray with poisonous chemicals - they kill everything, not only the "bad" bugs. If in doubt, there are many internet databases which will help you identify insects. Your county extension may also be useful.
   To be sure you have aphids - if leaves look puckered or wrinkly, look on underside of leaves. Aphids are very small (1/16-1/4 inch), pear-shaped, soft-bodied insects. They can be many colors, but are typically green or grayish. They can also be found on the stems of plants. They do not chew holes in leaves, but rather suck the sap of plants.

2. Step 2

   One method of control for aphids is to encourage natural predators. Ladybugs, hoverflies, lacewings, and certain small wasps will usually control the aphids for you. If you do not spray your yard with pesticides, these predators should already be present. Plant a wide variety of flowers to keep attracting these good bugs to your garden.

3. Step 3

   If you do find that you have an intolerable amount of aphids, the next step is physical control. Since they are small, soft, and slow, you can just rub them off your plants with your fingers. They can also be hosed off the plants with a strong spray of plain water.

4. Step 4

   When beneficial insects and physical controls are not sufficient, you can use insecticidal soap. This is commercially available - be sure to follow directions. It is considered organic as it does not harm beneficial insects and does not persist in the environment. You must spray the aphids directly.

5. Step 5

   A good strategy for preventing aphid attacks is companion planting. Marigolds planted around vegetables and roses will keep aphids (and other pests) away. Many people also swear by garlic plants or other heavily scented herbs.

Tips & Warnings

• Attracting beneficial insects and other predators to your garden is always the best way of controlling pests organically. Let nature do your work for you!
• Chemical pesticides kill good bugs along with your pests. The pests will return, but the good ones may not.

Start an Organic Garden Pest Control

Starting an organic garden pest control program is a smart way to help the environment. Avoiding the use of harmful chemicals is also safer for you and your family to eat. An organic vegetable garden requires some hard work and a pest management program that is different than traditional methods. Here are some steps to take that will help you start an organic garden pest control program.

1. Step 1

   Avoid the use of any man made chemical pesticides including insecticides and herbicides whenever possible. An organic garden pest control program replaces the use of harmful chemicals to the environment. While pesticides typically do their job - they can also harm helpful insects like butterflies and bees from doing their job.

2. Step 2

   Promote a healthy environment for helpful insects as part of your organic garden pest control program. Include plants in your organic garden that attracts butterflies, bees, and birds. Birds and a few insects are actually natural forms of pest control as many other bad insects will avoid them.

3. Step 3

   Include plants and herbs that naturally fend of harmful insects and other pests. For example, plants like garlic and tansy will distract harmful insects like mosquitoes from coming into your garden. Other plants and herbs you may want to consider using as part of your organic garden pest control program - onions, mint, hyssop, horseradish, geranium, lavender, rue, and thyme.

4. Step 4

   Use manual pest control methods that include weeding and pruning instead of using a herbicide to kill weeds. Another method is to hand pick worms and other insects off your plant as a form of pest control that does not use harmful chemicals. You should also try and use compost and several inches of rich topsoil to promote healthy roots.

5. Step 5

   Educate yourself on what works best as part of your organic garden pest control program. The key to success is to use multiple methods of pest control including the ones listed earlier. Take notes on what works best so you can improve your control.

Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon - Gardening

Scientific Name : Momordica Charantia L.
Family : Cucurbitacea
Colour : Light Green
Common names : Bitter gourd, Bitter melon, Bitter cucumber, Karela (Hindi), Balsam pear, Balsam apple
Best Season : Throughout the year

Nutritional Value : 44 kcal, 5.6 g protein, 290 mg calcium, 5 mg iron, 5.1 mg vitamin A, 170 mg vitamin C per 100 g serving.

Bitter gourd is a fast growing warm seasonal climbing annual, native to South Asia. Considered one of the most nutritious gourds, the plant has medicinal properties. A compound known as 'charantin' present in the bitter gourd is used in the treatment of diabetes to lower blood sugar levels. The plant also has a rich amount of Vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, phosphorus and carbohydrates. There are several varieties available, having fruits 3-4 inches to even 12inches in length.

This vine has a slender hairy stem with numerous branches and dense foliage. The plant grows up to 6 feet tall and develops small, yellow flowers both male and female, on the same plant. The fruits are green usually oblong, has an irregular surface with warts and 8-10 vertical ridges. When ripe, the fruits turn yellowish orange in colour.

Propagation and Planting :
Mainly a warm season plant, bitter gourd thrives in hot and humid climates. Propagation is through direct seeding and transplanting. The best medium for the seeds is a fertile, well drained soil with a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.7, enriched with organic matter, such as compost or dried manure. But it will tolerate any soil that provide a good drainage system. The soil must be prepared well by adding organic matter before planting.

Two or three seeds can be sown together in a pit 1/2 inch deep. Water lightly. For better results soak the seeds in water 24 hours before sowing. The seeds will germinate in 2-3 days. The germinated seeds can be replanted on raised beds 18-20 inches apart. Transplants should be done in such a way as to avoid disturbance to the root system.

As the plants grow, place poles 2m.high and give wire or twine supports in rows across the poles.

Regular watering with plenty of water is essential for its growth. Flowers will start appearing in 5-6 weeks and fruition will occur between two to four months. Mature fruits are ready to be picked within3 months from planting and they will be light green and juicy with white flesh but bitter. Pick the fruits every 2-3 days when they are still at the tender stage. Regular picking is important as fruits will become more bitter as they mature and it can also hamper the growth of new fruits.

Leave some fruits to reach full maturity if they have to be reserved for subsequent crops. When fully mature, the fruits will break open on its own and release brown or white seeds which can be collected.

Problems and Care :
Vines should be pruned at the tips when female flowers start developing to encourage branching and fast bearing. Regular fertilizing is essential for its growth. Water immediately after applying fertilizers.

Bitter gourd is susceptible to many diseases and insect pests. It is susceptible to watermelon mosaic virus, other cucurbit viruses and powdery mildew, which can be controlled by sulfur dust. Rust disease is controlled by spraying foliage with oxycarboxin. The fruits are subject to attack by various fruit flies and fruit rots. Pests attack on fruits can be prevented by wrapping fruits with newspapers, when they are about a few centimetres long.

Fruit and vegetable - types

Types of fruit
Fruit is the sweet, fleshy, edible portion of a plant. It generally contains seeds. Fruits are usually eaten raw, although some varieties can be cooked. They come in a wide variety of colours, shapes and flavours. Common types of fruits that are readily available include:

• Pome – apples and pears
• Citrus – oranges, grapefruits, mandarins and limes
• Stonefruit – nectarines, apricots, peaches and plums
• Tropical and exotic – bananas and mangoes
• Berries – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwifruit and passionfruit
• Melons – watermelons, rock melons and honey dew melons
• Tomatoes and avocados.

Types of vegetables
Vegetables are often cooked, although some kinds (salad vegetables) are eaten raw. Vegetables are available in many varieties and can be classified into biological groups or ‘families’, including:

• Leafy green – lettuce, spinach and silverbeet
• Crucifer – cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and broccoli
• Cucurbits – pumpkin, cucumber and zucchini
• Root – potato, sweet potato and yam
• Edible plant stem – celery and asparagus
• Allium – onion, garlic and shallot.

Legumes
Legumes or pulses contain nutrients that are especially valuable. Legumes need to be cooked before they are eaten; this improves their nutritional quality, aids digestion and eliminates any harmful toxins. Legumes come in many forms including:

• Soy products – tofu (bean curd) and soybeans
• Legume flours – chickpea flour (besan), lentil flour and soy flour
• Dried beans and peas – haricot beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils
• Fresh beans and peas – green peas, green beans, butter beans, broad beans and snow peas.

Colour is the key to healthy food
Maximum health and protection against disease comes from eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines recommend that adults eat at least five kinds of vegetable and two kinds of fruit every day.

Foods of similar colours generally contain similar protective compounds so try to eat a rainbow of colourful fruits and vegetables every day to get the full range of health benefits. For example:

• Red foods – like tomatoes and watermelon contain lycopene, which is thought to be important for fighting prostate cancer and heart disease.
• Green vegetables – like spinach and kale contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which may help protect against age-related eye disease.
• Blue and purple foods – like blueberries and eggplant contain anthocyanins, which may help protect the body from cancer.
• White foods – like cauliflower contain sulforaphane, which may also help protect against cancer.

Things to remember

• Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins, minerals and ‘plant chemicals’.
• There are many varieties of fruit and vegetables available.
• Eat five kinds of vegetable and two kinds of fruit every day for good health.
• A diet high in fruit and vegetables can help protect against cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Fruit and vegetables - choosing and preparing

Fruit and vegetables are an important part of your daily diet. They are naturally good and contain vitamins and minerals that can help keep you healthy. Research shows that other compounds, phytochemicals or antioxidants, can also help protect against some diseases.

There are many varieties of fruit and vegetables available and they can be prepared, cooked and served in a variety of ways. Eat five kinds of vegetable and two kinds of fruit every day for good health.

Select for freshness, variety and appeal
When buying and serving fruit and vegetables, go with variety for maximum nutrients and appeal. Select a mix of seasonal fruits and vegetables from the different groups and choose for freshness and quality.

• Eat with the seasons – this is nature’s way of making sure our bodies get a healthy mix of nutrients and plant chemicals.
• Try something new – try out a new recipe each week and buy a new fruit or vegetable as part of your weekly shopping.
• Let colours guide you – different colours generally indicate different combinations of nutrients. So, put a rainbow of colours (green, white, yellow/orange, blue/purple, red) on your plate.

Serving suggestions for your family’s health
Vegetables and fruit are a handy snack food and are easily carried to work or school. Include them in everyone’s meals and most snacks for a healthy well-balanced diet. Some suggestions include:

• Keep snack-size fruit and vegetable portions easily accessible in your fridge.
• Keep fresh fruit on the bench or table.
• Add fruit and vegetables to your favourite family recipes or as additions to your usual menus.
• Use the colour and texture of a variety of fruit and vegetables to spice up your meals.
• Think up new ways to serve fruits and vegetables, including:
• Fruit and vegetable salads
• Vegetable stir-fries
• Raw fruit and vegetables
• Vegetable soups
• Snack-pack, stewed or canned fruits or dried fruits.
• Limit fruit juice, as it does not contain the same amount of nutrients as fresh fruit and contains a lot of sugars, even though they may be ‘natural’. Choose water and a serve of fruit.

Preparation and cooking
Cooking and processing can damage some nutrients and phytochemicals in plant foods. It is important to prepare and cook your fruit and vegetables to retain maximum vitamin and mineral content. Some suggestions to get the best out of your fruit and vegetables include:

• Many vegetables and fruits can be eaten raw or pureed into
• smoothies.
• Use a sharp knife to cut fresh fruits to avoid bruising.
• Cut off only the ‘inedible’ parts of vegetables – sometimes the best nutrients are found in the skin, just below the skin or in the leaves.
• Use stir-fry, grill, microwave, bake or steam methods with non-stick cookware and mono-unsaturated oils.
• Avoid overcooking to reduce nutrient loss.
• Serve with pestos, salsas, chutneys and vinegars in place of sour creams, butter and creamy sauces.
• Nutrients such as carotenoids may actually be increased if food is cooked. For example, tomato has more carotenoids when cooked – a good reason to choose a variety of ways to prepare fruits and vegetables.

Once you’ve prepared and cooked your vegetables and fruit, spend some time on presentation. You are more likely to enjoy a meal if it’s full of variety and visually appealing as well as tasty. Sit at the table to eat and enjoy your food without distractions like television.

Things to remember

• A diet high in fruit and vegetables can help protect against cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
• There are many varieties of fruit and vegetables available and many ways to prepare, cook and serve them.
• When buying and serving fruit and vegetables, go with variety for maximum nutrients and appeal.
• Cooking and processing can damage some nutrients and phytochemicals in plant foods, while other phytochemicals are more available when food is cooked. Serve a variety of raw and cooked vegetables and fruit.

Tips to help you eat vegetables

In general:

• Buy fresh vegetables in season.They cost less and are likely to be at their peak flavor.
• Stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy cooking in the microwave.
• Buy vegetables that are easy to prepare. Pick up pre-washed bags of salad greens and add baby carrots or grape tomatoes for a salad in minutes. Buy packages of veggies such as baby carrots or celery sticks for quick snacks.
• Use a microwave to quickly “zap” vegetables. White or sweet potatoes can be baked quickly this way.
• Vary your veggie choices to keep meals interesting.
• Try crunchy vegetables, raw or lightly steamed.

For the best nutritional value:

• Select vegetables with more potassium often, such as sweetpotatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, winter squash, spinach, lentils, kidney beans, and split peas.
• Sauces or seasonings can add calories, fat, and sodium to vegetables. Use the Nutrition Facts label to compare the calories and % Daily Value for fat and sodium in plain and seasoned vegetables.
• Prepare more foods from fresh ingredients to lower sodium intake. Most sodium in the food supply comes from packaged or processed foods.
• Buy canned vegetables labeled “no salt added.” If you want to add a little salt it will likely be less than the amount in the regular canned product.

At meals:

• Plan some meals around a vegetable main dish, such as a vegetable stir-fry or soup. Then add other foods to complement it.
• Try a main dish salad for lunch. Go light on the salad dressing.
• Include a green salad with your dinner every night.
• Shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf, casseroles, quick breads, and muffins.
• Include chopped vegetables in pasta sauce or lasagna.
• Order a veggie pizza with toppings like mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, and ask for extra veggies.
• Use pureed, cooked vegetables such as potatoes to thicken stews, soups and gravies. These add flavor, nutrients, and texture.
• Grill vegetable kabobs as part of a barbecue meal. Try tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, and onions.

Make vegetables more appealing:

• Many vegetables taste great with a dip or dressing. Try a low-fat salad dressing with raw broccoli, red and green peppers, celery sticks or cauliflower.
• Add color to salads by adding baby carrots, shredded red cabbage, or spinach leaves. Include in-season vegetables for variety through the year.
• Include cooked dry beans or peas in flavorful mixed dishes, such as chili or minestrone soup.
• Decorate plates or serving dishes with vegetable slices.
• Keep a bowl of cut-up vegetables in a see-through container in the refrigerator. Carrot and celery sticks are traditional, but consider broccoli florettes, cucumber slices, or red or green pepper strips.

Vegetable tips for children:

• Set a good example for children by eating vegetables with meals and as snacks.
• Let children decide on the dinner vegetables or what goes into salads.
• Depending on their age, children can help shop for, clean, peel, or cut up vegetables.
• Allow children to pick a new vegetable to try while shopping.
• Use cut-up vegetables as part of afternoon snacks.
• Children often prefer foods served separately. So, rather than mixed vegetables try serving two vegetables separately.

Keep it safe:

• Wash vegetables before preparing or eating them. Under clean, running water, rub vegetables briskly with your hands to remove dirt and surface microorganisms. Dry after washing.
• Keep vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood while shopping, preparing, or storing.