You must start with a successful garden plan to grow nutritious, sustainable food for your healthy meal plans. Now more than ever, growing your food can be a stress reliever, save you money, and provide your family with delicious vegetables and flavorful herbs. Supermarket organic options can be costly, and with the current shopping restrictions, who wants to go to the store? To achieve a bountiful garden, you must start with a plan… Planning Your Garden Whether you are using containers or plotting a garden in the ground, having a plan is crucial for success. Ideally, you should keep a record of what you grow, plant maintenance, and your harvest.…
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Romaine Lettuce Safety Solutions
Another romaine lettuce issue, this time from Salinas, California...seems like there is one every week? Unfortunately, regarding the most recent E-coli outbreak, the CDC says washing the lettuce will NOT prevent you from getting sick??? I have a solution…GROW YOUR OWN. Lettuce can be grown in containers, shallow beds, or a traditional, in the ground garden. I have been growing mine with seeds I obtained from my local libraries’ seed exchange. Some have grown beautifully…some have not. If you want to grow your own or continue to purchase from your local supermarket, here are a few things you should know. What is Romaine Lettuce? Because it is said to have…
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Growing and Cooking Onions
Growing and cooking onions are treasured around the world for their pungent flavor and versatility in many dishes. Onion Characteristics There are two main classifications of onion – green onions, aka scallions, and dry onions, which are mature onions with a juicy flesh covered with dry, papery skin. There are dozens of dry onion varieties – way too many to go into for this post; however, we will concentrate on the stronger flavored, globe onion, which is what I used for the smothered pork steak recipe below. Globe onions can be yellow, red or white and range from 1-inch diameter, up to 4-inches. Rich in flavor and mildly pungent, these…
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Maintaining a Healthy Edible Garden Organically
Maintaining a Healthy Edible Garden Organically Most of us have our edible garden planted and anxiously await mother nature to do her thing; however, maintenance is an integral part to a healthy edible garden. Many view maintaining a garden as work, but I don’t – and if you are reading this, you probably don’t either. Numerous studies have shown that gardening is good physical and mental exercise. Container gardening is growing in popularity because you can grow practically anything, anywhere. You can control your potted plant’s environment far more easily than you can with plants tucked into the ground; however, my tips are conducive for both container gardening and plot…
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Container Vegetable Gardening Tips
Usually, this time of year, I am monitoring my garden, watering and looking forward to a June harvest; however, due to breaking a bone in my foot at the end of April, I have been limited on what I can do. My plot garden never was tilled and nothing was planted. Until recently, it was not even mowed. I am grateful I purchased and planted several tomato plants, some herbs, a pepper plant and some lettuce before I injured myself. Doctors told me, I broke a bone attached to two tendons in my foot; resulting in an extra long time of healing. After four weeks of limited mobility, struggling with…
