Soil is an entity that has an inherent structure with certain physical, chemical, and biological properties. It also has many processes that enable it to be a well-run, fully functioning ecosystem. Some of these include soil texture and structure, the water cycle, nutrient cycle, and soil texture.
For one, soil is the primary source of healthy food production. Having healthy, well-aerated, and nutrient-rich soil provides us with good, fresh food that is an absolute requirement for our survival. Hence good soils are essential for food security.
Soils host a quarter of the world's biodiversity. From bacteria to mammals, soil hosts a myriad of organisms that increase biodiversity and keep the soil ecosystem in check. Soils also store as well as filter groundwater. Think of the soil as a sieve. With the layers present in the soil, they filter out unnecessary particles from the water and make the groundwater as clear as possible.
Did you know that soil also locks carbon from the atmosphere? Soil organic carbon helps to mitigate global warming and climate change. Of the total carbon in terrestrial ecosystems, 80% is found in soil!
When the inherent structure of the soil changes, its productive capacity decreases, and its ability to support plants and animals diminishes. This is known as soil degradation or land degradation. Soil degradation includes soil quality changes, soil erosion, compaction, loss of soil structure, and soil salinity.
When processes like deforestation, overgrazing, and intensive cultivation occur, they expose the lower layers of the soil to wind and water erosion. This damages the fertility of the soil and also disrupts cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients, leading to soil degradation.
Around 10-20% of the world’s drylands and 24% of the world's productive lands are degraded (see more). The end product of soil degradation is a desert. Soil degradation ultimately leads to stripping the soil of all of its natural properties which leads to desertification.
Did you know? It takes about 500 years for an inch of topsoil to form. (Longer in cold and dry climates).
The population of the world increasing at an exponential rate is naturally raising the demand for agricultural commodities. This has lead to incentivized and easy conversion of forests and grasslands into farms and pastures. The transition leads to the soil in the area losing its inherent structure and properties beyond its abilities to repair it on its own.
One of the main causes leading to soil degradation is deforestation. When you remove trees from the soil, the roots which held onto the soil particles no longer bind them and the soil is free to move around. In addition, the leaves, twigs, and other parts of the plant that provided organic enrichment to the soil are no longer present which changes the soil structure.
Many crops like soybean, palm oil, and cotton are often grown in deforested land and worsen the natural soil in those areas. When the land loses its fertility, the farm is moved onto the next cleared forest and the cycle repeats.
Overgrazing reduces ground cover, causes soil compaction of the land by wind, rain, and livestock. High rates of erosion and topsoil loss are seen in areas that are overgrazed.
Although the range of chemicals used on crops like pesticides, insecticides, and weedicides increases crop production in the short run, it often has disastrous impacts on the chemical structure of the soils. They also disrupt the existence of microorganisms in the soil. In the long run, all these lead to infertile soil which is starkly different in structure and function from the original properties.
Apart from these common causes of soil degradation, intensive cultivation, forest fires, and construction work can all also lead to soil degradation.
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The loss of topsoil and destruction of soil structure means that crops cannot be cultivated for long and leads to loss of arable land. This would lead to a drastic decline in global food production and higher food prices.
The structure of the soil changes so much when it is degraded that it is sometimes not able to hold on to water. Eventually, this lead to desertification which would mean the land is completely barren and damaged beyond repair. Problems like salinization of the soil and soil compaction also increase with degradation.
Besides the direct effects of degradation on the land, it also has negative impacts on the environment. The soil that degrades away causes sedimentation and pollution in nearby water bodies. They clog the waterways in marine and freshwater habitats causing the aquatic life population to decrease.
When land is transformed into a pasture or a crop field, this land often loses much of its water absorption and retention capacity. This leads to most of the water flowing off into nearby water bodies which can increase incidences of flooding.
Another important factor that should be considered in recent times is the removal of the carbon mitigating potential of soil and the associated global warming that will occur due to soil degradation.
The productivity of eroded soils can be remedied using innovative strategies to remedy lost soil structure and functions.
You could promote sustainable land use practices like agroforestry, and permaculture, and crop rotation which would provide crop cover and also improve the water retention capacity of the soils. If you practice farming, you could try to integrate these practices in small ways in your farm. For instance, trying to not leave the land bare by retaining vegetation on the soil.
Most solutions to mitigate the problem of soil degradation require scientific solutions. Organizations like the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and GEF (Global Environment Facility) actively work to decrease deforestation in areas prone to soil desertification and work on reclaiming degraded lands. Many companies have moved to sustainably farm their products and promote sustainable agricultural procurement.
As an individual, you too could take initiative to help build soil in your local communities. Consider composting. The skills and education to grow your own produce too, may be an alternative to reduce the pressure of intensive agriculture on soil systems.
Composting recycles organic waste, helps feed the soil and helps reduce food waste. With rapid industrial farming causing increasing amounts of food waste. Composting allows people to recoup some of the nutrients and energy in the waste food, by converting it into compost to feed the soil and the plants that grow in it.
Adding nutrient rich compost to the soil not only feeds the plants, but adds nutrients and minerals to the plants, encourages worms and other beneficial microorganisms and insects to enter the top layers of the soil and spread the compost throughout the layers of soil, ensuring greater soil health for future generations.
How to make compost
Homemade compost is a vital soil improver. To make good quality compost there needs to be a mix of materials, ensuring adequate carbon and nitrogen, usually in a 50:50 mix. Nitrogen comes from green materials such as grass cuttings, carbon comes from items such as cardboard and small pieces of wood or stems. Too much carbon in your compost bin or pile will slow down the composting process while too much nitrogen will make the compost turn to a sludge. So, a well-balanced mix is needed of both.
Many home composting units tend to attract too much nitrogen, and this can lead to problems. So, to ensure enough carbon enters your compost bin, throw in your cardboard egg boxes and toilet rolls into your compost bin or pile. Pizza boxes are also great in your compost bin, just make sure to tear them up into smaller pieces first. Don’t become overly concerned about the exact recipe, composting is a natural process, decomposition will happen, but you can use some of the tips below to ensure you get the best results.
Once the compost has turned crumbly and brown and with a neutral or sweet smell, it is ready to be added to your soil and plants.
Composting allows gardeners and farmers to divert up to 30 per cent of regular waste from going to landfill, towards creating compost. This is one of the best reasons to compost, as when food waste, grass cuttings, etc., are added to landfill sites, it lacks oxygen to break down properly and instead produces methane which is harmful and causes global warming, which can impact climate change.
Composting introduces beneficial microorganisms and bacteria to the soil. It also offers gardeners the option to reduce or completely avoid use of artificial fertilizers.
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If you are using a home composting unit, it is best not to add animal bones or cooked food to the compost bin as this can attract vermin such as mice or rats. A solution to discourage vermin is to place some chicken wire on the ground before placing your compost bin. This helps discourage animals from digging into your composting unit or pile.
Large skins such as melon and orange peels and banana skins, can take some time to break down if added in as a large piece. So, break these up before placing them in your compost bin to speed up their breakdown. Alternatively, you could use a biomass shredder.
During the summer months, small fruit flies can be attracted to your compost bin due to the rotting food. If this becomes an issue, add a layer of 0.75 to 2 in (2 to 5 cm) of fresh grass cuttings to the top of the compost. If fruit flies become an issue for your indoor food waste container, simply wash the bin out with a small amount of vinegar and warm water. Or consider placing this container in your fridge or freezer during the summer months.
Increasingly, coffee cups and take away products are being made from compostable or biodegradable packaging. While this is to be welcomed, these compostable items sadly don’t break down very well in home composting units or compost piles, and usually require industrial composting. Industrial composting generates much higher heat which leads to a breakdown of these materials. However, you can add small quantities of these products such as bamboo cutlery, bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo swabs or paper napkins and plates.
Compost bins can also take your garden weeds, but caution is needed, home composters often do not kill the seeds of weeds and this can become an issue when you later add the compost to the soil, it is best to remove seed pods from any weeds, before placing them into a compost bin or pile.
Dog and Cat manure should not be composted, if the compost is to be used around vegetables or fruit plants. However well-decomposed chicken or cow manure is excellent to add to your compost pile.
Composting has huge benefits. It not only reduces the volume of waste we send to landfill, but it also provides gardeners with free organic fertilizer. Unlike artificial fertilizers, compost benefits the soil and the living bacteria, fungi, and microorganisms in it, which in turn benefits the soil further. Composting improves soil quality, and with increasing levels of soil degradation globally, adding compost is a way to naturally help soil become increasingly healthier.
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These vegetables are called bottle gourds, because of their bottle-like shape. Similar to bitter gourds, these can be grown in a container and do not require much space. With only a square meter of growing bed space in your backyard or a suitable container, you can grow a whole month’s supply of bottle gourds.
Bottle Gourds are popular across numerous regions. The vegetable may have begun its spread across the world from the Far East, where contextual records go back about 8000 years. The plant is now primarily grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions across the world, and young gourds are consumed in a variety of ways across numerous dishes. The young gourds can have a bitter taste when juiced, so avoid preparing it this way. Older gourds are primarily dried and shaped into vessels.
Incredibly, bottle gourds (through the long historical process of domestication) have a diverse range of usage, a popular one being as a liquid container. Some of the most common bottle gourd verities today, are cylindrically shaped with thick walls. When dried, these can be used as water (and other liquid) storage containers.
Welcome to this GaiaTree Eco article, in which we'll explain how to grow bottle gourds in your backyard, homestead or farm. But first, let's take a quick peek at the properties of Bottle Gourds.
Stress relieving: Consuming bottle gourds can have positive effects on one’s mental stress levels. The vegetable has mild sedative properties that help relax the body (more on this).
Good for the heart: Bottle gourd contains vitamin C, K and calcium. This can lower bad cholesterol levels and aid in maintaining a healthy heart.
Weight loss properties: If you are someone who has tried everything to lose those excess weight, then bottle gourds could be just the vegetable to be included as part of your regularly consumed diet. These veggies are filled with Potassium, Iron, and Vitamins, and contain high fiber and water content. This delivers lower calorie density while providing essential minerals.
Healthy digestion: Being rich in fibers and alkali content, bottle gourds can aid with stomach acidity issues.
Step 1: Preparing the ground
To prepare the sowing ground for your bottle gourds, the very first thing you need to do is find a spot that gets enough sunlight during the day. 4 to 6 hours of daily sunlight is the minimum requirement to grow a healthy harvest of bottle gourds. Once you have decided on where your growing bed needs to be located, you can prepare the soil by mixing in some organic compost in it. This will provide essential nutrition for your crop.
Step 2: Season
The best time to grow bottle gourds is during summer, when there's plenty of sunshine. You can however, always grow bottle gourd crops throughout the year, although summer and monsoon (in tropical regions) seasons, are ideal.
Step 3: Sowing method
Dig a 2 to 4 inch (5 to 10 cm) deep hole in the ground and insert bottle-gourd seeds in the holes. After that, water the ground and cover with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of organic compost. The seeds should germinate within 7 to 10 days after sowing. Always remember to procure organic or heirloom bottle gourd seeds when you're ready to get started.
Step 4: Feeding and plant care
A strong base and trellis support will help the bottle gourd vines to grow faster and yield larger fruit. Although, if you are short on space and growing the crop in a container, then allowing the vines to climb up a wall to the roof of a house would do just as well. This might require drawing wire or twine from rafters to the base of established bottle gourd plants, along which the vines can climb.
Step 5: Watering
One of the primary tasks you will need to pay attention to, is watering the vines regularly. Unless these are watered at least twice a week, the plants will yield a weak and low quality crops. Remember to not ever let the soil bed go completely dry.
Step 6: Insect & Disease prevention
One of the major/common diseases that bottle gourds get is anthracnose (during a rainy season) and powdery mildew (during summer). To prevent anthracnose from affecting your crop, ensure your growing bed is well drained and do not let water settle or puddle around vines. On the other hand, during the summer, you'll need to ensure that the soil does not become day, to prevent powdery mildew from taking hold.
Step 7: Harvesting
Bottle gourd vines should yield harvestable produce within 3 to 4 months from sowing. The vine will continue to yield bottle gourds for an additional 2 to 3 months after first harvest.
You can make sure that your gourds are ready for harvest, by gently pushing a blunt knife (like a butter knife) or fork into a gourd. If it feels soft and has a smooth surface, it is ready for harvest. Use a sharp knife or agricultural scissors to cut off the gourd from the vine.
Step 8: Storage
Bottle gourds can be consumed right after harvesting (best had fresh). If you need to keep them stored later for later consumption, then pack the gourds in an airtight container and place them in a refrigerator. For a large farm harvest, bottle gourds can be stored in a dark cold enclosure, to keep them fresh until they're ready to be sent to market.
Whether you're a farmer, have a homestead or have a productive home garden, growing bottle gourds can be super fun since the plants don’t require any exceptional care. The vines are beautiful and grow white flowers that could attract beautiful butterflies and other pollinators.
Happy growing!!
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The Aquaponic Farmer: A Complete Guide by Adrian Southern and Whelm King (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) is a great resource for building and running an aquaponic system and is suitable for novice farmers or commercial scale operators.
The Future of Seafood
Types of aquaculture
Mariculture involves farming of fish and other marine creatures (and plants) in the open ocean using enclosures or in tanks, ponds or seawater filled channels. Other than cultivation for human/animal consumptions, mariculture is even used to produce fishmeal (fish-food) and ingredients for cosmetics.
Various shellfish are grown on anchored ropes, or in cages. Some aquaculture farmers also use bags or rock surfaces. Artificial reefs have been used to grow abalone which are seeded from a hatchery. Most open ocean mariculture farms do not require any feeding and tend to be self-sustaining.
An interesting read is about a commercial oyster ocean mariculture farm which began operations in 1932. Shellfish Mariculture in Drakes Estero (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) covers the scientific issues related to shellfish mariculture.
Oyster Farming
An integrated aquaculture system or Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) is a farming technique where waste from one species is used as feed or input for another. Fish and shrimp for example can be combined with shellfish (which are organic extractive), within a managed system. This ensures environmental sustainability and acceptability while reducing risk through produce diversity.
Multi-trophic systems utilize aquatic multi-culture design and thinking to grow different fish and aquatic species, which individually occupy a wide verity of aquatic niches. This often results in better ecosystem health, mutual benefits between species and higher overall production.
Recirculating Aquaculture Systems by Andy Davison (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) provides detailed information for a land-based system and includes equipment, construction, treatment, business and operations considerations along with useful illustrations.
Sustainable Aquaculture
Aquaponic systems utilize a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics (growing plants in water). These have become popular, with individuals, small farmers as well as large corporations jumping in to capitalize on the advantages. Normally, water utilized for aquaculture (and into which marine creatures excrete), is fed into a nitrifying bacteria system (to convert natural marine effluents into nitrates). The nitrate rich water is then fed to plants in the hydroponic system which soak up naturally produced nutrients.
What is Aquaponics?
Sylvia Bernstein outlines the ins-and-outs of a DIY aquaponics system in her book Aquaponic Gardening (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN). She covers location and hardware requirements, and the aquatic and soil-based creatures which may be introduced into an operation. Sylvia details use of completely organic techniques which are between four to six times more productive than conventional methods while utilizing ninety percent less water. Look at experimenting with your own limited-scale aquaponics system first (find these on Amazon US, UK, IN), before investing in anything large scale .
Aquaculture Downsides
Occasionally, aquatic species like fish or seaweed may be introduced which conflict with the local species, with disastrous effects like wiping out well integrated species or plant life. Invasive species have been known to wreak havoc when introduced into local systems which aren’t prepared for them.
Before embarking on an aquaculture project, be sure to acquaint yourself with enough information to ensure you’re committing to a viable operation that’s environmentally safe, and sustainable over the long term with minimal interventions.
The Future of Ocean Farming
]]>Think of a forest, a wooded area or even a grassland. There are numerous layers of plants, each occupying a space that allows for adequate sunlight, water, nutrients and shelter. The plants interact with each other, perhaps even communicating. They symbiotically coexist with sub-soil living networks, which process nutrients from decaying matter, and from tiny creatures such as worms or nematodes, insects or arthropods, mycorrhizal or saprophytic fungi and bacteria. Each of these directly contribute to or feed higher level organisms, all of which provide plants with fertilizer and pest protection.
By mimicking nature, agriculturists and gardeners are able to adopt methods which naturally promote land management, soil health and water retention.
Bill Mollison and David Homgren on permaculture
Permaculture foundations and principles
Care for the Earth, its people, and adequately governing production, access and consumption amongst natural and human populations, form the basis for permaculture thinking.
David Holmgren (author of Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability) and Bill Mollison (author of Introduction to Permaculture) outline key design principles which enable permaculture thinking. These include taking the time to personally engage with nature, undertake resource (like energy) capture and retention, reap abundant yields, engage in self-regulation, shift toward renewable resources, aim for a zero-waste circular economy model, detail every system and integrate them with others, keep every system small and manageable, propagate diversity to ensure systems do not collapse, productively use edge systems and innovatively adapt to changes.
Permaculture design principles
Importance of layers
Detailed systems design is vital to ensuring an efficient permaculture plot, which should require minimal interventions over time. The Permaculture Design: A Step-by-Step Guide by Aranya is a good place to start. It covers most design and layering concepts in detail, while keeping the language simple.
To ensure long-term survival and self-sufficient permaculture systems, it’s important to plan the initial layers like the canopy, the understory, shrubs and herbaceous layers. Building in groundcover, and the root layer or rhizosphere is vital. To maximize potential, its ideal to place compatible climbers or vines where they fit in.
The video above shows a good example of permaculture principles in action at Goeff Lawton's 66-acre Zaytuna Farm. It shows effective use of swales, a developed food forest, intensive chop and drop mulching, integration of chinampas, use of chicken within systems, worm farming, composting, cell grazing and using wilderness support.
Sepp Holzer farms steep mountainsides in Austria. He uses terraces, raised beds and integrated water systems which support fruit trees and vegetable systems. His book Sepp Holzer's Permaculture outlines his life's work, learning and practical examples of developing a permaculture farm.
The Water Retention Landscape of Tamera
Permaculture principles have been used successfully in most regions and climate conditions. If you find permaculture interesting, The Resilient Farm and Homestead by Ben Falk is a must read.
]]>Mulch helps the soil stay moist, regulates temperature, protects soil from solar UV rays which has a sterilizing effect, reduces weed growth and slowly improves soil fertility as matter breaks down.
]]>Mulch helps the soil stay moist, regulates temperature, protects soil from solar UV rays which has a sterilizing effect, reduces weed growth and slowly improves soil fertility as matter breaks down.
Mulching, as a practice is millennia old. Some of the earliest references to mulch (green manures) are recorded in Chinese writings from ca. 500 B.C. (Paine, Laura K. and Harrison, Helen, June 1993. The Historical Roots of Living Mulch and Related Practices, Sustainable Horticulture, Department of Horticulture, University of Wiscosin). Lithic mulching has been documented as early as 200 B.C. in the Negev desert (Kedar, Y. 1957. Ancient agriculture at Shivtah in the Negev. Israel Exploration Journal. 7:178-189).
How to Mulch (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) by Stu Campbell and Jennifer Kujawski, describes how to use mulching to save water, suppress weeds and trickle feed the soil with nutrients. The book takes a look at sheet mulching, feed mulching and the use of living mulches as methods to protect young plants and to boost garden and farm productivity.
Mulch provides your soil with a steady and slow release of nutrients while helping retain moisture and absorb precipitation. This means a reduced dependence on watering or irrigating plants, allowing for your time and energy to be spent on lower priority farming or gardening activities. Mulching prevents weeds from overtaking the growing bed and it regulates soil temperature. Most importantly, mulch helps promote biological activity and proliferation of beneficial organisms. Check out Anna Hess’ The Ultimate Guide to Soil (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) to get an encyclopedic overview about managing soil and in-depth information on mulches, manures and composts.
Why You Need to Mulch
Types of Mulch
While many commercial farms tend to use inorganic ground cover like such as stone chips, UV protected plastic sheets or fabrics, most organic and permaculture farms, homesteads and gardens prefer organic mulching which adds back to soil health. Many operations also prefer using living mulch or groundcover which can also provide an additional crop. Most organic mulches require care and replenishing.
Organic Mulch
Living Mulch
Also known as ground-cover, living mulch comprises fast growing plants which proliferate close to the soil. Many agriculturists prefer to use multiple varieties of living mulch, including nitrogen fixers like clovers and crop plants like field peas, cow-peas and velvet beans.
Open spaces provide an opportunity for productive grasses like rye-grass, annual rye-grass, pearl millet, barley and oats, and legumes like alfalfa, red and sweet clover. Peanut and pea ground cover crops also provide a cash revenue opportunity. Have a look at Managing Cover Crops Profitably (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) by SARE Outreach, to learn how to build cover crops into a farming operation.
Different Types of Mulch
Compost is also a preferred mulching technique, although many farmers and gardeners apply an additional organic mulch layer over this. There’s a scalable compost recipe that’s plant superfood available on HappyDIYhome. It’s a fantastic go-to for various kinds of mulches, gathering mulch material and making your own compost affordably.
Simple chop-and-drop, is a technique that’s encouraged by permaculture practitioners. It amplifies the kind of nutrients the originating plant requires in the topsoil around it.
Chop & Drop Mulching
Forest Gardening
Food forest layers
The seven-layer system developed by Hart is an intercropping companion planting method, which is an essential food forest design and planning model. The layers include:
Layers of a Food Forest
Toby Hemenway’s Gaia's Garden (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) and Ben Falk’s The Resilient Farm and Homestead (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) are highly sought after books that guide on building agroecosystems which closely mimic nature.
Food forest tour: Rawtreat in Costa Rica
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Swales perform a number of functions, the most important if which is forming a physical barrier which prevents water from accelerating downhill and eroding topsoil. Water once held back slowly sinks into the soil and trickles away from the swale in a managed manner. The downhill lip of the swale provides a suitable raised mound on which to plant trees, shrubs and cover crops. By preventing water from running downhill unchecked, a swale also traps sediment and bio-rich material which forms a nutrient rich decomposition mix, which feeds the local flora and the macrobiotic subsoil life.
What is a swale?
In the 1930s, great dust storms were experienced in the great plains, caused by extensive mechanical plowing of the vast grasslands (Watch: The Great Dust Bowl). The condition caused topsoil to be rapidly eroded, depleting soil health which resulted in sub-par agricultural produce. Clubbed with a severe drought during the period, the dust caused farmers extreme hardship with families going hungry and the constant dust causing severe respiratory issues.
A large-scale solution was required, and this came in the form of the Soil Conservation Service embarking on a massive watershed management program, spearheaded with establishing swales covering vast swathes of land and implementing native plant replanting.
An Oasis in the American Desert
Types of swales
On-contour swales
Installing a swale
While a swale may look simple, there’s a little science that goes into getting them right. The starting point is studying the land and the topography to understand how water flows over the landscape. This allows measurements to be made and the marking of keylines and keypoints. Once this has been carried out, a section of the catchment area is identifiable, and a corresponding downhill keyline on which a swale can be dug can be identified and marked. This is followed by studying the area’s rainfall, and undertaking soil sample studies, to best estimate the width and depth of the trench to be dug; and whether it would require a liner or packed clay (if at all).
Digging a swale can be accomplished manually or using heavy mechanical equipment, depending on the scale of the project.
Depending on the topography, some swales may allow or require a tank, pond, dam or bund to be constructed at a keypoint along the keyline. To allow for water to evacuate the swale once it has reached capacity, without causing an erosion triggered breach, a hardened spillway needs to be accommodated.
Special elements such as crescent shaped water holding areas and donut ring water basins may also be considered while planning, based on the flora or agriculture plans for the property.
The Permaculture Earthworks Handbook (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) by Douglas Barnes covers details on designing associated earthworks, to efficiently and practically build a swale.
An interesting video on the long-term effects of using swales and associated earthworks to harvest water and rejuvenate the landscape is the story of how a farmer spearheaded an initiative to utilize natural methods to make farming drought-proof.
Rejuvenating drought-struck land in Australia
]]>In most cases, organic farming generally does away with all forms of synthetic fertilizers, plant growth regulators or pesticides. Use of antibiotics or hormones in livestock is forbidden, while use of nanomaterials and genetically modified plants or animals is shunned.
]]>In most cases, organic farming generally does away with all forms of synthetic fertilizers, plant growth regulators or pesticides. Use of antibiotics or hormones in livestock is forbidden, while use of nanomaterials and genetically modified plants or animals is shunned.
What is Organic Farming?
Amongst the earliest proponents and developers of organic farming concepts were Sir Albert Howard, F.H. King and Rudolf Steiner (renowned for biodynamic agriculture). J.I. Rodale began publishing the Organic Gardening and Farming magazine in the 1940s.
Masanobu Fukuoka's book The One-Straw Revolution (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) is a great starting point. Masanobu's journey from plant pathologist to enlightened farmer is an inspiration to read besides being highly educational.
When compared with conventional farming, organic farms have much lower input costs and their use of water is minimal. But, until the soil being cultivated attains high degrees of health, organic farms tend to initially produce lower yields (~25% lower | SRC: Britainnica.com); and the amount of manual labour involved is high. The direct result of this is that organically farmed produce, tends to be more expensive than conventionally produced foods.
By 2019, 170m acres of farmland was labelled as organic, but even this impressive scale, only represented 1.4% of all global farmland.
Cuban farms - organic farming models for the world
Essentials of Organic Farming
Soil Management is pivotal in any organic farming venture. Composting and green manure are vital to improving soil health over time and is a means of replenishing nutrients extracted by previous crops. For compost to be rich in nutrients, a wide verity of organic material such as green waste like de-watered faecal sludge, animal manure and bedding, leaves, hay and weather exposed woodchips may be introduced into a decomposition mix.
How to create and maintain soil fertility
A number of composting methods exist such as compost heap decomposition which may be carried out at an industrial scale, vermicomposting which uses worm species such as red wrigglers and earthworms to process vegetable and food waste, and fermenting organic matter using lactobacilli.
Composting for beginners
Crop diversity is a key feature of organic farming. It involves polyculture principles (planting a variety of plants in the same plot) and multi-cropping (planting co-dependent plants together). It also promotes utilizing a variety of genetically different sources for same or similar plants, to mitigate against pests and diseases.
There's a story about how a Japanese-American orchard owner David Masumoto went against the trend of replanting heirloom peach trees with pest resistant verities which produced more attractive fruit which handled shipping much better; instead opting to plant flowers which attracted beneficial insects. Masumoto's orchard still produces the sweetest Suncrest peaches. His book Epitaph for a Peach is a must read (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN).
A poly-culture permaculture orchard
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a systems approach to creating conditions which allow beneficial weeds, insects and mites, worms and nematodes, bacteria and an assortment of mycorrhiza to flourish. Biological pest management techniques ensure an all-round organic approach is maintained to curtail and mitigate against pests which may harm crops.
Paul Jackson's Organic Pest Control: The Practical Guide (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) and Jessica Walliser’s book A Natural Approach to Pest Control (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) make for informative go-tos at any stage of your organic farming venture.
Some of the more frequently practiced methods of organic pest management include
Organic pest control
Economics of organic farming
An organic farm (when started from scratch) takes time to become established. Many organic practices like building soil health and pest management take significant trial and error efforts, before micro and local ecosystems become established enough to produce in volume. While not as capital intensive as traditional commercial farming, there is a need for a farmer to be able to sustain through and initial growth phase.
Jon Newton's comprehensive case study and scenario-based organic farming book Profitable Organic Farming (find it on Amazon US, UK, IN) covers scenarios for vegetable, fruit, poultry and livestock; and includes crop and produce identification, financial management, distribution, marketing and ways to measure success.
Profitable, High Intensity, No-Till Organic Farming
]]>Celery is derived from wild celery which has thin stems and long toothy leaves. This already had widespread use as a medicinal plant in the Mediterranean region through antiquity, with regional references going back all the way to the 9th century. The plant began to be domesticated by the 16th century. All celery varieties are said to have an aphrodisiac effect, and the ingredients of the plant are also considered to be anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive and diuretic. The plant is used in some naturopathy courses to counter rheumatic complaints, amongst other therapies. Celery also contains a range of polyphenols, which act as radical scavengers to protect human cells. The leaves of the plant contain a lot of calcium, potassium and vitamin C. They are very suitable as vegetables but can also be consumed fresh or dried for seasoning soups, stews, sauces, salads and meat.
The natural habitat of wild celery is the nutrient-rich and clayey, calcareous and salty marshlands of the European Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. While celery is mainly grown in Europe, the plant is more popular in North America. It does not form a tuber, but rather long, fleshy and highly aromatic, juicy leaf stalks that emerge from the heart of the plant. White celery is a variant of celery.
Depending on the variety, it is either planted closely so that the plants compete with each other for light, or it is grown in ditches where the leaves reach for light as the plant grows.
Celery flowers provide celery seeds. If you’re looking at planting celery each season, it makes good sense to allow a portion of your crop to flower and seed.
Celery plants like sunny to partially shaded locations. As a heavy eater, it grows best on nutrient-rich, loamy soils that must be as calcareous as possible and sufficiently moist. If sandy soil is predominant in your garden, you should improve it with four to five liters of mature compost per square meter, which you mix beforehand with about 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of algae lime.
Plan to sow celery no later than mid-March, in starter pots on the windowsill or in a greenhouse. Celery has a long culture period. Six to eight weeks of preculture should be planned for, until planting in mid-May.
It is best to let celery seeds soak in water overnight and then sow them in seed boxes on top of potting soil. The seeds need to be pressed down well with a board and sanded over lightly, just enough to form a moisture capture layer around the seeds.
Ideally place the starter pots into a sink/tub with a little water, and let the water soak the soil upward (osmosis). Alternatively, gently spray the soil with a fine mist water and cover the pot with a transparent lid. The seeds require light so place on a windowsill and ensure a temperature of between 60.8° to 68°F (16° to 20°C). If possible, the temperature range should not be allowed to fall below this range otherwise the seeds may germinate after a longer period. After they have two to three well-developed leaflets, the starter pots may be transferred to slightly cooler but well-lit spot. About two weeks after transferring, you should provide the plants with nutrients in form of a light liquid organic fertilizer. Before they are planted in the farm or garden beds, they should be hardened on a terrace or open space to gradually acclimatize to direct sunlight.
Or, find seeds on Amazon UK, IN
From mid-May, plant the well-hardened seedlings allowing space of 18 inches (45.72 cm) on all sides, in a previously prepared vegetable patch. If possible, do not transplant the young plants any deeper than they were previously in the pot. The soil needs to be pressed down well around the young plants. For self-bleaching varieties, you can reduce the planting space to 8 inches (20.32 cm) between plants. Conventional trenching varieties have to be planted in shallow ditches within the bed, about 10 inches (25.4 cm) deep. Adequate water supply is essential. Celery will need the greatest amount of water from mid-August to the beginning of October, so you should water it once or even twice a day.
If there is a risk of a cold spell after planting out, you should cover the celery stalks with fleece to prevent later shoots (the formation of seed heads). Celery will continue to require a steady supply of water and nutrients throughout the growing season. You can provide the plants with compost several times a year. You can occasionally even supply your celery stalks with stale, mildly salty cooking water, for example drained water previously used to boil potatoes. Alternatively, you can also dissolve a level teaspoon of sea salt in ten liters of water and pour it over the celery every four weeks. Nettle manure diluted in a ratio of one to ten is also well suited as a nitrogen and mineral supplier.
If you prefer pale stems, you can encourage green-stemmed varieties by pulling soil high all around each plant with a hoe, two to three weeks before harvest. Withdrawal of light prevents the formation of chlorophyll and the base of the stem turns light green to pale yellow, depending on the duration they’re covered.
Pro Tip: For better results, first hold the stems together with your hand and wrap a layer of corrugated cardboard around each stem. Make sure that there is no space between the surface of the ground and the lower edge of the cardboard, but that the leaf pods are still visible.
Celery is ready for harvest October onward. Most varieties are sensitive to frost and should be harvested before the first night frost. You simply pull the whole plant including the roots out of the bed. Commercial operations often wrap the stalks in packing paper, about three weeks before harvest to protect the plant.
The best way to store celery stalks is to cut the stems slightly above where the first leaf branches. Then wrap the plants up to the heart in newspaper or packing paper and wrap the roots tightly in a box of damp sand. This will keep them fresh in a cool cellar for about eight weeks. They can also be kept in a home or commercial refrigerator's vegetable compartment for around three to four weeks without any special preparation.
As a heavy nutrient consumer, celery needs an annual bed change so that it does not leach out the soil. It should only be grown on the same bed every four years to avoid chance of disease and soil fatigue. Allowing soil to recover by planting crimson clover and winter vetch, is ideal. If you grow celery between types of cabbage, the inter-crop plants are less likely to be attacked by white cabbage butterfly caterpillars, as the intense celery scent keeps the pests away.
]]>Many of us grow up watching parents or neighbors with green thumbs, picking vegetables like carrots, and tomatoes, but it is quite rare to see people grow button mushrooms.
Some people grow mushrooms as a hobby in a corner at home while others grow mushrooms on a commercial scale. Growing mushrooms can actually be profitable, besides providing a healthy food for your family. Whatever your objective, after reading this post, you should have enough information to grow your own flavorful button mushrooms.
Why grow button mushrooms?
They’re quite healthy to consume.
Button mushrooms contain essential proteins and amino acids. They contain adequate amounts of minerals, vitamins and fiber. Most button mushrooms contain ergocalciferol, which is vitamin D, required to process calcium for bone growth.
Button mushrooms contain copper, zinc, phosphorous, potassium and selenium (good for the heart and liver). They have most of the B-complex vitamins, including B-2 and B-6.
The most compelling factor is that button mushrooms are actually easy to grow once you get the hang of it. Once you know the basics, the right steps and technique, you can have a steady supply of your own hygienically cultivated edible button mushrooms. It will become just like growing any other vegetable or fruit.
Ready to grow button mushrooms with a simple yet easy process at home?
Let’s dig into how you can go about it.
Most mushrooms are easy to grow and do not require sunlight. You buy or make simple, and affordable kits to produce them. The common table mushrooms usually seen on market shelves are usually immature and white (they’re pleasant without any strong flavor). The more mature (brown) ones have a thick stem and more noticeable flavor. Those that have underneath the gills can be poisonous and need to be avoided.
Before we move ahead on how to grow button mushrooms, you have to learn how mushrooms grow. Mushrooms start growing from spores (instead of seeds). The spores are small enough that you cannot see them without magnification. Button mushrooms do not contain chlorophyll like plants, so they don’t absorb sunlight. They do require liquid for nourishment and a growing medium like wood chips or sawdust, to get started. Once spores begin to grow, they slowly consume the material they’re embedded in. A blend of spores is called spawn, and you can start with a batch according to your cultivation needs.
There are many reasons why button mushrooms are easy to grow, is that they do not need sunlight. They are excellent home dwellers. Here are a few simple steps to get you started growing button mushrooms at home or in a large humidity controlled shed.
Step 1: Select a good spot
Button mushrooms enjoy growing in spots that are dark and cool. You can select a location that is between 75°F to 85°F (23.8°C to 29.4°C). They need to be shielded from light or from any disturbance.
A crawlspace or a basement make for ideal spots to grow button mushrooms, but you can grow on a commercial scale in a lightly insulated greenhouse tunnel, shed, barn or warehouse. If you live in an apartment, then you can even pick a dark closet as well. There are even examples of people growing vast amounts of mushrooms in caves and in tunnels.
Step 2: Get supplies
Growing button mushrooms is of course, not the same as growing vegetables like peas or tomatoes. They require some supplies that you may not have readily available. So, prepare well in advance before diving in. You’ll need to put together a few materials:
Step 3: Procure spawn
To get started, you’ll need spawn to grow button mushrooms. You can buy readymade spores from a nursery or online. Some nurseries provide spores which have been inoculated and pre-mixed with a substrate like hay, dirt, or sawdust. On a special note, don’t skimp on getting high-quality spawn, which can produce great, healthy button mushrooms.
Or, find spawn on Amazon UK, IN
Step 4: Inoculate button mushrooms
If you a novice and have never grown button mushrooms, then these steps may seem a bit strange. But once you get the hang of it, you will find it easy to get your mushrooms to thrive.
Step 5: Control diseases and pests
Step 6: Harvest button mushrooms
When your button mushrooms have grown sufficiently, the cap pops open and you can prepare to harvest. Just twist the mushrooms out of the soil while holding the base of each, and that’s it.
You can also use a sharp knife to cut the stem just below the cap. The mushroom bed should continue to produce mushrooms for 4 to 7 months.
Ready to take the plunge and grow button mushrooms yourself? Don’t forget to check out our delicious mushroom based recipes, for when you’re ready to start cooking your own harvest.
]]>Want to expand your edible garden with a few avocado trees? Picture some big, beautiful trees with juicy avocados. Those trees could be on your farm or yard, providing you and your family with creamy, fresh, and organically grown avocados.
The beauty about growing avocado is that both children and adults love them and every person who owns a homestead or a yard can easily grow avocados.
We’ve already mentioned they’re nutritious. They are filled with the beneficial power of minerals, vitamins, beneficial antioxidants, and healthy fats. They are low in sugar and contain no salt or starch. Avocados are also one of the most wonderful fruits you can eat in summer. They are high in flavor and are easy to prepare. There’s little that can compete with the simple taste of guacamole with tortilla chips.
You may be surprised to learn that growing avocados from seed is easy. It also makes an excellent educational project for children. With a little care and attention, avocados can provide bountiful harvests. Grow enough of them, and they can even become a viable source of income.
So, without further ado, here’s a simple guide on how to grow avocado in your backyard or farm.
Step 1: Find a good spot
Your avocado tree will require full sun while being sheltered from strong winds and frost. They also require to be well away from seaside locations and salt-laden winds. Good drainage is necessary. The soil should be well composted and sandy enough to ensure adequate drainage. Avocado trees grow well on sloping ground, where water does not settle around its roots.
Step 2: Plant section
Avocados can be grown quickly from seed, but in some cases, you can’t expect to produce fruit for at least 9 years. A good option is to only place a grafted plant that will typically produce fruits within three to four years.
There are numerous varieties of avocado available for home growers to use such as, Fuerte, Hass, Sharwil, Wurtz, and Hazzard which can be grown on dwarf rootstock and should exceed 9.18 ft (2.8 m) in height.
Step 3: Preparing the soil
The secret to growing avocado trees successfully is to make sure you have near perfect drainage. You may have to build garden or farm beds at least 15.75 to 23.60 in (40 to 60 cm) high and 2.18 yards (2 m) wide if you’re not planting on a slope. Mix plenty of organic fertilizer and compost into the available soil, prior to planting.
Step 4: Mulching
Avocado is a rainforest tree species and is also a surface feeder. This means that mulching is quite important. A mulch of compost mixed in with pressed sugar cane or straw can be laid around and slightly away from the stalk, up to 13 cm thick. The mulch should be spread over the entire canopy root zone. You may have to reapply it annually from July to August if needed.
Step 5: Feeding
Avocados should be well-fed, so always provide organic fertilizer in spring and lightly follow through in early summer and early autumn.
Step 6: Watering
Avocados enjoy wet, and warm conditions so always ensure you keep watering the plants through the growing season. This is especially important during summer heatwaves. However, be cautious not to overwater in winter.
Step 7: Pollination
Avocados are not self-pollinating. Some verities can fruit well on their own, but cross-pollination between type A trees with morning receptive flowers, and type B evening receptive flowers can enhance the fruiting of avocados. So, it is ideal to plant type A and type B trees in close proximity in your garden, homestead or farm.
Step 8: Harvesting
When the avocado fruits adopt a dull sheen and the button of the fruit stem begins changing to a lighter color, the fruit should be ready to harvest. To make sure, you can pick one avocado and put it in a dark cupboard or paper bag to ripen. If it softens in a week or two then the trees are ready to be harvested.
Step 9: Diseases and pests
Phytophthora is a common soil fungal infection that can affect avocados and can spread in waterlogged soil. They can cause yellowing and dropping leaves which may eventually kill the avocado tree.
A good strategy to avoid this problem is to ensure adequate drainage. You have to practice good hygiene around the infected soil since fungal infection can easily be carried on garden tools and other equipment. It needs to be corrected in the daily feeding routine. Gypsum or limestone soil amendments help as will addition of organic matter into the soil (compost) which will promote the colonization of beneficial microorganisms.
There you have it. It’s fairly easy to grow avocado in your garden or farm while throwing in some fun along the way.
]]>You’ll need to take factors like growing season, plant maintenance and even pest control, before you get started.
Ground conditionCarrots can be grown anywhere. You can grow them in tubs or raised beds, a greenhouse, or in hoop house beds. You’ll need to make sure that the soil is well-dug and the sowing patch gets enough light. For best results, add adequately decomposed compost. If you sow carrots after a heavy feeding vegetable like tomatoes or cabbage, then be sure to add manure or compost since the soil may be depleted of nutrients.
Time of the yearConsider the time of year when you intend to grow carrots. Ideally, you must choose to sow seeds late in spring or mid-summer. Carrot seeds will readily germinate at 75° F (24° C), although some varieties will even germinate at 40° F (4.5° C). Seeds take anywhere between two to three weeks to germinate. To get a regular supply of this vegetable, try to sow after every couple of weeks.
Sowing methodCarrots can only be sown directly into the soil. Prepare the soil to a fine tilth and remove all rocks from it. Mark rows at 5.90 in (15 cm) apart and use a seed drill to sow them 1 in (2.5 cm) into the soil. Alternatively, push a finger into the soil till the second digit, to get the required depth. Now cover the seeds with soil. You can also mix them with sand for easier sowing. To grow them in tubs, spreads the seed over the top of the soil and cover them with ½ in (1.5 cm) soil. Water, and place in the sun.
Prevention from fliesThe maggots of thwart flies can seriously damage this vegetable. For a market ready yield, you have to make sure that the crop is covered throughout its life while growing in field soil. These flies are low-flying, so if you are growing carrots in pots or tubs then simply raise them above the ground for protection.
Caring for carrotsSnip off the excess foliage and seedlings regularly to ensure healthy carrot plants aren’t competing. Cutting is preferable to uprooting. Make sure you do it without attracting carrot files with the aroma. Also, eradicate all weeds growing around the vegetable so that they do not compete for moisture and nutrition. A suppressive mulch layer can aid in preventing unwanted weed growth, while retaining moisture in the surrounding soil.
Always plant carrots in rows. The space between rows should be between 12 in (30 cm) to 24 in (60 cm). Seeds should be placed 2 in (5.08 cm) away from each other.
Remove all residue like trash, rocks, bark and twigs from the soil. Plant residue can be broken into small pieces and mixed into the soil. They will serve as a nutritional source for carrots. As far as the soil is concerned, it should be sandy, well-aerated, and loamy at the time of sowing. The soil should not have a high percentage of clay. This will not allow the carrot to grow deep into the soil and negatively affect its roots. Also, rocky soil is not good as it can also damage the root. Fertilize the soil with organically produced compost which should contain a near equivalent of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in a ratio of 10:20:10.
Or, find seeds on Amazon UK, IN
Once the top of the carrot starts jutting out of the soil, you’ll know that it is the right time to harvest. Remove soil from the sides and dig out alternate carrots. This will allow the remaining to grow larger. You can pull out small-sized vegetables using your hands, while the bigger ones will require a fork.
You can easily damage your carrots if they are not stored properly. Here are a few different ways to store them correctly:
There’s no better satisfaction, than self-grown carrots. Their color, taste, and quality are incomparable with the ones industrially grown. If you are planning to grow them at home, your farmstead or commercial farm, we hope that our information helps you grow outrageously good ones. Follow the little tips and tricks and be sure not skip any steps. Grow some food and amaze yourself.
]]>Spinach is high in Folate, vitamin A, C, K, and beta-carotene. It also contains calcium and is a superb antioxidant as well. Spinach is eaten by many people because it helps to reduce cholesterol, the risk of cancer, and heart disease.
Spinach is a very nutritious and tasty vegetable. It is an amazing source of getting a bunch of vital vitamins and one of the healthiest ways to increase immunity. Those green spinach leaves can be consumed in a variety of ways. Frozen, fresh, canned, chipped, and even dehydrated, spinach is a go-to veggie for many a chef.
Spinach is a palatable, cold hardy, and nutritional powerhouse that makes it a more valuable addition to your edible garden. Spinach can survive temperatures as low as 18° Fahrenheit (-7.77° C) with protection, making it easy to grow during winter days.
If you are to grow spinach, then you must consider the right time to seed and harvest. Spinach leaves are more tender and sweeter, when grown during the cold season. If spinach is planted early in the spring and the weather warms rapidly, the plants will take time to grow. Comparatively, it grows much quicker in cool weather. So, plant in fall, and leave the summer for crops that thrive in heat.
If you are a novice home gardener or farmer and you are considering vegetable gardening, then you can kickstart your endeavors with growing organic spinach. Growing organic spinach in a home garden or farm may seem challenging initially, especially for beginners, because germinating seeds may seem daunting.
However, following these steps to grow spinach should see you through to achieving success and the prospect of a good harvest.
Step 1: Season
Spinach is a cool-season crop. While it can thrive all year round if summer temperatures aren’t too high, fall is best when temperatures are dropping. Of course, during hot days, you can help spinach plants along by providing them adequate shade, so they are not in direct sunlight.
Step 2: Location
The good news is that spinach seeds germinate quite easily. If the soil-mix and planting bed has rich organic matter (like compost), you do not need to use fertilizer. That’s the organic way to do it. Just make sure that the planting bed is well drained.
Step 3: Sunlight
Light sunshine (preferably partially shaded) for 7 to 9 hours every day is enough for a healthy spinach crop. Excessive sunlight can either damage them or prompt them to bolt (begin to produce seed). If you are planting a spinach crop in summer, be sure your spinach bed remains shaded during the hottest parts of the day.
Step 4: Spacing
Make ½ inch holes in the planting bed to sow spinach seeds. Fully grown spinach plants can become bushy, so adequate space is required. Plant your seeds at least three to four inches apart so that the germinating saplings do not fight each other for space above or below ground.
Step 5: Procuring seeds
Always buy fresh and high quality organically produced seeds to grow spinach. Spinach does not store well, so always be sure to get fresh seeds each year. Alternatively, you can grow a batch specifically for seeds, which you can store securely.
You can purchase spinach seeds from your nearest nursery, supply stores or you can order online from some suppliers.
Or, find seeds on Amazon UK, IN
Step 6: Prepare the soil
Spinach grows well in areas with adequate sun and good drainage. Loamy soil with plenty of organic nutrients is good for growing spinach. Prepare the soil by adding organic compost or well-aged manure, before planting seeds.
Step 7: Planting
Spinach seeds can be planted directly in the prepared soil, as opposed to growing indoors and transplanting later. However, spinach seeds can be propagated indoors, but it is not usually recommended because spinach saplings can be tough to transplant.
Step 8: Watering
Regular watering is essential for growing spinach. Spinach is a leafy plant and requires lots of water to thrive. Ideally, water daily.
Step 9: Mulching
Maintaining moist soil is important while growing spinach. Mulching can help prevent weeds and keep the soil moist at the same time.
Step 10: Diseases and pests
Spinach is a fairly hardy plant and resistant to most disease and pests. Leaf miners are the most common pests you might notice while growing spinach in your garden.
Leaf miner larvae can burrow inside the spinach leaves and develop tan patches. You could keep your spinach crops covered with a floating row cover to mitigate against leaf miner issues.
Step 11: Harvesting
This is the fun part where you get to harvest your grown spinach plants. Depending on the spinach variety you can harvest anywhere after 7 to 9 weeks of planting. You should only harvest spinach leaves when they reach a desired size (observe when they cease to grow), it will help the plant’s productivity as well. Keep in mind not to wait too long to harvest because mature leaves will quickly become bitter. Usually, farmers advice harvesting spinach once the outer leaves have grown to 6 in (15.24 cm).
]]>Broccoli is a unique crop because depending on when it is planted, it can yield two harvests each year (one in the fall and one in the summer). If you are sure about growing some Broccoli and wondering how to grow broccoli all on your own, then you are at the right place. Welcome to this GaiaTree Eco blog that walks you through - how to grow broccoli. But, before diving into growing, let’s look at the properties of Broccoli.
Ready to add broccoli to your edible garden or homestead? Here's why you should.
Broccoli contains a high percentage of the regularly recommended daily value, in a single serving (~ 1 cup chopped). Vitamin C is necessary for healthy eyes and skin, but it has also been discovered to affect the vascular system.
Broccoli is a vegetable similar to cauliflower and others such as kale, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, collard greens, and rutabaga. Broccoli is a cabbage-like hardy vegetable that is rich in vitamins A and D. It thrives during the cooler months of the year.
Here are a few easy to follow steps to growing broccoli in your backyard, homestead or on your farm.
Step 1: Find a good spot and temperature
Broccoli needs a position that receives full sun (6 to 8 hours per day). Lack of sunlight can result in slender, leggy plants with poor heads.
Step 2: Preparing the soil
Broccoli grows best in soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. To change the acidity of the soil, you can measure it and add different nutrients, like thoroughly decomposed compost, which can lower the pH of your growing beds. Before the growing season, make sure to test the soil. In addition to pH, the results of a soil test will reveal whether your soil is deficient in any essential nutrients, which you may improve with organic and natural soil amendments.
Step 3: Sowing
Step 4: Select a large-headed variety
If you have a lot of growing space, go for a large-headed range. Between fall and spring, broad-headed varieties grow large crowns. This is the most common type of plant. If planted in the spring, these varieties would mature in 50 to 70 days, and 65 to 90 days if planted in the fall. Arcadia Belstar is a large-headed variety.
Or, find organic seeds on Amazon UK, IN
Step 5: Plant broccoli seeds in widely spaced rows
Purchase high-quality seeds from vendors or online to guarantee a healthy and large harvest. Always check the description/ label to ensure organic/heirloom sources.
Step 6: Water thoroughly after sowing broccoli seeds
Drench the soil, but make sure there are no puddles of accumulated water; broccoli prefers good drainage. If you planted the seeds indoors, use a spray bottle to soften the soil.
Step 7: Regulate the soil temperature
To keep the soil cool when directly sowing outdoors, use an organic mulch made of mature compost, leaves and/or bark. This is especially important if you're planting in cold weather when you’ll need to cover the soil with a thick mulch layer. In cold temperatures, multiple mulch layers of different organic materials may help insulate the soil better.
Step 8: Thin out your seedlings
You need to thin your outdoor seedlings once they exceed one inch (2.5 cm) in height to give them enough space to grow. Smaller or unhealthy-looking plants should be removed before the survivors are 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm) apart. As the broccoli plants grow, this will prevent congestion.
Step 9: Harvest your broccoli plants
Step 10: Care
Mix up to four inches of organic compost into your soil to maximize its fertility. If your soil is in especially bad shape, you can also improve it with high-nitrogen organic compost.
Step 11: Common Issues
Aphids - Keep an eye out for aphid colonies on the underparts of the leaves.
Cabbage worms - (imported cabbage worms, cabbage loopers) invade the leaves and heads of cabbage and associated cold crops. You can add two spoonsful of vegetable soap and mix it in two gallons of water to spray on your crops.
Step 12: Harvesting and storing
Judging when to harvest Broccoli can be tricky. However, you can check if the head of the broccoli is deep green in color as well as packed with small tightly bound buds. Your crop should be ready to harvest. On the other hand, if your broccoli crop starts turning yellow or growing flowers, harvest it immediately.
You can store your broccoli in the refrigerator to keep it fresh for a while. Although, it would test the best if consumed right after the harvest.
Broccoli is tasty and the plant is easy to grow. You will definitely have a lot of fun while growing them.
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If you like or are considering growing your own plants and vegetables, you might already know a bit about growing tomatoes. Many people who grow herbs, vegetables, and plants for daily consumption or for the market know that growing vegetables is often not as easy as it might seem. You have to take care of tomatoes while planting and nurture them till the plants are grown. You have to be patient with the plants, you must recognize all the important things to look out for, and also know the plants’ requirements as they grow.
Tomatoes are considered by many as both fruit and vegetable and are an essential part of food all across the world. Particularly in the Mediterranean region. Tomatoes are easy to cultivate and grow very rapidly. Which is one of the reasons tomatoes are a staple food for many nations. If you regularly have tomatoes, you’ll be ingesting a steady stream of vital essentials. Being a nutrient-dense superfood, tomatoes offer benefits to a host of bodily systems.
Here are a few of the known health benefits of tomatoes:
Now that we’ve covered the wonderful reasons to regularly grow a crop of tomatoes, lets get into how to grow them. There are a few things to keep in mind before diving in.
Or, find organic seeds on Amazon UK, IN
Seeds are normally sown between June and July for Autumn-winter crops, and for Spring-summer crops (often sheltered), seeds are sown in September. In hills regions, seeds may be sown between March and April. How to plant tomatoes:
After 10-15 days, seeds should start germinating.
Transplant the young seedlings once they’re about 6 in (15 cm) tall, being careful to remove any buds and early sucker (to encourage the plant to grow healthy roots. Construct wood/bamboo trellises and hang twine between these. Wind the ends of the twine (just above the soil) around the young plant, and then wind the plants around the twine as they grow.
You can either bush them out or you can prune and stake them. If you don’t have too large a plantation, hand plucking them might be the way to go.
Store your tomatoes at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator if temperatures allow. The best temperatures to keep your tomatoes safe and to retain their delicious flavor is between 55 to 77°F (13 to 21°C). They’re best stored in a cool and dry environment away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
There you have it. Growing tomatoes can be very rewarding. They’re delicious with any meal and can contribute to an income.
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