Vegetable Gardening: How to Grow Your Own Vegetables

Flickr Photo by: Helen K

Vegetable gardening has lately become just as popular as going to the grocery store fore produce.  Vegetable gardening can produce vegetable that are usually cheaper than store bought, and vegetables from a home vegetable garden definitely taste better by far. Vegetable gardening is no different than growing herbs or flowers and if the proper steps are taken and the plants are give the proper care they will flourish and produce very tasty vegetables.


First you must decide what size of garden you wish to plant and then select a place for it; somewhere that has good drainage, good air flow, and good, deep soil. It also needs to be able to get as much sunlight as possible. Because vegetable gardens have such tasty rewards, many animals, such as dogs, rabbits, deer, and many others will try and get to your veggies.  One way to prevent this is to surround your garden with a fence, or put out a trap to catch mice, moles, and other animals.


Before planting, the soil must be properly prepared. Good soil for vegetable gardening is achieved by cultivation and the application of organic materials. The soil must be tilled (plowed) to control weeds and mix mulch into the soil. If you have a small garden, spading could be a better bet than plowing. Mulching is also a vital part of soil preparation.  Organic matter added to the soil releases nitrogen, minerals, and other nutrients plants need to thrive. The most popular and best type of mulch you can use is compost.  While the kind and amount of fertilizer used depends on the soil and types of plants, there are some plants that have specific needs; leafy plants, like cabbage, spinach, and lettuce usually grow better with more nitrogen, while root crops like potatoes, beets, turnips, and carrots require more potash. Tomatoes and beans use less fertilizer, while plants like onions, celery, and potatoes need a larger amount.


One thing that is vitally important in vegetable gardening is the garden arrangement.  There is no single plan that will work for every garden due to varying conditions. One popular way to arrange a vegetable garden is to plant vegetables needing only limited space together, such as radishes, lettuce, beets, and spinach, and those that require more room together, such as corn, pumpkins, and potatoes. Try and plant tall growing plants towards the back of the garden and shorter ones in the front so that their sunlight does not get blocked.


When you are finally ready to begin planting your vegetable garden, make sure and plant at the right time of year. If you are dying to get an early start, you may want begin your garden inside in a hotbed and then transplant when the weather permits.  After you are finished planting, make sure your vegetables receive the appropriate amount of water, which depends on the type of plant. Most plants will need the equivalent to about an inch of water per week.


Weeds must be controlled in vegetable gardening because they will take up water, light, and nutrients meant for the vegetables and they often bring disease and insects to the garden.  You can get rid of weeds by cultivation or mulching. To protect against disease and insects you can buy seeds that are disease resistant or use controlled chemicals.


Vegetable gardening is many people's favorite form of gardening because you can actually taste the fruits of your labor. Vegetable gardening is not that expensive to start and the taste of home grown veggies definitely beat out that of supermarket vegetables.  Your vegetable gardening days will be full of produce if you take the proper precautions when planting and continue maintenance of your garden.


About Author: S. Stammberger is the owner of Matt's Home and Garden. Visit her site now for information on home vegetable gardening; includes planning your garden, caring for your garden and harvesting information - Matt'sHome and Garden


Article Source: Articlesalley.com/

Cheap, Organic Food Through Vegetable Gardening Information

by: Clifford S. Magno




If you are ready to cut your ties to foods grown with pesticides
and other harmful chemicals, the effects of which are not yet
fully understood, you can easily start growing your own
vegetables right in your own backyard, more than enough to feed
your entire family. Learning the basics of vegetable gardening
is easy, and you won't need to spend much money at all.


Instead, your hard work and dedication over a period of months
will yield you some great tasting veggies when it comes time to
pick them. Vegetable gardening information can help you make
some very smart decisions about how to grow your own crops, and
you can always have a healthy harvest.


From Start to Finish


Admittedly, vegetable gardening information mostly deals with
with the upfront work associated with planting your own garden.
The first week or so is where most of the work takes place, and
vegetable gardening information will allow you to properly
prepare your garden for seeding. You'll want to feed the soil
with all sorts of nutrients.


Many folks already have compost piles or bins (if you don't,
you'll want to start one), and things like banana peels, grass
clippings, and egg shells provide great nutrients for your soil,
which will help your vegetables become more vibrant than ever.
Vegetable gardening information also helps you cultivate a
garden that you are capable of dealing with in terms of size and
scope.


If you aren't prepared to spend the time taking care of a huge
garden, don't plan on making one that large. Many small
vegetable gardens can provide enough crops like radishes,
onions, and tomatoes that you will never need to purchase these
again. Other crops like potatoes and corn take up more space, so
you'll need to make a decision before planting about what you
want to plant and how much work you are willing to do to
maintain your garden.


At the very least, vegetable gardening information will help you
supplement your current vegetable needs. If you are willing to
invest the time and work into fully eliminating your dependence
on store-bought vegetables, then vegetable gardening information
will help you achieve that goal. Organic foods are extremely
beneficial, and they are also a very cheap way of providing food.


Most of the work comes before you plant the first seed, but it
is a very easy ride after that. At most, you will need to water
your garden once or twice a week to make sure that your plants
get about one inch of water a week to keep them healthy. As you
can see, it's not much work, and the rewards are plentiful.


About the author:
If you love this article, you will also love another article
written by this article's author on squirrelpestcontrol.net and sexton pest
control review.

Creating Your Own Herb Garden

photo by: cathedralcityguide

By: Jamey Sackville


Herbs have been around since time immemorial and served different kinds of purposes. They have been used to treat illness and flavour cooking; they were even believed to have magical powers. Do you want to have your own herb garden? Here are a few ideas on how to establish an herb garden.


Plan your garden.


Consider the herbs you want to plant. Think about their types. Would you like annuals, biennials or perennials?


How much space will they occupy in your garden? If you want, you can purchase a book that can give you the right information on what specific plants you are planning to grow.


List or draw your garden on paper first. Separate the annuals from the perennials so when the time comes that you have to pull out the annuals, you won't be disturbing the perennials. Perennials can be planted on the edge of your garden so when it is time to till your garden they won't be in danger of getting dug up.


Another thing to remember is that you have to plant the tall ones at the back and the shorter ones in front. Also, provide your plants with enough space to grow. Proper position shall help you in this area.


If you would rather keep herbs out of your garden (and some are quite invasive) you could have herb pots. These are large containers with three or more outlets for the herbs. Fill the pot up to the first outlet and plant it before continuing on with the filling and planting process. Usually, the herb that requires the most water is planted in the bottom hole, while the variety that requires the least, goes in the highest hole.


Some Design Ideas


You can consider having a square herb bed. You can have your square bed divided into four by two paths crossing at mid point measuring 3 feet. You can border it with stone or brick. A wooden ladder may also do the trick. You can lay it down on your garden and plant your herbs between its rungs. You can also choose to have a wagon wheel bed. Planting here is like planting with the wooden ladders. Plant your herbs in between the wagon wheel's wedges.


Get Your Plants Growing


Of course, different plants have different needs, but many of them require alkaline soil. This is the reason why you have to determine the herbs you want to plant in the planning stage. This can more or less help you find out how you should care for your plants. If you germinate your herbs from seeds, remember to follow the directions on the packet for soil, watering and temperature.


Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. You just have to provide them with an effective drainage, sunlight, enough humidity or moisture and fertile soil. Even with just minimally meeting these requirements they will be bound produce a good harvest.


About the Author
Find tips about planting mums and planting daffodils at the Planting Tips website.

(ArticlesBase SC #868716)

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Some Useful Home Vegetable Gardening Tips

Author: Clifford S. Magno


The popularity of home vegetable gardening has increased in the last few years and one in every three families does some kind of home gardening. There are some basic home vegetable gardening tips that you can follow to become a successful gardener.


Home Vegetable Gardening Tips


There is not much choice available for urban gardeners in terms of garden sites, but it still remains the most important aspect for successful gardening. Areas that are full of sunlight and that have deep, fertile and well-drained soil is ideal for any kind of gardening. Make sure that the plot is located near a water outlet and does not have other shrubs and trees.


Another important home vegetable gardening tip is to select the appropriate crop. Depending upon the size of the garden, you can choose the vegetables ideally suited for them. Crops like cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers and water squash need large spaces to grow. Beets, beans, onions, carrots, spinach and
tomatoes are small garden vegetables. Plantations can also be chosen as per family needs but make it a point not to over crowd the plot.


A good home vegetable gardening tip is to plan the garden just like you plan your house. A good planning reduces the effort you will have to put in later and will increase your return on labor. You need to separate the long-term and short-term crops so that long-term crops do not interfere with harvesting and care of short-term crops. Crop rotation is another home vegetable gardening tip as it helps prevent insect build-ups and
diseases.


An important home vegetable gardening tip is to have a soil that is fertile, deep and well-drained. Organic matter or sand can be added to the soil if it is heavy clay. Granular soil is ideal for planting and if you do thorough preparation of soil, it will reduce your work of planting and caring for the crop. Proper fertilization is another very important home vegetable gardening tip. The amount of soil required will largely depend upon crops and soil types. You should plant your garden early in the fall and spring so that vegetables will get ideal conditions to grow and mature. Spring is the time of nice weather and an ideal time for you to start your home vegetable garden.


Some good spring vegetable gardening tips are to involve your kids in the entire process, prepare the soil for spring vegetables, choose the appropriate vegetables, and make your child a part of each and every process. Gardening needs patience, and spring gardening can offer a good lesson of patience to your kids.


Another useful home vegetable gardening tip is to provide the plants with enough water at the roots so that the water is able to penetrate the soil up to the depth of six inches. To get rid of unwanted plants in your vegetable garden, use along-handled hoe. Avoid using chemical weed control, as it is not necessary in small areas. Mulching is a good home vegetable gardening tip that will increase the yield from your home vegetable garden. Control the pests using chemicals if necessary.


About the author:


If you love this article, you will also love another article written by this article's author on http://preventivepestcontrol.org/ and discount clarks pest control.

How To Grow Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is easy to grow from seed, rooted cuttings, or by root division. It prefers light soil, but will adapt if some amendments are worked into heavier clay soils; soil should also be fairly fertile and well balanced. Balm thrives in full sun but can be grown in partially shaded areas. (The cultivars ‘All Gold’ and ‘Aurea’ have variegated and yellow foliage, and need some shade since the full hot sun tends to burn them.)


A member of the mint family, balm looks and grows much like mint, though it does not send runners. It will compete for space and is best planted next to other vigorous perennials that will hold their own against this sweet, yet invasive herb. Balm grows from 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall, bushing out laterally, so give each plant 2 feet all around.


Trim plants to help maintain their handsome bushy appearance. The hardy root system will survive the coldest winters if the plants are well mulched.


Read More: Herbal Harbingers of Spring: Lemon Balm - Vegetable Gardener

How to Grow Cilantro and Coriander

Cilantro or Chinese parsley may resemble its namesake, but it's not the wallflower that parsley is in the garden. No, cilantro lets you know it's around with its highly aromatic leaves. I've found that if you enjoy cilantro in your food, you really enjoy it. Those who don't like the herb find its scent unpleasant. Personally, I'm a cilantro lover. It smells like a fresh breeze and absolutely makes Mexican food for me. And I wouldn't make salsa without it.


Cilantro is an annual that likes to be planted so that it's arms receive full sun, while its feet are nestled in a rich, light soil. Sow the seeds in situ (their permanent bed) in the spring. This herb has a long taproot so it doesn't enjoy transplanting. It's a cool-season crop that reacts quickly to hot days...by quickly bolting. So it's a good idea to plant them in intervals.

Read More At: How to Grow Cilantro and Coriander - Vegetable Gardener

Eight Steps to a Bountiful Vegetable Garden

Submitted by: Jude


You've decided that you want a vegetable garden to lower your grocery bills. But, where do you start? There are eight essential steps to successful vegetable gardening.


Step 1. Pick an appropriate area for your garden. When you choose your site, consider these important factors:


- Sunlight. Most vegetables grow best in full sunlight. Choose an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight a day.


- Soil. The best soil for growing vegetables is a dark soil, rich in nutrients, that has good drainage but will still hold sufficient moisture for the plants. Don't plant your garden too close to trees and shrubs whose roots will steal nutrients and water from the vegetables.


- Water. Place your garden near your water supply -- faucets that can be reached by no more than two hose lengths.


Step 2. Create your site plan. Make a plan before you purchase your seeds or plants. It will help you decide how many you need to buy to best fit the available space. Base your plan on the vegetables that your family likes, how much work you want to do on the garden and how much room there is in the garden. Create a quick sketch to follow while you are planting.


Step 3. Buy your plants and/or seeds. Be sure that the plants you get will grow well in the area where you live. Buy young, healthy plants that are not limp or straggly or that have been over-crowded in pots. On seeds, look at the date stamp on the package to make sure they are not too old.


Step 4. Prepare your soil for planting. This is one of the most important things to do for a successful garden. To prepare the soil, add a layer of compost or fertilizer over the top of the soil. Then till (or spade) this layer into the existing soil. Rake the soil into rows or mounds, depending on the type of vegetables you'll be planting.


Step 5. Sow your seeds. If some of your vegetables will be planted from seeds, plant them first. Sometimes seeds are started indoors or in a greenouse to give them a good start. When seedlings appear, thin them to the distances recommended on the seed packets.


Step 6. Plant your plants. Plant young plants following the directions given by the plant nursery where you purchased them. Planting times can be tricky. You want to plant early, but not so early as to stunt their growth in cooler weather. Some plants will require netting or wire forms for best results.


Step 7. Care for your growing plants. Once your vegetables are all planted, you need to care for them by watering, weeding, pruning, and protecting them from insects.


Step 8. Harvest your garden. Different vegetables are harvested at different times. Vegetables should be carefully watched and picked at their peak. You may eat them immediately after harvesting or you can freeze or can them for later use.






About Author: Jude Wright is an author and avid gardener. Find out how you can have a beautiful and successful garden by going to http://GuideForGardeners.com.




Article Source: ArticlesAlley.com

How Much Space Do You Need For A Vegetable Garden

Not much. Truthfully, it depends on the types of veggies you want to grow and how many. But you'll want to know what you have to work with before you choose your vegetable seeds or seedlings. For example, if your kids really want to grow giant pumpkins, a good-sized part of the yard or a large raised bed could easily be devoted to pumpkins. But, one thing is for sure, you absolutely do not need what is referred to to as "land" to plant a vegetable garden. Not even close.

Read More At: Vegetable Gardener

Herb Gardening Essentials - Gardener Guide

By: Matthew Hick

Herbs are a greatly popular result of gardening - just as popular as flowers, shrubs, trees, fruits and vegetables. Herbs are used to spice up or add a nice spark of flavor to all types of food dishes. They are used for medicinal purposes as well as for their pretty flowers. These are just a few reasons why herbs are so popular among gardeners all over the world.

Have you ever reached for a spice when cooking only to realize you were out of it? Wouldn't it be nice to just go over to your plant and clip off what you need, instead of running to the store or doing without? You can have fresh basil, thyme, sage, chives, dill, rosemary or tarragon right at your fingertips from your very own herb garden.

Herbs can be annuals, biennials or perennials. Annuals will flower one season and then die. Biennials will live two seasons, flower one and then die. Perennials will die in winter but return to blossom each season. If you do choose perennials, make sure you plant them in a place they can be kept year after year.

Herb gardens need little space. You can plant them by seeds or plant clippings. Seeds should be planted in shallow boxes in late winter and can then be transplanted outdoors in spring. Soil is a determining factor of whether your herb garden will thrive or falter. Herbs will not grow in wet soil. So it is important you provide adequate drainage. If you do not have good drainage you can correct this by adding compost and sand to your soil, or digging out 15-18 inches of dirt and adding crushed stone under it to assist in this process.

Herbs also do not need much fertilizer. The more fertile the soil, the less foliage will occur and the resulting herb will have little flavor. There are also very few diseases and insects which will attack herbal plants.

Harvesting herbs should take place in the morning and only after the plant has enough foliage to maintain growth. When picked, they should be washed immediately in cold water. They can be used fresh or dried for winter use.

To dry herbs, after washing, hang until drops of water evaporate. Tie the stems together and place in a bag with the stems at the bag's opening. Close the bag with a rubber band and hang from a line in a cool, dry, dark place. Basements are too damp, so the attic is a better choice. After two to three weeks, remove herbs from the bag and crumble the leaves. Place in a shallow pan and put in an oven on the warm setting. When the crumbled leaves are crispy, store in glass jars or an airtight container in a cool place. They will be ready for you whenever you need them.

There are almost sixty different varieties of herbs to choose from when deciding on what herb to plant. Each variety comes with its own unique flavor. Cooking with herbs livens up bland foods naturally. Add some gusto to your life and use some of the herbs from your very own garden, next time you are preparing a meal.

About the Author

More Herb Gardening Articles at http://www.eGardening-Today.com. Learn how to operate a Successful Adsense Website Network at http://eWebCreator.com. Matthew Hick has been designing profitable Niche Adsense Websites for over 5 years.

(ArticlesBase SC #88658)

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A Mini Herb Garden That Goes a Long Way

By: Eustache Davenport

Any great meal starts with fresh ingredients, so it is said and has been proven time and time again. So, imagine that if instead of using store bought herbs to add some zest to the meal, you could simply pick the herbs you need while preparing a meal, a snack, a salad directly from the plants in your mini herb garden on the kitchen windowsill.

Can't get any fresher than that, right! Fresh herbs will add a ''zestier" burst of flavor that you will definitively notice. Think of great meals in a many-stars restaurants you might have enjoyed so much that you can almost feel the taste in your mouth when reminiscing about them. You can be sure that they insist on fresh supplies and it definitively includes fresh herbs.

A lot of folks live in small apartments and lack space as some people just don't wish to get into a bigger size garden project for lack of experience or might not dispose of much time, no matter the reason, a mini garden is a fantastic solution to consider. It is an occasion to start small and let you test your skills at this highly rewarding hobby. Some parents initiates the young ones to life, evolution and the practicality of cultivating and the rewards to reap through a mini herb garden for kids.

These kitchen herb gardens have been gaining in popularity for some time now, certainly for the fresh, healthy and flavorful value they add to any prepared dish but also for the economical alternative that assure a constant fresh supply.

Of course, once you have a good experience with your initial project and see how easy it really is, you may wish to add a few more plants and expand.
Big or small garden: Same rules apply
The mini garden requires the same basics care as larger gardens do. Lots of sunlight, a good soil that drains well and regular appropriate amount of water. Of course, a small scale garden will require only minimal maintenance. Another advantage is the miniature garden is the next-to-nothing space they occupy. The 1 to 3 pot making-up your garden can occupy the kitchen windowsill is very handy when preparing dishes. The biggest downfall of growing only a few plants restricts the choice of fresh herbs you can use.
The choice of herbs
Considering the large choice of herbs to choose from, the biggest dilemma you might have to deal with is which ones to grow. Start with a choice that is practical and can be used for multiple purposes or the one you use a lot in your cooking. Take full advantage of the work you will be doing to give provide good care to those plants.
Herb Garden Kits
The variety of choice is considerable and can pretty much live up to most needs. A herb garden kit require a one-stop purchase, is easy and quick set-up and contains all you need to start a mini herb garden. The only other element to provide is water. If the space you can provide for the garden is more in height, a stacking herb garden is available but usually contains more herbs.

Once the first steps are taken in this adventure, expanding to numerous mini gardens adds variety to you choice of herbs for cooking but also for other purposes. Consider a little garden for tea herbs or, grow a few medicinal herbs that can be what the doctor orders.


About the Author


Eustache Davenport is a gardening enthusiast and author. He lives in Montreal and enjoy teaching his gardening secrets to work groups on how to setup, optimize and maintain an amazing herb garden. For more great tips and information on kitchen herb gardens, visit http://www.herbgardeningonlineguide.com.

(ArticlesBase SC #1619697)

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Tips for Growing Vegetables in Your Kitchen Garden

Author: John Marcova
:
Veg growing all by you is not only money saving option, but there are many health benefits related to it. In case there is ample space in your house, you can Grow Your Own Veg as well as sell some of the produce in the market. The vegetables grown in the garden will be fresh, free of preservatives and additives. Thus, you can be assured that the food you are eating is not causing health problems to you or your family members. Incase you have decided to grow Vegetable Plants, the very first thing to consider is the soil or the land for plantation. Most of the residential areas don't have good quality soil because it contains cement and stones.

Make sure that there is 10-20 cm top soil on the land for growing vegetables. You can use tools for separating stones from the area. Using a container with proper drainage will be another good idea. If you are planning the Veg Growing on ground, make adequate measures for irrigation. Raise the level of soil by about 15-20cm, which is called a "bed". Then, add fertilizer to further improve the quality of the soil. In case you want to grow organic vegetables, add organic fertilizer. Next step is to plant seeds into the bed and water them at least twice a day, especially in hot weather. In order to avoid excessive dryness, you can cover the bed with dried leaves or gardening plastic cover. You should also look out for bugs and pets. Snails can eat the shoot or kill the plant. Therefore, you should use biological control or insecticides to keep them away.

Having a garden where you can grow lots of fruits and vegetables will make you feel good. It will not only save money but give you a healthy lifestyle also. Therefore, utilize the space in backyard of your house to enjoy eating fresh vegetables all season all.

About the author:

Grow Your Own Veg, whether you are having your own massive plot or a small planter. Pippagreenwood offers best quality of Veg Growing. Just choose the crops you'd like to grow from Vegetable Plants.

Planning An Herb Garden With Culinary Herbs, Medicinal Herbs and Aromatic Herbs

By: Mary Hanna


Planning an herb garden can be fun and rewarding. Herbs have been in use for centuries for culinary, medicinal and aromatic reasons. For generations tribal leaders and healers passed down the herbal secrets. Many modern medicines have an herb base. Modern herbalist mix medicinal herb for their clients. Many herbalists also mix aromatic herbs for beauty purposes. But, of course, the culinary herb is still the most widely used. You can become a kitchen gardener by growing an herb garden right in your kitchen on a sunny windowsill.


For the discussion of herbal gardening today we will plant the herbs found in the Elizabethan Era and so often mentioned in William Shakespeare's works. The plants selected will be culinary herbs, medicinal herbs and aromatic herbs, all to experience the aromas and flavors of that time.


Herbal gardening is wonderful since the herbs can be grown in a variety of ways. Plant a container garden for you deck or patio for great colors, different textures and super aromas. Planning an herb garden in the ground will allow you to cultivate a traditional kitchen herb garden outside. Or if you have limited space, become an inside kitchen gardener and plant your herbs on a windowsill or in a window box.


When planning your herb garden remember that the herbs need well drained soil, they hate wet feet. Test your soil for the herb garden and make sure it is alkaline. All Herbs need at least six hours of sunlight.


When Elizabethans planted aromatic herbs, culinary herbs and medicinal herbs they used either a symmetrical rectangular or square patterns. The Elizabethans were very formal and felt their herb gardens should be too. Their herbal gardens had walkways, as strolling through the garden was a popular pastime. They had no TV'S! If you are planting your herbal garden near a patio, think about adding a strolling path for yourself. The paths will add character to you herbal garden.


In planning an herb garden be sure to take in to consideration the growing habits of each herb. Plant the taller busier herbs in the back of the garden, the small, compact ones in the front. Most herbs are perennials meaning they will grow back each year. Any of the herbs that need to be planted annually should go in a spot in the herb garden that is easy to get to. Give each herb plenty of room to grow. The herbs need air circulation to prevent mold. This stage of planning an herb garden is essential since once the plants become mature they do not like to be moved.
When you plant an herb garden, you can either start from seeds or get small plants from your garden center. The garden center plants will give a better chance of achieving success in the herb garden. When using seeds, plan ahead because the seeds may need to grow for several months before they are ready to plant into the herb garden. Especially if you are a beginner, I would recommend using the small plants from the garden center.


Go to a reputable garden center to purchase you herbs. Inspect your herbs closely to make sure they are healthy. One infected plant can ruin your whole herbal garden. When using the small herbs from the garden center you will be able to harvest your herbs much sooner. When you take the herbs out to be planted in the herbal garden, gently remove the plant from the pot and loosen the soil around the roots. Place the herb in the spot you have chosen or the container that you have prepared. Cover all of the roots with soil and gently tamp down. Give your new herbs plenty of water checking the moisture each day. Never let the soil dry out but don't make your herbs roots too wet. If you are planting a container garden remember that the dirt in a container will dry out more quickly then the ground. You might find that the herbs will droop for a couple of days. Don't fret that is shock but they will recover.


Once you have learned the herbs growth patterns you can start pinching off to get a bushier herb. When you first start out, keep a journal for your herb garden to keep track of each herbs strengths and weaknesses. After you get to know your herb garden you will be able to tell when the plants need attention.


Over the centuries herbs have evolved into very hardy plants. Once you herbal garden is established it will need very little care. To hold moisture for the herb longer, mulch around the plants. This is a good garden tip whether you plant the herbs in container gardens or in the ground.


Herbs are natural insect repellents but if you have to treat for pests be sure you use a non toxic treatment since you will be eating your harvest. Marigolds are a natural repellent so you may want to plant of few of these flowers. Planting companion plants is how most Shakespearian gardens were done.


Harvest can begin as soon as you have several leaves on the herb. It is best to cut your herbs before they begin to flower for the best flavor. This is when the most oils are stored in the leaves. Wait until any morning dew has dissipated before cutting but harvest before the full sun is out. You can cut your herbs right before you wish to use them. If the stems are tender these too can be used in your recipes.


If you have an abundant harvest you can freeze or dry the herbs. Dry them by hanging them upside down, in a bunch tied together, in a warm and dark place. You can microwave them by placing them between two paper towels and microwaving for 2 minutes. Put them in an air tight container, they will last up to 1 year.


Freezing the bounty of your herb garden will let them last a little longer, a year to year and a half. Chop up the herbs and place on a sheet of wax paper. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Another method is to put the herbs in ice cube trays with water. Freeze until firm, pop them out and put them in to zip lock bags. When ever you need the herbs for soups, stews or sauces, just throw in an herb ice cube.


Now, here is the list of Shakespearian Herbs to plant in your Elizabethan herb garden including culinary herbs, aromatic herbs and medicinal herbs. It will truly make you a kitchen gardener.
Bay, box, Broom, Calendula, Chamomile, Chives, Heartsease, Hyssop, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Parsley, Peppermint, Rosemary, Rue, Salad Burnet, Summer Savory, Bachelors Buttons and Thyme. For more information on each herb, email me or search on the internet.
Happy Gardening!


Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.


This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.


About the Author


Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GardeningHerb.com

(ArticlesBase SC #47142)

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Planting Garlic

Garlic can be planted from fall to early spring, although hardneck varieties prefer to be in the ground during a cold winter.


Garlic grows best in deep, fertile well-drained soil. To plant, separate the cloves from each bulb and place pointy end up 1-2 inches below the surface of the soil and about 3-4 inches apart. Mulch the area and keep the garlic moist.


Garlic will be ready to harvest in summer when the flower stalks of hardneck garlic stand up straight or when the leaves of softneck garlic begin to turn yellow. Allow garlic to dry for several weeks before storing or using in your cooking.

Read More: Celebrate National Garlic Month - Vegetable Gardener

Growing Cabbage

Get an early crop started by setting out seedlings 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost. Space seedlings about 2-3 feet apart. A second crop can be planted in July. Even watering is the key to preventing cabbages from splitting.

Cabbage worms are the main pest threat. They don’t do a great deal of damage and can be hand picked easily, if you can see them. Their coloring allows them t blend in with the cabbage.

Harvest when the head forms and they are firm to the touch. Leave the wide, outer leaves and just cut the head. Cabbages can be stored for months in a root cellar where the temperature is between 45 degrees F. and freezing.

Source: Cabbage - Growing and Caring for Cabbage in the Vegetable Garden

Photo by: La Grande Farmer's Market

Vegetable Gardening Guide - To Help You in Having a Simple But Productive Garden

Author: Clint Sidney

Vegetable gardening can be very stimulating. If you are just
planning to have you own organic garden, here is a vegetable
gardening guide to help you along with the new pastime and get
you started. First you need a space at your disposal, if you are
an apprentice it is advisable not to start with a big space. You
must begin with a single raised bed of 9'x12'. Then as you learn
all about organic gardening, you can add number of beds to dwell
upon.

Prepare the bed early in the season then it is time to sow, you
can first plant the kind of vegetable which your family needs.
This doesn't mean you have to supply vegetable for your family
for the whole year. Be contented with small achievement that you
can little by little increase. You can search the internet, read
gardening books and catalogues to assist you in deciding on what
kind of vegetable to grow in certain time of the year or season.

The next significant step you must do after planting is
uprooting the weeds surrounding your crop. Weeds are obstacle in
making your vegetables grow healthy. You have to hoe on a
regular basis even if you do not see weeds among the plants.
Avoid walking on the beds. Another method to exterminate weeds
is by mulching. Organic mulches like pine needles, grass and
straw are advisable to use, you just apply it when the soil is
wet. You can preserve the dampness of the soil as well as
enhance the temperature through mulching.

Another important aspect in vegetable gardening is watering the
plants. Frequent watering supports root formation, steadiness of
the plants and revival of nutrients. It is best to put in
sprinkles or drip irrigation. It is essential and a must for
seeds and transplants to be watered every day. Water the plants
before it withered.

The last thing to deal with is the problem with pest and
diseases. You should never use pesticides for the basic reason
that they terminate bugs that are useful too along with the
damaging ones. The common strategy to overcome this trouble is
to grow other plants along with your main crop. You can plant
onions and garlic together with carrots. Grow flowering plants
around the beds because it draws beneficial insects.

Hope this vegetable gardening guide will be of great help in
creating your own organic vegetable garden. You can also learn
more from browsing the internet, by reading books on gardening
or talking about it with neighbors. Have fun on building your
own garden.

About the author:
Clint Sidney is a gardening enthusiast and enjoys giving
information about Vegetable Gardening Guide. You can learn more about
gardening at GreatGardener.eHelpshome.com.

Starting Rosemary From A Clipping

Photo by:Woodlywoodworks

Rosemary is usually propagated by cuttings. Seeds can be difficult to germinate and often don't grow true to their parent. It's much faster to start with a cutting and you will be sure of what type of plant you will get. It's possible to root rosemary in a glass of water, but a bit more effort will give more dependable results.

Snip about a 2 inch cutting from the soft, new growth of an established plant.

Remove the leaves from the bottom inch and dip that tip into a rooting hormone. Rooting hormones can be found in any garden center.

Carefully place the dipped end into a container of dampened, sterile seed starting mix. Choose a mix that says it is well draining, like something containing peat moss and vermiculite or perlite.

Place the container in a warm spot with indirect sunlight.

Mist the cuttings daily and make sure the soil does not dry out.

In about 2-3 weeks, test for root growth by very gently tugging on the cuttings.

Once your cuttings have roots, transplant into individual pots about 3-4 inches in diameter.

Pinch off the very top of the cutting to encourage it to develop branches.

Begin caring for your cutting as a rosemary plant.

Source: About.com

Planning Your Herb Garden The Right Way

By: Mary Hanna

This article is dedicated to planning a successful herb garden. If you have planted herb gardens in previous years this will help to revamp and refresh one already have.


Go to your Garden Center and see what herbs are available and suitable for your area. This is important if you are planning an outside herb garden. If you are planning an inside herb garden, since you control the atmosphere, you can choose whatever you like.


My suggestion here would be to select a theme for your herb garden. You can plant them for cooking herbs, cosmetic herbs, medicinal herbs or fragrance herbs use. Be realistic about your plants. Check your whole property to find the right spot. Look for sun or shade, type of soil, and how well the spot drains. These are all very import for picking the best place for your herb garden.


Once you have accomplished the above, pick your sunniest spot because herbs need a lot of sun (a good four top six hours daily). Be sure that the herb garden site is level and sheltered from wind. If your soil is a bit heavy ad lots of compost when preparing your site which will make the soil looser and help with drainage and texture.


Try to keep the herb garden close to the house to facilitate in picking the harvest and checking for troubles. If you can't find a suitable sunny spot plant them in a garden container that you can move around to follow the sun. (This movement is a bit time consuming but it pay off in the end).


Look at the rest of your gardens. Are they formal or informal? You will want your herb garden to complement your house and garden. Look in books or magazine to get some inspiration. If you are creating a formal herb garden you will need to plant in straight lines and geometric shapes framing them with low hedges and paths. A fountain, bench or topiary shrubs are almost always used as the main focal point. Arrange the layout around a central axis. Then plant one kind of herb in each block, go for bold color and texture. Be warned a formal garden is labor intensive and will be expensive.


In an informal herb garden you can plant more flowing, curved beds and walkways. Add flowers and shrubs for a really exciting look. This type of herb garden requires less initial work and will be easier and cheaper to maintain.


Now it's time to decide on which herbs to plant. The easy way is to make a list of the ones that follow your theme. Make up your wish list in three columns. Column one is the absolutely must have plants, Column two will be the ones that would be nice to have and Column three is oh well, not necessary. If you're just starting out do between 5-10 herbs, (depending on your space). This makes the herb gardening more manageable.
Know which herb plants or annual or perennial, and make a note of them so you won't forget. A small spiral notebook is a good place to make comments on the care of each of your herbs. Situate each plant according to height for maximum enjoyment of your herb garden.


Lastly keep them well fed and give them lots of love and you will a beautiful herb garden that is multi-purpose. You get to plant the herb garden, watch it flourish, and then you get to harvest it for whatever your purpose was: Culinary, Medicinal, Fragrance or Cosmetic.


Happy Planting!


About the Author
Visit Mary Hanna's websites at: Herb Gardening, Gardening Landscaping Tips and Container Gardening

(ArticlesBase SC #46036)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Planning Your Herb Garden The Right Way

Steps in Growing Basil Indoors

Some herb gardeners think that growing basil indoors is not easy. Well, whether you are an experienced gardener or a new one, you can successfully grow basil by following these steps. Many dishes can be cooked with basil and if you have one at home, you will have a fresh supply of this herb variety. For gardeners with limited yard space, there is a solution - growing basil indoors.

Step 1- Prepare the needed supplies. You will need pots and containers of various sizes, soil, gardening tools, and seeds of basil, gloves, and fertilizer (optional). If you have gardening tools, then there is no more need to purchase them. Soil is readily available at home but if it is not well drained, you should buy commercial soil instead together with the seeds and fertilizer. Get the supplies you need to growing basil indoors from the local garden center or the nursery. Most of the supplies are reasonably priced and if you get the gardening kits, you can save a lot of money.

Step 2 - Learn everything you can about planting basil. As you purchase the supplies from the local nursery or center, you can ask the people there about growing basil. Use the net to find additional info about growing basil indoors. If you are knowledgeable enough, it will be very easy to grow the herb indoors.

Step 3 - Growing the herbs inside the house is similar to the outdoors but the difference is the location. You will also use container and pots so the planting area is limited. You have to ensure that you provide the required soil, water, and sunlight. The soil was already discussed earlier and in growing basil indoors, you should not provide too much water. Too much water can rot the roots of the plant. You also need to check if the pots have enough holes at the bottom. Here is a tip - water the plant with just the right amount of water everyday so long as to keep the soil moist.

Step 4 - Check the pH level. The ideal pH for basil is from 6.5 - 7.5. Growing basil indoors require you to conduct pH tests every month to make sure that the pH level is just right. Tester kits can also be obtained from garden centers. As long as you are growing basil, you may need to check the pH every month.

Step 5 - When harvesting the basil leaves, get only single leaves. Leave off paired ones. You can have several basil plants and growing basil indoors will be able to provide you with a year long supply of fresh basil leaves. You can use basil for cooking certain dishes and it can be used for medicinal purposes as well. If you plan to use basil for cooking, use organic fertilizer only.

Follow these steps and you will surely grow healthy basil at home. You do not have to be an expert gardener because with the appropriate knowledge, you can harvest basil at any time of the year. You can begin growing basil indoors once you secured the supplies.

Tim is an experienced herb gardener and loves to grow herbs. To learn more about growing basil indoors as well as other great herb gardening, planting, growing and using techniques check out his dedicated herb growing and care website http://www.herbgardeningplace.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Adam