Articles and Tips November, 2007


When To Buy Organic.

 The next time you are in the Organic produce aisle, you might  find that you are a bit confused as to what produce you should buy.  There are so many choices available that it can be mind boggling.  To reduce your potential exposure to pesticides on produce,  it  is a possible idea to look at organic labels on certain fruits and  vegetables.  It was not all that long ago ...

Posted in Fruits and Vegetables | No Comments »

The Time For Amaryllis.

We are getting close to that time of year for the Amaryllis bulb to become popular as a christmas gift. They are such lovely elegant looking plants, that grace many a home, the Amaryllis is  not really a lily, and the common-called amaryllis is not even an  amaryllis, but a Hypeastrum No matter what the correct name is it is most loved for its spectatular blossom production and because it can be grown year after year. Every year in winter amaryllis bulbs appear in garden catalogues, plant and flower shops, nurseries and even supermarkets.  They are sold in boxes with pots and peat moss, and planting instructions. The supermarket is a good source of acquiring this plant, as I can attest to, I have had many lovely plants from there. Many people are doubtful as to how to ensure future blooming when their amaryllis is finished flowering.

Posted in Bulbs | No Comments »

Hydroponics-Plants Without Soil.

Hydroponics, a method of gardening which does not use soil, has been developed during the past 60 years or so. While it has been proven  both reliable and effective, it has not yet become a familiar technique to most gardeners. Hydroponics  is the art of cultivating plant life in a nutrient water solution whose roots are supported by a substance ...

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Good and Bad Bugs.

 Organic gardeners divide the insect world into two camps:  good bugs and bad bugs  The bad bugs bring death, disease, and destruction, they suck the life out of plants, infest the soil and lay eggs by the thousands. The good bugs remind me of an army of peacekeepers, who come marching in bringing peace and harmony. They work quietly, taking care of the bad bugs by munching on them and generally getting rid of your enemies for you. Now, you would think that bad bugs would look horrible and good ones would be pretty but that is not always the case i.e A ground beetle, which eats slugs, is distinguished from a darkling beetle, which eats plants, by a ridge on its head from which the ground beetle's antennae protrude.

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Fertilizers: Chemical versus Organic.

A natural fertilizer is one that consists of some natural earth product which may be processed mechanically, but is not  treated with acids or substances to increase its solubility. Phospate rock, finely pulverized, is a natural fertilizer.   An artificial, chemical fertilzer   is a combination of some earth   product  and a strong acid  .   Super phosphate, which is   made by treating phosphate rock with   sulfuric acid, is an example.   A hundred pound bag of superphosphate includes 50 pounds of phosphate rock and 50 pounds of sulfuric acid.

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