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Got a bumper crop of tomatoes this summer? Are your neighbors hiding when they see you heading their way with a paper sack of zucchini and summer squash? Fresh garden vegetables, herbs and fruit are among the best perks of gardening – but there’s no reason to stop eating the fruits of your labor just because the summer is over. The fine art of preserving fresh produce from your garden is easy to learn. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be canned, dried, pickled, frozen or made into relish, jams, jellies and preserves. If you’re not sure of the best way to preserve your bounty for winter eating, this guide to preserving can help set you straight. Freezing Corn: Cut kernels off cobs and spread flat on cookie sheets. Freeze, then store in zippered plastic bags. Drying A more common way of drying fruits and vegetables is with a dehydrator, which can be purchased from a kitchen store. Follow the directions with the dehydrator for best results. Canning Jams, Jellies, Preserves and Butters Pickles Anybody can do organic vegetable gardening at home because the principle behind this is not that different from what they do in the farm. The only difference is that you work in a smaller area and you get to choose what you like plant. The first thing you have to do is find an ideal location. A lot of people do organic vegetable gardening in their backyard. To make it work, whatever you are planting should get at least 6 hours of sunlight everyday and access to water. Just like the ancient civilizations that relied on an efficient irrigation system, you too should do the same by making sure there is adequate drainage because if you don’t, you will have to do organic vegetable gardening using a raise bed. When your ideal location has been found, it is time to cultivate the land. For that, you will need your gardening tools and a pair of gloves to pluck out the weeds on the ground. This might take a few days to make sure the area is ready for planting. You will only know if the ground you are going to plant your vegetable is a good spot by testing it with some compost and mixing this with the soil. Should it be able to integrate and stabilize itself with the soil, this means that you can start planting your crops and see it grow in the succeeding weeks. If you don’t like to buy compost from the gardening store, you can make your own using coffee grounds, dead leaves, grass clippings, food waste or even manure. They also serve as excellent fertilizers. As for your vegetables, take note that some of these may not be suitable in the land you are planting these on. This is because of several factors that are beyond your control such as the weather, pests and other plant borne diseases. You can avoid making this mistake by doing some research on what vegetables are ideal to plant in your area and asking fellow organic gardeners. One way to protect the organic vegetables you are planting is by planting a variety of them at a time since some of these protect each other from pests. Such practice is better known as crop rotation especially when you want to adapt with the weather in your area. Another defense system that works is getting the help of Mother Nature as birds, certain insects and even toads have proven to be useful. If you live in an area where wild animals may eat your vegetables, you should put up fences so they are not able to get through. Other tools you can use are animal hair, baby powder and deodorant soaps. Part of preparing the land is removing the weeds. But remember that new weeds grow after some time so you have to inspect the area from time to time. Planting your own organic vegetable garden at home will surely save you money as these are quite expensive in the supermarket. If you have some excess stocks when it is time to harvest them, maybe you can give some to your neighbors or make some money by selling it at the local market which isn’t that bad given that you don’t shell out that much cash for this investment. Each gardener has his own set of characteristics that make him fit for certain gardening styles. If you know yourself and the right gardening style that will fit your rearing of your organic garden and help you yield your vegetables effectively, then you have pretty much gotten an edge over other gardening enthusiasts. But what are the different types of gardening that you can look out for? Here are some of the types that you can consider: Residential Gardening This is the most common of all gardening techniques. If you are just a beginner and not yet inclined to produce vegetables for industrial reasons, then residential gardening is for you. The primary purpose of residential gardening is to sustain a family or two of a steady supply of vegetables and at the same time, render aesthetic appeal to your backyard. Residential gardening does not require too much space. It can also be cultivated in window sills, balconies and other small areas that have sufficient light source, easy to monitor and at the same time, easy to maintain or free from pests. The good thing about residential gardening is the ease with which it ushers the gardening wannabe from having no knowledge of planting to expanding to other gardening styles, whichever deems the fancy of the budding gardener. Specialized Gardening
Indoor Gardening Different Vegetable Gardening Styles If you want to garden with minimal supervision and love water organisms, then water gardening is for you. This is a bit of a challenge for most gardeners because it usually doesn’t involve the initial conditions of other traditional gardening techniques. The novelty of water gardening appeals only to those who have ample water facilities to cultivate this type of gardening style. Community Gardening If you are motivated by group efforts, community gardening may be for you. It involves concentrated efforts of the different members of the community to be able to help make a greener place. It involves a huge scope, but the members of the community are given autonomy to style their areas in whichever way they choose. |
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