David is a well-known author who has been writing for Gardenlodges. Established in 2003, Garden Lodges provide an exciting range of next generation modular garden offices, garden studios and lifestyle buildings that are factory built to perfection and genuinely habitable. For more information on garden design, visit www.gardenlodges.co.uk
Beets and Greens Salad with Cannellini Beans
First of all I do NOT like beets. My wife has tried for years to find a recipe that I would like. We grow them every year in our garden, yet she is the only one that will eat them. After making this recipe I am in love! This recipe was sooooo good! So if you need to do something with all those beets in the garden, or from the store, give this one a try. Here is the recipe my wife gave me to add:
(Cannellini Beans are also known as White Kidney Beans)
2 bunches beets with unblemished greens, or 8 cups lightly packed beet greens
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, minced
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 15-ounce or 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion, (1/2 small onion)
Preheat oven to 400*F. Cut greens from beets, leaving about 1-inch of stem attached; reserve about 8 cups greens, lightly packed. Wash and dry the beets. Wrap in foil and roast until tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on size. (Alternatively, place beets in a microwave-safe dish, add 1/4 cup water, cover and microwave on high for 20 to 25 minutes.) When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel 4 of them and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. You should have about 2 cups. Place in a medium bowl. (Reserve remaining beets for another use.)
Using a mortar and pestle or the side of a chef’s knife, mash garlic and salt into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Add vinegar and whisk to blend. Add oil,k oregano and pepper, whisking until blended. Measure out 1 tablespoon and add to the beet wedges; toss to coat. Add beans to the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature until ready to use.
Place onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water and add a handful of ice cubes; let stand for 10 minutes, or until ready to use.
Meanwhile,bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil in a large wide pan. Wash beet greens in several changes of water; trim the stems. Add the greens to boiling water, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, pressing on the greens with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Drain the onion. Add to the beans along with greens; toss to coat. Spoon the salad onto a serving platter or individual plates and garnish with the beets. Serve immediately.
I use apple cider vinegar because it is what I have on hand. I love this recipe! It is so delicious and good for you. My husband who doesn’t love beets, loves this dish! What a great way to use all the vegetable also. (I found this recipe somewhere and claim no credit for it.)
~Heather in the Kitchen!
Strawberries!
Here is a pic of our strawberries. We are getting a bowl full about every three days. They are on the small side, but taste delicous! They are about the size of a large rasberry or blackberry. Not sure why, will have to research. My wife loves making freezer jam out of these. Recipe will be put up in a couple days.
Omega Garden Hydroponic System
www.omegagarden.com Weather Network Interview. Enjoy fresh, locally produced high quality food all year round, anywhere you are, without leaving your residence, or picture yourself operating a successful commercial farm in the heart of the city! The Omega Garden™ is a revolutionary rotary hydroponic system designed with convenience, simplicity, and maximum yield in mind. From the hobby gardener to the professional grower, all will find an Omega Garden™ to suit their needs. www.omegagarden.com
Garden Girl TV: Natural Insect Control with Diatomaceous Earth
Patti Moreno the Garden Girl shows you how she controls insects in her garden, by using diatomaceous earth! www.gardengirltv.com and http Use the CC button to view subtitles in any language. Natural Garden Pest Insect Control Using Diatomaceous eEarth So a lot of people ask me, Patti you are an organic gardener, what do you do about all of this little bugs and slugs and all that stuffs that farmers for so long had been trying to come back. Well, I have one of the most amazing products that I discovered. It is actually been use for a really, really long time and it is called Diatomaceous earth Now, Diatomaceous earth is actually fertilized algae that is found in sedimentary rock and it forms of powdery substance pretty easily. If you are asking what are you doing right now? Why are you watering your garden and watering all the leaves of your garden? Well the reason why I am doing that because I am going to spread the Diatomaceous earth or DE as also known on of my plants. And I want my powder to stick to the leaves of the plants so they have to be moist; they have to have water on them. In order for the dust to stick to the plants, now this is the Diatomaceous earth . This is actually a duster and what we use to dust the crops and let me show you in here. That is the powdery substance, now this is a completely safe for humans and for animals. So really do not have to worry about it getting you know into any other animals that might be around and this is the fun part. [DEMO …
Square Foot Garden
We finally got our Square Foot Garden setup for this year. Our boxes are 4 foot wide by 6 foot long. I wanted to go 8ft, but the 6ft long 1×6 boards were a lot cheaper. We built 6 of these boxes. Plus we still have a regular garden area tilled and ready. This area will contain the vine type foods such as watermelons, squashes, etc.
Anyway, You basically fill 6-8 inches deep, 3 different ingredients evenly. Those ingredients are 1 part vermiculite, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part compost. If you have to buy compost, I hear mushroom compost is the best. We could not find any, so we just used regular compost. Once they are in the container, stir it around to they are all evenly mixed and start planting! As usual, we made this a family event.
We first cut small blocks to use in the corners. Then we attached all the boards to make an easy 4 ft by 6ft square that is 6 inches tall. This is minimum, 8-10 inches would be best.
Next we divided the boxes into three, and added equal parts of the above ingredients.
Once all the parts were all measured out, we mixed it all together.
Once everything was mixed well, we measured and placed nails every foot. We then sectioned each square off using simple string. As you can see from below this gives us 24 squares from each box.
Learn more about square foot gardening by watching this video below:
How to Plant a Vegetable Garden : Ideas for Designing Your Vegetable Garden
If you are thinking that this time of year is not the time to think about your garden, you might be right. Then again, with winter in full swing, there is plenty of time to think, plan, and draw out your garden to prepare for a great garden next year. This video talks about basic garden planning, consideration of the sun, positioning, and vertical garden spaces for times when your short on space. Enjoy!
Learn ideas for designing your vegetable garden in thisfree online video guide to vegetable gardening. Expert: Scott Reil Contact: www.safelawns.org Bio: Scott Reil is an accredited nurseryman and longtime horticulturalist with over two decades of experience in the field. Scott is now working for www.safelawns.org. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso … gardening vegetables tomatoes tools squash harvest weeds pests planting video
Organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden
www.howdini.com Organic gardening: How to grow an organic vegetable garden What does it mean to grow vegetables organically? Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening magazine shows how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden. Keywords: organic gardening organic garden organic vegetable gardening organic gardening tips
Essential Things You Need to Consider When Buying a Garden Office
In today’s world, garden offices have gained much popularity and are in great demand. People purchase garden rooms from different suppliers and manufactures. However, there are certain essential things that a person needs to consider before purchasing a garden office. A person, prior to purchasing garden offices, should ensure that he is getting the best deal. There are ten essential things that should be considered before buying a garden office or garden studio.
Before purchasing a garden office one must be sure of the purpose that it would serve. This will help the person to ascertain whether the requirements of the building can be met by the design. If the building is being purchased to be used as a garden office, sufficient amount of lighting should be provided. If the room is to be used as a gym, then there should be provision for sufficient ventilation. If it is for the purpose of garden a lodge, then there should be provision for proper heating.
The position of one’s garden office is also of utmost importance. One rarely requires planning permission most of the time as long as the garden office is situated at a distance of 5 metres from the person’s home and occupies less than 50% of the garden’s area. Permission is also not required if the garden office or garden studio is built for private use and is about 20 metres away from any public place.
A person while buying a garden office or garden studio should also be careful about the height of the building. However, the height of the modular garden offices should not exceed 4 metres. If the height of the garden office exceeds 4 metres a person will have to seek permission. Permission also has to be taken if the building consists of two or more floors. Permission also has to be taken if the size of the rooms exceeds 30 Sq metres.
Further, a person prior to buying a garden room should be sure of the type of room he requires. A person buying a room for a garden studio should ensure that the room is in accordance to his requirements. The design of the room should also be taken into account.
A person buying a room for the purpose of running a garden office should also check the materials used for both constructing and designing the office. There are numerous suppliers who can provide the best garden offices. For information regarding garden offices and garden studios visit gardenlodges.co.uk.
How to Create a Garden Office or Garden Studio in a Small Space
There are many people who love to spend most of their time in the garden. The concept of a garden office or garden studio is perfect for such kind of people. In today’s world many people work from their own home. It becomes very convenient for these people to own their own garden office. However, everyone may not have ample space for his or her garden office. In that case, they can take professional help to create their own garden office within a small area.
If you want a robust and secure garden office or garden studio you simply must purchase a product from a specialist company such as Garden Lodges. People who want to build their garden office within a small space normally resort to this method. People who generally work from home prefer using a garden office instead of a spare room. However, there are certain details that one should keep in mind while creating a garden office.
For creating a garden office or garden studio, it would be best if one has sufficient space. He should take into account all the requirements for building a garden office or garden studio. Proper insulation and security of the modular garden office has to be considered.
People often like to own a garden studio. Garden lodges are market leaders in this field. A person can design his garden office or garden studio as per his choice. He can opt for designing a traditional kind of a garden office or garden studio or opt for the modern type of garden office. However, a person has to take into consideration a lot of details while creating a garden studio within a small place.
People who have limited space to build their garden office or garden studio generally purchase smaller buildings. The most modern equipment can be installed into a garden office or garden studio. Micro pods from Garden Lodges based in the UK can also be used.
Apart from the wide range of professional services available, you can get all the information about a garden office or garden studio from gardenlodges.co.uk.
David is a well-known author who has been writing for Gardenlodges. Established in 2003, Garden Lodges provide an exciting range of next generation modular garden offices, garden studios and lifestyle buildings that are factory built to perfection and genuinely habitable. For more information on garden design, visit www.gardenlodges.co.uk
How To Establish Urban Garden For For Fun and Profit
HOW TO ESTABLISH URBAN GARDEN FOR FUN AND PROFIT
Urban gardening is ideal in the city or town where your space for planting is limited. If you’re employed in the city and you’ve no time to go to the province to do your farming activities, then urban gardening is best for you.
Benefits you can get from urban gardening:
It could be therapeutic. Tending your plants early in the morning or after office hours relieves you from stress in the workplace and in the home. It could be enjoyable. When you see your plants with attractive flowers and vigorous growth, your imagination wanders like you’re in heaven with a happiness and satisfaction you can’t explain. Generate additional income. You can sell your extra plants to others if you think they are surplus for your personal needs. The city is a ready market because there are plenty of people and there’s the purchasing power. Reduce waste accumulation. You can recycle used materials such as; tin cans and plastics, sachets, tin foils for potting, Styrofoam for seed boxes, biodegradable products for composting, and others.
Strategies in Urban Gardening
Select the right crops to grow, depending on the purpose or purposes of going into urban gardening. Identify a particular target market if you’re into commercial production. Develop your own passion or specialization and concentrate on that line. You can rent or borrow vacant lot. You can use your roof top if you have any. You can create plant boxes along your fence and walkways. You can grow plants in pots and other containers.
What kind of plants are ideal for urban gardening
You can grow all kinds of plants from fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.
Fruits. You can grow fruits if not in the ground, you can plant them in containers, e. g. citrus, guava, lemon, balimbing, etc. Vegetables. Many varieties can be grown both in the ground and in containers. Ornamentals. There are many types of ornamentals you can grow, depending on your target market, capital required, and your inclination in urban gardening.
Requirements you need to know in urban gardening
Before you enter into urban gardening, strictly observe the following requirements in order to be successful:
Water. Water is the most important item for any kind of plant. Without it, your gardening activities will be amiss. You have to consider the cost and continuous availability of water. Soil media. If you intend to grow your plants in containers, soil or potting media are important. You should have available supply of it all the time. Source of pots and containers. Try to know where to get the cheaper source and continuous supply for pots germinating trays of different hole sizes, and containers. Tools and implements. All of these should be at hand for your gardening activities, such as shovel, hoe, pick mattock, spade, trowel, sprayer, tractor (with accessories for bigger areas), and others. Manpower. Provide yourself with available workers to help you in the garden. Though you can do it yourself, but at least there is one you can trust to tend your plants when you’re out for some other business. Materials and seeds. See to it that you have available of these materials and seeds in your nursery such as; seeds and other planting materials. Get your planting materials from reputable source or certified seed suppliers.
Improving unsuitable soil
When your place is stony or adobe and you think there is no more hope for the plant o grow, don’t panic, there is still remedy to improve it. The strategies to undertake are:
Look for plants that will grow in rocks or adobe stones (rock gardening). There are plants that grow vigorously on rock such; balete tree, some cactus species, etc). Arrange them in such a way that they will not compete with space and sunlight. Add garden soil or organic material such as manure, compost, and others. You can make holes on the rock just enough to hold the soil media in place for specific plants. For larger plants you can make bigger holes so that more soil media may be placed to sustain the growing period of the plants. Look for possible sources.
How to earn profits from your urban garden
There are so many ways you can promote your urban garden to make it known to the public and earn you a profit.
The following tips can enhance your promotional strategies:
Attend garden shows or trade fairs. You can bring and display your exotic plants in the garden shows or trade fairs so the customers will see them. Display your gardens’ name, location, proximity to the market, and plants grown. Publish in all media outlets. Submit pictures of your garden and plants in magazines, TV, Internet, and newspapers to have a wider dissemination to the reading public. By word-of-mouth. Often times you invite some visitors for some special occasions like; birthdays, get together, Christmas parties, or any occasions you may establish. Show to your guests your beautiful urban garden plants. You may give them as a token out of your plants and tell them your plants are for sale if they have some friends interested to buy plants from you at discounted price. Send brochures of your urban garden to gardening sites. Invite site owners to help you promote your urban garden plants for a percentage fee say 50-60% for the gross sale of your plants. This methods is called affiliates, resellers or partners wherein both of you earns an income. A win-win strategy. Accept consultancy or speaker ship. As an expert you can accept consultancy in symposia to those interested in urban gardening. While at this event you can insert your garden in your talks. You can tell your audience about your urban garden, what plants are grown and they are for sale. You may also bring with you your sample plants to the events and sale or give them to your audience.
In urban gardening you can enjoy the work in your garden, feel the freshness of the surroundings because of the smell of sweet flowers, the vigorous growth of your plants, and at the same time it can provide you with additional income.
Enjoy urban gardening and let your expertise flourish for the benefit of others while giving you fresh vegetables and fresh flowers. Above all gives you an income out of your plants.
Come on, stretch out your aching back and body and let the soil and plants in your garden provide the solution to relieve your pain and at the same time earn you an additional income.
What about that, are you serious in urban gardening?
Then, come on let’s go, roll out your sleeves.
Cris Ramasasa, Freelance writer, writes about home gardening and Internet marketing tips. You can get a copy of his latest ebook “How to get started in Flower Gardening” and “Vegetable Gardening Made Easy” and also get lots of tips, Free articles, and bonuses at: www.crisramasasa.com
Cris Ramasasa is a retired Horticulture teacher for 29 years and Freelance writer. Writes home gardening tips and resources. Written ebooks titled: How To Get Started In Flower Gardening and Vegetable Gardening Made Easy.
Soon to put up his website; www. how-to-get-started-in flower-gardening.com