Your complete guide to growing vegetables and fruit trees made simple.
With the passing of spring and the summer months and winter fast approaching there is still much that can be done during the fall months, among the many tasks that are undertaken in our fall gardens is extending the season by growing vegetables. Yes even during the fall months we can grow edible foods in our South Florida gardens before the temperature dips ( the winter months sets in).
Growing our very own homegrown edible garden is a great way to extend the season while eating fresh, this time of the year presents great opportunities to stay active in our gardens as we plan for and produce cool garden crops that will give a bountiful harvest come next spring.
In our last article in case you missed it we discussed growing potatoes in grow bags, but today we will be discussing when to plant potatoes. This question has been asked so many times and we are here to give you a clearer or better understanding of the best time of the year these veggies can be planted to ensure you reap a good harvest.
Potatoes are considered to be a staple food, because of this the potato veggie is a popular vegetable that’s grown and cultivated in many home gardens and on a wider scale as well as(on farmlands). But before we get into the discussion of growing potatoes in grow bags I want you for a short while to travel back with me in time as we look at the origin of the potato plant.
Planting an edible garden is so exciting as we wait with great anticipation to reap a good harvest but if the truth can be told based on what we are growing can seem to take forever to reach our kitchens. Tomatoes for example are one of those edibles that requires patience as we wait for harvest time.
Growing tomatoes indoors is a great way to extend the season while eating fresh and healthy, while it’s good to utilize outdoor living space we can take advantage of our indoor living space as well, especially for those of you who may not have the space (outdoor gardens). Growing tomatoes indoors is a great way to have these delicious edibles at your fingertips. If you would like to know how to have success on how to grow tomatoes indoors then continue reading and see for yourself how simple this process is.
With the exception of hydroponics, the key to growing healthy plants is the soil type, the soil really does matters and lay at the roots of plant life. Although native soil has its place and may be looked upon as the ideal soil, the truth of the matter is there are many native soil types that need a little help (soil amending).
Whether growing and harvesting tomatoes from our home gardens or purchasing from our farmers or supermarket our desire or goal is not only to have healthy delicious tomatoes but to preserve them so they can maintain their flavors and freshness. But one thing that we all can agree on is for many of us if not all of us there are times when those once healthy tomatoes that we were planning on using in that delicious recipe/recipes can no longer be used because of not knowing how to preserve them.
The summer months can be such a challenge especially as we seek to get outdoors working the soil in our gardens, the good news, however, is we can take advantage of this time of year because we are presented with the opportunity to grow our very own edibles in a way that is healthier and can save us by decreasing the amount of money that’s spent at the supermarket.
What I love about gardening is there are so many innovative ways in creating a garden you desire, even if you don’t have the space. These new methods are so simple but effective Saving you Time and Money as you Reap a Good Harvest.
Another idea that the industry has come up with is growing plants in grow bags. Though this idea is not new gardeners all over the country are having much success with this way of growing plants especially plants with a shallow root system.
Having a spirit of innovation can place you ahead of the game as you reap and enjoy the many rewards of what thinking outside of the box offers, when it comes to gardening this is also true, so many weekend worries are coming up with creative ideas as they connect with nature in and outdoor as well as an indoor garden setting.
With the Pandemic still looming over our heads along with other social and world issues that are seeking to stagger or cripple our economy from rebounding we have to now think outside of the box with better spending habits to stretch those dollars so they can go a bit further. The rise in food costs has sparked an interest as many people are starting backyard gardens to reduce spending hoping to save a bit more.
There is a popular belief that tomatoes are vegetables but what I found to be interesting is that although tomatoes are considered to be a vegetable its actually a fruit. This staple food is used in so many recipes, whether preparing that delicious meal from the home kitchen or dining out (restaurants) it is clear that tomatoes have found their way into the hearts of people worldwide.
How would you Love to have the best of both worlds or can you have the best of both worlds? the answer to that question is YES. When it comes to gardening we are Free in letting our Imagination Run Wild as those Creative Juices Flow. There are so many benefits to gardening, but what if we dare to get away from the traditional (growing ornamental Plants) and introduce the new (edible plants) as a landscape design, talk about thinking outside of the box. One major concern when growing food crops is safety, growing our very own edible garden or landscapes puts us in the driver’s seat where we are in full control of growing our food crops in a safe and healthy manner.
Coco plums are also called lcaco, (species Chrysobalanus icaco) in the family Chrysobalanaceae, zones 10-11 are ideal for this evergreen to thrive. This perennial is native to tropical America and Africa, coco plums have leaves that are somewhat roundish, green, and shiny producing abundances of berries that are dark purple when ripe.
Get the best of both worlds by growing a plant that will complement your garden and landscapes while providing you with food, the sea grape tree is that plant. This evergreen is native to the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, the Greater and the Lesser Antilles, South Florida, and the West Indies. These trees prefer a tropical climate where they will not only grow well but provide an abundance of sweet berries.
Lemons have a delightful zesty taste and are used in many food recipes and drinks for their amazing flavors, the lemon peel or skin can also be used for these seem purposes. The lemon tree as we know grows in tropical-sub tropical regions and comprises some 30 different species.
Creating an edible garden is a great way to connect with nature while providing a means to sustain both you and your family, but for many, there is the challenge of finding the space in making their dream garden a reality.
The good news is even though you may not have the space for an outdoor garden you can always bring nature indoors by creating an indoor edible garden.
A lemon tree is a tropical sub-tropical plant that grows in humid regions and belongs to the rue family (Rutaceae), there are some 30 species of these evergreen trees that are grown worldwide. Some countries however not only grow lemons commercially but in mass production, some of these countries are Isreal, Greece, Turkey, Belize, Lebanon, Chile, Italy, Cyprus, Morocco, California, and other Mediterranean regions.
Lemons have a unique taste like no other that will give some of your food and drink recipes that wow. The zesty taste of lemons will excite your taste buds. As for me, I love using this fruit in salads, baked meats, and other meat recipes even adding a few drops to herbal teas is quite nice.
Lemons trees are popular for growing in outdoor gardens or containers, however, we will be giving this a bit of a twist as we discuss how to grow these trees indoors. This method of growing lemon trees indoors is not new but is enjoyed by many, so for more on how this is done let’s take a closer look as we continue reading.
Growing and caring for a lemon tree is a great way in having a constant supply of this citrus, while it requires some know-how growing a lemon tree is so easy. To be able to grow a lemon tree of your own is such a rewarding experience, it gives such a great feeling as your lemon tree produces an abundance of lemons to be enjoyed by you even sharing your harvest with families and friends.
Lemons have a unique flavor, many drinks and food recipes that include lemons have a zesty taste. But what journey do lemons take before it reaches our kitchen counters to flavors those dishes and drinks that we love so much? Continue reading to find out how simple it is in planting a lemon tree.
These days with so many lockdowns because of Covid 19 persons are getting involved in gardening not only as a favorite pastime but also as a means of growing edible foods. With edible gardens, you are in a good position because you get to grow your food crops first of all that gives you saving, and secondly growing edible foods in a healthy way.
There are so many garden styles to choose from but in this article, we will be discussing how to construct a victory garden. These gardens have been around for some time now and are being enjoyed by many home gardeners.
Gardeners are finding new and inexpensive ways to get the results they want while working on a budget which I think is pretty amazing. The world of gardening is filled with so many opportunities as you let your imagination run while letting those creative juices flow getting the results that are worth our time and effort.
By thinking outside of the box we can construct a garden no matter how small the space by envisioning what we want can make a huge difference which can impact our surroundings and environment in a big way. Below we will be discussing an amazing way to garden with the help of a garden soil bag.
Constructing an edible garden is a great way to connect with nature on the great outdoors, but what I also love about and the edible garden is the time of harvest after all that work would have been put in. Growing an edible garden has so many benefits which we will also be taking a look at a bit later but what I want to draw our attention to is the maintenance of these garden types to ensure that we reap a good harvest.
Whether we are dealing with blubs, ornamentals, shrubs, grasses, ground covers, etc… one thing for sure and that is if we are not practicing maintenance care we will run into some problems as our plants begin to decline.
Planting a home garden can be so exciting because not only will a well-installed garden complement that outdoor living space, but a well-maintained garden will increase your property value. While it is true that a garden can create an almost perfect oasis with its greenery and flowering plants that can be a good treat, creating an edible garden also has its benefits of providing foods grown in a safe way both for you and your family to enjoy.
I believe that while flowers and other garden greens have their place it’s best to strike a balance by getting the best of both worlds. What I mean by this statement is to plan your garden in such a way as to have your flowering plants bringing that need color with their soft texture along with providing space for your edible garden.
This is a broad topic that we will seek to narrow down in having some idea of which fertilizers are best for your vegetable garden. There are many components that are involved in growing a vegetable garden and gardens of any sort.
While it’s true that fertilizers or plant nutrients play a major role in plant life these fertilizers should be understood because the miss use of fertilizers can and has done more damage than good which we want to avoid because what we don’t want is to have invested time and money into a garden project only to see it go to waste.
I don’t know if you’re like me but I love for my foods to have a little kick at times and what better way to give those favorite dishes some spice than to add a little pepper? Growing your very own pepper tree will ensure that you have this sizzling spice on hand at all times, especially for those occasions that may call for a spicy flavor.
At the time I am writing this post, my wife, just a few days ago planted some pepper seeds so what we are waiting on is for them to reach maturity so that we can begin to harvest. You may be saying that you don’t have the yard space to plant a pepper tree no problem the good news is you can still have your homegrown pepper tree.
Container gardening has become so popular because these garden types make it possible to grow a garden in just about any space. If you don’t have sufficient yard space maybe because you may be living in an apartment, condo, or in a position where your space is limited the good news is with some taught and with the right information you can have that garden that you have dreamed off.
What I love about growing edibles is that it does not only give us the opportunity to connect with nature but saving our hard-earned dollars as we grow healthy food crops with our very own hands if what I am saying excites you then let’s have a closer look at how this is done. What we will be looking at also is the disadvantages of these types of gardens and how we can resolve those issues to have much success reaping a good harvest of our labor.
What I love about gardening is gardens can take on any form and size, creating a vegetable garden is no different. You are free to let those creative juices flow by doing the same thing when it comes to this garden type. In this article, however, we will be getting away from the traditional way of constructing a vegetable garden and get creative with new garden ideas.
Below we will be looking at such garden designs that can make creating a vegetable garden so much fun, these garden types are so unique and will create interest with their flavor.
Growing your very own homegrown vegetables from your backyard is a great way to nurture your food crops from seeds to harvest time, this is a good way to connect with nature, get in on some exercise while enjoying a hobby that has so many benefits. What I love about growing my own homegrown food crops is being able to harvest healthy crops, crops that are free of contamination.
But getting those veggies from the garden to the kitchen table requires some know-how, these simple but yet effective steps will help you to reap the fruits of your labor so with that said let’s take a closer look at maintaining our vegetable garden.
Growing and maintaining an edible garden is a great way of growing food crops that can save us a ton of money over time. This is a great way to ensure that we are harvesting crops that are healthy, one such garden that can benefit us is growing vegetables. The traditional way of growing vegetables is from a ground that is leveled or containers but what happens when the amount of space that is available is a slope how do you go about growing and harvesting vegetables from this type of area that may offer some challenges?
While I will agree you may have some challenges the good news is with the right information you can overcome these issues and reap a good harvest of your time invested. If this post describes you then you have come to the right place to gain insights into how to take advantage of hillside areas to have success. Before we go into the actual construction of a hillside garden let’s look at some of these challenges.
Growing food crops from our backyard is a great way to connect with nature on the great outdoors while saving a few extra bucks. Even if the space you’re working with is small can still work for you, all it takes is some planning and before you know it you will be growing and harvesting your very own food crops.
Growing and harvesting our own foods is a great way to grow foods that are healthy (pesticides free) because these crops are grown with our very own hands. Many homeowners are taking advantage of that extra space no matter how small and are reaping the fruits or should I say vegetables that they smartly grew from that small garden space. With that said let’s turn that small space into a garden area growing these superfoods (vegetables) that are so beneficial to our health.
In the world of gardening, there are so many names that we come across and in some cases, we wonder about them and why they are called what they are called in this case it’s the heirloom tomato. What are heirloom tomatoes and why are they given that name?
Heirloom tomatoes are classified as tomatoes that are produced from seeds that are at least 50 years old, with great flavors that come in various shapes and colors. These non-hybrids which are open-pollinated are less disease resistant and have a shorter shelf life.
The heirloom tomato is a real treat that will give that added flavor besides the health benefits you will be getting so if you’re interested in growing heirloom tomatoes then stick around as we show you step by step how to grow, care for and harvest heirloom tomatoes.
Gardening is pretty rewarding especially after all the hard work we put in, we deserve to reap a good harvest and a pat on the back for a job well done but the challenge that many home gardeners face is going back to working the soil and reseeding. Won’t it be great to have a garden where the work is done for you after you have done most of the work?
I don’t mean hiring someone to do the job for you which can be pretty costly but rather sowing seeds that will produce a harvest for you year after year, This is the type of garden to invest in as you spend less time working the soil and more time reaping.
In a few months, we will be entering the winter season, this is the time of the year when we pull out those winter coats along with booths and gloves as we prepare for the cold months ahead. As animals go into hibernation and nature takes that long-awaited rest this gives us the opportunity to get a jump start on spring by sowing seeds which will give us a good harvest.
Winter seed sowing is a practice that involves starting seeds outdoors during the winter months, this method has been around for some time. Seeds are sown outdoors in miniature greenhouses (plastic containers) during the winter months and in the spring these seeds will germinate.
Lemon citrus has an amazing flavor, these citrus fruits are used in so many recipes and drinks to give that zesty taste. The lemon citrus is native to North-Eastern India and South Asia, these trees have the ability to produce 6oolbs of lemons year-round.
The more popular citrus lemons are Eureka, Lisbon lemons, and Meyer lemons. The leaves of this evergreen tree are popular in preparing all kinds of seafood, other cooked meats, and teas. What I also found to be amazing is it is believed that the lemon tree has been around from the first century AD now that’s a long time ago all the way back to the ancients.
Oranges along with orange juice are some of the most popular fruits/fruit drinks which are consumed at breakfast time. It is great to have a cup of orange juice or better yet oranges that are freshly squeezed. Consuming oranges by eating or drinking in a juice form is a great way to get in those Vitamin Cs.
There are so many benefits of orange intake which of them are, promoting the immune system, help to control the blood sugar level, prevents skin damage, lowers the risk of cancer and the list seems to be endless which is why it is great to have at least one of these trees growing in your home garden.
Time has changed, I remember the days when gardens including vegetable gardens were installed outdoors but in this day and time gardeners are taking on a new approach and that is gardening indoors. This is a pretty cool way to garden and it has so many advantages, to some people, this may seem a bit odd growing food crops indoors and then for many who have thought of having a garden but gave up because of not having the yard space like living in an apartment, indoor gardens are here to help you to have the garden that you always wanted.
But one thing to remember is, there are rules to follow with these type of gardens if you want to get good results or reap the fruits of your labor. Can you imagine growing your food crops indoors, this is such a great experience and something to be proud of. So if the thought has ever crossed your mind of installing an indoor garden but gave up because you did not know where to start then you have come to the right place as we look at tips which can help us to have success with these gardens
It is so great to connect with nature spending weekends in your garden being the weekend warrior that you are sometimes working way into the evening that’s right you are correct from dusk until dawn ensuring that your garden will yield its best as you seek to reap a good harvest.
But with winter fast approaching it races through your mind that soon you will have to put away those garden tools as you prepare for those harsh winter months which will cover your garden with snow. But even though those winter months do not permit you to continue working in your garden you can always extend the season by growing vegetables indoors.
In my opinion, seagrapes is a plant for all seasons because seagrapes serve so many purposes. The seagrape plant is a native of the West Indies and South Florid. Seagrapes grow best in tropical climates.
I live in a tropical Region (The Bahamas) where seagrapes are widely grown. This tree can be found along coastal areas, parking lots, many home gardens, and along the streets in concrete man-made islands.
The natives, as well as tourist, enjoy these fruits that not only taste great but has a ton of benefits besides being loaded with vitamins. Just yesterday I was out and about around our international airport’s parking lot where many of these trees have been installed feasting on some of these delicious fruits.
Seagrapes if not properly maintained can grow anywhere from 25-30 feet but if used as a hedge or border plant should be kept at a height of 5 feet. Seagrapes branches off into multiple trunks but can be pruned to form a single trunk.
Sweet potato is a veggie that deserves our attention because of its unique flavor. This veggie can be found in many supermarkets across the country as the natives take full advantage of this superfood.
Though sold in the supermarket’s however, many homeowners grow these veggies from their backyards. Sweet potatoes can be added to soups, stews, steam, bake, and fry foods just to name a few.
Sweet potatoes complement our famous peas soup and dumpling, which many tourists enjoy as they visit these islands so if you haven’t tried sweet potatoes as yet be sure and do so on your visit to Nassau which is the capital of the Bahamas.
Kale is a leafy green, this cold weather crop which belongs to the cabbage family is a super veggie that is enjoyed by many worldwide. Kale is loaded with vitamin A, C, K, calcium, iron, minerals, and fiber.
But how is kale planted, grown, and harvested? In this article, we will be looking at how to successfully grow this hardy, cool-season green from your home garden.
For many of us who love a little pepper, we know what this means. In my opinion, some foods just don’t taste good or have that wow until a little pepper is added. As a child growing up, my father who is now deceased loved adding pepper to his meals. While it is good to add some pepper for that sizzle be careful in how much you use because too much pepper can be damaging to our stomachs which can lead to other issues.
My father once told me about a person he knew that ate a pepper sandwich. Believe me no joke in every scene of the word it was a pepper sandwich just two slices of bread with peppers nothing else.
What I love about gardening is growing foods from my backyard, this is a great way to provide both for myself and my family.
But an issue that many homeowners face is having the space to install a garden where they can grow fresh garden vegetables, fruits, and herbs that has so many benefits besides their great taste.
The good news is all is not lost because no matter how limited your space there is still room to have a garden you can be proud of. The solution to planting in small garden spaces is using containers to create a container garden.
Many persons over the years and yes even today have gone on to have much success with this type of garden. So what we will be looking at is how to take that small or limited space to grow tomatoes.
For some of you, this seems to be a funny or strange word to pronounce and for many, this may be a fruit that you are hearing of for the first time but what reports are saying about the goji berry is that this berry is known as a super berry because of how it is looked upon medically.
Goji berries are said to make a healthy juice that can really supercharge our bodies with its nutrients so for those of you who love smoothies adding some of these berries will work wonders.
What we will be looking at however is how to grow and care for your own homegrown goji berry shrub so you can have an abundance of these berries at your fingertips to make delicious smoothies and other healthy treats which I think is really cool.
Natural healing I believe is something that we all desire and what better way to heal naturally than by connecting with nature and giving nature a helping hand. We have the power not only to feed ourselves and the world but to grow plants that can promote our health which brings us to our next topic as we discuss how to grow, care for, and harvest gooseberries.
Over the past several weeks we have looked at how to grow berry varieties and what so amazes me is the number of berries that can be grown in our home gardens that are filled with so many vitamins besides their healing benefits.
Honeyberries is next on the list as we take a look at how to grow these bushes successfully and reap a good harvest because who would want to invest in a project spending money and putting in all that effort without getting the results they are looking for.
Figs are a superfood that has made its mark and has been around for some time, figs are filled with vitamins and have so many benefits. Including these trees in your garden is an added benefit.
In fact, figs have been around since ancient times. The bible dates figs back as far as thousands of years which means that the ancients knew about this fruit. Even Jesus made mention of this tree in the bible so the fig tree has survived from century to century and has come down to us.
It is good to have a landscape with flowering plants but my belief is it is better to have edible plants or plants that produce edible fruits. It is such a great feeling to take a walk in your garden and to be able to eat the fruits of your labor.
Sometimes we spend so much time in our gardens laboring away to ensure that our plants are well taken care of so it is only fair to be able to reap the reward to share with family and friends.
A super fruit that is worth our attention is the blueberry plant which is loaded with vitamins and contains so many benefits that will have you feeling like a king.
This superfood is a favorite of so many households and is grown in many countries. How would you love to have this superfood growing in your garden?
I can think of many delicious recipes like pancakes and muffins that are a real treat with this fruit how about you what are your favorite treats that include blueberries?
Radishes are great to add to your home garden. These superfoods are filled with vitamins and have so many benefits that we will be looking at them a bit later. But how do we plant, grow and harvest radishes?
Radishes are hardy, cool-season vegetables that can produce crops from season to season. Radishes are easily grown, also the seeds of radishes can be planted in the spring and fall.