Benefits Of GARDENING For Kids

Children gardening
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Apparently, we can see how nature is treated these days.  It is a sad thing to know that people do not pay attention so much anymore to environmental problems.  What can we do about this?  It's as simple as starting with the children.  It is good to see the children's involvement with environment-friendly activities. One such nature-loving activity that children could easily get their hands on is gardening. Why should you consider gardening for your children?

Here are the benefits that gardening could easily provide the children with:

1.  Science

In planting, children are indirectly taught the wonders of science like the plant's life cycle and how human intervention can break or make the environment.  They can have a first-hand experience of the miracle of life through a seed.  This would definitely be a new and enjoyable experience for the kids.

2.  Life

Watching a seed grow into a tree is just as wondrous as the conception to birth and growth of a child.  In time, kids will learn to love their plants and appreciate the life in them. Gardening could actually help simulate how life should be treated -- it should be with care. The necessities to live will be emphasized to kids with the help of gardening - water, sunlight, air, soil. Those necessities could easily correspond to human necessities, i.e., water, shelter, air, food.  By simply weeding out, one could educate how bad influences should be avoided to be able to live life smoothly.

3.  Relaxation

Studies show that gardening can reduce stress because of its calming effect. This is applicable to any age group.  More so, it stimulates all the five senses.  Believe it or not, gardening may be used as a therapy for children who have been abused or those who are members of broken homes.  It helps build one's self-esteem. 

4.  Quality Time with the Family

You can forget about your stressful work life for a while be soothed by the lovely ambiance in the garden.  You can play and spend quality time with your children.  You can talk while watering the plants or you can work quietly beside each other.  The bottom line is, always do what you have to do, together with your kids.  You might discover a lot of new things about your child while mingling with them in your garden. 

Let kids become aware of their environment's needs. And one way to jumpstart that environmental education may be through gardening.  It's hitting two birds with one stone -- teach them to respect life while you bond with them.

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Regional Cuisine Of CHINA: Szechuan Style

Szechuan Shui zhu fish dish by Jiaqing Pan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Szechuan style of cuisine arose from a culturally distinct area in the central-western part of China, a province known as Sichuan. This area of China came into its own culturally towards the end of the Shang Dynasty, during the 15th century. However, it was also the climate of the area that helped to shape the culinary traditions that were to arise from Sichuan province and make their way into the realm of international cuisine.

The province from which the cuisine that the world knows as Szechuan evolved is often hot and humid, and this contributed to this necessity of preparing foods in ways that differ significantly from other regions of China. Szechuan cuisine is primarily known for its hot and spicy dishes, though naturally there is more to Szechuan food than spice and sauces rich and strong in flavor.

A general overview of culinary history and trends reveals that, for the most part, areas that tended to spice heavily were areas in which the fresh food supply was not as reliable as in places that traditionally used a lighter hand in their use of spices. The climate of Sichuan is conducive to faster food spoilage. This, particularly in the past, made necessary food preservation techniques that themselves left behind a strong flavor, such as salting, pickling, drying, and smoking. Thus, spices served to mask the flavors of less than fresh foods and those that have been preserved by methods that affect their natural flavors. In addition to masking certain flavors, the use of hot spices, such as chili peppers, tends to be more common to hot climates, as the sweat that they can produce is thought to cool the body.

Much of the spicing of regional Chinese cooking is based upon bringing together five fundamental taste sensations – sweet, sour, pungent, salty and bitter. The balance of these particular elements in any one dish or regional cuisine can vary, according to need and desire, especially as influenced by climate, culture and food availability.

In Szechuan cuisine, there are a variety of ingredients and spices used to create these basic taste sensations. These include a variety of chili peppers, peppercorns over various types, Sichuan peppers, which are in reality a type of fruit, not pepper, and produce a numbing effect in addition to their warm flavor. Sichuan peppers, also called flower pepper and mountain pepper, are a traditional part of the Chinese five-spice powder, or at least of those that are modeled upon the most authentic versions of the spice combinations common to regional Chinese cooking.

Other ingredients used commonly in Szechuan cuisine to create the five fundamental taste sensations include different types of sugars, such as beetroot sugar and cane sugar, as well as local fruits for sweetness. The sour comes from pickled vegetables and different varieties of vinegar. A special bitter melon is added to many dishes to offer the touch of bitterness that complements other flavors. Other spices and flavors include dried orange peel, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and bean paste. Salt is important to Szechuan cuisine, and the area produces uniquely flavored salts that help to distinguish authentic Szechuan cuisine from the other regional cuisines from China.

Szechuan cuisine is marked by its rich traditional flavors, which stem from a culture of hundreds of years and are in part shaped by the natural forces of climate. Authentic Szechuan cuisine offers a unique dining experience made up of adventurous and creative taste sensations.

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BONSAI Trees Mastery - Different Styles In Bonsai GARDENING

A Seiju elm (Ulmus parvifolia 'Seiju') bonsai display on display at the 2009 annual show of The Bonsai Society of Greater Hartford. The display includes a number of elements of traditional bonsai presentation: the tree is in a ceramic pot on a decorative wooden table, and the display area includes a shitakusa (companion planting) of miniature hosta and a kakemono (hanging scroll).  
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We all know about the basic Bonsai gardening, but that's just the beginning. To really own a masterpiece Bonsai, one must require good styling skills. Styling in Bonsai trees can be broadly categorized according to the number of trunks the tree has. This can be divided into a single trunk and multiple trunks.

Single trunk styling

The single trunk styling in Bonsai can be further classified into four types namely, Formal upright, Slanting, Cascade, and Twisted style.

Formal upright bonsai gardening

The formal upright style is also called the Chokkan style. This style is adopted only by experienced Bonsai artists. If you are a beginner you are advised not to go for this style. The Chokkan style is considered the most complex style of Bonsai trees. Tachiki, Hokidachi, Sabamiki, Saramiki, Sekijoju, Ishitsuki, and Nagari are some of the subcategories in the Chokkan style.

Bonsai gardening style for beginners

The slanting style called the Shakan style is more common for beginners to use. In the slanting style, all the branches can come to one side of the trunk (windswept style) or a few branches will come out of the top while the main trunk is long.

Cascade style conifer
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cascade style of Bonsai gardening

The Cascade style or the Kengai style has the bottom trunk below the pot. The other trunks are formal upright. Two subcategories called the Formal cascade and the Semi cascade are available in this type. These are also called the Dai Kengai and the Han Kengai.

Twisted style of Bonsai Gardening

The twisted style is called the Bankan style, which is a favorite of the Chinese. This style is referred to as the dragon style, as the tree coils itself like a dragon. Subcategories to this style include partially twisted and the octopus style (where the branches twist around themselves).

Multiple trunks style

The multiple trunks style simply means this Bonsai has multiple plants in the same pot. The styles in these types include Soju style, Yose style, and the Korabuki style.

Soju style

with Soja style, there are two trunks in a pot.

Yose style

Bonsais With more than two trunks are categorized as the Yose style. The Yose style also varies depending on the number of trunks that are available in the pot. 3, 5, 7, and 9 trunks are called, Sambon Yose, Gohon yose, Nanahon yose, and Kyuhon yose respectively.

Korabuki style

There are styles where the different trunks arise from a single root. A style called the Korabuki style is also a part of the multi-trunk category. The style looks very different in that it looks as if the tree has fallen down and the branches of the tree look like individual trees.

Whatever be the style of your bonsai gardening it is necessary to maintain them properly with professional care.

Dave Green - Source: www.isnare.com Permanent Link: https://www.isnare.com/?aid=42304&ca=Gardening

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What Frosting To Use In Your CAKE DECORATING

Birthday cake with hard white fondant icing as trim, framing soft, colored buttercream frosting.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those of us who are into cake decorating, think of the beautiful icing designs when we think of cake. Icing is the finishing touch on cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. There are several different types of icing used in cake decorating. The choice of icing while cake decorating, will have a great deal to do with how the decorated cake will look. 

1. Buttercream Icing: Buttercream is the icing that is used the most in cake decorating. This is the same type of frosting that we can buy readymade in the grocery store. This icing is easy to use and easy to make. The ingredients are confectioners sugar, and butter or shortening. What you use to thin the frosting will differ with the icing texture you need to work with, to determine whether to use eggs or milk. Take care when thinning the frosting, remember, a little milk goes a long way. If you find the frosting is too thin, you can add a bit of confectioners sugar to thicken it.

To assure an even finish on your frosting, dip the icing spatula in cold water to make the surface smooth. This will give a smoother finish for writing. Buttercream is used to create flowers and other decorations made with a pastry bag. The icing needs to be the right consistency to make flower petals or writing. When you make roses out of icing, you can freeze them and add them to the cake later. This will make it easier to handle.

Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator without getting hard. Make sure it is back to room temperature before you attempt to use it.

2. Foam Icing: This is a meringue and is used on a lemon pie or Baked Alaska. This frosting is made of egg whites beaten into stiff peaks. It is possible to add flavoring and color to the meringue. You will not be able to use this icing for intricate cake decorating, and you won't be able to use an icing bag with this icing. This icing is used when you want the cake to look fluffy, with little ornate decoration.

3. Fondant: This icing is very popular with those who decorate wedding cakes, and cakes for very special occasions. The ingredients are simply powdered sugar, water, cream of tartar, or glucose. Fondant is thick and doughy, with a silky, smooth, texture. Fondant will give the cake a flawless surface, and soft, rounded edges. Working with fondant is an art and will take practice to get it right. Fondant has a translucent quality and will work best when placed on the cake over a thin layer of buttercream frosting.

4. Fudge Icing: Fudge icing is made from chocolate, peanut butter, almond, or mint. This icing is quite thick and contains both shortening and butter.

5. Glazes: This frosting is thin and watery, and will harden into a shell after it is placed on the cake. This frosting is mostly used on pastries. Glazes help to keep the pastry moist. 

6. Flat Icing: This icing is similar to a glaze, but it is a bit thicker. Flat icing is a combination of confectioner's sugar and water and is used to drizzle onto pastries.

7. Royal Icing: This is also a flat icing, and hardens after it is set. Royal icing is a wonderful choice to make flowers, sculptures, and garnishes for cake decorating.

You can use any combination of the basic seven icings listed, to create a personal masterpiece. You will need to practice before you become good at cake decorating. You will get the hang of it sooner than you think, and even the mistakes will taste great.

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ZUCCHINI: A Power House of Nutrition

Young zucchini
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dating back to 7000 B. C., zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is native to Central and South America.  Sometimes called by the nickname “Italian Squash,” zucchini was brought to North America by its southern neighbours.  Early European explorers introduced zucchini to Italy and other countries in Europe.  Italians initially grew zucchini for their sweet, edible blossoms, later the hearty fruits were experimented with producing the delectable dishes that resulted in zucchini being dubbed Italian squash.  Up until the 20th Century, most Americans considered zucchini a treat reserved for eating on special occasions and were store-bought instead of grown in gardens. 

Part of the summer squash family, zucchini is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C, a very good source of magnesium, vitamin A, potassium, calcium, iron, folate, copper, riboflavin, niacin, and phosphorous.  Many of the nutrients have been shown to be helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease.  Summer squash’s magnesium has been shown to be helpful for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.  Together with the potassium in summer squash, magnesium is also helpful for reducing high blood pressure.  All summer squash are perfect diet foods - low in calories, sodium, fat-free, and provide a source of fibre.  All parts of the zucchini are edible.  

How To Grow

Zucchini is probably the best known of the summer squashes.  It is a type of narrow squash that resembles a cucumber in size and shape.  It has a smooth, thin skin that is either yellow or green in colour and can be striped or speckled.  Its tender flesh is creamy white in colour and features numerous seeds.  Its edible flowers are often used in French and Italian cooking.  

Zucchini can be planted by direct seeding or by transplanting young plants that have been started indoors.  Seed directly into the ground as soon as the soil reaches temperatures of 60°F/16°C. for vines.  Fill the holes with compost and mound slightly.  Plant seeds 1in/2.5cm deep.  

Zucchini is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family that includes cucumbers, melons, gourds, and squash, all particularly sensitive to frost.  Select a sheltered spot, and prepare holes about 12in/30cm in diameter and 12in/30cm deep.  Measuring from the centre, space the holes 36in/90cm apart for bush types, 6ft/1.8m apart for vines.  To conserve space, squash can be trained over a sturdy trellis, in which case 2ft/60cm between plants is enough.  

Zucchini grows best when exposed to 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day.  Regular watering is essential for summer squash.  Feed the plants with a high-potassium organic liquid feed to produce a higher yield.  Thick mulch added after planting will preserve moisture and keep the fruits from touching the ground where they will become soiled and be exposed to insects and diseases.  

Harvesting 

The flavour of zucchini is best when it is less than six inches long.  They should be firm, but not hard.  Zucchini are prolific producers and regular harvesting will promote continued yield throughout the growing season.  Harvest by cutting the stems from the plants gently with a paring knife.  As they are composed mainly of water, summer squashes dehydrate rapidly.  Harvest just before cooking and keep in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag until cooking.  Don’t forget that squash blossoms are delicious to eat.  

Small summer squashes are used skin and all.  Larger squash needs their skin and seeds removed: slice lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Wash summer squash under cool running water and then cut off both ends.  You can then proceed to cut it into the desired size and shape for the particular recipe.  

In the kitchen, zucchini can be steamed, sautéed, boiled, baked, fried, grilled, and stuffed.  Some ideas include: serve raw as an appetiser with a vegetable dip or salad dressing, grate and sauté with thinly sliced garlic, add to bread, muffins, cakes, stews, casseroles, soups, sprinkle grated zucchini or other summer squash on salads or sandwiches.  It can be preserved by canning, freezing, and drying.

In the garden, some gardeners let the squashes ramble through the corn patch, where their sandpapery leaves deter raccoons.  Good companion plants for zucchini are corn, marjoram, and nasturtium.   Don’t grow zucchini and Irish potatoes together as they are incompatible.

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All About PEPPERS

Assorted bell pepper fruits from Mexico (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Where did peppers come from?

One of the most common genera of peppers, known as the capsicum, is thought to have been in existence millions of years ago in present-day Bolivia, according to the Chicago Botanic Garden's Information and Resources. But, the first known cultivation of peppers happened in Mexico and Central, as well as South America 10,000 years ago. The probable spread of these crops from Bolivia to these areas is attributed to birds. The capsicums existed mainly in the Americas until about 1600. Christopher Columbus' voyages were helpful in spreading capsicum peppers throughout the world.

The original peppers were tiny and round, unlike most of today's peppers which are long and larger.

What can I do with peppers?

Most commonly, peppers have been used to spice up generally boring foods like rice or corn. Through the years though, people have come up with a whole slew of uses for peppers from making pepper jelly, to using ornamental peppers for garlands. Here's a list of the most interesting as well as some of the more common uses for peppers:

Pickled Peppers

Pepper Jelly - Dried Apricot Jalapeno Jelly

Roasted Peppers

Adding Peppers to pasta dishes

Hot Sauce

Pepper Garlands/Decorations

Using peppers in the stirfry

Pepper vinegar

Pepper spray (animal deterrent for plants)

What different types of peppers are there?

There all sorts of classifications for peppers. There is the scientific classification method that uses the genus and species name: The most commonly known and cultivated genus of peppers is the capsicum, whereas the five most common species of peppers (all within the capsicum category) include: chinense, frutescens, pubescent, annum, and baccatum. All of these types of peppers are also labelled chillies.

There is the usage method which categories various peppers into hot, sweet, or ornamental. And then, there is the location-classified method that is what gives some peppers its actual name.

Here's a basic list of some of the varieties of the mentioned species of peppers you might see in your local grocery stores:

Bell pepper

Anaheim pepper

Fresno

Poblano

Habanero

Cubanelle

Chipotle

Jalapeno

Serrano

Mariachi

Aside from the different coloured bell peppers used in stirfry, many of these other peppers are considered hot peppers.

How can you tell how hot a pepper is?

The range of spiciness for peppers is measured in Scoville units. Wilbur Scoville developed a scale to help determine this very issue and measure pepper pungency in 1912. The higher the number of Scoville units, the hotter the pepper. Here's a basic Scoville Scale. that shows habaneros trumping chipotles and jalapenos as the most commonly known hottest pepper.

Health Effects

Regular pepper consumption is thought to have both good and bad effects on one's health. One of the clearest effects of eating peppers is what it does for congestion. Eating peppers, especially those hot ones, will help clear up your nasal passages in no times (as will most spicy foods!)

According to a University study, consuming peppers regularly can help the body control its amount of insulin, which would be very beneficial for diabetics. Other studies show though that pepper digestion can increase the risks of stomach cancer, the definite answer remains unclear. Research has also been linking peppers to helping stop the spread of prostate cancer in some men.

Pepper Recipes (see Recipe4Living.com for the following:)

Pepper Sauce

Basic Salsa

Salsa Cruda

Crowd-Pleasing Chili

Roast Beef and Red Pepper Sandwiches

Impossibly Easy Roasted Red Peppers and Feta Cheese Pie

Tangy Lemon Pepper Shrimp

Stuffed Peppers

Pepper Herb Grilling Rub

Sources:

Chicago Botanic Gardens

The Scoville Scale

TheChilliKing.com

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The Pros and Cons of Going HYDROPONIC

Rix Dobbs' home-made nutrient film
technique hydroponics system
  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hydroponics is a Latin term, which literally means “working water.” What it means to horticulture is the growing of plants without soil. Hydroponic gardening is an exciting field that offers solutions to several problems faced in the world of food production. For impoverished people who live in terrain or climate inhospitable to agriculture, hydroponics offers a means of growing food. In areas where food is traditionally produced, but where fields are overcrowded or stripped of their nutrients, hydroponics is a way food can be produced using a minimum of space and resources.

Hydroponic growth leads to an increase in production over traditional farming in two ways. For one, hydroponic gardening just plain saves space. Plants can be placed much more closely together than in traditional fields; as many as four times as many plants can be grown in the space using hydroponic techniques as opposed to traditional methods. Secondly, hydroponics eliminates many of the problems associated with traditional farming that leads to sickly, damaged, or wasted crops.

Because hydroponic growers produce their own nutrients mixes, it takes the guesswork out of figuring out which plants will grow best in a field and what nutrients need to be added to the soil. The nutrient mixture is the right one for the plant, in the right ratios, every time. The fear of soil-based diseases is eliminated, because, of course, there is no soil. These two factors come together to make hydroponics an extremely efficient method of food production.

Hydroponics is also environmentally sound. The water consumption in hydroponic growing is significantly less than traditional growth methods; in many cases, hydroponic crops use a tenth of the water of equivalent traditional crops. Also, the water that is used is used more effectively; in hydroponics, weeds do not steal part of the crop’s water supply. 

The benefits are not without their costs, however. The environmental good that hydroponics produces with its decreased water consumption is somewhat negated by the amount of energy needed to support hydroponic growing. Much hydroponic growing happens in greenhouses, where significant amounts of electricity are used trying to give the hydroponic plants all the light they need.

The electricity consumption is environmentally damaging and expensive, and expense is another area where hydroponics comes under the gun. The nutrient mixtures and growing mediums used can be very expensive. While research is happening to try and bring the costs down, and there are some promising leads, like the field of aquaponics, hydroponics is currently financially prohibitive for some.

There is a common misconception that hydroponics produces organic food. While it is possible to grow organic food through hydroponics, this is the exception and not the rule. Most growers used pesticides on their hydroponic crops. Though the pesticides used in hydroponics do not run-off and pollute the surrounding environment like the pesticides used in traditional fields, they are still on the plants themselves. 

The field of hydroponics is filled with promise, and much research is being devoted to solving the concerns that currently stop more farmers from going hydroponic. Until these problems are solved, however, farmers and amateur gardeners alike will need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of hydroponics before making the leap to that style of growing.

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