An Inside Vegetable Garden

Photo: Flickr

Houseplants and herb gardens are well-known as common plants that are grown indoors.  But they are not the only plants that can be grown indoors.  By using the right containers and having the ability to mimic the ideal growing conditions you can also have an indoor vegetable garden.  The benefits of having one go beyond the beautification of your home or the relaxation you get from gardening, but you can also pick your own vegetables right in your kitchen.

Carrots, tomatoes, and radishes are three of the easiest vegetable to grow indoors.  Each grows differently and will need separate containers but with some research, this is not a problem.  A south-facing window is the best source of natural sunlight for your vegetables to grow in.  If you do not have the right exposure, you can invest in an artificial bulb to provide supplemental light.

As with any container you choose to grow plants in, making sure there is enough drainage is key.  If your plants sit in too much water they are not going to survive.  If the pots you choose do not have holes in the bottom be sure to put a layer of gravel or wood chips to allow the water to run out of the soil.  The flip side of this is not to ensure the water does not run out too quickly either.

When choosing the types of vegetables to plant, follow the same guidelines as you would for outdoors.  On the seed packets, it will give recommendations on when to plant, the amount of light and water that is needed and the spacing requirements.  Tailor your water schedule according to the condition of the soil, make sure it doesn’t get too dry or stay too wet either.

By the end of the summer or early fall, you should be able to harvest the vegetables grown inside your own home.

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Vegetable Gardening Tips At Your Backyard

Veggie Garden - Photo: Flickr

Would it be possible for you to grow a vegetable garden in your backyard? Consider this option, healthy foods just within your reach. Even your children can help and cultivate their own vegetables. Having fun while learning is not a bad idea right? But you have to plan ahead before you start. 

Which Veggie?

Plan which vegetables you would like to grow in your garden. Choose early, middle of the season and late kinds of these vegetables, which you like best. 

Against all veggie odds

You have to know the odd characteristics of certain vegetables and use them to best advantage. Some vegetables bloom even in partially shaded positions, while others require lots of sunshine. 

Goodie veggies

Good vegetables are of exceptionally slow growth during the seedling stage of development. You have to take advantage of this by using space between rows for quick-growing crops. For example, propagate beet seed by the middle of April and position young lettuce plants between the rows. 

Don't let the water run dry

Throughout dry periods, vegetable gardens need extra watering. Most vegetables benefit from an inch or more of water each week, especially when they are fruiting. 

De-pest the infested

During the growing season be attentive against insect pests. If you discover a bug problem early it will make it much easier to take suitable action and get rid of the pests. But be careful to not use pesticides once the vegetable has grown unless it becomes an absolute necessity. Organic gardening is one healthy and environment-friendly option. Once you have reaped your crop, put the used up vegetable matter into your fertilizer pile so that it can be recycled for next spring. 

Animal appeal not needed

It is important to protect your vegetable garden. In most cases, the garden is surrounded by a fence adequately high and close-woven to keep out dogs, rabbits, and other animals. The harm done by wandering animals during a season can equal the cost of a fence. A fence also can serve as a frame for peas, beans, tomatoes, and other crops that need support. 

Protection is needed in order for your vegetable garden to yield a bountiful harvest. Hard work would pay off if necessary precaution has been made. Learning is a process, vegetable gardening needs time. See to it you have patience and dedication to it.

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Vegetable GARDENING

The 'vegetable garden' at Eden, with Cynara cardunculus. Each year the Eden Project plants up the immediate exterior to the biomes with (often exotic) vegetables. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Vegetable gardening has lately become just as popular as going to the grocery store for produce.  Vegetable gardening can produce a vegetable that is usually cheaper than store bought, and vegetables from a home vegetable garden definitely taste better by far.  Vegetable gardening is no different than growing herbs or flowers and if the proper steps are taken and the plants are given the proper care they will flourish and produce very tasty vegetables.

First, you must decide what size of garden you wish to plant and then select a place for it; somewhere that has good drainage, good air flow, and good, deep soil.  It also needs to be able to get as much sunlight as possible.  Because vegetable gardens have such tasty rewards, many animals, such as dogs, rabbits, deer, and many others will try and get to your veggies.  One way to prevent this is to surround your garden with a fence or put out a trap to catch mice, moles, and other animals.

Before planting, the soil must be properly prepared.  Good soil for vegetable gardening is achieved by cultivation and the application of organic materials.  The soil must be tilled (plowed) to control weeds and mix mulch into the soil.  If you have a small garden, spading could be a better bet than plowing.  Mulching is also a vital part of soil preparation.  Organic matter added to the soil releases nitrogen, minerals, and other nutrients plants need to thrive.  The most popular and best type of mulch you can use is compost.  While the kind and amount of fertilizer used to depend on the soil and types of plants, there are some plants that have specific needs; leafy plants, like cabbage, spinach, and lettuce usually grow better with more nitrogen, while root crops like potatoes, beets, turnips, and carrots require more potash.  Tomatoes and beans use less fertilizer, while plants like onions, celery, and potatoes need a larger amount.

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One thing that is vitally important in vegetable gardening is the garden arrangement.  There is no single plan that will work for every garden due to varying conditions.  One popular way to arrange a vegetable garden is to plant vegetables needing only limited space together, such as radishes, lettuce, beets, and spinach, and those that require more room together, such as corn, pumpkins, and potatoes.  Try and plant tall growing plants towards the back of the garden and shorter ones in the front so that their sunlight does not get blocked.

When you are finally ready to begin planting your vegetable garden, make sure and plant at the right time of year.  If you are dying to get an early start, you may want to begin your garden inside in a hotbed and then transplant when the weather permits.  After you are finished planting, make sure your vegetables receive the appropriate amount of water, which depends on the type of plant.  Most plants will need the equivalent to about an inch of water per week.

Weeds must be controlled in vegetable gardening because they will take up water, light, and nutrients meant for the vegetables and they often bring disease and insects to the garden.  You can get rid of weeds by cultivation or mulching.  To protect against disease and insects you can buy seeds that are disease resistant or use controlled chemicals.

Vegetable gardening is many people’s favorite form of gardening because you can actually taste the fruits of your labor.  Vegetable gardening is not that expensive to start and the taste of homegrown veggies definitely beat out that of supermarket vegetables.  Your vegetable gardening days will be full of produce if you take the proper precautions when planting and continue maintenance of your garden.

AVOCADO 101: How to Pick, Store and Handle the Perfect Fruit

Avocados. They're not just for guacamole anymore. Delicious Hass avocados add great taste, lively color and a creamy texture to ordinary dishes, making them extraordinary. From pizza to salads to sandwiches, avocados add that little something special to your recipes. Knowing how to properly select, handle and store your avocados will ensure that they add the perfect pizzazz to your meal every time. 

Avocados (Persea americana) Français : Avocats (Persea americana)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Selecting your avocados

• When choosing your avocados, look for delicious Hass avocados. They are known for their creamy texture, have a distinctive bumpy skin and are available year-round.
• To determine the ripeness of a Hass avocado, gently squeeze the fruit-a ripe fruit will yield to gentle pressure. Hass avocados will also turn dark green to black as they ripen.
• If you are buying avocados for future use, purchase firm fruit.
• Avoid fruit with external blemishes.

Ripening 

• To ripen a Hass avocado, place the fruit in a paper bag with an apple for two to three days at room temperature (apples accelerate the process by giving off ethylene gas, a ripening agent).

Storing

• Ripe avocados can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer for later use. 
• Mash the avocado, adding 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice per 1/2 mashed avocado to prevent discoloration.
• Lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture before covering. 
• You can refrigerate the mixture for up to two days or store in the freezer for up to two months.

Handling

• Like all fruit, wash the avocado before cutting.
• Cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed.
• Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate.
• Slip a spoon between the seed and the fruit and work the seed out.
• Slip a spoon between the skin and the fruit and scoop away from the peel.

Once you've selected and prepared your Hass avocados, try them in this quick, easy recipe.

Turkey and Avocado - Sandwich Wedges

1 round flat sourdough bread loaf
2 large Hass avocados, peeled and seeded, divided
3 Tbsp. salsa
3 (6 by 11/2-inch) strips roasted red pepper
1 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey
3 thin red onion slices, separated into rings
3 pepper jack cheese slices
2 romaine lettuce leaves

Instructions:

Cut a circle out of the top of the bread; tear out the inside of the bread in the bottom section to make a shell. Mash one avocado and mix with salsa; spread over the bottom of the bread. Layer pepper strips, onions, cheese and half the turkey inside the bread. Slice the remaining avocado and place on top of the cheese. Top with lettuce and remaining turkey. Replace the bread top and press down firmly to compress ingredients. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into wedges just before serving.

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Harvest a Summer Meal

Among the recommendations in the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the advice to eat more vegetables.

Though the amount varies from person to person, an adult eating a total of 2,000 calories a day should have about 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day. Children can eat proportionately fewer cups, but they also need to have a good assortment of veggies daily. The Guidelines recommend a mix of dark-green, orange and starchy vegetables, plus legumes (such as cooked dry beans) and other vegetables.

Vegetables (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As you harvest summer's bounty from your garden or the supermarket, keep eggs in mind. Versatile eggs can help you increase your family's vegetable intake. The complete protein that eggs provide can turn the incomplete protein of vegetables into a main dish. In turn, veggies supply carbohydrates and fiber to make a well-balanced meal. Vegetables, in fact, make good flavoring foods for a number of quick-to-fix egg dishes.

Fried rice is one easy-to-make example. To cook it, simply stir-fry cooked rice with veggies, pour on eggs mixed with a touch of soy sauce and scramble. You can also turn vegetable soup into a hearty entree by poaching eggs in it. It's quick and easy, too, to cook a frittata, an unfolded, family-sized omelet that makes a handy skillet supper. Just pour seasoned eggs over cooked veggies and let the mixture cook without stirring.

When you introduce new veggies, let the kids help. Children are more likely to try new foods when they're involved in the cooking process. For the Wagon-Wheel Frittata, young helpers can beat the egg mixture, prod the broccoli florets into place with a fork, arrange the tomato slices and sprinkle on the cheese. Older children and teens often prefer more strongly flavored foods, so let them choose a frittata topping from among several choices, perhaps a spicy pizza sauce, salsa or hot pepper sauce. Whatever they choose, you can rest easy knowing they're eating their veggies.

Wagon-Wheel Frittata

6 servings

• 2 1/2 cups (about 6 oz.) fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup (about 1.5 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil or butter
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup skim or low-fat milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, crushed
• 4 very thin tomato slices
• 1/4 cup grated or shredded
• Parmesan cheese

In 10-inch omelet pan or skillet over medium heat, cook broccoli, mushrooms and water, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Remove pan from heat. Add oil. Arrange broccoli florets evenly around pan. Set mushroom slices between broccoli florets.

In medium bowl, beat together eggs, milk and seasoning until blended. Pour into pan over broccoli and mushrooms. Cover. Cook over medium-low heat until eggs are almost set, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Place 1 tomato slice in center. Cut remaining tomato slices in half. Arrange over top to resemble wagon-wheel spokes. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Cover and let stand until eggs are completely set, about 5 minutes. Slide from pan onto serving plate or cut into wedges and serve from pan.

Nutritional information per serving of 1/4 recipe using cooking oil and skim milk: 189 calories, 13 gm total fat, 322 mg cholesterol, 233 mg sodium, 203 mg potassium, 5 gm carbohydrate, 14 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A and C, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, iron.

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