Val and Eli take us on a tour of their magical permagarden in Jacksonville FL. They have created a wonderful, natural space filled with self-sustaining fruits, vegetables, herbs, medicines, colors, water, fragrances, and wildlife. This is the very best fast food!
View more permaculture videos here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA302F7D0CEA4F65A
Val can be reached at 904-476-6388, www.meetup.com/Permaculturejax.com, and at www.thefoodparkproject.com.
Do You Want to Learn How to Preserve Vegetables by Drying Them?The Homesteading Handbook vol. 5 provides step-by-step instructions on how to dry many of the most popular dried vegetables found in stores. You dehydrate vegetables yourself at home for pennies on the dollar compared to what they’d cost when you buy them dried. The…;
AdministratorPrice: Free
The Homesteading Handbook vol. 5 provides step-by-step instructions on how to dry many of the most popular dried vegetables found in stores. You dehydrate vegetables yourself at home for pennies on the dollar compared to what they’d cost when you buy them dried.
The following topics are all covered in detail in the this helpful handbook:
Harvester here:
http://bit.ly/1W3nLGb
Caterpillar Tunnel here:
http://bit.ly/2gItRNf
1 Day Workshop:http://bit.ly/2cziu7v
Donate:http://theurbanfarmer.co/support/
My online course: www.profitableurbanfarming.com
My book: www.theurbanfarmer.co
Music by: David Cutter Music – www.davidcuttermusic.co.uk
facebook.com/GreenCityAcres
twitter.com/GreenCityAcres
___
FARM EQUIPMENT I USE:
Quick Cut Greens Harvester:http://bit.ly/1W3nLGb
Knife and Tool Sharpener:http://bit.ly/29DHlos
Jang Seeder:http://goo.gl/XGvJtl
Row Bags:http://goo.gl/eI1CLp
Insect Netting:http://goo.gl/rjyimK
The Coolbot:http://bit.ly/2cziu7v
___
CAMERA EQUIPMENT I USE:
Canon Rebel T6i:http://amzn.to/29JApHr
Canon wide angle lens 10-18mm:http://amzn.to/2a2t1pl
Shure Lens Hopper shotgun mic:http://amzn.to/29zpdMz
Joby Gorilla Pod (flexible tripod):http://amzn.to/29JBBu7
Go Pro action camera:http://amzn.to/29JBU8j
Phantom 4 Drone:http://amzn.to/29zqenG
iPad 4 for drone controller:http://amzn.to/29vwKdh
Having a garden opens a door to lots of opportunities, such as building an outdoor area for relaxation, setting up a cozy place for your pets and even creating your very own greenhouse. Let’s focus a bit on the latter. Your very own greenhouse can be the perfect way for you to start gardening and growing your own plants.
Plus you can even spare a few bucks, as you no longer have to buy fruits and vegetables. But greenhouses can also be a bit expensive to build and maintain, right? Well this is not true for this next one, which is a straw bale greenhouse that is so easy and cheap to build that anyone can do it at home. It is the perfect way to extend the growing season of your garden, but also stay inside the budget.
To learn more about straw bale greenhouses and how you can build a straw bale greenhouse, head to the link below …
How to build a Straw Bale Greenhouse…HERE…
Take your straw bale gardening to the next level – in more places, with new products, and even, sometimes, skipping the straw! More details HERE…
This Article Was Originally Posted on goodshomedesign.com Read The Original Article here
1 Day Workshop
http://theurbanfarmer.co/product/profitable-urban-farming-1-day-online-workshop/
Donate:
http://theurbanfarmer.co/support/
My online course: www.profitableurbanfarming.com
My book:
www.theurbanfarmer.co
Theme music composed by Curtis Stone and performed by Dylan Ranney.
facebook.com/GreenCityAcres
twitter.com/GreenCityAcres
_______________________
FARM EQUIPMENT I USE:
Quick Cut Greens Harvester:http://bit.ly/1W3nLGb
Knife and Tool Sharpener:http://bit.ly/29DHlos
Jang Seeder:http://goo.gl/XGvJtl
Row Bags:http://goo.gl/eI1CLp
Insect Netting:http://goo.gl/rjyimK
_______________________
CAMERA EQUIPMENT I USE:
Canon Rebel T6i:http://amzn.to/29JApHr
Canon wide angle lens 10-18mm:http://amzn.to/2a2t1pl
Shure Lens Hopper shotgun mic:http://amzn.to/29zpdMz
Joby Gorilla Pod (flexible tripod):http://amzn.to/29JBBu7
Go Pro action camera:http://amzn.to/29JBU8j
Phantom 4 Drone:http://amzn.to/29zqenG
iPad 4 for drone controller:http://amzn.to/29vwKdh
A brief tour. . . . #urbangardening #mygarden #inmygarden #instagarden #urbangarden #urbanorganicgardener #urbangardenersrepublic #growyourown…
A brief tour. . . . #urbangardening #mygarden #inmygarden #instagarden #urbangarden #urbanorganicgardener #urbangardenersrepublic #growyourown #growsomethinggreen #growyourownfood #epicgardening #healthyfood #healthyliving #healthylifestyle #healthyeating #melbourne #melbournestyle #garden #gardendesign #veggies #vegetables #vegetablegarden #veggiegarden #kale #redcabbage #greenthumb #raisedbeds #bricks #path #gardenpath #greenthumb
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb2eG9oFd_A
#urbangardening, #mygarden, #inmygarden, #instagarden, #urbangarden, #urbanorganicgardener, #urbangardenersrepublic, #growyourown, #growsomethinggreen, #growyourownfood, #epicgardening, #healthyfood, #healthyliving, #healthylifestyle, #healthyeating, #melbourne, #melbournestyle, #garden, #gardendesign, #veggies, #vegetables, #vegetablegarden, #veggiegarden, #kale, #redcabbage, #greenthumb, #raisedbeds, #bricks, #path, #gardenpath, brief, urbangardening, mygarden
An old pic, but I find it inspiring! This is a bed in a…
An old pic, but I find it inspiring! This is a bed in a community garden in downtown #Halifax. I love the variety of edibles and the intensive planting. Very productive! . . . . #gardentotable #veggiegarden #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #garden #gardening #gardenlife #raisedbeds #communitygarden #urbanfarming #urbanfarm #urbangarden #homegrown #organicgardening #allotment #plants #lettuce #vegetables #throwback #novascotia…
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbg5uJ1A0Dd
#Halifax, #gardentotable, #veggiegarden, #vegetablegarden, #growyourownfood, #garden, #gardening, #gardenlife, #raisedbeds, #communitygarden, #urbanfarming, #urbanfarm, #urbangarden, #homegrown, #organicgardening, #allotment, #plants, #lettuce, #vegetables, #throwback, #novascotia, old, but, find
Anyone who enjoys vegetable gardening, growing heirloom vegetables in your home, backyard organic garden provides a great way to grow fresh crops for your everyday needs. Beets being a very easy crop to grow, and don’t require much space.
Heirloom vegetable varieties are ones that have been passed down through generations. In these past generations, they didn’t have chemical pesticides and fertilizers, so gardeners needed to plant crops that where hardy to their area, and could withstand that areas growing conditions, like droughts, poor soil, and pests. Heirloom varieties of beets are one of the most enjoyable crops to grow.
Many home gardeners wonder if beets can be grown in their organic gardens. Beets can easily be grown in the home garden and this tasty vegetable when grown in the home garden has no comparison to the taste of varieties bought in the local supermarket. Beets are grown for both their greens and their root.
When planning on growing beets in the home garden, soil conditions should not be overlooked. Beets do best in a deep, well draining soil. A clay soil is to heavy for this root crop to grow well in. Clay soils have many benefits, so amending a clay soil with plenty of organic matter will help soften the soil and improve the soils structure. Another problem with growing beets in a compact soil is that the root of beets will become tough, a good healthy organic soil structure is best.
Beets like cool temperatures. Spring when the temperatures of the soil is at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit or late summer for a fall harvesting here in the Northeast is the best time to start your crop. This crop does poorly when hot weather arrives.
When planting beets, sow seeds one to two inches apart in a row, and then lightly cover the seed with a loose organic soil before sprinkling them with water. You should start to see plant growth in about 14 days. If you want a continuous crop, make several plantings about two weeks apart.
Beets will grow in a partial shade environment. Just don’t choose a location under a tree line where this root crop will compete with the trees root system. Beets need to reach a depth of 3 – 6 inches, so a large trees root system can be a problem.
Harvesting beets can start seven to eight weeks from the day of planting, depending on the desired size you prefer. When young, beets are tender and taster, both the root and the greens.
A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment.
The Author:
John Yazo
http://pioneerthinking.com/growing-beets-a-unique-heirloom-crop
On – 21 Feb, 2017 By Pioneer Thinking
One of life’s great treats is biting into corn that was cooked just minutes after it was harvested from your home garden. If you’ve never had the experience of eating fresh sweet corn right out of your yard, now is the time to plant it. Sweet corn is not one of the more commonly planted home garden vegetables, and there are reasons for this.
Although it rarely grows as high as an elephant’s eye, corn plants are fairly large, and they occupy a substantial amount of space in the garden. As a result, many vegetable gardeners don’t plant corn, especially if they have a small garden.
Each plant produces about two ears of corn, so overall production in the space is not as high as it would be for other popular vegetables, such as tomatoes, squash, snap beans or trellised cucumbers. But if you have the space, growing sweet corn is not that much of a challenge, and the results are delicious.
Types to grow
Many early summer vegetables produce over a period of weeks or even months. Corn, on the other hand, is harvested over a relatively short period of time as all of the ears ripen at about the same time. You can get around this by planting cultivars that ripen at different times.
Recommended sweet corn cultivars grouped by how long to harvest include:
Early-maturing: Seneca Horizon
Mid-season: Bonanza, Merit and Funks Sweet G90 (bi-color)
Late-maturing: Silver Queen (white), NK199, Iochief (AAS), Gold Queen and Golden Cross Bantam.
Or, you can plant the same cultivar in succession. Plant seeds in one area and then plant seeds in another area two or three weeks later.
There also are extra sweet corn cultivars. They contain more sugar than normal sweet corn and are able to hold their sugar levels longer after harvest. Based on the genetics involved, they are grouped into two categories: supersweet and sugary enhanced. Recommended supersweet types (which must be isolated from cross pollination with ordinary sweet corn or sugary enhanced) include How Sweet It Is (AAS), Honey-N-Pearl (AAS), XTender 378, 372, 270 BC, Passion, Accelerator, Summer Sweet #8101W, Summer Sweet #7210Y, #8102 BC, Pegasus and Ice Queen.
Recommended sugary enhanced types include Honey Select (AAS), Avalon, Miracle, Argent, Incredible, Bodacious, Precious Gem BC, Ambrosia BC, Sweet Chorus BC, Temptation BC, White Out, Lancelot BC, Silver King and Sweet Ice. (AAS is All-America Selection Winner.)
Planting
Planting corn early — now through mid-April — reduces problems with corn earworms, the leading insect pest of corn in the home garden. When planted this month, corn typically does not require any pesticide sprays.
Although sweet corn does require room, in a 4-by-8-foot raised bed you can grow two rows of corn with the plants in each row spaced 10 inches apart. That’s 20 plants. If they each produce two ears, you have a generous harvest of 40 ears of corn.
Prepare the ground for planting by first removing any weeds or unwanted vegetation. Turn the soil to a depth of a shovel blade (about 8 inches), apply a 2-3 inch layer of compost or composted manure and a general-purpose fertilizer following package directions, and thoroughly mix everything together.
When planting sweet corn, plant two or three seeds every 10 inches in the row, burying them about one-half to 1 inch deep, and water in thoroughly. After the seeds germinate and the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, thin to one plant per 10 inches.
Sidedress sweet corn plants with a nitrogen containing fertilizer (ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate) when the plants are about 16 inches high and again when the plants are about 36 inches high. Corn benefits from generous fertilization.
Pollination issues
Many of the commonly grown vegetables are self-pollinating (tomatoes) or rely on insects for crosspollination (cucumbers), but corn is wind pollinated. The male flowers that shed the pollen are located at the top of the plant in the tassel. The female flowers are arranged in rows along the cob enclosed by the shucks. A silk is connected to each of the female flowers, and the other ends of the silks hang outside the shuck. At least one pollen grain must land on each silk to pollinate a female flower, which produces one kernel of corn.
Each kernel of corn is the result of a separate act of pollination. So, it is important to plant corn properly to make sure the wind deposits the pollen on the silks.
For that reason, we plant sweet corn in a block planting of several short rows side by side rather than one or two long rows. By planting in blocks, you allow the pollen to move from one plant to another more surely no matter which way the wind is blowing. Ears that are poorly filled with kernels of corn are generally the result of poor pollination.
Some gardeners take this farther and do hand pollination. This only is practical in the small plantings done in backyard gardens. When the tassels at the top of the plants begin to shed the yellow, powdery pollen, tassels are cut and shaken over the silks.
Harvest and use
The best time to harvest sweet corn is in the early morning while the temperature is low. To determine when regular sweet corn is ready to harvest, first check the silks to see if they have begun to dry and turn brown. Then feel the ear. It should feel firm and full.
Peel back a shuck enough to puncture a few kernels on the ears with your thumbnail. When sweet corn is at its highest quality, the juice from the kernels will be milky white and runny. It is not ready when the juice is clear and watery, and corn is over mature and starchy when the juice inside the kernels is thick and dough-like.
Corn usually matures 18 to 24 days after the tassels appear or 15-20 days after the first silks appear. Watch the corn closely because the quality changes fast with the normal sweet varieties. Refrigerate or cook immediately after harvesting.
Dan Gill is a horticulturist with the LSU AgCenter.
http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2017/03/sweet_corn_is_an_easy_crop_for.html
On – 25 Mar, 2017 By Dan Gill
Origins of no dig cultivation methods are not completely clear, but the benefits of having healthy soil, bountiful crops with minimal work is clear! Managing your allotment/home vegetable garden using techniques such as double digging are time consuming, labour intensive and damage the delicate balance which exists in soil between beneficial bacteria, insects and microbial content. All of which are vital to the health of your soil and by extension the health of your delicious crops.
Incorporating organic material into soil is not a new concept, worms, insects, fungi and microbes have been enhancing soils organic content whilst aerating and binding soil together without having to dig in composted green waste or similar materials by hand for millions of years. By studying nature we can find ways to create efficient systems which work and enhance the natural world.
Pioneers in the UK like Charles Dowding, have been growing crops such as salad leaves for years with the no dig method, ranging from small back garden operations to acres of crops, even mainstream shows such as Gardener’s World have started to see the benefits of permaculture and no dig, as shown by Monty Don. The main concept of the no dig garden incorporates the ideals and principles of permaculture by mulching your growing area with composted green waste, straw, leaf mould, composed bark chippings and similar material. These mulches help to suppress weeds whilst the worms, insects and microbes continue to break down all this lovely organic material, incorporating it into your soil.
For best results you can add other design elements alongside your no dig site to enhance biodiversity, attract beneficial insects such as predator beetles and pollinators and make the most of the water fall your site receives.
Some of the methods which you could use alongside your no dig patch are …
Why not give the no dig style of cultivation a go and see what this wonderfully simple method can do for your garden/allotment this year. Wildlife & Eco Gardens can help you get started with your new gardening system or help with composting advice to get the best quality compost for your no dig beds.
On – 25 Apr, 2017 By
A farm’s greatest asset is its land. If you’re considering buying land with an ag land loan, looking into the land’s soil type is an important step in determining the worth of the property. It’s also an indicator of how much work the soil will need in order to provide a nutrient-rich environment for crops.
Soil classification is based on the texture and size of the particles in the soil, as well as on the mineral and nutrient content. The six most common soil types are loamy, sandy, peaty, silty, chalky, and clay. Each of these base soil types become naturally combined in varying ratios to produce entirely new and unique soils in each state.
Every part of the country has one, or a mixture, of the six main soil types. And just like each state has an official flower or bird, they also designate a state soil. Florida’s official soil is called “Myakka.” It originates from marine deposits and is a key component of Floridian flatwoods.
There are a variety of tools for assessing a farmland’s soil type. Chuck Cruse, AgAmerica’s Regional Account Manager for Florida, highly recommends heading to the USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Services (NRCS) web page. This tool allows users to create a map of their land or land that they are considering for purchase. The process takes the user through four basic steps: (1. Define your land area of interest; (2. Gain detailed descriptions of the soils in that area; (3. Access and save soil data and crop suitability data with the Soil Data Explorer; and (4. Order a free instant printable report, which creates a complete picture of the quality of a specified piece of land, including yield potential. The NCRS database currently contains data for 95% of the nation’s counties and anticipates having 100% in the near future.
Different crops prefer different soils, so determining the soil’s compatibility with certain crops is a key concern for the region’s ag Extension office. Extension agents are familiar with the area while possessing access to an array of useful data when it comes to soil quality and which land offers the best yield, and for which crops.
The USDA also collects data on what’s known as “prime farmland designations,” which are based on physical and morphological (organic) characteristics such as the depth of the water table in relation to the root zone, potential moisture holding capacity, the degree of salinity, permeability, frequency of flooding, soil temperature, erosion potential, and soil acidity.
Data about a farm’s soil type is used to help create the land appraisal. Appraisals are a common part of securing a land loan and are a complex equation involving a variety of factors with soil quality being only one of them.
Land appraisers develop economic assessments of agricultural acreage using soil samples. To determine the property’s value, they’ll review past yield records, look at existing irrigation and/or potential for new irrigation, and examine border features to assess how these might impact soil productivity.
While the southeastern region of the U.S. has a wide array of soil types, there is a very unique and valuable soil type found prominently in Florida — muck soil. Otherwise known as “black gold,” muck is a highly fertile soil that has amendments and nutritional value present without having to fertilize or irrigate heavily. The value of a parcel that contains muck soil fluctuates based on the depth of the muck, which can range from 12 inches to 30 feet deep in some areas. The deeper the muck, the more valuable the property is. However, there are only small areas of muck located in the state of Florida, the largest mass of it bedding in Palm Beach County around the bank of Lake Okeechobee.
“Muck is where sugarcane is primarily grown,” Cruse says, “because it takes very a minimal amount of work to grow it. You can get three to four cuttings off one planting of sugarcane, depending on the variety. When the farmer rotates the cane with sweet corn or other vegetables, it helps recycle those amendments back into the soil naturally. Once they’re done growing the cover crop, they’ll go in and till that crop, putting the nutrients and supplements back into the soil that’s then used to grow another crop of cane that will last another three to four years.”
Many farmers are finding innovative techniques to duplicate this scarce “black gold.” For instance, there are some sugarcane growers that are farming the cane on what is considered sand land. While the soil is entirely different than the muck, they’re bringing in mud and peat substitutes from the mills to replicate the nutrient-rich muck soil.
“These folks have the opportunity to bring some, what they call, ‘mill mud’ back to their properties to put the amendments back into the sand soil,” Cruse explains. “This gives them the properties and nutritional products that mimic the muck soil and grow better crops, even though they don’t have any depth of muck on the sand land. These farmers are putting anywhere from 12 to 24 inches of mill mud on top of the sand to help get the crop’s roots to be hardier, stronger, and to produce a better crop.”
http://www.growingproduce.com/vegetables/how-soil-type-affects-land-values/
On – 17 Nov, 2016 By Phoebe Moll
A farm’s greatest asset is its land. If you’re considering buying land with an ag land loan, looking into the land’s soil type is an important step in determining the worth of the property. It’s also an indicator of how much work the soil will need in order to provide a nutrient-rich environment for crops.
Soil classification is based on the texture and size of the particles in the soil, as well as on the mineral and nutrient content. The six most common soil types are loamy, sandy, peaty, silty, chalky, and clay. Each of these base soil types become naturally combined in varying ratios to produce entirely new and unique soils in each state.
Every part of the country has one, or a mixture, of the six main soil types. And just like each state has an official flower or bird, they also designate a state soil. Florida’s official soil is called “Myakka.” It originates from marine deposits and is a key component of Floridian flatwoods.
There are a variety of tools for assessing a farmland’s soil type. Chuck Cruse, AgAmerica’s Regional Account Manager for Florida, highly recommends heading to the USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Services (NRCS) web page. This tool allows users to create a map of their land or land that they are considering for purchase. The process takes the user through four basic steps: (1. Define your land area of interest; (2. Gain detailed descriptions of the soils in that area; (3. Access and save soil data and crop suitability data with the Soil Data Explorer; and (4. Order a free instant printable report, which creates a complete picture of the quality of a specified piece of land, including yield potential. The NCRS database currently contains data for 95% of the nation’s counties and anticipates having 100% in the near future.
Different crops prefer different soils, so determining the soil’s compatibility with certain crops is a key concern for the region’s ag Extension office. Extension agents are familiar with the area while possessing access to an array of useful data when it comes to soil quality and which land offers the best yield, and for which crops.
The USDA also collects data on what’s known as “prime farmland designations,” which are based on physical and morphological (organic) characteristics such as the depth of the water table in relation to the root zone, potential moisture holding capacity, the degree of salinity, permeability, frequency of flooding, soil temperature, erosion potential, and soil acidity.
Data about a farm’s soil type is used to help create the land appraisal. Appraisals are a common part of securing a land loan and are a complex equation involving a variety of factors with soil quality being only one of them.
Land appraisers develop economic assessments of agricultural acreage using soil samples. To determine the property’s value, they’ll review past yield records, look at existing irrigation and/or potential for new irrigation, and examine border features to assess how these might impact soil productivity.
While the southeastern region of the U.S. has a wide array of soil types, there is a very unique and valuable soil type found prominently in Florida — muck soil. Otherwise known as “black gold,” muck is a highly fertile soil that has amendments and nutritional value present without having to fertilize or irrigate heavily. The value of a parcel that contains muck soil fluctuates based on the depth of the muck, which can range from 12 inches to 30 feet deep in some areas. The deeper the muck, the more valuable the property is. However, there are only small areas of muck located in the state of Florida, the largest mass of it bedding in Palm Beach County around the bank of Lake Okeechobee.
“Muck is where sugarcane is primarily grown,” Cruse says, “because it takes very a minimal amount of work to grow it. You can get three to four cuttings off one planting of sugarcane, depending on the variety. When the farmer rotates the cane with sweet corn or other vegetables, it helps recycle those amendments back into the soil naturally. Once they’re done growing the cover crop, they’ll go in and till that crop, putting the nutrients and supplements back into the soil that’s then used to grow another crop of cane that will last another three to four years.”
Many farmers are finding innovative techniques to duplicate this scarce “black gold.” For instance, there are some sugarcane growers that are farming the cane on what is considered sand land. While the soil is entirely different than the muck, they’re bringing in mud and peat substitutes from the mills to replicate the nutrient-rich muck soil.
“These folks have the opportunity to bring some, what they call, ‘mill mud’ back to their properties to put the amendments back into the sand soil,” Cruse explains. “This gives them the properties and nutritional products that mimic the muck soil and grow better crops, even though they don’t have any depth of muck on the sand land. These farmers are putting anywhere from 12 to 24 inches of mill mud on top of the sand to help get the crop’s roots to be hardier, stronger, and to produce a better crop.”
http://www.growingproduce.com/vegetables/how-soil-type-affects-land-values/
On – 17 Nov, 2016 By Phoebe Moll
As garden crops go, corn is among the heaviest feeders. To support tall growth and good ear formation, corn crops often need supplemental additions of nitrogen; there’s typically not enough of this nutrient available in garden soils to support such a large-statured crop. Fertilizing corn in the home garden is an essential summer chore, if you want a hearty crop of plump ears.
When To Fertilize Corn In The Summer
Test your garden soil every few years to ensure its pH is at the correct level to support the growth of most common garden crops, including corn. The best pH for most vegetables is between 6.0 and 6.5, and ensuring your soil’s pH fits in this range improves the availability of most nutrients to your corn plants.
That said, even when the soil’s pH is in the suitable range, supplemental nitrogen fertilizer is often necessary when growing corn. Adding yearly additions of well-composted manures and using legume cover crops will add a good bit of nitrogen to the soil, but when your corn plants reach two feet tall, it’s time for fertilizing corn in the home garden.
If you want to avoid using chemical-based fertilizers in your veggie patch, you’ll need to turn to organic nitrogen fertilizers to give your corn plants a boost. The following sources of nitrogen are plant- or animal-based and require soil microbes to break them down into a form of nitrogen the plants can use. Thankfully, upon adding one of these fertilizers to the corn patch, all the necessary soil microbes work very quickly to break down these products and release the nitrogen to your growing corn plants.
Adding nitrogen to your corn plants is as simple as side-dressing the rows at the recommended application rate shown on the product’s label when the plants are approximately two feet tall. Lightly scratch it into the soil’s surface so the soil microbes can quickly access it, and then water it in.
A word of caution: it is possible, of course, to overfertilize corn plants. Do not add any more fertilizer than recommended on the label. A single application is all that’s necessary, except in the case of extreme nitrogen deficiencies. Conduct a soil test every few years to ensure all essential plant nutrients are in the proper balance.
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/fertilizing-corn-home-garden-organic/
On – 22 Jun, 2017 By Jessica Walliser
Carrots are important root crops in commercial and home gardens for vegetable production. Here are some pointers for cultivating them.
Carrots (Daucus carota) are members of the Apaceae family and are grown for the edible root, which can be eaten raw or cooked. They are rich in carotene (vitamin A). Carrots grow well in cool conditions, as long as there is enough moisture, and they are fairly resistant to cold and frost.
Carrots need deep, well-drained sandy loam to sandy soil, and the texture is very important because it affects how smooth and well-shaped the roots will be. Avoid heavy, compact soil which will discourage growth. Soils high in fresh organic matter can result in hairy, forked and malformed roots, and stony soil can also produce poor root shapes. The optimum pH (H20) is between 6,0 and 6,5.
Carrots are cool-weather plants, but growth slows down if the temperature drops below 10ºC.
Although not usually sensitive to frost, severe frosty spells can damage the leaves. Roots can be damaged if the soil temperature drops below 0°C, especially if the plants were irrigated the preceding afternoon.
The temperature and soil moisture influence the colour, shape and quality of carrots. Growth is optimal at 18 – 23°C, although some cultivars can withstand a great deal of heat. High temperatures (above 29°C) affect emergence and quality negatively, causing poor colour and thicker centres.
Rotating crops helps to improve the quality of the soil and keep down soil-borne pests. Carrots make good crop rotation partners for cabbage, lettuce, pumpkin and tomatoes. If rotated with leguminous crops, such as peas and beans, they improve the soil’s nutrient levels.
Try these varieties:
Kuroda, which offers an excellent yield and has a good shape. It’s 11 – 15cm long and has a thin kernel. Can be produced in warmer seasons.
Cape Market is cylindrical, 12 – 17cm long and produced in warmer seasons.
Scarlet Nantes, Flacoro, Fancy and Duke are good choices for autumn planting.
Loosen the soil thoroughly by ploughing (or using a fork, hand hoe or spade) to a depth of 300 – 400mm to allow for good root aeration, root penetration and drainage. Crush all clods with a rake or cultivator to obtain a deep, fine tilth. Remove stones because they can cause poorly shaped carrots. It would be even better to build and prepare a raised bed. Remove all weeds before sowing because carrot seedlings are very fine and cannot compete with weeds.
Allow 25 – 35cm between rows. Thin out at one to two weeks after emergence, when the carrot seedlings are about 4cm high, and again one to two weeks later. This should result in a spacing of 4 – 5cm within the row (80 – 120 roots/m²). Do not thin out later than four weeks after emergence. If the crop is not thinned out, the carrots will be small and malformed. Thinning should take place in the afternoon, and when soil is moist.
Broadcast about 1 000kg/ha (100g/m2) of a fertiliser mixture such as 2:3:4 (30)+Zn or 1 100kg/ha (110g/m2) of 2:3:2 (22)+Zn just before planting and work it into the top 10cm of soil.
Apply a top dressing of 10g LAN per metre of row at three weeks and again at six weeks after emergence. Sprinkle on both sides of the row, 2 – 10cm from the plants (do not sprinkle on the plants). It would be a good idea to remove all the weeds before applying LAN in order to avoid their competing with the carrots for fertiliser. Work into the top 2cm of the soil, using a flat-tined fork. Water well. In areas known to have a boron deficiency, apply 10 – 20kg/ha borax after planting.
Do not use manure and compost for carrots, because they can cause malformation of the roots and decrease the marketable yield. If manure needs to be dug in, do so with the crop preceding carrots (see crop rotation).
Rake the soil surface to a fine-tilth seedbed before sowing the small carrot seeds directly in the soil – carrots cannot be transplanted.
Put the seeds in the palm of one hand, take a substantial pinch with the fingers of the other hand and rub between finger and thumb as you move your hand forwards and backwards along shallow (1,5cm deep) furrows, until the desired sowing rate is achieved. Another method is to mix one teaspoon of seed with 10 teaspoons of sand and then sow it. Seeding requires some experience and practice.
After sowing, cover seed with fine soil to ensure better germination. In the warmer months, mulch the rows with dry grass to keep the soil cool and moist, as this will assist germination. Remove the mulch after the seedlings have emerged. (If it is kept on too long, the seedlings will become leggy and the sun will burn them easily.) Emergence may take 7 – 14 days depending on the cultivar, the weather, soil type and season important You will need 3 – 4kg seed. For smaller plots, allow 1g (1 teaspoon) per 2m of row.
Keep the soil moist after sowing the seeds to ensure good germination. Water carrots regularly throughout the growing season, but take care not to water too much. As a general rule, carrots need about 30mm of water per week. Water every five days if the weather is warm and dry.
Start off with a weed-free plot so that the carrots do not have to compete with them for nutrients and water. Then weed carrots regularly to keep them free of weeds. If you see any weeds appear, remove them immediately. Being weed-free has a substantial effect on the yield – and your profits. Be particularly careful to remove perennial weeds because they can grow between the roots and will result in poor-quality carrots.
Carrots grow for 10 – 12 weeks from emergence to harvesting, depending on the cultivar and the temperature. In small gardens, harvest them as soon as they reach a diameter of 20mm but are still young and tender. Make sure the soil is wet when you harvest carrots, to make them easier to remove, either pulling out by hand or first loosening them carefully with a fork (start 15cm away from the base of the plants) and then pulling them out.
Harvest carrots when they are fully mature as this increases their shelf-life. Do not harvest early in the morning if the soil is cold, as this may cause the roots to crack horizontally. Do not leave carrots in the sun after harvesting – take them to a shady place as soon as possible.
Most horticultural crops are perishable and can only be stored for a few days. It is best to harvest carrots as needed for consumption or selling. Remove the leaves before storing, to extend shelf life.
Fresh carrots, harvested when mature, will keep for up to five days at room temperature (20°C), and for 7 – 21 days in a refrigerator.
The following sowing times are recommended for the different countries.
Highveld: August to mid-March.
Middleveld (temperate climate zones): August to mid-April. In very warm areas, August to September and February to March.
Limpopo and Lowveld: February to April and July to August.
Free State and Northern Cape: August to October and end of January to March.
Kwazulu-Natal (midlands and coastal region): August to April.
Eastern Cape: July to April, but NOT in mid-summer in very warm areas. In very cold areas, August to April.
Western Cape: August to end of March.
Zambia
Eastern province, and Sesheke and Shangombo districts: March to July.
Northern, Luapula, Copperbelt, Northwestern, and parts of Central Provinces: March to July.
Sandveld plateau of Central, Eastern, Lusaka and Southern provinces: March to July.
Zimbabwe
Mashonaland East, Central and West: February to September.
Mashonaland west(Kadoma) and Midlands(Kwekwe, Gweru, Gokwe): February to September
Masvingo: February to September
Malawi
Whole country: whole year
Botswana
Southern region: February to Septmenber
Gabarone regione: March to September
Central region: March to August
North east region: March to August
Ngamiland region: April to Augist
REMEMBER: There are no registered disease-control chemicals for carrots.
On – 17 Aug, 2017 By Digital team
