Here’s one of the best vegetable garden tips you’ll ever come across. Kids love gardening. If you’d like them to spend less time in front of a computer, watching television or playing video games, now’s your chance to do something about it.

All right. If you live in the northern hemisphere, you’ll have to wait a bit before you can create that perfect place for the kids to explore and hide in.

For those of you in the southern hemisphere, there is no excuse. Take a look at this great post I read recently:

http://www.plottips.blogspot.com/2009/12/gardening-for-kids-how-to-get-your-kids.html.

I’ve been meaning to write something like this for some time but, as you can see, someone beat me to it. Never mind, I think this article substantially captures what I wanted to say and gives you some great ideas to keep the kids busy whilst making it fun at the same time. I particularly like the idea of giving them their own special little Garden Toolkit.

While the article does not make it clear, I have no doubt that the author supports organic gardening methods. Personally, I don’t recommend allowing kids anywhere near chemical fertilizers and artificial pesticides and insecticides. That would kind of defeat the purpose of getting the kids to enjoy spending time in the garden rather than indoors.

In my experience, I’ve found that kids seem to have an instinctive love for gardening. They love to plant and watch “things” grow until the vegetable or fruit is ready to be harvested. It’s exciting for them.

And, have you noticed that kids have no problem whatsoever eating the vegies that they grew themselves? Funny that!

As an added bonus, don’t be surprised if your kids suddenly start to appreciate the environment more.

Enjoy the article!

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If you’re going on holidays and you don’t want your vegetables to die from a lack of water, these vegetable garden tips will absolutely ensure that they survive your time away. Let’s face it, if you’re going on holidays, chances are – so is everybody else! Your neighbors, friends and, of course, family. So, it’s pointless asking them to take care of your plants but, if you follow these tips, you won’t need them.

Mulching
I’m sure you are well aware of the many benefits of mulching plants because it keeps the ground moist and stops water from evaporating too quickly. Plants like that and it also saves you money because you don’t have to apply water as often.

But here’s the thing. Don’t make the mistake of watering the mulch. Rather, water the soil thoroughly first and then put the mulch on. This will cause the moisture in the soil to last longer – sometimes up to a month using sugar cane mulch. You could test this in your area yourself before leaving.

Irrigation Spikes

These irrigation spikes are very easy to use. Grab some used plastic bottles, screw the spikes to the bottles and fill with water. Then insert the spikes into the soil next to your plants.

They are widely sold at garden centers, nurseries and are also available here at amazon.com

Indoor Plants

There are several methods to handle indoor plants – some good, some not so good, like the one where you place your plants in the bath with a wet towel. That doesn’t work so well because the towel tends to dry out.

But I particularly like this method because it’s simple and it works.

Get a large, flat tray with no holes and lay several sponges at the bottom. Use ordinary household sponges as they’re cheap and are perfectly adequate for this. Fill with water to cover the sponges and then take your potted plants and place them on top of the sponges.

Leave plenty of space between the plants to ensure that air circulates freely as this will greatly reduce the chances of attracting fungi.

Find a shady spot like on a patio or veranda and put the tray there. Don’t put the tray in direct sunlight; just choose an area where the plants will receive enough daylight while you’re away.

Self – Watering Containers and Probes

If you have some money to spend, a very good option is to use self – watering containers and probes. There are so many different ones available that you won’t have any problem finding those that fit your needs and budget – for example, the Aqua Planter, EarthBox Garden Kit and Vacation Plant Waterers (self – watering probes) are all worth trying.

Just make sure that you set them up properly and follow the instructions carefully so that you don’t get a nasty surprise (dead plants) when you return.

These are all good vegetable garden tips to follow. If nothing else, you won’t feel guilty about leaving your vegetable plants behind and, therefore, will enjoy your holiday a lot more.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, please share it and leave a comment. I will appreciate it. Thanks.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

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If you want to be a success in gardening indoors, it’s important to understand that, no matter where you grow them, all plants must be provided with adequate water in order for them to turn into healthy specimens.

Incorrect watering is one of the major causes of indoor plants loss. Speak to people who have tried their hand with an indoor home garden and they will most likely tell you that they’ve lost a plant or two because they failed to learn this simple but vital skill.

Water plays a vital role in the growth cycle of plants by acting as a transport medium in getting nutrients from the soil to the roots. However, too much of it can be deadly particularly to potted plants. The excess water in the soil will push the air from the root zone, cutting off the distribution of oxygen to the plants and drowning them. On the other side of the coin, too little water will result in abnormal growth.

Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule to determine how often you should water plants that are grown indoors because there are so many variables: plant type, soil medium and container type all play a role in determining that. However, I have found these tips, not exhaustive by any means, to be very useful in implementing an effective watering strategy:

• Plants don’t all have the same water requirements. For example, succulents do not need a lot of water. However, you don’t have to become an expert to know when you should give your indoor plants water. Nowadays, it’s easy to find all the information necessary on the label of the seed packet (if you’re growing from seed) or the plant label (if you’re buying a potted plant).

• You can group several varieties of plants in the same pot but, if you do that, ensure that all of them have the same or similar water requirements. Otherwise, it’s going to be a bit of a nightmare keeping track of when to water them.

• If the growing pots are too small for your chosen house plants, be prepared to apply water more often. Hence, it’s a lot better to pick the right size container in the first place.

• Plants in clay pots will lose moisture quicker. On the other hand, pots fabricated from non-porous material such as metal, glass or plastic tend to retain water better and, therefore, be careful not to overwater.

• Use a premium potting mix to make sure that the plants drain properly. Poor drainage of the soil medium can result in an accumulation of soluble salts at the bottom of containers with saucers. This comes from the fertilizer. In excess, soluble salts can damage the roots of the plants. Empty and clean the saucer as well as flush out any salt visible in the soil at the bottom of the container.

When you are gardening indoors, the best guide for you to make certain that your plants get watered properly is to feel the soil. Insert your finger about an inch or so into the soil and, if it’s dry to the touch, then add water. However, if you don’t have enough confidence to do this, an excellent alternative is to use a moisture meter to do the job. No more guesswork. It will tell you exactly whether the soil is wet, moist or dry and, if you have large potted plants, that’s very handy.

You can check out the best selection of moisture meters to suit any budget by clicking on this link.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

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You can make sure that your mum’s gardening plants will succeed if you follow one simple tried and tested rule that will serve you well over many years. It’s just this: never over water your vegetable plants unless you want to kill them. Yes, it’s well-known but you’d be surprised how many would be gardeners, especially beginners, forget to observe this rule and end up frustrated when their vegetable plants eventually die. You may also be surprised how easy it is for the unwary gardener to over water.

So, how do you tell when your vegetable plants are getting too much water? What are the symptoms? They can be:

*yellow/brownish leaves

*drooping or wilted plants

*stunted or rotting roots

*new leaves are absent

These are generally the main signs but note that these signs are also common to other problems such as not enough water. However, there is absolutely no need to over analyze this. It’s not rocket science. The easiest way to check is to dig under the soil about an inch or so deep and take a good look. If the soil is dry at that level, you obviously need to water your plants. On the other hand, if it’s really wet or waterlogged, you need to investigate and find out what is the reason.

Two explanations come to mind immediately. One is that you have been too keen and been watering too frequently. That’s easily fixed. I don’t have to tell you what to do, right?

Most plants like water but not to excess. As a general rule, they should get more water when they are young but, once they are set, they require less water. In fact, if there is enough rain in your area, established plants probably do not need that much extra watering at all. Of course, if rainfall is inadequate, then you have to compensate and supply them with additional water. The rule of thumb here is about an inch each week or as needed.

Remember to water slowly at the root level. This is to ensure that the water enters the top soil and travels deeply to the root system where it’s needed most. Watering quickly may have the opposite effect. Instead, the water may form a puddle on the surface of the ground and eventually evaporate or it will just run off harmlessly.

The other explanation for your waterlogged soil is you have a drainage problem. In that case, you need to address it fairly quickly. Often, this drainage problem is simply due to poor soil in your garden. The solution is to try and improve the soil structure and condition by adding lots of organic matter, compost or well-rotted manure. But, if this fails, you may be facing a much bigger problem in your yard. If it’s severe enough, faulty drainage can potentially undermine your house and other buildings, not to mention create a host of other complications. But, don’t panic. Just attend to it urgently.

By making your mum aware of this rule and telling her to go easy on the water, you can stop her from killing her gardening plants. Don’t forget to mention that, giving water to her plants only when they need it, requires less effort on her part and will bring her water bill down, saving her money. And, she will also do her bit for the environment by reducing her water consumption. We should all be trying to do that.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

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Vegetable garden tips on how to grow the perfect tomatoes are a dime a dozen. The good ones usually highlight how to choose the best soil and fertilizer that is needed to grow tomatoes successfully in your yard in addition to the proper water intake.

And that’s fine. However, there’s one crucial tip you shouldn’t ignore and that is how to stop the dreaded blossom end rot from infecting your tomato plants. If you fail to do that, you’ll most likely harvest a pile of rotten fruit at the end of the growing season rather than the juicy, delicious red tomatoes that you were expecting to feast upon.

The good news is that there are a few simple, easy to follow steps for you to take which will help you avoid blossom end rot.

Blossom end rot is fairly easy to recognize. It first appears as a dark brown area on the blossom end of the tomato fruit, which explains the name. As the fruit grows bigger, the spot will sink and become darker, eventually turning black and leathery. Other diseases and secondary conditions often take root in the same spot as well, thus magnifying the problems.

The cause of tomato blossom end rot is due to a physiological disorder resulting from a deficiency of calcium in the fruit. This might be due to low levels of calcium in the soil, or it could be due to excessive quantities of nitrogen or potassium in the soil as these properties can prevent the plants from absorbing an adequate supply of calcium. In addition, watering too much (high moisture) or too little (water stress) can also reduce the uptake of calcium to the plants and result in blossom end rot.

Now that you know what causes it, it is easier to understand what steps you need to take to stop blossom end rot from ruining your tomatoes. First, before you plant, you should test the pH of your soil. You want the pH level to be around 6.5, and if it is too acidic, you can add agricultural lime to the soil to make up for the calcium deficiency. Ideally, add the lime at least two months before planting, just to make sure that the lime has enough time to become incorporated into the soil. This in turn will ensure that the soil has enough calcium for the plants to feed on when they need it.

It’s important to remember that directly spraying the fruit with calcium after it has contracted blossom end rot is practically useless because the fruit does not have any entry points in its skin to absorb the calcium. However, it may help if you spray the leaves (as opposed to the fruit) before there are any symptoms of the condition.

Next, improper fertilization, especially an excess of nitrogen, can also result in blossom end rot because nitrogen encourages more leaves to grow and less fruit. This tends to reduce the distribution of calcium to the fruit. However, an easy but effective method to ensure that you fertilize correctly is to use organic fertilizers that are especially made for tomatoes since these will already have the right combination of nutrients.

Thirdly, try to be consistent when watering your tomato plants. This means water regularly rather than drench the plants and then leave them without water for days or even weeks. They should get about one inch of water each week during the growing and fruiting phase depending on the type of soil and weather conditions where you live. The soil should be kept damp but not soaked. The idea is to prevent the moisture level in your soil from going up and down, causing moisture stress which can increase the likelihood of developing blossom end rot.

Finally, you should plant your tomatoes in soil that drains well. This encourages the plants to produce roots that are strong enough to take in enough calcium so as to reduce the chances of blossom end rot from forming on the fruit.

I hope you find these vegetable garden tips worthwhile because they make a lot of sense. If you follow them correctly, you should be able to stop blossom end rot from spoiling your tomatoes. The result? A bountiful harvest of delicious tomatoes for you to eat and share.

Final Tip
Use mulches to keep the moisture level in your soil constant. Choose something like straw or ground leaves. If you avoid severe fluctuations in the moisture level of the soil, you will reduce the chances of moisture stress occurring which, you’ll remember, can cause blossom end rot.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

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If you want to try your hand at fall gardening, the good news is that it can be as easy and as fun as growing a summer garden. The growing principles are much the same as the plants will need adequate water, sunlight and protection from pests and disease. However, unless you live in a tropical climate, you will also likely be contending with cold weather as well. This is really where the challenge of vegetable gardening in the fall comes in. You will need to monitor the weather extremes and provide protection for your plants when you detect that they need it.

Of course, the harvests that you make in the fall actually start in the summer. Planting for your fall garden will generally be made in mid summer, around July or August in most areas. Because this is actually the hottest part of the year, you’ll need to take extra care as the plants germinate. Keeping the area properly irrigated is essential to success. If your plot is particularly hot, you can even germinate them in your house like you may have done for your spring plantings. Whether you plant them inside or out, you want to cover them with a friable soil such as peat moss and vermiculite. This will not only hold moisture, but also give them less resistance as they poke out of the ground. Once they are established, you may also want to provide shade cloth to cut down the sun. Crops that are happiest in the fall prefer less sun.

There is quite a list of crops that are ideal for vegetable gardens that will be harvested in the cooler weather of fall. While bush beans need quite hot temperatures to germinate, they can easily mature in cooler air. Plants that belong to the Brassica or Kale family are ideal for fall plantings. They thrive in cool weather and are actually at their absolute best when reaching maturity during the fall. These include plants such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, chard, kohlrabi and beets. Root crops also love cool weather. Some fall favorites are turnips, rutabagas or swede, radishes and onions. Greens are happy in cold snaps, so plant a few patches of lettuce and spinach as well.

When practicing fall gardening, many people get even more mileage out of crops that are happy with the cold by using a greenhouse or cold frame to provide even more protection. By using these techniques, it’s possible to not only push the limits with cold loving plants, but actually be harvesting the most hardy plants well into the new year. Growing a fall vegetable garden can be a fantastic next step for the serious summer gardener!

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