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!

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

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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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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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There are three common mistakes that people, mostly beginner gardeners, make when they undertake vegetable garden planting for the first time. However, these mistakes are easily avoided, not only leaving the gardens healthier but also their owners happier.

The first mistake people make is poor water management. Water is a limited resource we are using at unsustainable rates. We are wasting water in ways that are not helping, but harming our gardens. Most plants do best with about one inch of rain or watering per week. More water will evaporate, run off or harm roots that become water logged. Too much water can cause mildew on leaves and attract harmful insects. Watering too shallowly will prevent roots from going deep enough. To correct this mistake, use a rain gauge and dig down in the soil every few days to check when water is needed. Water deeply, less often. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and prevent weeds. Choose plant varieties suited to your area’s rain fall. Consider using a rain barrel to collect and store rain water. Water early in the morning or in the evening to prevent evaporation.

The second commonly made mistake is the failure to meet a plant’s space, nutrient and environmental requirements. Plants growing in ideal conditions are more vigorous, and more resistant to pests and diseases. Plants that are too crowded will have reduced yield and be harder to look after. Planting too early, or too late, in the season for the variety will cause plant stress and poor development. Too much or too little sun can be very harmful. Read all the instructions and tags that come with your plants. If you put the right plants in their correct place, you’ll find that they are easier to maintain and need less fertilizer and less likely to be affected by pests and disease problems.

The third mistake is the most important of them all and that is people fail to build healthy soil in the garden before planting their vegetables. This can doom any garden to failure. Below the soil line, you should have a world teeming with micro organisms and beneficial insects that provide plants with nutrients they need. Soil needs a steady supply of organic material to promote soil and plant health. So, if you have any doubt about the quality of your soil, you can have it tested and amended for correct pH balance, drainage and so on. Once you’ve done that, you can go ahead and start planting with confidence.

Gardening in general, and vegetable garden planting in particular, can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. The great thing about gardening is that it can evolve as we learn. We can correct mistakes as we go and try new methods as we learn about them.

Copyright © 2009 www.vegetablegardenplantingguide.com

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As you continue with your vegetable garden planting project, you are now ready to make your garden soil as rich and fertile as possible for your home grown vegetables.

Let’s recap. You’ve now chosen the location of your very first garden and the spot you’ve settled on has an easterly aspect and thus will get plenty of morning sun. It is well protected from strong winds either
naturally or you have provided a wind break. Large trees are located a safe distance away because you don’t want their roots to compete with your vegetable plants for food and water.

Now, let’s look at how to prepare your garden soil correctly and to get it ready for planting. This is a crucial step in the whole process. Suburban backyards are very rarely suitable for growing healthy vegetables because they just don’t contain the nutrients necessary for those plants to survive. Therefore, it’s up to you to prepare the soil and add the nutrients about 4-5 weeks before you plant.

Prepare the Spot Carefully

A good size vegetable garden for a beginner is an area of 3m x 1.5m. So, measure such an area and clear it of the top growth and a thin layer of turf, if you have to. Then, start weeding thoroughly. Some gardeners stop after weeding for the first time and then return a few days later to remove any weeds that have sprouted again. That’s a great tip. Once you’ve finished weeding, cultivate the soil to a depth of about 30cm or about the depth of the garden fork or spade but don’t turn it over. Remember the good soil is underneath and that’s where it should remain.

Use a Soil Testing Kit – No Need to Guess

Check the acid or alkaline level of your soil. It’s very easy to do. Use a soil testing kit to find out. If it’s sour (acidic), add garden lime according to directions. That should be in the vicinity of 1-2 cups (250-500gms) per square meter. Water it in and check the soil level again in about a week.

Crop Rotation for Best Results

The next stage is to divide your garden into 4 or more smaller beds. This will allow you to plant different varieties of vegetables into each bed : carrots in one bed, potatoes in another and so on. The huge advantage this gives you is, as you finish harvesting one set of crops from a bed, you can then plant a different kind of crop into that bed. In other words, you never grow the same vegetable in the same bed.
This is called crop rotation and it is a widely used practice not only to control disease and pests but also to increase soil fertility.

Apply Organic Fertilizer

It’s now time for you to spread a thick layer (10cm) of well-rotted animal manure or organic compost to the garden. Add blood and bone (a handful per square meter) and dig it all in. Rake level and water in. Then, leave it alone for a few days to settle. Your seedlings will appreciate it.

Finally, your garden is ready. What you should now have is a good garden soil, filled with rich nutrients and which drains easily.

You can now:

1. Sow any vegetable seeds you like directly into your garden.

2. Transplant the seedlings that you grew indoors into your garden.

3. Buy seedlings elsewhere and transplant them into your garden.

One final point. With a garden of this size, you may not have too much trouble reaching your plants to water or weed them. However, if you can’t for one reason or another, allow for that by taking a long term
view and creating a permanent garden layout. This is where the vegetable beds remain in place season after season and are kept separate from walking paths. This is a much better option. It will minimize soil compaction from foot traffic and will make your garden easy to maintain.

You’ll admit that it was not very hard to complete this vital stage of your vegetable garden planting project i.e to get the garden soil ready for planting. The important thing is that it will not be long before you start enjoying your own tasty and organically grown vegetables. How satisfying will that be!.

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