Botanic Garden » food

Hydroponic

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:13:09 +0000

Home gardeners also use hydroponics to grow vegetables year round. Oftentimes, people who live in apartments practice hydroponics because it saves space.

Plants do not need soil to grow. Plants can grow in many different media, including nutrient-rich water, peat- or bark-based growing mixes.

Hydroponics knowledge is ancient (think of the hanging Gardens of Babylon and The Floating Gardens of China), but there is a resurgence of interest today for hobbyists and commercial growers alike. It is a fun hobby for some, but the economic impact hydroponics can make is of greatest importance.
Reasons many choose hydroponic gardening:

* No weeds
* Fewer pests
* Fewer plant diseases
* Healthy, vigorous plants
* Faster maturing plants
* Yield earlier harvests
* Can grow plants year round
* Can grow indoors
* No fertilizer or pesticide runoff
* Conserves land, space, and water. Hydroponics also conserves greenhouse space for those who use greenhouses.
* Can be used in areas otherwise inhospitable to most plants, such as a hot, dry desert

Plant requirements are nutrients, water, air and sunlight (or some sort of light – see below for indoor gardening). When plants grow in the soil, they obtain nutrients and water through the soil. When plants grow in water or a soil less medium, you must add the nutrients in a steady diet to the plants.
You can even automate your hydroponics system with timers, further reducing the time spent on gardening. Today, hydroponic gardening kits and supplies are available online, with the systems ranging from small to elaborate.

The advantages of hydroponics for challenged land areas can be readily apparent: Through the use of hydroponic systems, a desert can produce as much food as any other place since precise water and nutrient application directly to the roots of plants conserves water and still allows the plants to thrive.

Indoor hydroponic gardening: You must provide adequate light and good air circulation for indoor gardening. Indoor hydroponics units often incorporate a small fan to circulate the air. Good air circulation allows photosynthesis to occur and also prevents fungus.
Indoor light sources:

* metal halide lamps
* sodium vapor lamps
* gro-lights
* fluorescent lights and incandescent light bulbs
* Natural sunlight from a South-facing window

About nutrient solutions:

There are 13 elements necessary for plant growth (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, iron, manganese, boron, copper, zinc, molybdenum and chlorine).

You will need a fertilizer or solution that is specially formulated for hydroponic gardening. You cannot use the fertilizers that are geared to amending the soil because they do not contain all the necessary nutrients. Ready-made solutions are easily purchased at hydroponics or organic gardening supply stores.

Greenhouse

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:08:42 +0000

There are some distinct advantages to using a greenhouse for overwintering. In many areas rodents can be a significant source of damage to plants during the winter months when other food is scarce. Another major cause of damage and loss of plants during winter is caused by freezing and fluctuations in soil temperature, and this is an even bigger problem for plants in containers. Plants out in the open also often sustain tissue burn from the moisture loss caused by cold dry air. Proper overwintering in a greenhouse makes it much easier to protect against these and other winter hazards to plants.

It is possible to keep many plants from one year to the next. They will not continue to bloom profusely and grow over winter as they did during the summer, but in many cases they will have better production than they did in year one and will give the gardener a great head start on the next season.
Depending upon the climate, late August (Hardness zones 3-6) to late September (Hardness zones 7-8) is generally the window for beginning the overwintering process. In most areas it is practically impossible to keep plants thriving and producing outside past October. The low sun and shorter days tend to induce ’semi-dormancy’, a period of reduced functioning in the plants. For this reason the beginning of the overwintering program will start by gradually tapering off watering and fertilization in October. In the winter the soil should not become bone dry or dusty, but should be watered only occasionally during the plant’s dormancy.

It is best to hold off on moving plants into the greenhouse until just before the first freeze of winter sets in. Moving the plants inside too early will slow down the hardening off process and may result in undesirable out of season growth.

Tips for Success – Once plants are in the greenhouse temperature control is very important to overwintering success. Temperatures of 45°-55°F are ideal. The higher the temperatures above this range, the more likely the plants will produce weak growth out of season which can make them susceptible to various infestations. Greenhouse temperatures can generally be controlled using ventilation during the day to keep the greenhouse from overheating. In very cold climates a heat source may be necessary to keep the temperature close to the ideal range, particularly at night.

Most plants will benefit from some pruning back in mid-March in preparation for the vigorous growth during the new season. This is also a good time to consider transplanting plants that grew a lot during the past summer into the garden or larger containers. Plants adjust best to gradual change. At this time, the greenhouse can be allowed to reach slightly warmer temperatures (65°F days, 55°F nights). Resume fertilizing with balanced blend mixed half-strength. When all danger of frost is past, the plants can be moved outside again for the summer, and the greenhouse temperatures can be raised for plants that will remain in the greenhouse or for germination of new plants for the growing season.

For successful overwintering in the greenhouse keep these tips in mind:

* Begin overwintering by reducing water and fertilizer in late August to late October, depending on Hardiness Zone.
* Take care not to allow soil or air to become overly dry.
* Wait until just before the first freezing weather of the season to move plants into the greenhouse.
* During the winter dormant period maintain greenhouse temperatures as close to 45°-55°F as possible.
* Prune plants back in mid-March in preparation for the new growing season.
* After pruning, increase greenhouse temperature to 65°F days, 55°F nights and resume fertilizing with balanced blend mixed ½-strength.
* Move plants to desired outdoor locations when all danger of frost has passed.

Organic Food

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:52:30 +0000

Organic produce has become more readily available in recent years, so you don’t have to grow your own; but there is something magical about putting food that came from your garden on the table for your family.

“Growing your own organic food really puts you in touch with your food source,” says Glenda Lehman Ervin of Lehman’s, a company specializing in old-fashioned, high-quality merchandise. By cooking with fresh produce, you can avoid using a lot of chemical-laden processed foods lacking in nutrients.

Growing an organic garden will take some thought, preparation and care, but isn’t that what gardening is all about? It will also give you an excuse to spend time outdoors, get your hands dirty and get a feel for the soil. “Organic gardening is all about working in harmony with nature,” says Lehman Ervin.

If you’re new to organic growing, you’ll need a good source of advice and information. Lehman Ervin recommends Straight-Ahead Organic, a step-by-step guide to growing great vegetables by Sheperd Ogden. This includes information on designing your garden; improving the soil; tools and equipment; seeds and seedlings; and planting and cultivation.

Another favorite is This Organic Life, Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader, by Joan Dey Gussow. “It is part recipe book, part autobiography and part memoir,” says Lehman Ervin. It is a gardening book for those who want to grow their own food but don’t want to read another “how-to” book.

Armed with your new-found knowledge, you’ll need to set to work improving your soil. Adding organic matter to your soil improves its ability to hold water, improves the structure of the soil and adds valuable nutrients.

You can find organic fertilizers to jump-start your soil, or use compost you make yourself. Simply add grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps to a compost bin and let nature do the rest.

You can use a simple home-made compost bin, or opt for a kit that you assemble; tumbling compost bins spin for easy aeration of the compost. Lehman’s also offers a selection of handy compost accessories, such as a compost thermometer and an aerator.

Chances are if you’re gardening organically, you’ll want to protect the environment by avoiding gas-powered gardening tools that spew noxious fumes. Lehman’s offers a wide range of human-powered digging and cultivating tools, including a broadfork to break up compacted soil and push cultivators to help keep your soil in top condition.

The cultivators turn in fertilizers, root out weeds, make furrows and break up the soil, letting in vital moisture and air. These implements are authentic and highly effective. Since well tended soil is the first step in growing a healthy garden, it makes sense to prepare it thoroughly.

Before you lay out your garden, you’ll want to consider where, what and how to plant. For example, you’ll want to rotate your crops from year to year so you don’t deplete all the nutrients from the soil; think about planting cover crops in the fall, which will help renew the soil for spring planting; and look for seeds that are not genetically modified.

Get a jump on the growing season with garden tunnels or portable greenhouses that warm the soil and protect tender young plants, allowing you to get your crops in earlier in the season.

Once the seeds are in the ground, you’ll need to protect them from garden pests. Gardening organically means using tried-and-true pest control methods such as building a bat house in your yard to encourage bug-eating bats to visit your garden.

Companion planting is another low-maintenance way to combat pests. For example, some gardeners swear that using marigolds as a border around their vegetable garden helps repel pests.

When harvest time rolls around, you’ll want to think about preserving the bounty that you can’t eat right away. Lehman’s has a full range of canning equipment, food mills, dehydrators and other kitchen tools to make it easy to preserve the fruits and vegetables of your labor.

Growing your family’s food organically is an act of love, but it really isn’t more difficult or more expensive than a traditional vegetable garden.