It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to plant vegetables. But if you want to do this the old fashioned way which has been proven to be very effective, you should know the organic vegetable gardening basics.

The first thing you have to know is what is organic vegetable gardening? It is simply a way of farming that does not use any synthetic products which includes fertilizers and pesticides. In short, you work with nature to get what you want.

When choosing the right vegetable to plant is knowing which of these are suitable to the soil and the climate. If you live in an area that experiences droughts, buy those that do not consume that much water.

Before you drop seeds into the soil, make sure the land is ready by tilling the land so it is clear both of rocks and weeds.

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Your garden just wouldn’t be complete without the addition of delicious sweet bell peppers. Peppers are a very common staple in kitchens and there are varieties to choose from. You have your choice of red, yellow, green, and orange, as well as various hot peppers as well. Growing Peppers is easy to do and they’ll grow without a great deal of effort. Not to mention how peppers will add delicious flavor to many of your meals.

When you grow Peppers, you’ll need a good amount of sun so be sure that your garden gets at least 8 hours of sun each day. Your soil will need to be dug up well with the ideal pH level between 6.7 and 7. Add organic compost to your soil for extra nutrients. Some gardeners apply Epsom salt on top of the soil to add extra magnesium which helps your peppers flourish. Add fertilizer before you sow your seeds as well.

Peppers like heat, so be sure that your soil is at least 60 degrees before planting seeds. You can always utilize a heat lamp to increase your soil temperature. It is a good idea to plant seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost of winter. When you are ready to transplant the seedlings, dig a shallow hole and insert them carefully. Cover back up with the soil and water lightly.

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Gardening is a nice hobby. Many people love planting and taking care of gardens as a leisure activity. It gives them quality time to spend with family or just relax. In order to have a very beautiful and healthy garden, you need to have some gardening basics knowledge.

Gardens can be classified according to their predominant feature. If the garden as many herbal plants, it can be defined as an herbal garden. Other gardens are based on the design. Most designs are tailored from traditions and themes practiced in various countries. Gardens patterns can be inspired from French, Japanese, English or other countries.

To make the type of garden that you want requires that you invest time noting the space that you want to transform into a garden, the amount of time that you want to spend taking care of the garden and the budget that you will be spending on making the garden and maintenance.

As a beginner gardener, the most important gardening basic element to learn is how to prepare the soil. The soil should be loose so that roots can grow and penetrate deeper than the topsoil. Loosening the soil can be done by tilling it.

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Carrots are amongst the most popular vegetables to grow in the organic home vegetable garden. Carrots are perhaps so popular because of how easy they are to grow and the versatility they provide in the kitchen. Carrots can be used for Juicing, Boiling, Steaming, In Casseroles, Stews and Soups, Grated in Cakes, rissoles, on sandwiches, in salads or simply on their own as delicious carrot sticks.

Soil preparation is the most important factor when growing carrots. As deep-rooted vegetables they require soft loamy soil that does not have any rocks, lumps or foreign materials in as these may cause misshapen carrots or stunted growth.

Organically grown Carrots are beneficial to the soil as they can help to build a soil as they grow. Even with stunted growth the soil is being broken up as the roots of the carrot grow.

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If you’re thinking of starting an herb garden, no herb garden could possibly be complete without basil. It was the first herb that I grew (because I use so much of it in my cooking) and it’s also the last that I would give up. However, it’s not only a key ingredient of many excellent (even famous!) food recipes; it can also be used as a tonic, an aid to digestion and for aromatherapy.

In this article I will:

a) Introduce you to some of the different types of basil

b) Provide some easy-step instructions on how to grow herbs like basil from seed

c) Advise you on harvesting and storing your basil

d) Suggest some ways of using around the home.

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Gardening Basics: Soil Preparation

The most important step in making your garden as healthy as it can possibly be is to prepare the soil for planting. The main focus is to create soil that is fluffy and has plenty of oxygen and nutrients so your plants will prosper.

Part 1: Clearing the Area

Clearing the area of the existing plants and other growth is paramount before any other steps can be taken such as testing your soil and improving it with nutrients. Duplicate the following steps to clear the area where you would like to put your garden.

1. Mark off the area where you’ll be working. If you’re creating a square or rectangle shaped site, form straight lines by stretching a string between two sticks. Then leave the string in place or and then mark the line with a some sort of non permanent powder like flour. If you’re garden will include curves, use a rope to mark the line. Remember to tweak the rope layout until the curve looks smooth.
2. Dig a small trench that marks the outline of the garden.
3. Clear the top layer by removing plants, rocks and other debris.
4. Now mow the site to clear the ground.
5. Chop down large plants and dig out their roots.
6. When the bulk of the existing plants are at manageable levels, remove the sod and other small plants.
7. If the area is actually a lawn, you can clear it in one swoop by using a flat spade or sod cutter. This will be hard work but it will be thorough.

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Basil – The King of Herbs

Basil is thought to be one of the oldest herbs in the world and has been highly regarded for its many properties. It has been used in cooking, medicine, decoration and in religion. Growing basil is highly rewarding for people who are new to gardening because it is relatively easy to grow. There are only a few basic points that are important to remember if you want to be successful at herb gardening. Basil can be easily grown outdoors or indoors in containers all year round. A couple of basil plants can provide enough basil for cooking needs all season long.

When growing basil outdoors, make sure that the weather is warm before you plant or sow seed, or else it will fail. Basil is a plant that loves warm, sunny weather. The daytime temperature should reach at least 70 degrees (F) and the nighttime temperature should get no lower than 50 degrees (F). The herb enjoys having six or more hours of direct sunlight a day. It is also very important that the soil has good drainage.

Sowing and Planting

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Does growing tomatoes indoors produce the same sweet and tasty tomato flavor fruit crops as with the tomatoes grown in outdoor garden or in hanging containers upside down? Absolutely yes! Personally, it is even far better tasting than those we buy in commercial stores.

When should you plant tomatoes indoors? Well, you can do it during winter before or after the frost comes. You can always plant tomatoes indoors with the right variety and care. Growing tomatoes indoors is also recommended to those who have no space for gardening outside their house. And to top it all, when you are growing tomato seedlings it is usually done indoors first before transplanting it to the outdoor garden or bigger containers.

If you cannot resist the temptation of having your own homegrown tomatoes this winter then you ought to grow cherry tomatoes indoors. All you need is a 6 inches pot with seed starter mix, potting soil, tomato seeds, fertilizer and an adequate spot where you can place your growing tomatoes.

To ensure a generous supply of tomato crops throughout the season you may grow tomato seedlings alternately. Meaning, you may want to plant tomato seedlings in sets every two weeks or depending on your tomato consumption needs so that you will have ample supply of tomatoes every time you need them.

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Now is a good time to start your tomato plants even though in the northern latitudes it is still to cold for them to grow naturally. I start to grow my seeds in a plug tray or cells. The reason for this is that the ones I use are fairly small so I can grow a lot of seeds in a small space and the other is that once the seedling starts to develop the root grows into the small amount of compost and binds this together. The seeds will need a temperature of 15C or more to get a good start and I just grow these in my kitchen on the windowsill. I do grow them in a propagator but they will grow in a normally heated house.

When the seedling is large enough I then pot this on into an individual plant pot. As I have grown these in a small cell then I just pop this out from the bottom of the tray and plant the whole seedling with the root ball intact. This does not disturb any roots and will not give your tomatoes a check to their growth. Handle the seedling by the leaves or root ball. Never touch the stem as in a developing seedling it is very easy to crush the stem and you end up killing the plant

When growing plants for use in my greenhouse, I always use a new clean plant pot. I do this because I do not want the possibility of introducing disease from an old plant pot into the compost surrounding the root. I will reuse the pots again, but only for plants I will be growing outside. As I only grow about 20 plants in my greenhouse, (tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers), it is not expensive to buy new pots for this small number of plants and it is worth it for the peace of mind in trying to keep my greenhouse disease free.

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Basil is such a versatile and great cooking herb! No matter what climate you live in, you can grow basil really easily!

Put it in your favourite dishes, add a sprig to decorate your delicious meals and spice up your kitchen with an attractive and flourishing basil plant!

If you’re in two minds as to whether to grow basil at home or not, then read on!:

– Basil is without doubt one of the best cooking herbs there are! Think Thai green curry, chicken salads and fresh tomatoes tousled with basil leaves… Not forgetting fresh pesto! Basil has limitless uses in some of the most delicious recipes!

– Basil gives off such a nice, sweet smell as you brush by its leaves in the garden. Or if you grow it in your kitchen, it will give off a subtle, sweet fragrance that will fill your kitchen.

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