Organic Container Gardening for Herbs

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Posted by Priyo | Posted in gardening | Posted on 05-07-2010

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Organic growing is primarily intended to help produce herbs for the food table, as a healthy and pure ingredient. Herbs which are mostly grown for aroma and find use in making pot-pourri do not have to be organically grown. Therefore when growing organic herbs in containers, the choice is between medicinal or savory plants. The latter is grown as a kitchen culinary item.

The choice of the plant can be from among the popular ones such as mint, thyme, basil or oregano. Growing herbs in containers is ideal for those with small garden spaces, as a row of potted plants either in the garden or on your window sill can present a very charming picture. The fantastic smells that these plants give off can make your gardening efforts worthwhile.

The method of cultivation depends on what herb is grown. A combination of sunshine and slightly lean soil that appears to increase the oils, which give off those wonderful flavors and fragrances. Ideally the plants need to be well watered with pots that have a good drainage system. For this use pots with drainage holes at the bottom on a tray to ensure water does not spill out.

Organic container gardening requires that plants get at least six hours of sunshine everyday. A sunny spot should therefore be chosen before planting them. Ensure that the pots are organically manured. Space the plants out to allow them to grow freely. Keep the plants tidy and send out new growth by pinching and using them regularly.

Cultivating Achimenes And Aconitum

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Posted by Priyo | Posted in gardening | Posted on 08-05-2010

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Aconitum variegatum, Härtsfeld, Germany
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Achimenes are tuberous-rooted greenhouse perennials.

The numerous hybrids and species of achimenes comprise a race of extremely decorative plants. Neatly staked, they are charming in pots, and their semi-pendant habit makes them particularly adaptable for planting in hanging baskets.

Although achimenes will endure a cool greenhouse temperature during the flowering period, a minimum reading of 60 degrees. must be maintained before that time. It is advisable to start the tubers at intervals of three weeks, commencing in February, by boxing them in sandy compost and watering sparingly until the shoots are about 2 in. in height. Then they must be carefully moved to 7 inch or 8 inch pots, placing the tubers 2 to 3 inches apart each way. Baskets should first of all be lined with moss and then filled in with a good compost of equal parts fibrous loam, leaf-mould, and peat with a liberal sprinkling of sharp sand. Roots should be inserted so that the growths will push through the wires in addition to trailing over the top of the basket. A moist growing atmosphere must be maintained and the plants kept close to the glass but shaded from bright sunshine.

Achimenes are thirsty plants and must be freely watered during the growing period. A weekly dose of liquid manure is also advisable. After flowering, decrease the water supply until, when growth is thoroughly ripened, the pots can be stored on their sides under the staging.

Seeds can be sown in light sandy soil in a temperature of 70 degrees to 80 degrees in March. Other methods are by cuttings, which will root from almost any portion of the stem, or by leaves, which are simply severed from the plants and pricked into pots or pans of light compost, taking care to bury all the petiole, or leaf stem; and by scales. These should be carefully rubbed from the tubers in spring and sown thinly in the same manner as seeds. In every case early spring is the best time to commence operations. A close moist atmosphere and a similar temperature to that recommended for seed sowing are also essential.

Aconitum are hardy herbaceous perennials. The aconitums are popularly known as Wolf’s Bane and Monk’s-hood. All are handsome perennials, and several flower late in the season, but as they are poisonous they should be planted out of reach of small children.

Aconitums revel in deep rich and rather cool soils and do well in shady places. The roots are thick and tuberous, and for this reason it is not advisible to trans

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Organic Gardening Compost

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Posted by Priyo | Posted in gardening | Posted on 01-05-2010

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A handful of compost
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Gardening is one of those hobbies which gives considerable joy, and at the same time provides light exercise, besides giving one the joy of having homegrown produce. Today, organic foods have become increasingly popular, and fruits and vegetables grown with organic gardening compost,are becoming more sought after.

Gardening, using any soil improver allows plants to grow well. Making and using home made fertilizer, is useful in removing a considerable amount of waste which accumulates in the garden. Normally fallen tree leaves and plant parts are burnt, but with the system of composting you avoid pollution and have a ready-to-use clean nutritious soil improver.

Compost is normally best made in a pit which can be dug in some corner of the garden. The size of the pit can vary and really depends on the quantity of waste that will be generated. Normally a 2 feet X 2 feet size pit with a depth of two to three feet should suffice. This will be easily manageable both for putting in the material, as well as when taking it out later as fertilizer.

Use of a garden bin of an appropriate size can also be resorted to, in case making an earth pit is not feasible. These bins can be bought off the market shelf, and are a more modern way of compost making. Many gardeners use a series of bins so that whilst the first bin is left to compost, the second bin can be filled. Depending on the size of the garden and the amount of waste to be handled, the number of bins can be increased.

In the olden days, organic gardening compost was made by simply putting it in the earth pit and covering it with some earth, ensuring that there was sufficient moisture. This allowed for better, purer organic compost. Nowadays, more modern and sophisticated methods are used, where the garden waste is separated and treated separately. Bio-degrading agents are commonly used to speed up the process. However, if you need to just get on with the job, the simple old fashioned way of making organic gardening compost is still the best.

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