Saturday, November 29, 2008

Hobbyist Enjoy Healthy Foods With Their Home Garden

There is an increasing trend towards growing a home garden so that fresh produce is readily available to enjoy for meals, or for freezing and canning. One primary reason for this is that people are learning more about the pesticides that are routinely sprayed on the fruits and vegetables that are available in the supermarkets these days. The produce grown in one's own back yard provides better nutrition.

Not only that, but for many people starting and cultivating a home garden for the purpose of providing wonderful foods for the table is an enjoyable endeavor. Gardening has long been a popular hobby for many people all around the world, but when you add the extra incentive of being able to provide your family with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables that have not been contaminated with chemicals and pesticides, it is easy to see why the popularity of the garden has grown.

In addition to these kinds of concerns about the safety and the nutritional value of grocery store produce, people are also finding that it is wonderful to be able to go to their home garden and pick their foods fresh from the vine at just the perfect moment of development. If you compare that to store-bought tomatoes which are harvested way before they have a chance to ripen naturally and then are packed, shipped and stored before finally reaching the store shelf, then it is easy to understand the advantages of garden-fresh food.

In that scenario, which is common of the vast majority of produce sold in the grocery stores today, the tomato has been detached from its life-giving parent plant for many days and sometimes weeks. But with a vegetable garden just outside your kitchen door, you can pick your tomatoes when they are at their peak of ripeness and be able to have the freshest tomatoes to add to your salad or for your famous tomato sauce.

Most of the common and popular vegetables that are available in the produce sections of grocery stores can be grown in home gardens. Some of the most popular varieties are carrots, green beans, potatoes, peas, beets, broccoli, cabbage, and many varieties of squash, just to name a few. And don't forget about all of the wonderful berries that can be home grown as well. Technically a fruit, tomatoes are one of the most popular foods that people enjoy including in their home gardens. They are easy to grow and simply delicious plucked off the vine.

Produce from a vegetable garden can be used immediately or it can be frozen or canned for later use, and many people include herbs in their gardens too. In fact, herbs can be even more convenient as they can even be grown indoors, making your gardening efforts even more simple and easy. And, just as those fresh vegetables taste better and are better for you, you will also find that fresh herbs from the garden are superior in taste and flavor as compared to the dried and packaged varieties.

Even with all the benefits to consider of having a home garden to supply fresh produce and savory herbs for your table, some people do it just because they enjoy the hobby of gardening so much. For many people, the satisfaction they get from planting and nurturing the garden is all the reward they need. And, when combined with the ability to share a meal with friends that includes fresh and tasty foods, for many people that is the perfect way to get the most from their love of planting and sowing.

No building is complete without some grass, a few plants and some shrubbery to help enhance the quality of the building. The added value of curb appeal can make the difference when selling a house or increasing the value of a home. Any little bit helps and you do not always need a professional to do the landscaping for you. It never hurts to have some professional advice or a little bit of knowledge before you start ripping up your front yard, though. Some trees, some pleasant green grass, and you will get it down pat before you know it Who knows? Maybe you will consider it as a line of work that you might be curious in pursuing. Below there are some basic frequently asked questions of landscaping so that you can get some idea of how landscaping is completed and how it might be simpler than you may think.

At what point should I hire a landscaper?

You should hire a landscaper if you don't have a "green thumb" and you are not going to have the time to devote to getting rid of the prior landscape and planting the new. There are specific steps that must be put into place to prevent the erosion of soil so it will require at a minimum a weekend of hard work. Landscaper's are not cheap but you can find one at a sensible cost depending on how extensive the area is and how much labor you intend to do yourself. If you are going to maintain the area, you will spend less money as well.

Perennials and annuals - What makes them different?

Both are, certainly, plants although the difference is in how long they last and how often you have to plant them again. Annuals need to be replanted eash year. Examples of annuals are any kind of vegetable, sunflowers as well as flowers for instance violets. Perennials are plants that will regenerate themselves. Some examples would be trees, bulb plants such as lilies, tulips and include roses as well as other sturdy plants that go inactive during the winter months. Most ornamental grasses are thought to be perennials.

Whats the best way to decide on the kind of plant to use?

The type of plant you select will be dependent on your climate and how much you want to water. It will also be dependent on how much sun that your gets during the day. Some plants thrive in the shade when others will wilt. For those individuals who live in drought prone areas, they should consider planting hardy plants that require small amounts of water and actually help to conserve the soil from erosion. Many people choose to have rock gardens and cactus if they live in desert environments.

At what time is the ideal season for planting?

The ideal planting season depends on what type of plant you wish to grow. Bulbs are best planted in the fall so that they have the necessary time to root within the soil. Other plants are more suitable to planting during the spring months. Some plants will not produce flowers or fruits until one or two seasons later so you have to get ready for this. Trees will have to go through several years prior to them becoming large enough to give enough shade or to produce fruit.

Will do this type of landscaping add to the value of my home as well as it's curb appeal?

A well designed and a great looking lawn can provide excellent curb appeal as well as higher value to your home. It will make the features of your home stand out and if you are looking to sell your home, it is one of the first details that potential buyers will notice. There is nothing quite like a well manicured lawn and carefully trimmed hedges that add immense immediate value to a property.

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