Broccoli is a very versatile veg today. This vegetable can be eaten raw with a dip, tossed lightly into a stir fry or steamed and served with butter. Another versatile vegetable is broccoli sprouts. Broccoli sprouts are just as good as broccoli and can be a nice alternative to serving broccoli in the traditional sense.

Broccoli sprouts are very easy to grow and even if you do not have a large garden, you can still be enjoying homegrown sprouts in a matter of days. This veg is great and can be eaten with sandwich. The nutrients in broccoli sprouts are the same as the traditional heads of broccoli that we are all used to since young.  Broccoli is extremely good for removing the hardening of the arteries.

Most children turn away from vegetables that the are unfamiliar with. If you explain to them that the sprouts are just another form of the broccoli that they see in their salad, they will be likely to get this vegetable a chance.You can also add some broccoli sprouts to the dishes they like.This is a very good way to intro the veg to your family. When sprouts are added to a beef stir fry, the taste also blends well with the other ingredients.  It is also just as easy to to add the sprouts to other dishes.

For many, broccoli is certainly not one of their love. It is not in their list at all.  For these people, the idea of eating the vegetable is really unappetizing. However, it is important to take note that the flavor of the broccoli sprouts is very different than the flavor of a head of broccoli. You just have to try the sprouts else you never know whether you will like it or not.  

Broccoli is pack with nutirents and they are  an inexpensive way to add a nutritional food to your menu. Experiment with them and create some dishes of your own today.You will just go crazy over it. More about this at digestive enzyme supplements and digestive enzyme supplements diy.

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Organic Vegetable Gardening

Organic is hot these days, markets with organic vegetables, -meat and -clothes, supermarkets who advertise with their organic products but also growing your own food with organic vegetable gardening. it is important to show children how vegetables grow and how they taste if they know how they grow.

Growing vegetables without the use of any chemicals is something people just fall in love with. With organic vegetable gardening they try to grow and harvest vegetables in a completely natural way. But how do you start with organic vegetable gardening and where do you find information about this subject?

How do you find a person that will be your teacher

Sometimes it is best to find a person in your surroundings that can teach you all the ins and outs of organic vegetable gardening and one of the best places where you can find such a person is at your local organic garden store or nursery. At these places you often find employees that are experts in the field of organic vegetable gardening and more important they are often very willing to share there knowledge with beginners. They are also the people who can assist you when you need to buy your first gardening tools like a mantis tiller or what kind of drip irrigation system you need and how to use them. They are also experts when it comes to organic fertilizers and pest controls. And lets face it, it’s nice if you can take a leaf from a sick shrub with you and ask a person what he thinks the problem is and what you can do about it.

A good local teacher can make a big difference in your first organic vegetable gardening attempts because they can also advise you on vegetables that will grow good in your region. There are garden stores that organize organic vegetable gardening clubs and have regular workshops, this is the best place to meet other people who are interested.

The Internet can be local too

This may sounds a bit strange but it is a small world after all and on online forums you often find people from your region and when you join an organic vegetable gardening forum you will meet all kinds of people who are more or less experienced and you can help each other.

The internet is undeniably a great source of information, you can find great reviews and products that can help you grow the most delicious fruits and vegetables and you can find all the information about organic vegetable gardening without leaving the comforts of your home. There are complete organic nurseries and garden stores online who often have a bigger supply then your local store and they often also provide you with advise.

Instead of taking that sick leaf to the people of a local garden store you can take a picture and place it on an organic vegetable gardening forum so people can help you find the problem and a solution.

As shown in this article there are a lot of ways to find information about organic vegetable gardening and the beauty of a growing activity like this is that people are very willing to help each other. Online you will notice that people from all over the world and sometimes just around the corner will answer your questions about organic vegetable gardening you will have when you are just starting out.

Hank Gordon has a passion for gardening and wants the world to know how relaxing and rewarding it can be. On his website he talks about the Mantis Tiller and a Drip irrigation system and much more.

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Vegetable Garden Design

Having a vegetable garden is a great asset to your live, with the right vegetable garden design and the right soil you can grow your own healthy and delicious vegetables for your self and your family. But how do you determine what kind of soil you have and do you need to base your vegetable garden design to these findings?

You need to make sure what kind of soil you have, before you create your first vegetable garden design.

You Need The Right Soil for a Successful Vegetable Garden Design

To grow vegetables you need good soil, there are roughly three types of soil. The first soil is also the best soil to grow most vegetables in and is called loam. This type is humus rich, dark, crumbly and soft. It allows for good drainage but it also holds enough water. This type is an organic matter build up from all kind of living plants, fungus and other living things that have died, decomposed and have returned to the ground. It is also very easy to dig. In this type of soil your veggies will grow like crazy. This type of soil does not need to be enhanced to start making that vegetable garden design.

The next type of garden dirt is clay, this is not as rich as loam and needs a bit of work. Clay consists of very tiny particles and these stick together what causes real poor drainage. You can enhance the clay by mixing it with sand, peat moss, bone meal and other soil nutrients. Mixed together makes the clay suitable for vegetable garden design.

The opposite of clay is sand because the structure is loose and has much larger partials. This means the dirt is dry and poor, but with some work and adding some soil nutrients, you can make it definitely good enough to start with your vegetable garden design.

It is likely these three basic types form a combination in your garden. There are kits you can buy that test the dirt and it tells you what to add to enhance. If you need some more advice before you start with your vegetable garden design you can also ask your local nurseryman.

Prepare the ground for your vegetable garden design

Whatever soil you have you will only grow good vegetables and fruits if it is  properly prepared. autumn or early winter are the best seasons to do this. You need to make sure that the soil is thoroughly spaded and turned to about two spades deep. You can work some (organic) fertilizer in to the ground and during winter the moisture can properly sink in. This will improve the condition of the soil tremendously.

During winter you can start drawing your vegetable garden design and add in all the vegetables and fruits you want to grow. You can dig in to books and look online to find information about different growing methods and the soil types the vegetables need to be productive.
Imagine your garden when adding this knowledge to your vegetable garden design, all the great vegetables and fruits you will harvest.

To share his passion for gardening, Hank Gordon writes at his website Gardeners Info Point .com. On his website he talks about vegetable garden layout the raised bed vegetable garden and much more.

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During WW I and WW II, Americans were encouraged to grow Victory Gardens to help support the war effort. Perhaps now is the time to renew that practice.  Previously, people were asked to grow their own produce, so more of the commercially grown produce was available for the relief effort overseas.  Those unable to grow their own were forced to use rationing coupons.  The new war on terrorism is different from previous wars, and no one is predicting the American public will need to endure food rationing, as previously done the first two world wars.  But, America still needs the support of the people, and our economy needs to keep functioning in order to lessen the effects of the war on the home front.  By growing your own Victory Gardens, you can save money.  That money can then be used to help support the war effort, either by donating it to charity or spending it to help our sagging economy.  Why not start planting the seeds for tomorrow’s future…. plan your Victory Garden today!

To get things started, a $10.00 donation will be made to the
American Red Cross for every Victory Garden sold!

The Victory Gardens package includes:

• BEANS (6 varieties): Black Turtle, Bush Blue Lake, Commodore, Fordhook Lima, Old Homestead Pole and Pencil Pod Black Wax
• BEETS ( 2 varieties): Chiogga and Early Wonder
• BROCCOLI (1 variety): De Cicco
• BRUSSELS SPROUT (1 variety): Long Island Improved
• CABBAGE (2 varieties): Early Jersey Wakefield and Red Danish
• CARROTS (2 varieties): Amsterdam Minicor and Autumn King
• CAULIFLOWER (1 variety): Early Snowball
• CELERY (1 variety): Golden Self Blanching
• COLLARD (1 variety): Georgia
• CORN ( 1 variety): Golden Bantam
• CUCUMBER (2 varieties): National Pickling and Tendergreen Burpless
• EGGPLANT (1 variety): Black Beauty
• GOURD (1 variety): Ornamental Small Mix
• KALE (1 variety): Dwarf Blue Curled
• KOHLRABI (1 variety): Early White Vienna
• LEEK (1 variety): American Flag
• LETTUCE (5 varieties): Black Seeded Simpson, Buttercrunch, Freckles Romaine, Gourmet Salad Blend, and Mesculin Mix
• MELONS (2 varieties): Jenny Lind and Sweet Passion
• MUSTARD GREENS (1 variety): Southern Giant Curled
• OKRA (1 variety): Clemson Spineless
• ONION, BUNCHING (1 variety): Evergreen White Bunching
• PARSNIP (1 variety): Hollow Crown
• PEPPERS (4 varieties): California Wonder, California Wonder Gold, Jalapeno and Long Red Cayenne
• PEAS (3 varieties): Early Frosty, Mammoth Melting Sugar and Sugar Daddy
• PUMPKINS (1 variety): New England Pie
• RUTABAGA (1 variety): American Purple Top
• RADISH (2 varieties): Easter Egg and Crimson Giant
• SPINACH (2 varieties): Bloomsdale Long Standing and New Zealand
• SQUASH, SUMMER (4 varieties): Dark Green Zucchini, Golden Zucchini, White Patty Pan and Yellow Crookneck
• SQUASH, WINTER (2 varieties): Butternut and Spaghetti
• SWISS CHARD (2 varieties): Lucullus and Ruby Red
• SOUTHERN PEA (1 variety): California Black-Eyed
• TOMATO (6 varieties): Besser, Big Red, Giant Beefsteak, Homestead 24, Pink Brandywine and Roma
• TURNIPS (1 variety): Purple Top White Globe
• WATERMELON (1 varieties): Sugar Baby
• HERBS (10 varieties): Basil, Chives, Coriander, Cumin, Dill, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Summer Savory and Thyme

Victory Gardens at Heirloom Seeds

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Average number of years vegetable seeds will remain viable if properly stored.

STORE SEEDS PROPERLY
Keeping seeds dry during storage is most important. Moisture causes seeds to rot. See to it that moisture from the air or any other sources does not get into the seeds. A simple, inexpensive but efficient storage container can be made out of a canning glass jar with an airtight lid. Get a clean jar. Make sure it is dry. As a precaution against moisture, put a layer of powdered charcoal (dessicant) on the bottom of the jar. One-half inch thickness is sufficient. If silica gel or calcium chloride is available, these should be substituted for the charcoal. Place the seeds in an envelope so they do not get in contact with the charcoal; place in a jar and cover tightly. Low temperature prolongs the life of the seeds. With this method of storage, seeds can be kept without significant germination loss.

Asparagus – 3 years
Beans – 3 years
Beets – 4 years
Broccoli – 3 years
Brussels Sprouts – 4 years
Cabbage – 4 years
Carrots – 3 years
Cauliflower – 4 years
Celeriac – 3 years
Celery – 3 years
Chard,Swiss chard – 4 years
Chicory – 4 years
Chinese Cabbage – 3 years
Collards – 5 years
Corn – 2 years
Corn Salad-(mache) – 5 years
Cress – 5 years
Cucumbers – 5 years
Eggplant – 4 years
Endive – 5 years
Kale – 4 years
Kohlrabi – 3 years
Leeks – 2 years
Lettuce – 6 years
Muskmelon – 5 years
Okra – 2 years
Onions – 1 year
Parsnips – 1 year
Peas – 3 years
Peppers – 2 years
Radishes – 5 years
Rutabagas – 4 years
Salsify – 1 year
Scorzonera – 2 years
Sorrel – 4 years
Southern Peas – 3 years
Spinach – 3 years
Squash & Pumpkins – 4 years
Tomatoes – 4 years
Turnips – 4 years
Watermelon – 4 years

Source:
http://www.angelfire.com/pe/kennys/p11b.html

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