Flowers Of Happiness

By Paul Hata

 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.

The next step will be to add compost, bone meal or rock phosphate and greensand to the soil to supply it with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. If the pH level of the soil is too high, add lime or sulphur to adjust it.

One more thing you have to do before planting the seeds is putting in organic fertilizer. You can use recycled leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, eggshells and kitchen waste which should be applied a month before planting begins.

Then it is time to plant the seeds. Each seed must be spaced by a certain distance the roots do not fight for water. In between each of the vegetables, you can plant other things as well because the tighter the space, the lesser the chances that weeds will grow.

Pests are the biggest threat to your organic garden. To fight them, you can use birds, frogs or other insects. You don’t have these creatures to fend off other insects. You simply have to create the ideal environment by putting a bird house or a small pond. Once they are in place, they will do the rest by patrolling your garden and eating those who seek to eat your crops.

Putting up a few barriers can also help. Row covers are known to prevent moths from landing and laying eggs. You can also use sticky traps and foil collars to stop pests and borers.

There are also organic pesticides around but some of them can only kill one or two kinds of pests. So before you buy them, make sure you know what you are dealing with.

Crop rotation is the best way to preserve the fertility of the soil. This is done after you harvest the vegetables so it is ready for planting once again. For this to work, you have to plant in the same area a different vegetable.

Anyone can learn organic vegetable gardening basics and soon have their own little farm in their backyard. It is fresh and you can pick this anytime you want which is very convenient as these are only a few feet from your home.

Should everyone get into organic vegetable gardening? Perhaps because there is a food shortage right now and most of the vegetables imported do not use this technique. The government for its part has given incentives to farmers here to shift to this method but its going to take more effort to persuade countries that do business with the US to do the same thing.

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The Important Facts on Japanese Knotweed
By rwakefield

 Amongst the most invasive of plants in the UK, the Japanese knotweed is the most desstructive and costly of all weeds, and is hated by gardeners throughout the country.

The problem with the herbaceous knotweed plant is that a completely new weed can grow back from even the smallest of segments a section as small as your fingernail left in the ground is able to grow back fully. Cut stems can readily grow in lawns, soil or even in water. In spring, this plant will emerge and rapidly grow into a plant which is up to three metres high.

Small sections of this plant can be spread widely by soil transportation and also by small pieces being carried in waterways. This plant is such a problem in the UK that any soil removed from an area known to have knotweed present cannot be re-used and is supposed to be buried at a depth greater than five metres. The intentional spread of this plant is now illegal in the UK.

The cut plants can survive for up to three years, and are highly resistant to composting techniques. In fact, one of the worst things that can be done is to cut back your Japanese knotweed plant and then put it into the compost. When you come to use the compost on your garden, you can be sure that you will be fostering a great collection of new knotweed plants.

So, what can be done about japanese knotweed? Over an extended period of time you can repeatedly and harshly cut back and dig out the plant and its root system. Although it is difficult to remove all of the plant, over a number of years it is possible to weaken the plant so much that it becomes less of a problem. You must NOT compost the plant, and should not remove the cut sections to another site. Burning is the most effective way to remove the waste sections, where allowed. You must also ensure that rain water cannot wash away your cut sections or roots because this is seen as an intentional spreading of the weed.

Another method of control is to use a weed killer such as Roundup, which can begin the battle of removing this plant. However, even though this type of weed killer is very powerful, it may take many years to completely eradicate the Japanese knotweed from your garden. If you treat the plants more than once a year, such as at the start and middle of the summer, you will be more likely to remove the problem. Consulting a professional is a good idea, they will know the best course of action.

Do not mow or flail knotweed as the tiny fragments will create more plants. If you cut or remove a plant you must either burn it yourself or carefully remove it to a licenced point for destruction. Do not chip the remnants of your plant the chips themselves may grow back into new plants.

Acting quickly at the first sign of the Japanese knotweed is the best course of action. If you are harsh in your removal of the plant (disposing of it safely) then you can prevent the spread of this invasive plant. Don’t forget that this plant is strong enough to cause structural damage to buildings. It can grow back from the smallest fragment and it is very aggressive in its growth. If in doubt at all, call in an expert company to treat and remove your knotweed.

As the Japanese knotweed spreads throughout the UK, along waterways, roadsides and on abandoned land, vigilance is required to make sure that it does not push out many of the weaker native plant forms. There are a number of sites on the Internet who make it their mission to remove this foreign invader. We must all do our part to remove this weed as much as is possible.

Roger is an author and web designer who represents Japanese Knotweed Solutions Limited, (http://www.jksl.com), who are experts in the total removal of japanese knotweed. This dangerous plant is considered to be weeds in the UK, and is known to cause considerable damage and destruction to lawns, walls and buildings and our natural countryside.

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