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Archive for the ‘Gardens’ Category

Hydroponics

Tuesday, January 5, 2010
posted by Jonnie

The art of cultivating plant life in a nutrient-water solution, whose roots are supported by a substance other than soil. This could be considered a fairly accurate definition of the term “hydroponics.” In its more advanced stages, hydroponics can be a complex art indeed. Two of the greatest benefits of hydroponics gardening are the freshness and high nutritional value of the vegetables and herbs that can be grown. For these reasons, you can also find recipes from famous chefs who use hydroponically grown produce in their own kitchens.

With the exception of a cursory knowledge of how hydroponics came about, most readers couldn’t care less about the long list of people who have experimented with hydroponics, or when. Nor do most readers care that some nutrients can be “locked in” under certain conditions and are therefore unavailable to the plant.

History

Hydroponics is at least as ancient as the Pyramids. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which are listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, used a crude form of hydroponics. The world’s rice crops have been grown in this way from time immemorial. In 1934, however, a University of California professor adapted this time-tested technique to other crops. The results were twenty-five foot tomato vines that had to be harvested with ladders. Modern hydroponics was born and it has been advancing ever since.

During the Second World War, Allied soldiers ate hydroponic vegetables grown on their air and naval bases in the South Pacific. Today, hydroponic installations help feed millions of people; they may be found flourishing in the deserts of Israel, Lebanon and Kuwait, on the islands of Ceylon, the Philippines and the Canaries, on the roof tops of Calcutta and in the parched villages of West Bengal.

Half of Vancouver Island’s tomato crop and one-fifth of Moscow’s are hydroponically produced. There are full-fledged hydroponics systems in American nuclear submarines, Russian space stations and on offshore drillings rigs. Large zoos keep their animals healthy with hydroponics green food, and race horses stay sleek and powerful on grass grown hydroponically year round. There are large and small systems used by companies and individuals as far north as Baffin Island and Eskimo Point in Canada’s Arctic. Commercial growers are using this marvelous technique to produce food on a large scale from Israel to India, and from Armenia to the Sahara.

Getting the Most Out of Your Vegetable Garden

Monday, December 21, 2009
posted by Jonnie

There are few things that taste better than fresh vegetables and herbs that you have grown yourself. When it comes to gardening, there are few designs that are as simple, yet challenging as deciding how to lay out your plants to maximize their growing potential. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or starting your first vegetable garden, it is important to have all the information possible when it comes to which plants you should plant and when is the best time of year to plant. The information is readily available, if you know where to look.

When it comes to finding the right vegetables and herbs to plant in your garden, one of your best places to start is an online gardening center. This also may be the best place to purchase all of your tools and supplies. This type of outlet will have a much larger selection for you to choose from, as well as being able to provide you with much deeper discounts than you may have previously thought possible. You will not only be able to find all of the plants that you want to incorporate into your garden, but all of the information that you will need about its care and harvesting.

This can be a great asset if you are planting a garden for the first time. There are few things that will be as fulfilling as when it is time to harvest the vegetables and herbs that you have planted yourself. The key to this is to gather all of the information possible so you will know how to lay out your garden to achieve maximum results. You will also need to understand the optimal weather conditions that will aid in your plant’s healthy growth.