Claude Thompson

Picture: Pexels

Rooting for your vegetable garden to make it through the cold? Follow these gardening tips from GARDENA and head into the winter months with confidence knowing that your efforts will be rewarded with a healthy bounty.

As winter approaches, many gardeners believe that the growing season has come to an end. Though winter is a time of rest for many plants, it’s also the best time for planting and growing several popular vegetables. Growing vegetables is relatively easy if you follow the correct planting and care practices. It’s a rewarding hobby that connects you with the earth in a very meaningful way.

Here are some of the top tips to get from plant to plate:

Spinach

Spinach is a fast-growing vegetable that thrives in cooler temperatures. For a steady spinach harvest throughout the winter months, ensure the soil is well composted and well loosened to a depth of at least 30cm before planting. Adequate water supply is important to ensure a desirable leaf size and leaf tenderness. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.

The GARDENA Micro-Drip-Irrigation Vegetable Bed/Flower Border Set offers adjustable extension pipes and two distinct, adjustable spray nozzles for precise and even watering. The functionality of this irrigation option is very useful for adjusting your watering to suit the changes in size and shape of your growing vegetables exactly as needed.

Onions

Onions should be planted in the autumn or early winter to allow for a long growing season. To ensure that your onions thrive in winter, it is best to grow them in well-prepared soil mixed with compost or well-rotted manure. It is essential to prepare the soil thoroughly beforehand, ensuring it is rich in nutrients and well drained to support healthy onion development. When sowing the seeds, maintain a spacing of 70mm between rows to provide adequate room for the onions to mature without overcrowding. The GARDENA Garden Hoe is a handy tool that allows you to create close-set planting rows and beds easily. Available in the combisystem unit or Natureline fixed unit, the Garden Hoe has a dual functionality to aerate or cultivate the soil.

Also recommended is using frost or row covers to protect the delicate onion plants from frost damage. By following these recommendations, gardeners can cultivate robust and flavourful onions throughout the winter months.

For all types of winter veggie harvesting, GARDENA has designed the MicroCutting range of tools that offer ease and convenience. Extremely durable, sharp blades for gentle harvesting, putting pure nature from garden to mouth.

Cabbage

Cabbage, one of the most popular vegetables in South Africa, has an impressive ability to grow in colder temperatures. In fact, cold weather can improve the taste of the leaves, making it sweeter. However, specific steps must be taken to ensure that your cabbage is a happy winter grower.

Proper soil preparation is essential. Cabbage flourishes in moist, nutrient-rich soil. Before planting, make sure the soil is thoroughly composted and deeply loosened to aid in the healthy growth of cabbage roots. GARDENA suggests preparing the soil thoroughly to a minimum depth of 30cm to allow enough space for the cabbage roots system to expand and absorb the necessary nutrients. The task of soil preparation for cabbage is made much easier with the GARDENA combisystem Grubber / Cultivator.

By following these expert tips from GARDENA, gardeners can enjoy a winter vegetable garden that keeps on giving, reaping the rewards of their gardening efforts even during the colder months.

Also see: Avoid these 5 mistakes while watering your garden

Source: bona.co.za

MANASSAS, Va. – Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin was in Manassas Thursday to promote the growth of indoor vertical farming in the state. 

State officials are aiming to address economic challenges faced by indoor farmers.

The concept of “vertical farming” may seem straightforward, but implementing it is complex. The new Beanstalk Vertical Farm in Prince William County features 50-foot grow towers, which will soon fill a massive warehouse.

Salad greens, tomatoes, and various produce are grown in this environmentally-controlled vertical farm. Farmers can regulate temperature, water, soil and sunlight on these grow towers. “This is an extraordinary vision! Multiple harvests every year, incredibly high-quality produce, and a much more efficient use of our resources,” said Youngkin. 

But everything needed for vertical farming adds up to some serious green. Youngkin signed a tax exemption to help vertical farmers buy their equipment and lower their costs. 

“The cost of producing food is a critical issue for indoor farming. That’s our top priority at Beanstalk, so we’ve invested in a new form of farming that reduces the costs to build these farms significantly,” said Mike Ross, co-founder of Beanstalk Vertical Farm.

Officials hope that Virginia will become a national leader in vertical farming. Two years ago, the state announced a $300 million vertical farm in Chesterfield County. The industry has since grown to a $500 million business, creating 750 jobs.

Youngkin’s visit comes less than two weeks before Virginia’s primary elections, which include all 11 congressional seats and open races in the 7th and 10th districts. The outcomes may determine which party controls Congress. Youngkin has been encouraging GOP voters to embrace early voting, a move now supported by the RNC despite previous criticisms from Donald Trump.

“We want everyone who can vote and wants to vote to have the opportunity. I firmly believe we should use the entire voting period to get people out to vote. There are always those who might miss it,” said Youngkin.

Source: fox5dc.com

A woman has been lauded for her ingenious gardening hack that not only saves time but also money. Instead of purchasing containers or wood to create flower beds, she opts for a children’s paddling pool filled with soil.

She then enriches the soil with nutrients and plants her saplings, watching them grow into mature plants. She shared her clever trick on Reddit’s gardening forum in response to the question: “What’s your cheap gardening hack? “, stating: “Kiddie pools. Once fall sets in you can get them for free on just about every curb. They’re very versatile.”

She further elaborated on how she utilises them, saying: “The sky is the limit. They work well as large-scale container gardens for either flowers or herbs.”

“They also make great bird baths with some rocks and a solar fountain. They make good ponds for water plants. Good as a squirrel and fat dove decoy for bird watching too. You just toss some seeds and corn in and put it on the other side of the feeders for the tiny birds.”

“You can also use them flipped over on stakes for shade. They also work well as a muddy boot and tool holder. You can even cut them up to make garden edging and fence decorations. It’s really endless.”, reports the Mirror.

However, she isn’t the only one with a ‘pro tip’ for those looking to spruce up their gardens this summer. Another user suggested: “Baby’s nappies in the bottom of your hanging baskets to retain moisture.”

Another user shared tips on acquiring affordable or free plants, saying: “When I first moved into my first house with a big yard, I spent a ton of money on plants and equipment from the big gardening centers and nurseries. I was so anxious to get started that I justified spending the extra money to get a head start.”

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.

They continued: “Then I discovered that there is a thriving amateur gardening community in my area: tons of normal people who sell cuttings, seedlings, used equipment, etc, for a fraction of the price that I had paid just a few months prior. There are also tons of local plant events, meetups, swaps, and giveaways.”

The user concluded: “Lesson learned: gardening rewards patience in many different ways. Plant people tend to be very generous, and if you take the time to learn more about the gardening groups in your area you will likely find that people are willing to give away stuff for free or very low cost.”

Source: nottinghampost.com

A woman has been praised for sharing her ‘versatile’ gardening hack that’ll save you time and money – and people can’t believe they didn’t think of it sooner. Rather than spending money on containers or wood to create flowerbeds, she simply buys a children’s paddling pool and fills it with soil.

From there, she adds nutrients to the soil before adding her saplings – and watches on for them to grow into mature plants. Sharing her trick on Reddit’s gardening forum in response to the question: “What’s your cheap gardening hack?”, she said: “Kiddie pools. Once fall sets in you can get them for free on just about every curb. They’re very versatile.” Explaining how she uses them in further detail, she added: “The sky is the limit. They work well as large-scale container gardens for either flowers or herbs.

“They also make great bird baths with some rocks and a solar fountain. They make good ponds for water plants. Good as a squirrel and fat dove decoy for bird watching too. You just toss some seeds and corn in and put it on the other side of the feeders for the tiny birds.

“You can also use them flipped over on stakes for shade. They also work well as a muddy boot and tool holder. You can even cut them up to make garden edging and fence decorations. It’s really endless.” But she isn’t the only gardener with a ‘pro tip’ for those wanting to improve their yards this summer, as another said: “Baby’s nappies in the bottom of your hanging baskets to retain moisture.”

Sharing how to get your hands on free or cheap plants, another user added: “When I first moved into my first house with a big yard, I spent a ton of money on plants and equipment from the big gardening centers and nurseries. I was so anxious to get started that I justified spending the extra money to get a head start.

Read more: Sign up to Mirror US’s SMS updates for the latest straight from the newsroom

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US.

“Then I discovered that there is a thriving amateur gardening community in my area: tons of normal people who sell cuttings, seedlings, used equipment, etc, for a fraction of the price that I had paid just a few months prior. There are also tons of local plant events, meetups, swaps, and giveaways.

“Lesson learned: gardening rewards patience in many different ways. Plant people tend to be very generous, and if you take the time to learn more about the gardening groups in your area you will likely find that people are willing to give away stuff for free or very low cost.”

Do you have a story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reahcplc.com.

Source: mirror.co.uk

A local history buff recently completed a substantial effort toward recognizing and honoring the history of family farms in Monroe County, recording those which have stayed with families for over a century.

The Illinois Centennial Farms program, per the Illinois Department of Agriculture, is meant to honor farm families that have continued their work for several generations.

Those farmers who work agricultural property that has been owned by the same family for at least 100 years qualify for centennial farm status, and, with an application and fee of $50, can receive a road sign and certificate from the governor and director of agriculture officially recognizing the farm’s centennial status, along with an invitation to Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair.

Local farms with this status were recently recognized in the book “Centennial Farms of Monroe County, Illinois” by Mary Ellen Huetsch of the Monroe County Genealogical Society.

Huetsch previously served as part of the state board of the Illinois Genealogical Society. In that position, Huetsch said she and her colleagues had access to the Centennial Farm applications that were sent in.

“I really enjoyed looking at the Monroe County ones, and I thought ‘Someone should put this together in a book,’” Huetsch said. “The Illinois Department of Agriculture did a book statewide, but in one of the books, there’s only two Monroe County farms, and in the other book there are five Monroe County farms.”

Per Huetsch, 80 farms in Monroe County have achieved this certification, though she said that is hardly all the farms that qualify.

“I am positive there are many, many more in our county, but, y’know, the farmers didn’t apply for that status,” Huetsch said.

She also noted the possibility that some farms in Monroe County could have been kept in the family for significantly longer than a century.

With her interest in this area of history, Huetsch set aside the possibility of putting together a collection of these farms until the COVID-19 pandemic gave her the opportunity to get started on the project.

Huetsch was unfortunately unable to access the records in Springfield she had previously seen, as apparent privacy concerns over recent years have resulted in those documents only being accessible by folks with the Department of Agriculture.

Still determined to compile this history, Huetsch reached out to those families in the county with Centennial Farm status and asked them to submit their farm’s stories.

Of those she reached out to, 40 families got back to her, sharing pictures and information about how their farms began, how they developed and what life has been like in their families.

“Centennial Farms of Monroe County, Illinois,” serves as a compilation of these stories, allowing the reader a glimpse into the history of family farming in this county.

These stories were compiled by Huetsch and Megan Gorka, though Huetsch noted she also wrote two of the items in the book as the families had died out.

“The book is really authored by all the people who own the farms and sent in their stories,” Huetsch said. “I just compiled it.”

The 40 stories in the book contain a variety of anecdotes and other items of Monroe County agricultural history.

Huetsch recalled one particularly striking story of a family coming to this area from Europe, bringing their son along in a large, custom-made trunk in order to avoid sending him off to war.

Most stories in the book simply describe the start of the family farm and how it’s developed over the years, such as the Baum family farm purchased 1873. This entry, written by Craig Baum, opens with the following paragraph:

“Around 1800, Andrew Kinney built a water-powered grist mill on the north bank of Ryan’s Creek in present-day Monroe City in Monroe County, Illinois. He and his family lived in the old trapper’s cabin across the creek from the mill. Kinney scratched out a living farming and serving the community by milling wheat for other farms in the surrounding area. The business was apparently successful and before the War of 1812, Kinney was shipping flour to New Orleans for export to Europe. Ever the entrepreneur, Kinney even installed a cotton gin in 1814, enticing cotton farmer clients from Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.”

Don Schrader’s recounting of the Schrader farm history opens with how Johann Christoph “Christ” Meyer began the farm in 1864, though a great deal of the entry centers around the fifth generation of the farm as Schrader describes his personal experiences growing up on the property.

The first few pages of the book also provide a simple list of Centennial Farms in the county along with the date they were founded, noting how several of them are actually sesquicentennial farms – meaning they have a history stretching back at least 150 years.

Huetsch said her interest in compiling this book came largely from her time growing up on a farm paired with a general interest in history which began in high school.

She expressed her hopes that the book will help encourage those other families in the county eligible for Centennial Farm status to apply – though she also simply wanted to help share these farms’ histories.

“I think, in the future, farms are going to be so important for food as the population grows, and we learn so much from history,” Huetsch said. “I didn’t make any money on this book, and I didn’t intend to. I did it to preserve the history.”

Huetsch will be presenting her book at Morrison-Talbott Library in Waterloo on June 20 at 6:30 p.m. following the genealogical society’s meeting. The public is invited to attend.

Source: republictimes.net