Showing posts with label Vegetable. Show all posts

Gardening Tips: Four Ways to Beat the Freeze

Posted by Unknown in Advise and Tips, Gardening, Sowing and Cultivation, Vegetable, Winter on Monday, 13 May 2013

From plant protection to returning to microgreens, follow our tips to avoid herbaceous harm from sub-zero Easter temperatures

Jane Perrone

The Guardian

Red-stemmed chard is one of the best quick-return windowsill crops. Photograph: Getty Images/StockFood

1. Seed potatoes are traditionally planted on Good Friday, but many gardeners have delayed. If the ground is frozen, try planting in containers instead. Two or three early tubers such as Rocket or Red Duke of York placed in a large builder's bucket or plastic bin (drill holes in the bottom for drainage) will produce a good crop of spuds, and they're less vulnerable to slugs, too. Cover the container with horticultural fleece or place in a frost-free shed until the weather warms. If your soil isn't frozen, do plant outside but protect the rows with several layers of fleece.

2. Throw fleece over newly emerged shoots of herbaceous perennials in exposed spots in the garden to shield them from freezing winds. Fleece will also protect open flowers and buds of delicate fruit trees such as apricots and cherries. Mulches can help to preserve moisture in the soil and suppress weeds, but if applied when the soil is frozen they will simply lock in the cold for longer, so wait for a thaw. If you must get on with something in the garden, prune gooseberries and autumn-fruiting raspberries and tie in blackberry canes.

3. Most vegetable seeds need a consistent soil temperature of 6-8C before they can be sown direct: peg down black plastic sheeting over bare soil to warm it ready for sowing and planting. In the meantime, sow seeds of parsley, cabbages and lettuces in plastic module trays and place them on a warm, sunny windowsill, with a clear plastic bag or clingfilm over the trays to trap in heat. Once the weather warms and you can see roots poking through the drainage holes, harden seedlings off by gradually exposing them to conditions outside. Plant out once you're comfortable working without a coat.

4. Microgreens are the ultimate quick-return windowsill crop. Try sowing coriander, radish, chard, fenugreek and mustard seeds in a plastic takeaway food tray or a length of guttering and covering with a sprinkle of compost or vermiculite. Keep the compost moist and within days you'll be cutting handfuls of flavoursome greens to sprinkle on stir-fries, dahls and salads.

Gardening Column: 5 Trends That Are Sprouting for '13

Posted by Unknown in Flower, Gardening, Vegetable, Vertical Gardening on Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Color, vertical gardening hot in '13

sctimes.com

With lows lingering in the 20s, it’s hard to imagine that in a few weeks tulips and daffodils will be blooming and it will be time to set out the tomatoes. Spring is Minnesota’s most fickle season as well as its shortest one. But it will come, and garden centers and nurseries will be overflowing with gorgeous plants and garden ideas.

Here are five trends you can expect to see in 2013.

1 Small plants for small yards. More and more gardeners are growing ornamental and edible plants in smaller spaces, even in containers. This year, you will see down-sized shrubs, such as the new Bobo hydrangea that tops out at 3 feet tall or Show Off Sugar Baby forsythia, a spring-bloomer that stays less than 2 feet tall. You’ll also see more vegetables identified with the code word “patio,” meaning they are perfect for growing in pots.

2 Vertical gardening. Garden shows this winter have been full of gadgets that let you grow plants vertically — hanging pockets, wall-like dividers with troughs for growing lettuce or other plants, planters for succulents that look like picture frames and can be hung on a wall. The cool factor is very high with these devices, but pay attention to how much soil the plants are given. If it’s not much, expect to water and fertilize often.

3 Bright colors. After this winter, we need color and there will be plenty of it in the garden centers. You’ll see more bright hues of orange, yellow and red in annuals as well as lots of bright, crayon-like colors in containers and garden accessories. One of my favorite new annuals is Superbells Lemon Slice calibrachoa, a two-toned calibrachoa flowers abundantly and will bring a smile to anyone who sees it in a hanging basket or container.

4 Mixing edibles and ornamentals. The trend toward including edible plants in ornamental gardens is continuing, and you may see examples at nurseries and garden centers of ways to add greens and other vegetables to flower or shrub beds. Swiss chard is often used in ornamental beds, but peppers, purple cabbage or a garden teepee covered in green beans can add beauty to any space.

5 Paint-by-numbers gardens. Many new gardeners aren’t sure what to plant or how to combine plants, and the green industry is figuring out how to guide these new gardeners. For example, Garden Artistry (www.gardenartistryinspires.com) has created four sets of plant combinations that grow well together, encourage beneficial insects and look gorgeous. Unfortunately, the prepackaged plants are only available in the Chicago area now, but I think this idea will catch on, giving young gardeners just the right information to create beautiful spaces. Check out the website and pick up your own set of plants based on the suggested designs.

For new vegetable gardeners, a program called the 5-by-5 Challenge (www.5x5challenge.com) has been launched by ChiotsRun.com, an organic vegetable garden blogger, to give recommendations of what to plant and how to grow vegetables in a small (5-by-5 foot) bed. The website recommends varieties and garden layouts for a simple 5-by-5-foot raised bed and offers discussion forums and other ways to get advice from more experienced gardeners. This trend is one of my favorites of the year because it really helps people start gardening.

This is the opinion of Mary Lahr Schier, editor of Northern Gardener magazine. She blogs at blog.northerngardener.org and mynortherngarden.com.

Planting Schedule for Gardening Vegetables for Cooler Zones

Posted by Unknown in Crop Schedule, Gardening, Vegetable on Friday, 29 March 2013

Advice to Okra (Ladyfinger) Growers

Posted by Unknown in Advise and Tips, Okra, Vegetable on Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Faisalabad: Okra or ladyfinger (bhindi , بھنڈی ) is very popular vegetable among the farmers due to high returns which give it status of cash crop. This vegetable is very nutritious and even children cannot resist the temptation of eating it.

The department of agriculture of Punjab issues several advisory for okra growers to make the crop yield even better.

The most popular variety of ladyfinger which can be cultivated successfully is "Subz Pari". This variety gives very good results.
The best time to start sowing of okra is from mid of February till end of March.
This crop required hot and humid weather to grow properly. Fog and cloudy weather and temperature below 20 degree Celsius hinder the growth.
Okra can be cultivated in any soil type but fertile land with good drainage is most suitable.
For better yeild it is recommended to use 10 to 12 kg of seeds per acre.

Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Turnips

Posted by Unknown in Advise and Tips, Turnip, Vegetable on Monday, 28 January 2013

(Gardens.com) There are mistakes that you want to avoid when growing turnips. Turnips are a handy vegetable to grow in your garden and following these tips will help ensure a good crop yield and healthy, edible turnip plants for you and your family to enjoy.

How Turnips Grow

Turnips grow easily and can be planted in spring, late summer or fall. Turnips grown in the fall are planted in larger quantities in order to be harvest and stored for winter use. Turnips also include rutabagas, which are a cross between cabbage and turnips. Turnips take about two months to grow before cultivation and use, while rutabagas require and an additional four weeks before they are ready to eat.

Fall Plantings of Turnips

If planting turnips in the fall for winter yield, they should be planted at least 100 days before the first frost. Avoid planting your fall turnip crop any later than this in order to have them ready for use, as well as avoid the turnip crop dying or becoming ruined because of the cold.

Allow Sufficient Room Between Rows

You want to make sure to allow sufficient room between rows when planting turnips. At least 12 to 24 inches (1 to 2 feet) between rows with seeds planted at a depth of 1/2 inch. You can plant 3 to 20 seeds per row, but should avoid putting too many turnip seeds in any one row. If you are growing turnips for the turnip greens, be sure to cut the tops when they grow to 4 to 6 inches. If you do not properly cut the greens at the growing points, located at the top of the turnip, they will grow back.

Proper Cultivation of the Turnips

You can cultivate the plants within 2 to 3 inches when you first plant the turnips. As they grow, cultivate up to 1 inch. This will prevent damage to the roots, which could prevent further growth from taking place.

Apply Appropriate Insecticides

Apply the appropriate insecticide to treat any root maggots that may get into the soil. Be sure to ask when buying the turnip seeds from a home or garden and plant store for the best insecticide to use, particularly one that will cause little or no harm to the turnip plants.

Harvesting the Turnips

Turnips planted in the Spring should be harvested when they reach a decent size for storage and preparing. The turnips will continue to grow if left in the ground, particularly as the weather gets better. Get them out of the ground as soon as they reach maturity. An appropriate size for turnips at harvest is 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Any larger than that and they lose some of their sweetness and taste.

Harvesting turnips when planted in the fall for winter use should be done before the first frost. If you like, cover the plants with a straw mulch to keep them warm. Remembering to pull the plants when they are large enough.

Do You Want A Farm in Your Balcony

Posted by Unknown in Gardening, Green Chili, Onion, Tomato, Urban Agriculture, Vegetable

You can use any type of container to grow vegetables and herbs. Plastic pouches, old strainers, curd boxes, even unused bathtubs come in handy, writes Vandana Krishnamurthy

Have you ever felt the joy of harvesting tomatoes, brinjals or ladies finger from a container growing in your apartment balcony? It’s actually possible! All you need are a few old containers, some soil, manure and seeds or a sapling. Many vegetables and herbs can be grown in a very small space in your balcony or terrace. Even the smallest verandah, window sill or portico can boast a crop of vegetables or a garden of flowers in containers.

Planter boxes, old plastic containers, hanging baskets and large flowerpots are just some of the containers that can be used. You can grow just about any vegetable in a container and also save money by growing your own vegetables. Cities that are fast expanding mean that there is very less area for green and open spaces. Gardens and natural areas have been sacrificed to build roads, commercial buildings and apartments.

Green spaces not only provide us with clean air and recreation, and they also provide a habitat for a large variety of plants, birds and insects. Apart from the biodiversity they also protect the city from absorbing pollutants, preventing soil erosion, absorbing solar radiation, reducing noise pollution and maintaining the health of the urban ecosystem overall. However, the city and this concrete jungle are going nowhere. We need to be innovative to create our own green spaces within our existing system.

Fun way to raise crops

Container gardening is a simple and fun way to grow edible crops in just about any situation. You can use any type of container. Strong plastic pouches, old strainers, curd boxes, two-litre soft-drink bottles, old airtight plastic boxes that have lost their lids, old trays, even unused bathtubs, the list can be endless.

Get creative! Apart from these recycled containers, you can also have specific planters and terracotta pots for planting. Any kind of container that is attracting and appealing to you and has a drainage hole on its bottom can be an option.

To start off, you need a container, plant, soil, manure and some water. Make sure there is enough room for all of these. Provide good drainage for the container by creating a hole at the bottom of the container. Do not stack up the soil around the holes, but place some large old clay pot pieces to allow for easy draining. Be sure to balance the size of your plant and container. Mix the soil with some manure and make it moist with a little water.

Fill it into the container and place the seeds/saplings. Provide ample water to the plant after planting, without drowning it. Water every day initially and depending on your plants’ need, you can water accordingly. Some people say that container gardening is best for those who do not have the time to attend to their plants.

It will not take so much of time and effort. There are some creative containers called earth boxes and self-watering containers that provide water at all times. Container gardens offer the advantage of changing your garden with every season.

Almost any vegetable that will grow in a typical backyard garden will also do well as a container-grown plant. Vegetables that are ideally suited for growing in containers include tomatoes, capsicum, brinjal, green onions, beans, lettuce, gourds, pumpkin, radishes and parsley. Beans and cucumbers also do well in this type of garden, but they do require considerably more space because of their vining growth habit. Most herbs and leafy vegetables do well in small containers. Vegetables require a little more root space and therefore require larger containers.

The following are some plants that can be grown:

Tomatoes: Tomatoes need tons of sunlight to grow. It would be best to grow them in the sunniest part of your balcony. Bury the roots/seed deep into the soil because they are able to develop roots all along their stem. Autumn is the best time to sow tomatoes and you can harvest it 80-100 days from planting. Gather fruits that are just reaching the ripening stage. Do not leave it till a tiny crack appears at the stalk end, or a softening of skin indicates complete ripeness.

Beans: Green beans are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They don’t take up a lot of space and require very little maintenance. Pole bean plants need some sort of support structure - like a pole. If you have limited time and garden space, bush beans are probably the way to go. Sowing season is between August and October. Such crops can be harvested in about 45-60 days. During the flowering season, be careful when it comes to watering and drainage of excessive moisture. Flowers generally stop falling after the pods have developed. Watering is advised on a very dry day, because the crop is susceptible to water logging.

Chilies: This is the most rewarding plant of the vegetable family. The best time to harvest chilies is before the monsoon, which can be harvested after about two months. Hot peppers are usually harvested at the red-ripe stage; but green chilies are also required for many south Indian recipes. Plastic or rubber gloves are helpful when picking or handling hot chilies.

Onions: Onions are one of the most popular vegetables for growing in home gardens. Onions can be planted from seed or from sets (partly grown onion bulbs). When the plant is fully grown, bend over each bunch of foliage to cut off the supply of sap from the leaves to the bulb. After a week or ten days the crop may be harvested.

These are just few of the many plants that can be grown in limited balcony spaces. You can grow your own mini pharmacy of medicinal herbs like amrutha balli (tinospora cordifolia), curry leaves, basale soppu (basella alba), garlic, ginger, mint, etc.

Many people have adopted organic terrace gardening in Bangalore, a movement pioneered by Vishwanath. He began this initiative in 1992 by providing training to residents in their own locality and supplying the needed inputs like seeds, manure, plant protection materials, implements, containers, etc.

There are many organisations in Bangalore involved in plants and gardening. For example, Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (IAIM) in Yelahanka, Bangalore has a large nursery with all kinds of medicinal plants that can be home grown.

Deccan Herald

OKRA - The All Around Medicine

Posted by Unknown in Medicinal, Nutrition, Okra, Recipe, Vegetable on Sunday, 27 January 2013

Here are some facts on okra (from the research of Ms. Sylvia Zook, PH.D (nutrition), University of Illinois.

Okra is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy, decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colo-rectal cancer. Nearly 10% of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid is also present in a half cup of cooked okra. Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid. I got the following numbers from the University of Illinois Extension Okra Page. Please check there for more details.

Okra Nutrition (half-cup cooked okra))

Calories = 25
Dietary Fiber = 2 grams
Protein = 1.5 grams
Carbohydrates = 5.8 grams
Vitamin A = 460 IU
Vitamin C = 13 mg
Folic acid = 36.5 micrograms
Calcium = 50 mg
Iron = 0.4 mg
Potassium = 256 mg
Magnesium = 46 mg

These numbers should be used as a guideline only, and if you are on a medically-restricted diet please consult your physician and/or dietician. Ms Sylvia W. Zook, Ph.D. (nutritionist) has very kindly provided the following thought-provoking comments on the many benefits of this versatile vegetable. They are well worth reading.

1. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.

2. Okra's mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn't stop there...

3. Many alternative health practitioners believe all disease begins in the colon. The okra fiber, absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools, helps prevent constipation. Fiber in general is helpful for this but okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium. Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal tract, okra's mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. In other words, this incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids) which cause numerous health problems, if not evacuated, but also assures their easy passage from the the body. The veggie is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming (except for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of most.

4. Further contributing to the health of the intestinal tract, okra fiber (as well as flax and psyllium) has no equal among fibers for feeding the good bacteria (probiotics).

5.To retain most of okra's nutrients and self-digesting enzymes, it should be cooked as little as possible, e.g. with low heat or lightly steamed.

Some eat it raw (Some People had eaten they say).

An Asian Carrot Farmer ( Picture )

Posted by Unknown in Carrot, Pictures, Vegetable

A Farmer is washing harvested carrots in canal before selling it in nearby market.

Kenya is Growing Onions Using New Technologies

Posted by Unknown in Africa, Kenya, Onion, Vegetable

From his two-acre farm, Simon Nderitu stooped as he scrutinized his red bulb onion crop this season. “Before the project, I was farming because it was what everybody else did here to get food. But things have changed significantly for small-holder farmers who embraced a farming project led by Farm Concern International,” he said. Nderitu is among participants in an initial pilot project spearheaded by Farm Center International (FCI) which started with 2,000 people in 2007, but has since been scaled up to include 10,000 farmers of Kieni located in Nyeri County, Central Kenya. A combination of holistic extension and advisory approaches, the project instills good agro-practices for higher quality production, treats agriculture as a means to social integration, brings farmers and traders together in mutual business understanding, and ensures that government agricultural officers deliver service at the point of need.

It also fosters new technology adoption and advises farmers on sound financial practices like savings. Ultimately, it aims at improving the entire value chain, through innovative approaches like linking markets to farmers, farmers to sellers of farm inputs, creating personalized interactions between various stakeholders. Nderitu now knows how to prepare his land, secure affordable right seed varieties and plant based on seasonal projections and market demand.

Yields Treble

The project has enabled Nderitu to more than treble his farm yield. “Before 2008, I used to cultivate open pollinated varieties, which gave me on average 4,500 kilograms in a good season. But after adopting hybrid variety in 2008 and employing other good farming practices, the same piece of land yielded for me 7,000 kg in my first harvest under the project.” Convinced by this huge gain, he dedicated two thirds of an acre to hybrid onion in 2009, and the yield shot up by 2,000 kilograms. Today, the father of three is a proud owner of an eight-roomed decent timber house, dairy cattle and his children have been moved from public schools to a private academy for quality education. Coming from a laid-back peasantry economy in a semi-arid area, Nderitu now knows how to space seeds when planting and what varieties will fetch good returns.

“I have learnt how to identify the right fertilizer and the amount to apply, when to start weeding and how to cure the onions to prevent them from rotting after harvesting,” he added. From the nursery to maturation, onions take on average 120 days and a kilo middles at KSh.30 to KSh.50 (US$ 0.318-0.531) compared to four years ago when same could fetch only KSh.5 (US$ 0.053) a kilo. Nderitu, the chairman of Embaringo Commercial Village, a consortium of farmer groups within a given administrative village, said they have seen a revolution since 2008 with farmers moving from mainly subsistence production to commercial farming.

Socio-economic Transformations

“Many children are now able to go to school, good houses are coming up and the young are turning to farming instead of migrating to urban centers for the ever elusive promise of employment.” The project directly links farmers to traders, eliminating crafty middlemen who dominated sale and fleeced farmers. Nderitu said some middlemen are resorting to onion farming after seeing the possibility of lucrative returns and others play the role of bulking during low production within the villages. The appearance of shopping centers in the once poverty stricken sleepy village of Embaringo is a clear indication that the impact of such onion growing has significantly improved peoples’ purchasing powers in the area.

The Embaringo Commercial Village, Nderitu explained, coordinates production, sales, collective savings, looks into the welfare of farmers, as well as negotiates for bulk farm inputs at a much lower cost compared to individual purchases. Gerald Ngatia Watoro, Market and Trade Manager for Mount Kenya Region project that combines both Kieni West and East, said the pilot has made a huge impact. “The communities then had no organized mechanism in production and market development. We, therefore, decided to focus on hybrid red bulb onion having realized that it would not only lift many out of total penury but positively impact on development in this rural setting. On average production was low at about 1,500 kg per acre and the quality of the onions was poor,” Watoro explained. FCI launched the project with the involvement of the Ministry of Agriculture Officials, the local Provincial Administration and the farmers. “We wanted an all-inclusive process built on a consensus rather than a top-down approach. We wanted the people to own the concept for it to work.”

New Technologies

A key component of the discussions was technologies that could be adapted. These included using the right seeds, proper agronomical practices and good post-harvest technologies. The project started with administrative villages made up of 150-200 households and created groups called Commercial Group, which formed an umbrella consortium called Commercial Villages. These are members who have agreed to work together to form an economic bloc with common leadership. Farmers were trained in the science of small-scale commercial farming like good land tilling methods, nursery management and transplanting, weeding, use of herbicide and proper spraying methods and program, especially more effective and less costly preventive spraying.

It also includes lessons on natural resource management and soil fertility: how to keep soils fertile through practices like crop rotation, water management through harvesting of path and roadside water run-offs into their gardens, digging of trenches to conserve water in farms and to check soil erosion. They have been trained on record keeping, both at the individual farm level as well as for the village groups. Today, project participants release on average 10,000 kilograms of onions per acre and this fetches up to US$ 3,194. Farm inputs and overhead costs averages US$ 532 leaving a farmer with a profit of US$ 2,662 from an acre of hybrid onion. They plant seed verities like Red pinoy FI, Jamba FI, and Red star, marketed by different seed dealers.

Commercial Village Concept

Even more interesting about the project is the Commercial Village concept. It is an association of groups within a village known as Commercial Producer groups with various sub-committees and functions as a business hub. According to Watoro, the FCI market development strategy directly links farmers to traders and thus eliminates middlemen influence in the value chain. Farmers now have a growing database of onion traders in Nairobi, Mombasa, Karatina and Kisumu accessed easily from cell phones. Onion traders are also trained in cash flow management, business development plans, transportation, customer selection and formation of traders associations. “What we want is sustainability, which is only possible if all the components are working efficiently and making profits,” Watoro explained.

Kieni has largely been considered developmental backwater. Yet Watoro said banking institutions were moved in and marked an increase in number of those holding accounts. According Stanley Mwangi, FCI Strategy and Partnership Director, they have focused on giving farmers the right knowledge and changing the attitude of farmers to see farming as commercial venture. They seek to make farmers develop habits like making savings and linking them with research institutions. Their new frontier in extension services will be the ICT.

Source: onislam.net

Revealing of Potato Disease Taking Hold

Posted by Unknown in Plant Diseases, Potato, Research and Technology, Vegetable on Saturday, 26 January 2013

Infectious agents released from the late blight pathogen use a sticky patch of amino acids to adhere to potato plant cells

Late blight is an economically devastating disease for potato farmers worldwide, causing tens of billions of dollars worth of damage each year. Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight, has evolved to overcome fungicides and major resistance genes that have been bred into commercial potato cultivars (Fig. 1). In order to dampen the immune response of its host, P. infestans secretes molecules called disease effectors at the site of infection.

Now, a research team from Japan and the UK has determined the molecular structure of the disease effector called avirulence protein 3a (AVR3a), which is known to inhibit disease resistance in potato plants1. Understanding the molecular structure and function of AVR3a will help plant biologists to elucidate how P. infestans causes infection so that they can develop better control measures.

Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a technique employed to study the configuration of molecules, the research team—led by Ken Shirasu from the RIKEN Plant Science Center in Yokohama—identified a patch of positively charged amino acids in the structure of AVR3a. The team found the positively charged section of amino acids is conserved among different versions of AVR3a from P. infestans and the model pathogen P. sojae, indicating that this part of the overall structure could be important to AVR3a’s role in the infection process.

By examining potato plants to determine the final destination of AVR3a within the infected host, the researchers found that the disease effector binds to a lipid molecule called phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP), which forms part of the structure of the potato cell membrane.

To determine whether the newly identified section of amino acids is essential to PIP-binding, Shirasu and his colleagues generated AVR3a mutants by substituting the positively charged amino acids found in the newly identified section with negatively charged amino acids. Using a binding assay to investigate the interactions between molecules, the researchers showed that the AVR3a mutants are unable to join to PIP and hence attach to the potato cell membrane. They therefore proposed that AVR3a may bind to PIPs in the cell membrane in order to remain undetected by the immune system of the potato.

The team’s next challenge is to determine how AVR3a molecules and other disease effectors from P. infestans translocate into the host from the site of infection. “Developing ways to block the action of AVR3a and other disease effectors will provide means to control this damaging crop disease,” says Shirasu.

The corresponding author for this highlight is based at the Plant Immunity Research Group, RIKEN Plant Science Center

Are you Seafood Savvy ? Try Veg Lobster

Posted by Unknown in Carrot, Pictures, Seafood, Vegetable

Comical presentation for Vegetarians in form of a Carrot Lobster.

Indian Children Turn Wasteland into Veg Field

Posted by Unknown in India, Success Stories, Vegetable

Children in South Mumbai transform unused land into vegetable patch

In a corner of the Umerkhadi Observation Home in south Mumbai, a group of children are busy transforming an unused piece of land into a vegetable patch. As they sow seeds, tend to young plants and harvest seasonal vegetables, they are in the process of an inner healing.

Begun as a rehabilitation initiative in the Umerkhadi and Bhiwandi children’s homes last year, the Urban Garden Project is the brainchild of the Aangan Trust, an NGO that works with destitute children in Mumbai’s slums and observation homes.

“The idea is to offer children practical vocational skills along with important life lessons. It is a process that will help break the cycles of crime, violence and risky behaviour,” said Shailja Mehta, executive director of Aangan.

The project has been made possible by the active support of SA Jadhav, the superintendent of the Umerkhadi home. It involves more than 500 children accused of crime, exploited by drug peddlers or employers, and often abandoned by their families.

“The students set achievable educational and vocational goals for themselves and take steps towards a responsible new life after their release from the observation home,” Mehta said.

Once a week, the garden is also used as a space to conduct group discussions on anger management, peer pressure, and other issues relevant for children exposed to violence and exploitation.

“These sessions are designed to make them reflect on the risks they are exposed to, the decisions they can make, and their abilities to cope with difficult situations,” she adds.

The combined therapeutic effect of gardening and group discussions has helped the children develop positive attitudes towards personal growth, while instilling self-confidence in them.

“It’s the one time in the day I feel hopeful. Maybe something will change when I go back out,” said a young gardener.

Another feels proud that the vegetables they grow are consumed by other children in the home. “Our garden is the best part about this place. We feel free here, and can lose ourselves without any fear,” he said.

Cycling is good for Health (Salad Picture)

Posted by Unknown in Mushroom, Pictures, Vegetable on Friday, 25 January 2013

Vegetable Cycle

The Inside Track | Fruits & Vegetables

Posted by Unknown in Fruits, Nutrition, Vegetable, Vitamin

Your five a day doesn't have to be raw – cooking your fruit and veg may help you to get your vitamins and nutrients

Everybody knows that fruit and vegetables contain antioxidants, and are good for you, although we still don't know exactly why. Current research no longer supports the use of antioxidant supplements, but high antioxidant levels in the blood do seem to be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and some cancers.

However, we're often told that if you cook vegetables you "remove the goodness". This was always code for removing the vitamin C, which does oxidise quickly and is sensitive to heat. But vitamin C is not something we tend to be short of these days, because of all the juice we drink, and how much fruit and veg is available all year round. In fact, plenty of other vitamins are not affected by heat at all, while some, such as beta-carotene, are actually absorbed better because of it.

Beta-carotene is a form of vitamin A, which is valuable for immune function, healthy skin and healthy eyes. It is found in the cell wall of carrots, among other things, which means that if you eat raw carrot you would only be able to absorb a certain amount because your gut cannot break down all the cells. The rest will simply pass right through your digestive tract. When you cook carrots, however, you are weakening some of those cell walls and making the beta-carotene more available, so a greater percentage is absorbed. This is something we can measurably demonstrate in blood levels.

There are antioxidant compounds too, which are also absorbed better from cooked foods. Lycopene, for instance, which is a pigment in tomatoes. Or a group of chemicals called polyphenols. These are not classed as nutrients, meaning that there isn't a deficiency state, but they are associated with healthy effects, and all of them benefit from heat treatment.

The bottom line is: eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, but eat them however you like. Salad, soup, casseroles, boiled, frozen, tinned, stir-fried, whatever. And by all means add garlic, olive oil, cheese sauce or anything else that will help you to eat more of them. Until you're deep-frying peas in batter, I think the balance will always be in your favour.

The writer Ursula Arens is a registered dietitian

The Guardian

Tiny Lettuce Seed Very Picky About Where it Grows

Posted by Unknown in Lettuce, Seeds, USA, Vegetable

(Yuma Sun) Without the humble lettuce seed, the Yuma agriculture industry would lose out on some serious green.

According to the Agriculture Marketing Resource Center, the value of all U.S. lettuce production in 2010 was approximately $2.2 billion, making it the leading vegetable crop in terms of value.

California and Arizona account for about 98 percent of commercial domestic output of lettuce, with the majority of production from November through March occurring in Yuma and the Imperial Valley.

Once finished, the leafy greens are exported across the United States, as well as to Canada, Mexico and nations all over the world.

Lettuce seeds are very small and very fragile, said Rick Rademacher, who works for 3 Star Lettuce, a Yuma company that specializes in seed production. “Lettuce seed is very fine, it is almost like dust.”

The seed is also very picky about where it will grow, so area farmers rely on seed companies to provide them a tailor-made product best suited for their individual needs.

“We are looking for that magic combination, if you will, of that right variety of seed at the right time of year, on the right piece of ground, that fits the needs of the grower and the shipper,” Rademacher said.

“You change one thing, it changes everything. We have to try a lot of different varieties to see which one fits individual circumstances. What works for one guy may not work for another based on growing style, the soil he's got and time of year.”

While soil, labor, water, fertilizer and pesticides are all necessary for the growth of a crop, the seed is very important, “because that is the crop,” Rademacher said.

“You are buying the crop in an embryonic state and planting it in a field and giving it everything it needs to grow. In all the decisions you can make in planting a lettuce crop, choosing the right seed is very important.”

There are currently about 100 different varieties of head lettuce growers can choose from, “and a lot of those choices are based on preference, growing style, the quality that the shipper wants for their customers — it gets pretty involved,” Rademacher said. “Our job is to find varieties for our customers that fit all their needs.”

Each field may need a custom seed.

“Some varieties do better in heavier soil, some in light soil. Some do better in the fall and some do better in the spring,” Rademacher said.

3 Star Lettuce conducts extensive research and development on each of its seed varieties before offering it to growers.

Since there are many microclimates throughout Yuma County, growers must be very careful about choosing the proper lettuce seeds.

“Some of them are a half-mile from each other,” Rademacher said.

“A lot of it is really air currents. Normally Winterhaven and north Yuma Valley are the warmest, and as you go south it gets colder. Gadsden is a very cold spot. It's one of the coldest spots in the county.”

Dome Valley is a little warmer because it gets a lot of air movement going through Telegraph Pass, he added, noting that fields close to some mountains tend to be warmer because air swirls around them.

Thanks to enhancements in seed technology, lettuce growers in the Yuma area can plant and harvest their crops sooner than in previous decades.

One of the ways they do that is by speeding up the process of vernalization, which naturally happens in the seed during exposure to the prolonged cold of winter. The process must be completed before the seed can germinate.

In a natural setting, vernalization takes about five months. That time is cut to about one month using refrigeration techniques.

“You cold treat it and make it think it's going through the winter, and then it is ready to go,” Rademacher said.

Growers are also able to plant lettuce at the beginning of September instead of the end of that month, thanks to a “priming” process.

“Lettuce as a species doesn't like to germinate in anything above 85 degrees,” Rademacher said. That meant growers had to wait until the weather cooled in the past. But now the seeds are primed with special plant hormones that trick the plant into growing despite temperatures above 85 degrees.

“Priming actually takes it through the first step of germination,” Rademacher said.

Growers also use sprinklers, which can “reduce the temperature of a field by 15 degrees,” he added.

They can also have lettuce in the fields in midwinter, which was impossible 30 years ago.

“It was too cold,” Rademacher said. “But we have developed varieties with enough vigor to grow through the cold. We are really able to defy nature on a grand scale. It's all biology.”

Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.

Bitter Melon (Bitter Gourd)

Posted by Unknown in Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon (Karela), Nutrition, Vegetable on Monday, 10 September 2012

Nutrition Information And Facts
Bitter melon is one of the best vegetable-fruit that helps improve diabetic and toxemia conditions.

(Juicing for Health) The bitter melon (also known as bitter gourd or Karela (کریلا) in urdu) looks like a cucumber but with ugly gourd-like bumps all over it.

As the name implies, this vegetable is a melon that is bitter. There are two varieties of this vegetable: One grows to about 20 cm long, is oblong and pale green in color. The other is the smaller variety, less than 10 cm long, oval and has a darker green color.

Both varieties have seeds that are white when unripe and that turn red when they are ripe. The vegetable-fruit turn reddish-orange when ripe and becomes even more bitter.

Bitter gourd thrives in hot and humid climates, so are commonly found in Asian countries and South America.

Westerners may not be so used to bitter melons, so may find them more difficult to consume. But if you can generally take bitter taste, you may be able to take this too. Try it, at least for all its healthful virtues

Nutritional Benefits

Bitter gourds are very low in calories but dense with precious nutrients. It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber. It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana.

Bitter melon contains a unique phyto-constituent that has been confirmed to have a hypoglycemic effect called charantin. There is also another insulin-like compound known as polypeptide P which have been suggested as insulin replacement in some diabetic patients.

Health Benefits

Few other fruits/vegetables offer medicinal properties for these ailments like bitter melon does.

Blood disorders: Bitter gourd juice is highly beneficial for treating blood disorders like blood boils and itching due to toxemia. Mix 2 ounces of fresh bitter gourd juice with some lime juice. Sip it slowly on an empty stomach daily for between four and six months and see improvement in your condition.

Cholera: In early stages of cholera, take two teaspoonfuls juice of bitter gourd leaves, mix with two teaspoonfuls white onion juice and one teaspoonful lime juice. Sip this concoction daily till you get well.

Diabetes mellitus: Bitter melon contains a hypoglycemic compound

(a plant insulin) that is highly beneficial in lowering sugar levels in blood and urine. Bitter melon juice has been shown to significantly improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels.

Energy: Regular consumption of bitter gourd juice has been proven to improve energy and stamina level. Even sleeping patterns have been shown to be improved/stabilized.

Eye problems: The high beta-carotene and other properties in bitter gourd makes it one of the finest vegetable-fruit that help alleviate eye problems and improving eyesight.

Hangover: Bitter melon juice may be beneficial in the treatment of a hangover for its alcohol intoxication properties. It also help cleanse and repair and nourish liver problems due to alcohol consumption.

Immune booster: This bitter juice can also help to build your immune system and increase your body's resistance against infection.

Piles: Mix three teaspoonfuls of juice from bitter melon leaves with a glassful of buttermilk. Take this every morning on empty stomach for about a month and see an improvement to your condition. To hasten the healing, use the paste of the roots of bitter melon plant and apply over the piles.

Psoriasis: Regular consumption of this bitter juice has also been known to improve psoriasis condition and other fungal infections like ring-worm and athletes feet.

Respiratory disorders: Take two ounces of fresh bitter melon juice and mix with a cup of honey diluted in water. Drink daily to improve asthma, bronchitis and pharyngitis.

Toxemia: Bitter gourd contains beneficial properties that cleanses the blood from toxins. Sip two teaspoonfuls of the juice daily to help cleanse the liver. Also helpful in ridding jaundice for the same reasons.

Consumption Tips

Choose unripe bitter melons that are firm, like how you would a cucumber. Avoid those that have turned orange or have soft spots. Ripe bitter melons can be excessively bitter.

Store bitter melons in the vegetable bin in the refrigerator which has the right temperature. It should keep for three to four days.

Keeping bitter melons at room temperature or with other fruits and vegetables will hasten the melon to ripen and become more bitter, due to the emission of ethylene gas.

Clean your bitter melon under cold running water and brush with a soft vegetable brush. To prepare, slice the melon length-wise and scoop out the seeds. To lessen the bitter flavor, soak it in salt water for about half an hour before juicing/cooking.

The smaller variety is more bitter than the bigger one. To help make bitter gourd juice more palatable, take it with honey, or add carrot or apple juice. For diabetics, drink the juice with green apple juice.

Caution

Do not consume more than two ounces of bitter melon, or more than two melons a day. Excessive consumption may cause mild abdominal pain or diarrhea. Diabetics taking hypoglycemic drugs will need to alter the dosage of their drugs if they consume bitter melon on a regular basis. Please consult your doctor.

Pregnant women should avoid taking too much bitter gourd or its juice as it may stimulate the uterus that may lead to preterm labor.

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