Check out this ebook from Budget 101. It’s a great resource for for tips and ideas on how to cut your grocery bill. There’s ideas on once a month cooking, growing herbs, menu planning and more.
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Backyard Landscaping…Incorporating Incredible Edibles
by Randeen Cummings Nelson
No longer are we limited by zone to having spectacular incredible edibles incorporated into our backyard landscaping. If you are like us and have a big front yard, you can have the best of both worlds. But for this article we are going to concentrate on your backyard landscaping possibilities. Just realize, you can innovate and create into all your available yard space the joys of incredible edible fruits and veggies.
Research and development into making fruit and vegetables hardy in most zones has advanced hugely. We now are not limited by zone. Most of us can now enjoy incorporating both the beauty and the edible delight of growing vegetables and fruit plants in our own backyards.
Hardy varieties abound in fruit trees, fruiting shrubs, and vegetable landscaping possibilities. We will mention just a few here for an inspirational ideas in adding to your backyard landscaping plans. As our world shrinks in available crop sites, it is a bonus for every family to incorporate some incredible edibles into their backyard landscaping plans.
In amongst our flowering shrubs in our front yard, we have planted blueberry bushes. They are as pretty as the flowering shrubs and give us the added benefit of mouthwatering blueberry snacks. As they grow they will provide additional quantities to freeze and preserve. Plant at least three different varieties for cross pollination.
If you wish to have a spectacular focus pyramidal tree of 15-30 foot in your backyard landscaping plans, plant a hardy paw paw tree. You will have gorgeous waxy green leaves from spring to frost and eat delicious fruit with a custard banana flavor.
No matter what size your backyard landscaping limits are you can have a delicious apple, cherry, plum, pear, peach, or nectarine tree. The choices are now hardy for most zones and the choices of sizes can fit into any backyard landscaping theme. The standard size is available for large yards, the semi-dwarf for medium yards, and the wonderful new 6-9 foot dwarfs for small yards. You have the beauty of a flowering tree and the bonus of incredibly delicious chemical free fruit for you and your family to eat.
Grapes are wonderful backyard landscaping climbing plant choices for trellises or a sunny wall. Varieties are available that will thrive in very cold climates. With a little care and forethought to location, I could grow seedless grapes in frigid Wyoming winters 30 years ago. You now have numerous hardy choices of fine eating, canning, preserve, and wine choice available almost anywhere.
If you live in mild climates, orange, lemon, and lime trees are gorgeous additions to your backyard landscaping. Peaches, apricots, and nectarines can be grown almost anywhere anymore; it really is amazing. Just choose a reputable long standing nursery or nursery catalog with a guarantee and long standing reputation when making your choices.
In vegetables the choices are also limitless. An artichoke shrub can grow huge with the right care and provide more outstanding artichokes than you can eat. They are beautiful plants that fit into any backyard landscaping or even as specimen plants in the front yard.
Asparagus roots are a must order for any shady woodsy area of your backyard landscaping. The fine lacey fronds are beautiful all season. Homegrown asparagus is unbeatable for taste and freshness. Be sure and buy at least 2 year roots so you don’t have to wait two years for a taste treat. Every spring add a good top coating of rich compost and some manure to ensure huge yields.
Tomatoes and cucumbers are a must. They can be grown in patio containers and in amongst your regular backyard landscaping. Add some lettuce and spinach as greenery in cooler spots of your yard as ground cover. Include a big barrel of mixed herbs in your backyard landscaping for a culinary delight. Thyme is an excellent ‘steppable’ groundcover and edging. Lavender is a favorite of bees and hummingbirds. The possibilities are endless, we at Landscaping Central have suggested just a few to encourage you to include incredible edible beauty into your backyard landscaping.
© Randeen Cummings Nelson
My vocation is as a certified appraiser of personal property. My vocation and my avocation all are centered on value. Family, the outdoors, gardening, and creating our own backyard sanctuary provides me with the most value in my life. A value I am most happy to share with you. Visit us at http://www.LandscapingCentral.net/ for a total landscaping and gardening experience. Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles
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Tomato Container Gardens by Mary Hanna
Tags: growing foodTomato container gardens are an alternative to a traditional tomato garden. Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables, well in this case fruits, of people around the world. They can be used in so many ways, in a salad or to make a sauce for pasta and a myriad of other ways in your culinary pursuits. Sadly in some places tomatoes are being priced at three dollars per pound or more. Fortunately, everyone can grow their own tomatoes, even people that live in apartments. The answer is to grow a tomato container garden. You can grow them on a patio or balcony or in a bright sunny room in your home.
The number one essential is sun. Tomatoes require a lot of light and will not thrive without out it. The materials you will need to gather for your tomato container garden are simple. You will need containers that are about five gallons in size. Only plant one tomato plant per pot. You will need soil, tomato seedlings and stakes or a wire cage to hold the plant upright. String, or products called twist-tie or sturdy-tie will be needed to tie the plant to the stakes or cages. You will need a plastic tray for drainage; good drainage is essential to the health of your tomato container garden. Last need on the list is fertilizer.
There are some species of tomatoes that will do better in your tomato container garden. The bush varieties of tomatoes work well in containers and are popular with container gardeners. Cherry tomatoes and Christmas Grape tomatoes work well also because of their size and many gardeners grow them when space is limited. Other varieties that will flourish in a tomato container garden are Celebrity, Early Girl, and Sweet 100’s. It really depends on which variety you want to grow and for what purposes. If you will be growing them mainly for salads the cherry varieties are the way to go.
As mentioned before, sunlight is a requirement in order to grow your tomato container garden. Scout out the area you are planning to use for your tomatoes. The spot for your tomato container garden must get at least four to six hours of sunlight. The more light the better since the sun promotes healthy, steady growth. The two most important elements for success in tomato container gardening is sunlight and water.
By growing your own tomato container garden you will know that there were no pesticides used on your plants. With all the controversy going on about pesticides knowing that yours is pesticide free is an advantage for you and your family. Here is a good natural pest deterrent:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.
Other pluses to this type of garden is you no longer will be paying high prices for tomatoes, your containers won’t take up much space and one plant usually yields enough tomatoes to feed your family. The cost of a tomato container garden is minimal and the feeling of accomplishment is great. So why are you waiting to plant your tomatoes? It’s time to choose the variety of tomato you want to grow, pick up some containers and start your tomato container gardens today.
Happy Container Gardening!
Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Gardening Landscaping Tips Gardening Outside and Indoor Herb Garden Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles
