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How To Make A Mini Vegetable Garden!
By admin | April 29, 2010
“How To Make A Mini Vegetable Garden!”
by Marlene Owens
Although today’s Cooking article is long winded, it won’t always be. I just had a lot to say and share with you.
Instead of a cooking recipe, I want to share with you, one of my latest hobbies; gardening. Times are becoming more difficult for the average person to make ends meet, and hopefully I will be able to help save you some money and at the same time give you some happiness.
“How to make a Mini Vegetable Garden?” was intended to be an e-book, but because spring is here and summer will follow shortly, I’ve decided to give it away as a special gift to all.
“How To Make A Mini Vegetable Garden!”
by Marlene Owens
Do you have a backyard? a front porch? a deck? a large window sill? a roof or a fire escape? If you have one or more of these places, then we are in business. Did you know that you can grow some great vegetables that you will be able to eat this summer? Yes, this summer of 2010.
You do not need to have a ‘green thumb.’ I did it! I mean I grew some vegetables a few summers ago in large flower pots and I haven’t stopped. But believe me you can grow wonderful delicious vegetables for you and your family to enjoy.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow, red, green, sweet, and banana peppers. Not to mention one of my favorites jalepeno peppers.
( I used this in most of my cooking).
Eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, scallions, sweet basil, turnips, collard greens, okra and hot peppers. These are just some of the foods I’ve grown successfully. There are many more out there, so experiment.
All you need is a large bucket, some rich pre-mixed garden soil, water and at least 6-8 hours of sun a day. And you will be eating your own
home-grown vegetables in no time.
The first time I saw a real vegetable growing in my pot, I was so excited. It was almost like I had given birth to a baby. I was so proud of my little garden.
When I wanted some tomatoes, and cucumbers for a salad, I would grab my little basket or bag and go shopping to pick them. It was such a good feeling! I would bring the vegetables into the house, wash them with a little dish wash soap and rinse it several times, pat it dry and eat the most delicious veggies.
If you have never tasted home-grown vegetables, you are in for a treat.
Step 1
Go find or buy a large bucket, or flower pot or anything that will hold some dirt, preferably one with a handle, so you can move it about easily.
Make extra holes in bottom of pot ( Use a drill) and place tiny pebbles for good drainage.
Once you have the pot; purchase some good ready pre-mixed soil (for vegetables/ flowers) and put it in the pot on top of the small rocks.
I personally do not add any thing else. I want my food to be as natural as possible.
Go to your local nursery or store and purchase the little tiny vegetable plants that have already been started. I get the individual ones.
Yes, they are a little bit more costly but I get exactly what I need. If you want to buy the six, twelve pack that’s fine. I usually place one plant in a pot. Experiment, it’s okay, that’s how you learn. Place them wherever you want to, I’m only sharing how I do it.
Keep in mind that these tiny plants will grow extremely large and that’s why I only place one plant per pot.
Step 2
How to place a plant into the large pot!
When you are ready to repot them into the larger pots, make sure that the plants are dry because if they have just been watered they might fall apart when you place them in the soil.
I remove the plant by gently tapping on the bottom and pull the plant out gently from the smaller pot.
Rip or cut the pot off if you must, just be careful that you do not pull too much on the plant because you can kill it, by tearing the roots
(I’m sorry). Remember it’s a baby plant and handle it with care.
Step 3
Add the soil to the pot and make a hole in the middle of the soil and place the plant in it. Cover with more soil and level it with the plant.
Give it a good drink of water, use a watering can, or pitcher and just let it drain. Water the plants when dry.
Just make sure the plants will get 6-8 hours of sun per day.
Check the plants daily for a few weeks. Test the soil with your fingers, sometimes the soil looks wet, but it’s dry.
Remember if the temperature drops below 32 degrees at night you should bring them inside, because they might freeze.
You will see your beautiful veggies by the summer if you plant them at the end of April or in May.
How to keep your fresh veggies in the refrigerator?
I’ve mentioned some of the vegetables that I have grown successfully. One on the nice advantages of growing your own home grown vegetables is; the vegetables you grow seem to have a longer shelf life.
Your home-grown vegetables will not spoil as quickly as your store bought ones in your refrigerator.
When you are picking your veggies off the plant. Use both hands; one to pull the vegetable off the plant and use your other hand to hold the plant, otherwise you could pull too much and if it gets separated from the roots the plant could die.
I usually carry a little basket like when I’m going to the “Farmer’s Market” humming as I pick my beautiful veggies.
I can’t deny it. It is a good feeling. Just get a bag, a pot, a bowl to carry them in.
Fill your sink with a little water; add a drop or two of dish washer soap or use the special wash for vegetables, and wash the vegetables; then rinse, rinse, and rinse: pat dry with a towel.
‘As a rule of thumb,’ let us use this method of cleaning your veggies for skinned vegetables like; tomatoes, cucumbers,
potatoes, turnips, all sweet and hot peppers. On eggplants, yellow squash and zucchini and etc.
Now one of my secrets, I will share with you today is the sixth sense. That is the sense that we use in our daily lives; Common Sense. I’ll go over the other five senses later and explain how I use it in everyday cooking.
For other veggies, like spinach, greens, cabbage, okra and string beans. I do not use soap. I just rinse the vegetable several times until I am confident that it is clean. Do the same thing for the scallions and your herbs like sweet basil. Always remember to pat dry the veggies.
How to store your home-grown vegetables?
In the last couple of years I’ve been placing my vegetables in those little plastic re-usuable containers. I am very fond of them. I have them in all sizes. They are great for freezing as well as storing them in the refrigerator and as a take out order from your house.(smile)
I also buy plastic bags for my vegetables and use them too. Get the pint/gallon size bags and place your veggies in them. After they have been in the refrigerator for several days; check them.
Now we come to an important method of cooking.
Using your five senses.
Your eyes will tell if something does not look right.
Your nose will tell if something does not smell right.
Your fingers will tell you if it does not feel right.
Your tongue will tell if something does not taste right.
And finally your sense of hearing can alert you when
something is burning or frying too much.
Use these senses in your everyday cooking. It might save you from becoming ill one day.
If you decide that you do not want to take a chance and leave your vegetables in the refrigerator, you can freeze some of them.
Preparing Veggies for the freezer!
Some vegetables can be frozen with success and some cannot; like peppers, onions, celery and etc. Just place them in a bag or container in your fridge.
Fill a large pot of water and when it is boiling, add your clean vegetables and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Strain the veggies and then place them in freezer containers or bags.
Make sure to label and date them.
Enjoy and have fun!
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