Dear EarthTalk: What effects do fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides used on residential lawns or on farms have on nearby water bodies like rivers, streams—or even the ocean for those of us who live near the shore? -- Linda Reddington, Manahawkin, NJWith the advent of the so-called Green Revolution in the second half of the 20th century—when farmers began to use technological advances to boost yields—synthetic fertilizers, … [Read more...]
How To Plant Turnips
Turnip greens are my favorite kind of greens, but don't get me wrong I love them all. The wonderful thing about turnips is you get the best of both worlds - a tasty and flavorful root, and the delicious green tops. Growing turnip greens is not very hard as long as you give them the correct amount of water, and provide nutrient-rich soil. Here is how I plant my turnips.Get The Turnip Bed ReadyI am planting my turnips in a raised bed that … [Read more...]
TerraCycle Garden Fertilizer Review
While shopping at my local Home Depot Saturday, I came across a very interesting product - Terracycle Garden Fertilizer. It stuck out as an interesting product because it was packaged in what looked like two reused 20 oz. soft drink bottles. After reading the label on the bottles, I realized that this is a wonderful idea. They were indeed two reused soft drink bottles that contained liquified worm poop to be used as a flower or vegetable garden … [Read more...]
All About Compost Toilets
Compost toilets have been around for quit a while and are becoming more and more popular. I will be the first to admit that the sound of a compost toilet does not sound very pleasant, but are a great money saver for the frugal gardener. Compost toilets have made great strides in the effort for using greener methods of living. Green living and frugality have become common lifestyles in today's world where global warming and rising energy costs … [Read more...]
Getting To Know Fertilizer Sprayers & Dusters
Fertilizing your vegetable garden is very important to its growth and health. There are some tools that make fertilizing easier - sprayers and dusters. Fertilizer sprayers come in many different varieties, but have one common goal; to properly distribute fertilizers and other liquid mixtures. Sprayers can also be used to apply liquid pesticides and fungicides. A few days ago we discussed organic pesticides, so here are some common sprayers and … [Read more...]
Choose The Right Composter for You
Composting has become an intricate and necessary part of organic gardening. Compost is the best amendment that you can add to your gardening soil, but many people view composting as a tedious, time consuming, and messy affair. It does not have to be that way if you use a composter.Composters make light work out of producing your own valuable compost. Like everything else, there are many types of composters that are available for different … [Read more...]
Tomato-tone Tomato Fertilizer Review
I started using Tomato-tone Organic Fertilizer in 2007, soon after planting my tomato plants for the season. I was at my local gardening center just loafing around, checking out what had recently come in. In the back of my mind, I was wanting to find a new fertilizer to use on my tomatoes and other vegetables. It was important that the new fertilizer be organic, and not contain any chemicals.During my garden center visit I came across … [Read more...]
Brew Compost Tea The Easy Way
There are several ways to brew your own compost tea, from buying some expensive equipment (some brewers range from $100 to $600) to brewing it right in the backyard with supplies that you may already have or can get very cheaply. Compost tea is the best fertilizer you can get, and it is totally natural and organic. Brewing this wonderful concoction yourself is an easy way to supercharge your vegetable garden.What Is Compost … [Read more...]
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