Health & Fitness
Gardening Resources Available On The Internet
Grow your own fruits, vegetables and herbs with these simple tips and Web resources. Teach your children how to grow plants from seeds by using empty egg cartons as plant incubators.
In early 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made changes to the planting season to reflect global climate change:
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
Now is definitely the time to begin preparing your garden. The Internet is loaded with excellent resources to assist you from choosing the right spot to preserving your bounty at harvest time:
Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
http://standeyo.com/News_Files/menu.garden.html
For those with limited space or no space, use pots, boxes and containers, some of which can be hung from hooks.
Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Today, I am germinating seeds from cilantro (coriander) and dill for my herb garden. While some herbs will reappear annually (sage, cilantro, oregano), others require new seed plantings. I use seeds from last year's crop, basil being my favorite. I love the flavor and aroma of fresh basil and save the seeds for future plantings. When basil seeds in late summer, it becomes coriander, another herb.
You can also teach the kids about gardening by using Styrofoam egg cartons as seed incubators. Fill each of the 12 spaces halfway with a quality seedling mixture containing half peat moss and half soil. Place seeds into each slot and gently cover with additional soil mixture. Hydrate lightly and close the egg carton. Place in a sunny or warm location and watch the little seedlings pop up.
Once the seedlings appear you may keep the egg carton open so the seedlings grow straight and strong and the roots have ample time to develop.
Once the little plants are straight and strong, you may plant them either in your garden or in larger pots or containers.
This is a terrific way to teach small children about growing plants from seeds and gardening. I remember my own mother teaching me how to grow lima beans from the dried beans she bought at the store. My mother soaked the dried lima bean to germinate it and waited for the tiny sprout to appear and finally planting it near a trellis. As a child, I was amazed by this and it became the foundation for my own love of gardening.
