Plant Gardens 101

Missing a Garden in the Home?

While a nice house with a picket fence looks nice, not everyone can get that. Many people live in apartments and condominiums that provide little to no space for having a garden. Unlike in suburban areas where gardens are present in almost any home, there are actually a lot of places that prevents people of having a garden. This is why there are many alternative to having plants inside the house. If you miss having a garden to come home to, then read along and see how you can manage your own personal indoor garden. (more…)

Cinnamon is actually more than a delicious addition to food. One of the oldest spices known and long used in traditional medicine, cinnamon is currently being studied for its beneficial effects on a variety of ailments. Indeed, recent findings on the power of cinnamon to promote health, in particular its benefits for people with type II diabetes, have elevated it to the status of a Super Spice.

Perhaps the most exciting discovery concerning cinnamon is its effect on blood glucose levels as well as on triglyceride and cholesterol levels, all of which could benefit people suffering from type II diabetes. In one study of 60 patients with type II diabetes, it was found that after only forty days of taking about half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily, fasting serum glucose levels were lowered by 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides by 23 to 30 percent, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) by 7 to 27 percent, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent. (more…)

As the winter months progress I tend to feel less connected to the wonderful outdoor spaces that reach out to me like an old friend during the spring and summer months. Trapped inside all day as the cold wind blows, I yearn for the feel of fresh dirt in my hands and find myself counting the days until I once again have the pleasure of planting new flowers in my garden and tending to the perennials and bulbs that start peeking out in the spring.

Other gardeners have told me that they’ve been able to find enjoyment tending indoor plants during the winter months. I’ll admit that I do keep African Violets and Orchids indoors year-round, but growing indoors is a lot more challenging! Indoor plants, like all plants require the correct amount of light and proper watering and finding this balance indoors has been tricky for me. (more…)

Recent findings on the power of garlic to fight cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, give garlic the bona fide characteristics to elevate it to Superfood status.

Throughout the history of civilization, the medicinal properties of garlic have been prized, and it’s been used to treat an array of ailments, including atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer, immune disorders, cerebral aging, arthritis, and cataract formation. Garlic’s power as a heath promoter comes from its rich variety of sulfur containing compounds. Of the nearly one hundred nutrients in garlic, the most important in terms of health benefits seems to be the sulfur compound allicin-an amino acid. Allicin is not present in fresh garlic. It’s formed instantly when cloves are crushed, chewed, or cut. Allicin seems to be responsible for the super-biological activity of garlic as well as its odor. (more…)

Honey is much more than just a liquid sweetener. One of the oldest medicines known to man, honey has been used in the treatment of respiratory diseases, skin ulcers, wounds, urinary diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. Today, we know the validity of these timeless treatments, as research has demonstrated that honey can inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and viruses.

The power of honey comes from the wide range of compounds present in the rich amber liquid. Honey contains at least 181 known substances, and its antioxidant activity stems from the phenolics, peptides, organic acids, and enzymes. Honey also contains salicylic acid, minerals, alpha-tocopherol, and oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides increase the number of “good” bacteria in the colon, reduce levels of toxic metabolites in the intestine, help prevent constipation, and help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

The key point to remember with honey is that its antioxidant ability can vary widely depending on the floral source of the honey and its processing. The phenolic content of the honey depends on the pollen that the bees have used as raw material. There’s a very simple way to determine the health benefits of any honey: its colour. In general, the darker the colour of the honey the higher the level of antioxidants. (more…)

While onion’s health promoting abilities have long been recognized, it’s only recently that their considerable curative abilities have been conclusively demonstrated and thus their elevation to Superfood status.

Onions are a major source of two phytonutrients that play a significant role in health promotion: flavonoids and the mixture of over fifty sulfur-containing compounds. The two flavonoid subgroups found in onions are the anthocyanins that impart a red/purple colour to some varieties, and the flavanols such as quercetin and its derivatives that are responsible for the yellow flesh and brown skins of many varieties of onions. The flavonols are concentrated in the skin of most onions where they contribute to the colour of the vegetable.

We now know that the health promoting compounds in onion, like those in garlic, are separated by cell walls. Slicing an onion ruptures these walls and releases the compounds which then combine to form a powerful new compound: thiopropanal sulfoxide. In addition to mitigating various diseases, this substance also gives cut onions their pungent aroma and their ability to make us cry. (more…)

If you have heard of hydroponics or other methods of growing plants without soil and want to try it out at home, you can. Hydroponics is easy to care for and set-up at home. There are materials you can buy or some you may be able to find around the house.

The dirt or soil that you use to grow plants in a traditional method is substituted for a growing medium (full of nutrients the plant needs to grow) in hydroponics gardening. The growing medium is fed directly to the roots by method of a drip-feeder. The system can be automated and the gardener can control how many drips the roots receive in a specified time frame. The more of the growing medium the faster the plants grow.

Since the system can be automated, the amount of time and energy that is required to maintain a hydroponics garden is less than with a traditional garden. As long as enough water is present and growing medium the plants can be left unattended for a longer period of time. (more…)

Pomegranates have been around since ancient times and their health benefits have been recognized. Pomegranates can range from yellow-orange to red to deep purple. Rich in potassium, vitamin C, polyphenols and vitamin B6, pomegranates are real phytochemical powerhouses. Pomegranate juice may have two to three times the antioxidant power of equal amounts of green tea or red wine.

In one study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, pomegranate juice was a potent fighter in the battle against atherosclerosis. As little as a 1/4 cup of pomegranate juice daily may improve cardiovascular health by reducing oxidation of LDL cholesterol. In addition, animal studies suggest that pomegranates may cause regression of atherosclerotic lesions. It’s unfortunate that many of us avoid pomegranates because it takes some work to get to the seeds. (more…)

Beans provide a great alternative to meat, since they’re a low-fat source of protein. One cup of lentils provides 17 grams of protein with only 0.75 grams of fat. In fact, the American Cancer Society recommended in their 1996 dietary guidelines that Americans should “choose beans as an alternative to meat.”

Aside from being a great source of protein, beans are a delicious source of fibre, B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium, and many phytonutrients, and should be eaten on a regular basis to promote optimal health. It’s recommended that you should eat four 1/2 cup servings of beans per week.

Beans are a superb heart healthy food. Eating beans frequently is associated with lower cholesterol levels. Beans, like all other plant-derived sources of protein, don’t contain any saturated fat, and therefore are also cholesterol free. Thus, if you limit your saturated fat intake by reducing the amount of meat you eat and substitute beans and other plant protein sources for meat in your regular diet, you’ll be well on your way to reducing your blood cholesterol levels and improving your overall health. (more…)

Fresh herbs can make a world of difference in your meals. Instead of buying them at the grocery store and getting too much at once or a bunch that isn’t as fresh as it could be, grow your own. Grow a variety or just your favorite, in a window box or on the kitchen counter. It is an easy introduction to indoor gardening.

To start your own herb garden you have two options, you can go to your local nursery and purchase some seedlings or grow your own from seed. Either way is fine, but if you are a novice the seedlings are the way to go.

Once you have your seedlings at home, you can replant them or for the first season you can leave them in the small plastic pot that they come in. If you do decide to replant them, do not pack in the soil too tightly and place a small amount of gravel or woodchips at the bottom of the pot for good drainage. If you want to grow your herbs from seeds, follow the instructions on the package carefully and use a container large enough to accommodate future root growth. Herbs also like air circulation, placing near an open window can provide both the sunshine and air movement that they need to thrive. (more…)

The esthetic appeal of having plants inside your house is the reason the majority of people decide to start gardening indoors. Whether you have researched and planned on them or not, there are additional benefits that are derived when a green space is created inside you house.

The décor aspect of inside greenery is a given, plants add to and beautify space - indoors and outdoors. The different plants choices available include various colors, sizes, shapes, flowering vs. non-flowering and this is just the tip of the plant life ice berg. (more…)

Hibiscus flowers are so attractive and graceful to look at.

They come in many colors and sizes, and can even reach the height of 15 feet. Some varieties of these wonderful plants are:

Hibiscus Splendens (Malvaceae)
Its corolla is of a beautiful rose color, the lower part of the filaments is pale, the upper rose colored like the corolla. The anthers are dark crimson, and arranged in pyramidal form. Projecting from around which arise five deep red, hairy, round stigmas, of which parts in the expanded flower produce a pleasing effect.
Considered the king of all known Australian plants. It thrives well in a mixture of loam and peat, and cuttings will strike readily in sand or mould under a hand glass in heat.

Hibiscus Vesicarius (African Hibiscus)
This is a plant of very easy culture, and should be planted in the spring. It is a showy plant with large petals, of a straw color, the centre a deep rich brown or purple, finely contrasted with the brilliant gold color of the stamens or anthers. The flowers quickly perish, but, to make up for their frailty, it carries on blooming from June to September. (more…)

Hydroponics is the latest technique through which one can cultivate plants indoor. This technique is getting popular day-by-day all around the world. People are becoming environment friendly and adopting several measures through which they can make their environment clear and greener.

In order to make healthy environment plants are necessary. Therefore, indoor planting is preferred as the best option by most of the people. The ultimate technique through which high level as well as low level of cultivation can be done easily is hydroponic. With the help of variety of equipments and tools required for hydroponics, you can cultivate healthy plants inside the house.

Under hydroponic technique, all the necessary things that are basically required for plant’s growth are artificially provided to them. In order to know about various tools required for plant’s growth with the help of hydroponics you can visit several online sites available on internet. One such great site is Hydroponics. It is one such online shop that offers the huge collections of indoor plant lighting, hydroponic grow systems, hydro and organic horticultural supplies etc. It is sure to find all sorts of grow-room equipments at Hydroponics. (more…)

“Plant a seed and watch it grow”, isn’t that how the old adage goes? Often times, simply planting a seed does not actually ensure growth, prosperity, or a coming harvest; of this, all gardeners are aware. Growing plants from seed to harvest often requires patience, perseverance, and vigilant care. Some plants also require ample space to grow, and this fact often discourages budding gardeners that happen to be spatially-hampered, whether living in an apartment, condo, or otherwise yard-deprived home. The excellent adaptability and growing characteristics inherent to lemons can allow an indoor gardener to, in all actuality, simply grab a seed from a store-bought lemon, plant it in a pot, and watch it grow. This could be ill-advised, however, if, unbeknownst to the grower, the plant from which the lemon came naturally grows to a height of fifteen feet or more! For this reason, it might be a better idea to visit your local nursery to find a lemon variety whose growth properties are more conducive to your space and lifestyle. (more…)

The beginner houseplant lover who visits her garden supply store is certainly going to be overwhelmed at the huge number and variety of indoor garden equipment she is going to find on sale for takin care of her houseplants. There are literally hundreds of different kinds of tools, like rakes and sprayers, on the market. If almost all of them can be useful, only a small number of them are essential for houseplant care.

If you are not scared off by the huge number of different tools available, you will often tend to buy more tools than you really need, or at the very least more than you are convinced you need. It’s very common for a beginner who has let herself get carried away, to realize after a couple of months that the only uses she can find for the expensive decorative pots she bought was as the base of a home-made lamp. We certainly don’t want this to happen to you. (more…)