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Organic Indoor Gardening Equipment Article
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Organic Vegetable Gardening
from:Successful organic vegetable gardening requires long drawn plans. This includes the preparation of the soil, enriching it and protecting it from the attacks of harmful insects. Organic vegetable gardening differs from the conventional vegetable gardening in two major ways, usage of fertilizers and pest control. The fertility of the soil depends upon three components: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Nitrogen intensifies the growth of lush green foliage. Phosphorus results in strong roots and stems. Potassium protects the plants from disease and cold. It is required for every plant that stays alive for more than a year. In conventional methods, synthetic fertilizers are used to enrich the soil. Commercial fertilizers are available as a mixture of the three main ingredients. However, in organic vegetable gardening, these nutrients are added in a different manner.
Compost is a very good organic way of enriching the soil. Compost can be made easily in pits in your backyard with garden and kitchen refuse. Materials like leaves, lawn cuttings, pine needles, weeds, corn stalk, carrot tops, spoiled fruit and vegetable, animal manure etc. can be used to make good compost. The decomposition of the organic material forms bacteria and fungi in the soil. They help in converting unavailable nutrients like nitrogen to ammonia and nitrates, forms usable by the plants.
This process is called nitrification. Rock phosphates, natural occurring deposits of phosphorus in combination with calcium, can be mixed with the compost. Natural potassium occurs in substances like wood ashes, tobacco stems, seaweed, potash salts and ground rock potash. They can be also mixed to the compost. This combination will provide a very balance nutrient mix for organic vegetable gardening. The organic material takes longer to decompose and affect the soil it should be added at least two weeks before planting the vegetables.
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. 0 indicates extreme acidic, 14 is extreme alkaline and 7 indicates a neutral soil. The most inexpensive and efficient material for raising the pH is ground limestone. Dolomite limestone has an additional ingredient, magnesium, which many soils lack. If the pH of the soil is alkaline, finely ground sulphur is used to lower it. Pest control in organic gardens is done in a different manner. Organic vegetable gardening believes in the theory of manageable pest levels. In this, the pests are not completely eradicated but kept at an easily manageable level maintaining the balance.
Pest resistant varieties are planted. Natural predators and parasites are used that eat up the harmful insects. Mulch the soil to avoid direct contact with sunlight as the harmful organisms require bright sunlight to grow. These methods using organic vegetable gardening techniques will help in raising a healthy and abundant crop.
Organic-Gardening Online News
Banks, States Reach Mortgage Accord - Wall Street Journal
 Wall Street Journal | Banks, States Reach Mortgage Accord Wall Street Journal By NICK TIMIRAOS, DAN FITZPATRICK and RUTH SIMON Government officials unveiled agreements Thursday worth as much as $26 billion with five major banks, capping a yearlong push to settle federal and state probes of alleged foreclosure abuses by lenders. US reaches mortgage settlement with top banks Landmark settlement announced on foreclosure, mortgage fraud California to get largest slice of foreclosure settlement |
Bombardment of Syria's Homs kills 110 civilians: group - Reuters
 CTV.ca | Bombardment of Syria's Homs kills 110 civilians: group Reuters | AMMAN (Reuters) - Tank, mortar and rocket bombardment by President Bashar al-Assad's forces on the besieged city of Homs killed at least 110 civilians on Thursday, an activist group said. "This number includes three families whose bodies were dug up ... Libya expels Syrian diplomatic mission As many as 126 reported killed as Syrian attacks escalate Syria analysis: Can Assad's army withstand growing pressure? |
10 states receive leeway from strict No Child Left Behind education law - Washington Post
 New York Daily News | 10 states receive leeway from strict No Child Left Behind education law Washington Post WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Thursday will free 10 states from the strict and sweeping requirements of the No Child Left Behind education law in exchange for promises to improve the way schools teach and evaluate students. APNewsBreak: Official: 10 states get ed waiver 10 States Given Waivers From No Child Left Behind Law Obama grants 10 states leeway on US education law |
Romney readies fight for GOP's right - Boston Herald
 msnbc.com | Romney readies fight for GOP's right Boston Herald By Hillary Chabot “As conservatives we've got to come together and we've got to get behind someone,” said Judson Phillips, founder of Tea Party Nation, on the phone as he drove cross-country to DC last night. “If we don't do something, we'll be stuck ... Santorum: This race is going for a long, long time Under attack, Santorum defends 'good' earmarks |