Rhonda West reporting from Scott County.

Getting ready for spring gardening?  This site has some good information about how to get your soil ready for planting and how to recharge your soil.

Check it out, “Recharging your Soil”

http://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/do-it-yourself/a-gardeners-guide-to-recharging-your-soil.aspx

 

Here is a few early gardening examples from one of our participants this year.

This is her Parsley, cilantro and mint that she has sitting on her east window.

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Each of these herbs have a lot of good uses.  Here are just a few examples:

Parsley is rich in vitamins C, B 12, K and A. This means parsley keeps your immune system strong, tones your bones and heals the nervous system, too.

It helps flush out excess fluid from the body, supporting kidney function.

Regular use of parsley can help control your blood pressure. The folic acid in this herb is like a tonic for       your heart.

Parsley essential oil, when massaged into the scalp, may reduce hair loss.

Use parsley daily, and you’ll feel relief from joint pain. That’s because the herb has anti-inflammatory properties.

Parsley tea relaxes stiff muscles and encourages digestion.

Cilantro is an excellent antioxidant.

Digestive aid and soothes nausea.

Anti-inflammatory – may alleviate inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Reduces minor swelling.

Chelation agent** – removes toxicity; heavy metals from the body

Helps to promote healthy liver function. Lowers the LDL (‘bad cholesterol’) and supports the HDL (‘good cholesterol’)

Helps with insulin secretion and regulates blood sugar.

Mint improves oral health.

Quick and effective remedy for nausea.

Relieves symptoms of acne.

Clears up congestion of nose, throat and lungs.

Helps to prevent cancer.

Natural stimulant, relieves from fatigue and depression.

 

This is her tomato seedlings and a few peppers in her east window.  She heated soil from the bottom with an old heating pad to speed up germination.  She has aluminum foil behind them to reflect sunlight and keep them from leaning toward the window.

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Green onions started from base and roots of purchased green onions.  The onions in the small round container will be planted in soil.  The ones on the left have recently been planted and the ones on the right have been planted for two weeks.

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Sweet potatoes rooting in water Sweet potatoes rooting in water

imagejpeg_0 (9)Sweet potato “slips” removed from their attached roots from the potatoes rooting in water and planted in soil.

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How to plant and grow sweet potatoes:

Step 1: Start the slips

Step 2: Root the slips

Step 3: Prepare the soil for the slips

Step 4: Plant the slip

Step 5: Water, water, water