Grow your garden
As the weather warms up, we start to think about planning our garden for the new season. Even before we plant our first vegetable in the garden, it is a good time to evaluate the nutritional value of the soil and to work on getting it in a healthy condition. Gardeners understand that the soil the plants grow in must provide certain micro and macro nutrients in order to produce a wonderful crop. A common question we are asked is, what is the best way to add the right organic material to your garden to help your plants grow without breaking your budget?
Understanding some basics about the soil and the activity that is going on under the ground is a great start in making a decision into what kind of amendments to use. Soil is more than just dirt. It is a medium composed of minerals, organic matter, water and air and it houses a community of living organisms like worms, fungi, microorganisms and bacteria. Choosing organic soil amendments makes better sense than synthetics because they add nutrients naturally to the soil and build better soil structure. Organic soil amendments can also provide better water drainage and healthier root growth. Healthier plants have a better chance of surviving diseases and pests than those that are stressed.
There are different organic soil amendments you can choose from. Each of these is different in what they provide, so knowing your soil type will help you decide which ones you need. There are 3 types of soil: clay, sand, or loam. Clay soil is very common in this area. It is a compact soil that does not allow water to drain easily and the soil becomes hard when it dries out. Sandy soil allows the water to drain quickly and does not contain a lot of nutrients. Loam is a combination of clay, sand and silt. It holds plenty of water but dries out quickly so air can get to the root structure. It is the type of soil that gardeners would enjoy having. If you have either clay or sandy soil, you can improve your soil structure by adding soil amendments. Below is a list of common soil amendments that can be added.
Compost
Compost can be any organic matter that is allowed to decompose and is used as a soil amendment and as a fertilizer. Compost is usually decomposed leaves, plants or green food waste. Compost works with any soil type. It helps to break up the particles in clay soil for aeration and adds nutritional value to sandier soil. Rule of thumb is 25% of the soil should be compost material.
Earthworm Casting
Healthy soil should have an abundance of earthworms in it. In addition to the castings that are naturally in the soil, you can also add this during your plantings. The worms eat decaying matter in the soil and when this matter passes through the digestive system of the worms, castings are left behind. These castings contain micro and macro nutrients which plants can absorb easier than synthetics. Earthworm casting also allow for aeration so the soil doesn’t compact and increases the beneficial microbes and bacteria.
Lime
The pH of the soil is an important factor in your garden. When the pH is out of balance, the vegetable plants cannot absorb the nutrients they need. In this area of the country, our soil tends to be more acidic (less than 7 on the pH scale). To determine the pH of your soil, you can send soil samples to the University of Delaware and they can test it and send you a report. Based on the type of plants you are growing, you can use lime to increase the pH. It is important to check your soil first before adding lime, to ensure your soil needs an adjustment.
Vermiculite/Perlite
Most people are familiar with the little white “cubes” in regular potting mix which are known as vermiculite. There is also another product known as perlite that is similar in nature. Vermiculite and perlite are both minerals that are heated to extreme temperatures until they burst into small particles. They can both be added to a soil to help with aeration and moisture retention. Perlite is usually a little more expensive and is used more in hydroponics. Vermiculite is less expensive and holds more moisture. Be careful adding these products to your soil, as they can hold too much moisture, especially if you already have clay soil that doesn’t drain well.
Animal Based Fertilizers
Organic fertilizers can be added which are derived from byproducts of animals, birds, fish and sea life, poultry and bats. These products provide nutritional value to the plants in the form of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). All fertilizers will provide you with the nutrient value of the product as a percentage of N-P-K. Nitrogen helps the plants with strong leaf growth, phosphorous helps with root and flower growth and potassium helps with the overall health of the plant. The use of these products can also help with soil structure and aeration.
Mycorrhizae
Soils which are undisturbed contain a fungus that naturally helps plants absorb nutrients. This root fungus is called mycorrhizae and it creates a mutual beneficial relationship between the plant and root fungus. Mycorrhizae fungus is found naturally in soils, but most soils have been tilled, excavated, eroded or over-fertilized which can deplete the mycorrhizal fungus. The fungus attaches itself to the roots of the plant and increases the surface area of the root structure. By enlarging the root structure of the plant, it increases the absorption of nutrients and water.
These are some of the soil amendments you can add to your garden. The key to adding amendments is to first look at your soil and determine what problems you are having with your garden. Once you determine which amendments you need, add them slowly over time and in small quantities. This way you can watch as the soil changes and you will not spend a lot of money at one time. Every time you plant, add the amendments to the row or the plant hole. Over time, you will add enough amendments so that your whole garden will be alive and healthy, even under the surface.
Pam Downs owns Delaware Seed and Garden Supply, LLC in Wilmington, DE. Pam is an avid lifetime gardener of vegetables and flowers. In addition to growing orchids in her greenhouse, she enjoys biking, traveling and spending time with family.
Are you addicted to Food
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- Category: Health
- Written by Dr. Tyler Schwartz
Are you a junkie? I’m not referring to drugs, alcohol or pain medications. There are other compulsions out there that are nearly as detrimental to our health, and yet, so much more readily available that you could purchase them anywhere, anytime, legally, and heck, you could even use a coupon! I’m talking about food addictions.
Food is meant to be fuel for our bodies, but in recent years, due to the hustle and bustle of our society, the quality of our food has become severely compromised by the need for readily available, instantly gratifying snacks and meals with minimal nutritional value. Food manufacturers have produced foods that stay fresh longer, are more convenient on the go and have more appealing textures through use of preservatives, gluten and a variety of artificial ingredients.
Unfortunately, all of these “conveniences” have their repercussions. Cancer rates are through the roof, gluten-sensitivity and celiac disease have become common household terms, and obesity has reached epidemic proportions. We all know what’s good for us and what’s not. So, why do we keep eating the food that’s making our country sick?
Could it really be that food can be as addictive as cigarettes? That’s the controversial conclusion from a study by New Zealand scientists who found that foods made largely from refined sugar and flour have the same addictive qualities as tobacco.
‘Heavily processed carbohydrates such as cornflakes, sweets and croissants quickly raise the amount of sugar in your blood,’ explains lead researcher Dr Simon Thornley, a registrar with the Auckland Regional Public Health Service. ‘This rush of sugar stimulates the same areas of the brain that are involved with addiction to nicotine and other drugs.’
‘Drug addicts have to keep taking larger amounts of their chemical of choice. They find it difficult to stop, they keep doing it despite negative consequences and they feel depressed if they do stop,’ says Thornley, whose paper was published in the journal Medical Hypotheses. ‘People do all those things around refined carbohydrates.’ Studies of brain scans suggest that people who put on a lot of weight could be doing it to improve their mood; the same reason addicts take drugs.
Dr David Haslam, of the UK National Obesity Forum, agrees we must reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates we eat. ‘Certainly, evidence for the idea that these foods are addictive is getting stronger,’ he says, ‘and anything that reduces their consumption is a good thing.’
The obvious question on most people’s minds is, if we are becoming addicted to carbohydrates, and carbs are bad for us, what can we do to break the habit? A low carbohydrate, lower fat, protein based diet has proven in many cases to break the carbohydrate addiction, while at the same time burning unwanted fat and lowering blood sugar (which of course helps
Type II diabetics). Examples of these programs are Ideal Protein, South Beach and Atkins. One study published recently found that dieters who were trying to maintain their weight loss burned significantly more calories — about 300 more a day — eating a low-carb diet than they did eating a low-fat diet.
According to Dr. Oz, “Too many refined carbs – baked goods, French fries or processed snack foods like chips and pretzels – are simply toxic for your body. They’re often responsible for visceral or omentum fat, the dangerous fat you can carry around your middle that actually inhibits your body’s ability to make insulin, which makes you more prone to diabetes. White carbs also increase your risk for cardiovascular disease and even cancer.”
Simply stated, Americans need to cut back on carbohydrates and processed food and get back to eating whole foods (organic, if possible), stop putting so much emphasis on food convenience and start eating foods that will actually help, rather than harm, their bodies. About two-thirds of people in this country are overweight or obese, which increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, many types of cancer and other chronic illnesses. The only way to make a change is to start paying more attention to our food intake. This goes for adults, as well as children. Like all other habits, the younger you start eating the right foods, the greater the likelihood that you will continue proper eating into adulthood.
Dr. Tyler E. Schwartz is a chiropractor at Pure Wellness and co-director of Pro Weight Loss, Inc. Having been in practice for 19 years, he offers a holistic approach to health care. He can be reached at 302-365-5470 or check out purewellchiro.com or myproweightloss.com
Secrets For Better Health At Lower Costs?
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- Category: Health
- Written by Dr.Scott Rosenthal
Picture American healthcare as a tin of fish. We pay for caviar, but are we receiving canned mackerel? Statistics from 2009 show that we cast out $7,960 per person per year. We are grossly outspending the rest of the world. Sweden pays $3722 per year per person. The savings alone could buy every U.S. citizen a new Volvo every 10 years! Is greater health being gained from shelling out all those clams?
Sorry Charlie! The level of America health is on a sinking ship. Peering into the depths of the World Health Organization’s “Healthy Life Expectancy Rankings” top ten list, Japan floated to the surface as number one. Then came Australia, France… Greece… Andorra. NO America…and, where’s Andorra?
10 Reasons Not to Excercise
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- Category: Health
- Written by Dr.Scott Rosenthal
You are tired of it! All of those people slowing traffic by jogging and biking on the road. Don’t they know that people are trying to get to work on time, shop for a new outfit or are hungry and want get to a restaurant? How RUDE! Ever been in a checkout line behind a guy who just left the gym? PEEEW! Besides a 15 item express lane, there should be one for sweaty and smelly post-fitness-routine customers. For the sake of the general public’s convenience and welfare, please read this article and gain powerful insights into why you should NOT be doing any exercise!
Uncovering the SECRET: How Chiropractors Magically Reveal Your Problems!
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- Category: Health
- Written by Dr.Scott Rosenthal
“Wow... how did you know doc?”
“That’s right where I feel it!”
“You always seem to know right where to go!”
I hear these wonderful exclamations from patients every day. Some patients even throw the word “magician” around. My father, also a doctor of chiropractic, has had me as a patient ever since I was a baby. He amazed me, inspiring similar exclamations. Once his magic fingers were on me, he quickly found tender spots I never knew I had. Even though I felt fine and was receiving preventive care, I always felt better afterward! It was like he had special laser-guided sensors in his fingers...
Is Your Exercise Making You Fatter?
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- Category: Health
- Written by Dr.Scott Rosenthal
She was already there when I arrived... huffing and puffing... sporting stretchy black garb while a distressed expression blanketed her face. What was she thinking? Could it be,
“This is wonderful! Who hoo, I love being chained to a treadmill for FIVE hours each week!!” I don’t think so. Her body language spoke more of the desperation displayed by Superman, outstretched arms, tightly clawed hands, scrambling feet, as he crept toward safety when in the proximity of kryptonite. After I had finished my routine at the gym, I was on my way out when I saw her STILL trucking away on the treadmill. Now, sweatier and obviously exhausted, she slapped her feet on the spinning belt to nowhere with a disheartening beat - the rhythm of an army drum calling for retreat. Sound like a familiar scenario?
