Downtown Homestead

Saving seeds doesn’t have to be a frightening task and can even be absolutely easy, according to Fred Bove of the San Francisco Permaculture Guild . Instead of waiting for the last riffraff plants to flower, he instructs to look for the biggest, most colorful specimens that were among the first few plants to become ripe. He urges to resist harvesting the first beautiful flower, vegetable or herb of any one planting, and allow full maturity. “You want to save the best characteristics (of any plant) and pass them on,” explained Bove. Depending on the plant, you may want to select for size, flavor or how quickly it takes for the crop to reach maturity. “That way, you’re promoting the desired characteristics in the next generation of seeds.” The next important challenging task is identifying a seed that’s ready for saving. There are different ways to save seeds, depending on the variety. Plants in the apiaceae family, which includes parsley, fennel and cilantro, will bloom and form umbr...

You might live in a townhouse with a postage stamp-sized yard. Perhaps you live in an apartment building without a balcony or access to green space. Perhaps you have a large yard, but it is completely shaded by large trees, or the soil in your yard is not hospitable to growing edible plants such as tomatoes, herbs and peppers. If this is the case, a community garden plot may be just the solution. Advantages of Community Gardening Good Soil and Sun Exposure Community gardening allows individuals and families to cultivate plants and grow food when otherwise they may not be able to due to conditions at their own home. Many community gardens are located in areas with mostly sunny exposure, perfect for growing vegetables and many varieties of perennial and annual flowers. Tools and Storage are Shared Many community gardens are equipped with garden tools such as shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, buckets and watering cans, all of which are available for members of the garden to use. Member g...

Teach Kids to Grow Vegetables and Herbs Without Chemicals Composting You can start an organic garden with your child any time of year by composting . Playing in the dirt is elementally satisfying to children, so give them children’s garden tools to help you hack away at your mound, introducing oxygen and hastening the breakdown of your scraps. If you live in an apartment, consider a small vermiculture station in the kitchen where red wiggler worms turn vegetable scraps into rich garden soil. Red worms appreciate paper bedding, so the child can shred old homework and tests to get the bin started.     Seed Starting The smallest toddler can get in on the gardening game when you start a flat of vegetable seeds at home . If a child is dexterous enough to pick up oat cereal circles, he can grasp a bean and drop it into the soil. Arm your child with a watering can whose rose delivers a very fine spray, so he doesn’t dislodge the seeds with his exuberance. Deter damping off ...