Friday, May 20, 2011

7 Tips To A Successful Garden

A beautiful garden is one of the most sort after additions to any home. A beautiful garden takes many hours of dedication and hard work but can be achieved by not only gardening experts but beginners as well. One of the most important gardening tips for any avid gardener is to have good gardening advice. Below are some basic gardening tips to get you started on creating your dream garden.
Gardening Tip 1. Consider your plants health as well as your own. Ensure you keep yourself well hydrated whilst gardening. As most gardening is done in the sun, involves physical labour and is very engrossing, it is easy to work away for hours on end without noticing the time flying by. Keep drinking lots of fluids and make sure you are wearing adequate sun cream and a hat. Your garden will only suffer if you are in bed for a few days with dehydration or sun stroke. Remember, skin cancer is still one of the top killers so dress appropriately.
Gardening Tip 2. Design your garden before you start digging. Your time and energy is precious so don't start digging holes and planting plants without having a garden design first. You may choose to employ a professional garden designer or you may just want to draw your desired garden on a piece of paper yourself, depending on your budget. Either way if you have a plan of what you are doing and what you want to plant where, you will save yourself many back breaking hours digging and planting unnecessarily.
Gardening Tip 3. Make a list of the tools and materials you will need. After creating your garden design, list the tools and materials that are required to create your masterpiece. You may need specialist equipment like heavy earth moving machinery that needs to be hired and booked in advance or you may wish to plant exotic plants that need to be ordered and grown specially. You don't want to get half way through your project only to find you cannot get a piece of equipment on hire for 2 weeks. When this happens it is very frustrating and can sometimes hold up the entire job.
Gardening Tip 4. Plan your gardening activities with small tasks and regular breaks.
You will no doubt be full of enthusiasm and excitement about your new gardening project but do not over do it. Gardening is an extremely good method of exercise and is good for your health as you are outside in the sun and fresh air. Make sure you break your activities into small achievable tasks and take breaks in between those activities. This way you will not burn yourself out and your gardening will be more enjoyable.
Gardening Tip 5. Use the correct gardening tools for the job. Some gardening tools are designed for specific tasks and can save the gardener a great deal of time. If you need to purchase gardening tools you can compare prices and makes quickly and easily over the internet. If possible purchase tools with long rubber handles as they are easier on your muscles and joints as they are less prone to jarring.
Gardening Tip 6. Consider the maintenance requirements of your garden. Before creating your garden you need to decide how much time you want to spend in the future maintaining it. If you want an easy maintainable garden you should investigate ideas like weed suppression methods in your flower beds. This can be achieved by using a special mesh that allows water and moisture to permeate through but doesn't allow plants (primarily weeds) to grow through. Bark mulch is another good method of weed suppression and gives your flower beds a professional and natural look.
Gardening Tip 7. Choose the correct plants for your gardens location. Some plants are very choosey about where they live. Some like hot weather and lots of sunshine, whilst other plants prefer a cool, shaded and moist environment. Before purchasing your garden plants do some research on whether those plants or plant types will grow in the location in which you are going to plant them. If the plant does not like where it is planted it will be stunted in height and of poor appearance and in the worst case will die. Probably not the look you are after.
Gardens can become the show piece and social gathering point of many homes and communities. No matter where you live or what type of garden plants you like with some basic planning and design you can create a wonderful garden that you and your family and friends can enjoy for many years to come. The most important thing about creating your garden is that you enjoy yourself whilst doing it.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables

There is no doubt that adding vegetables to your diet at any stage of life can improve your health. Often, people being treated for diseases such as cancer are advised to increase their intake of vegetables to help give their bodies the boost it needs. Here is a list of ten vegetables that are great choices to add to your diet that will improve your health.
1/ Collard Greens
Widely consumed in the Southern US for many years, this leafy green vegetable packs a lot of nutrient value. Collard Greens have high levels of calcium, Vitamin E, and beta-carotene. In addition to these nutrients, it also boasts high selenium content. Collard greens can be had throughout the year but most consider them to be best between January to April.
collard2 The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
2/ Sweet Potatoes
The anti-oxidant properties of sweet potatoes can help to rid the body of free radicals linked to many chronic illnesses including diabetes and colon cancer. They are also thought to be able to lessen the effects of asthma and arthritis due to their anti-inflammatory tendencies. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of iron, calcium and fiber, and best of all they can be used in a number of recipes.
sweet potato The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
3/ Broccoli
Like so many vegetables out there, this one is also great protecting your body from the ravishes of cancer. They are attractive enough to enhance any dish but their uses go far beyond aesthetics. With high folic acid levels, it is useful in preventing birth defects. In addition it is great for getting enough calcium and vitamin C in your diet.
broccoli The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
4/ Onions
This unassuming bulb actually offers more health benefits than you may think. They help to lower blood sugar levels in addition to promoting good cardiovascular health. It has been proven that adding onions to your diet can reduce your risk of developing certain cancers and contribute to gastrointestinal health.
onions The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
5/ Carrots
Ask anyone to name a vegetable, and most of them will say ‘carrot’ right off the bat. There’s a reason why this vegetable is so popular. Apart from being one of the most commonly used, it is the best source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. They are also known to help strengthen the vision, in particular night vision. Carrots can also be used to regulate blood sugar levels and are good for the health of the colon.
carrot The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
6/ Spinach
While most people make a face at the thought of eating this vegetable, but spinach actually protects us from a number of illnesses like arthritis, heart disease and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that spinach contains a minimum of 13 flavonoid compounds. Serious illnesses like ovarian and prostate cancer can also be helped by consumption of spinach.
spinach The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
7/ Kale
This vegetable has a multitude of benefits for the body. Like every other vegetable it contains important vitamins, but has more dietary value per calorie than most vegetables. Kale is known for its detoxing ability, as well as its proven capacity for reducing the risk of cancer, especially of the ovaries. Consuming adequate amounts of this vegetable can also help to keep lungs healthy. Maybe the best thing about kale is that it can easily be grown in home gardens.
kale The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
8/ Eggplant
Studies have indicated that eggplant may have a protective effect on the brain. The fact that they are low in calories makes it a popular food among dieters and health conscious individuals. This vegetable has high levels of copper, potassium and fiber. Eggplants positive effect on cardiovascular health is well documented.
eggplant The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
9/ Cucumbers
Widely acknowledged for its soothing effect on the skin, cucumber is popular not only for eating but skincare products. It has a positive overall effect on the body, including the ligaments, bones and muscles, and is also essential for a healthy complexion due to its hydrating properties. Cucumbers are able to help lower blood pressure if consumed in sufficient quantities.
cucumber The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
10/ Asparagus
Aside from promoting healthy skin, asparagus also contains fiber and vitamin B6. It is a good food for pregnant women to consume due its high levels of folate, which also promotes heart health. Another advantage is that it is low in sodium, but contains potassium, and helps to maintain a healthy large intestine.
asparagus The Top Ten Healthiest Vegetables
As outlined, it is difficult to put one vegetable ahead of another because of the similarities in nutritional content. Most would agree however that to improve or to maintain health, these vegetables should be consumed regularly as a part of a healthy diet. If you’re not a huge fane of vegetables, health conscious adults enjoy the wide variety of MonaVie antioxidants