This book certainly reminds us of long forgotten ways that were daily practices from the rapidly fading past. We can, however, remember a few frugal souls who actually practiced this way and we now have a towering pecan tree and fruitful peach tree in the neighborhood as a testimony!

It's a great way to save money and is a fascinating read for all gardeners.

Magic and wonder hide in unexpected places — a leftover piece of ginger, a wrinkled potato left too long in its bag, a humdrum kitchen spice rack. In Don't Throw It, Grow It! Deborah Peterson reveals the hidden possibilities in everyday foods.

Peterson, former president of the American Pit Gardening Society, shows how common kitchen staples — pits, nuts, beans, seeds, and tubers — can be coaxed into lush, vibrant houseplants that are as attractive as they are fascinating. With Peterson's help, a sweet potato turns into a blooming vine; chickpeas transform into cheery hanging baskets; the humble beet becomes a dramatic centerpiece; and gingerroot grows into a 3-foot, bamboo-like stalk. In some cases the transformation can happen overnight!

Don't Throw It, Grow It! offers growing instructions for over 50 plants in four broad categories — kitchen vegetables; fruits and nuts; herbs and spices; and more exotic plants from ethnic markets. The book is enhanced with beautiful illustrations, and its at-a-glance format makes it a quick and easy reference. Best of all, every featured plant can be grown in a kitchen, making this handy guide a must-have for avid gardeners and apartment-dwellers alike. Don't Throw It, Grow It! will appeal both to committed recyclers and to anyone who wants to find magic in the mundane — from parents and teachers looking to instill a sense of wonder in children, to the houseplant enthusiast seeking to create a one-of-a-kind Eden right in her kitchen.

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Comment in the form below to enter -- if you have tried to start anything interesting from seed or tuber, tell us about it! If you repost this giveaway via twitter or facebook or write about it on your blog - or anywhere online - you may add an additional comment(or comments) for each time you shared the link (just make sure to share the url address in the comments' box).

This giveaway will end on 01/01/2012 at 12 PM PST. Open to all persons in the United States of America, even contributing authors of this blog.

IMPORTANT: Sometimes entries will accidentally go to the Spam folder. However, I do go through the spam and all relevant entries will be approved so your entries will be counted!

Winners will be chosen by random.org and will be e-mailed. The winner has 48 hrs. to respond to e-mail or another winner will be chosen. Winners will be announced via a blog post.

DON'T WANT TO WAIT AND WIN?

Support our work and use this amazon affiliate link to purchase -- thanks!

For us city dwellers who don't have the opportunity to access untreated water straight from the source,  there is often a concern about what is in our water and how it affects our gardens.  Sometimes, it's easier saner to not think about it at all.  For the facets in our homes, we can add all the fancy filters on the market or use specialize drinking pitchers that filter our water, but when it comes to what goes into our soil -- what options are there?

Organic farmers and gardeners have known for years that a very effective and safe way to protect their plants and the environment from insects, disease, and pests is through the use of beneficial bacteria.  The healthier a plant is, the more likely it is to resist pests and disease. However, highly chlorinated water can kill microorganisms that are there to protect the plant from the onslaught of problems.

Until today, most home gardeners had no choice but to use municipal water in growing their plants or employ time consuming methods to evaporate the chlorine.

The Rainshow'r® Gard'n Gro™ Filter System is a completely non-toxic de-chlorinator that promotes healthy plant nutrition and growth in your garden by eliminating the harsh toxic effects of chlorinated water while returning the natural balance to your soil, compost, or mulch. By simply adding this small inline filter to your hose spigot can remove at least 85% of the chlorine in water.

BENEFITS OF THE GARD'N GRO HOSE FILTER:

* Enhances the effectiveness of the non-chemical pest control methods.
* Protects ladybugs, lacewings, and beneficial nematodes.
* Features replaceable cartridge filters.
* Prevents hose wear with a specially designed, shock absorbing hose saver.
* The Rainshow'r Gard'n Gro is completely non-toxic.
* The Rainshow'r Gard'n Gro will process a minimum of 20,000 gallons of water.
* The Gard'n Gro effectively removes over 85% of the chlorine from garden hose water.

The Gard’n Gro converts free chlorine to a harmless chloride. Its unique "redox" media of copper and zinc works on the principle of electrochemical oxidation reduction. The Rainshow’’r Gard’n Gro is completely non-toxic. The redox media will remain effective for hundreds of usages. The Gard’n Gro will process a minimum of 20,000 gallons of water which can be more than doubled by following simple maintenance instructions.

The Gard’n Gro is also a healthy alternative for bathing your pets, whose coats can become brittle and their skin dry and flaky when exposed to chlorine! Automobile enthusiasts will find their carnuba wax jobs last far longer when cars are washed with water that has had the chlorine removed. Cartridges should be replaced each growing season, or if indicated by a chlorine test (Cartridges run about $36 from AllFilters.com). Comes with 36" custom hose saver.

SOME FAQs FROM THE MANUFACTURER:

Why should I remove chlorine from my garden?

Chlorine is designed to kill living organisms such as fungi and bacteria that can contaminate your water source. It does such a great job of killing these organisms that it can be harmful to your plants, because your plants rely on some of the fungi and bacteria to survive.

Every plant's survival is based on the nutrients it receives from its water and soil. A healthy soil is made up of beneficial bacteria, molds and various forms of fungi (the very things that chlorine was designed to kill). Organic farmers and gardeners have known for years that the safest way to protect their plants and the environment from insects, disease, and pests is through the use of beneficial bacteria. Highly chlorinated water can kill microorganisms in the soil that are there to protect the plant and its food source. As a rule, commercial farmers and horticulturists do not use chlorinated municipal city water to irrigate their crops.

How can I get chlorine out of my gardening water?

Until today most home gardeners had no choice but to use municipal water in growing their plants. Rainshow'r has changed all that with the development of the Gard'n Gro Garden Dechlorinator. Now it is possible for home gardeners to steer away from chlorinated water and move toward a cleaner, healthier choice with the Rainshow'r Gard'n Gro Garden Dechlorinator.

How does the Gard'n Gro remove chlorine?

The Gard'n Gro converts free chlorine to a harmless chloride. Its unique "redox" media of copper and zinc works on the principle of electrochemical oxidation reduction. The Rainshow'r Gard'n Gro is completely non-toxic. The "redox" media will remain effective for hundreds of usages. The Rainshow'r Gard'n Gro will process a minimum of 20,000 gallons of water which can be more than doubled by following simple maintenance instructions. The Gard'n Gro effectively removes over 85% of the chlorine from garden hose water.

Are there other uses for my Gard'n Gro?

The Gard'n Gro is also a healthy alternative for bathing your pets, whose coats can become brittle and their skin dry and flaky when exposed to chlorine. Automobile ennthusiasts will find their carnuba wax jobs last far longer when cars are washed with dechlorinated water. The Gard'n Gro is specially designed for the garden, not as a drinking water filter. Its filtration media effectively removes choline from your garden water, but it is not designed to remove particulate matter or other water contaminants. The Rainshow'r Gard'n Gro is proudly offered by the designers of the Rainshow'r line of chlorine removing shower filters.

OUR REVIEW:

At the Urban Homestead model, we put these chlorine filters to the test.   The first issue we found out was that older homes with ancient plumbing, like ours,  may experience pressure problems.  Of course this isn't due to any fault of the product's but it needs to be mentioned in case you have low water pressure at your home as well. Anyhow, if you're not expecting "fire-house" type pressure, it really shouldn't affect anything.

The Gard'n Gro Filter has a well-made appearance and feels very solid and heavy. On the Urban Homestead model, tools are put through the harsh test of everyday use. And with our lack of space, equipment and tools are sometimes left out in the elements. It can get messy around here and chaotic -- tools fall, are stepped on, or just neglected of care. The Gard'n Gro Filter held up well to our abuse -- and that's saying ALOT!

Unfortunately, we don't have any documentation on the performance of plants being watered with de-chlorinated water or vice versa. I would need to set up a test plot somewhere to do research. With a tiny garden that needs to provide at peak level for our subsistence living, we can't really set up trial areas for research and education. Whether or not using de-chlorinated water helps for a record harvest, I couldn't say for certain.

We also used the Gard'n Gro Filter for the Aqua-phonics Fish Water and the animals (goats) seemed to like the filtered water better. All in all, we definitely recommend the Gard'n Gro Filter for any Urban Homestead project or home garden.

To purchase a filter, please visit: http://www.allfilters.com/gardenfilters/waterfilters/rainshower-garden-gro

You do need to replace the cartridges each growing season (approx. 20,000 gallons). These run about $36.00 (http://www.allfilters.com/gardenfilters/replacementfilters/garden-gro-replacement)

Want to win one? Enter our GIVEAWAY sponsored by AllFilters.com!

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Have you ever used a Dechlorinator? If you have, what is your experience with it? Leave a comment below!

This giveaway will end on 9/15/2011 at 12 PM PST. Open to all persons in the US and Canada, even contributing authors of this blog. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON! Winners will be selected by random.org.

IMPORTANT: If you don’t see your answer right away, please do not enter a second time. Sometimes entries will accidentally go to the Spam folder. However, I do go through the spam and all relevant entries will be approved so your entry will be counted!

Even if you don't win be sure to check out AllFilters.com for all your water filter needs (for home, personal use or garden!)

After planting over 60 tomatoes, I was on the verge of loosing every single one of them to blight. I searched online for organic home remedies and found some, such as epsom salt dissolved in water. Unfortunately, I did not find that this particular solution made any noticeable difference to my plants.

Fermented foods are incredibly good for us. They provide loads of good bacteria to help fight and overpopulate the bad. It makes sense to reason then that fermented formulas would help us fight microbial pests in the garden too. After all, the soil could be likened to the human digestive system, with beneficial bacteria working hard to make nutrients available for use while keeping dangerous pathogens in check.

I recalled reading about a fermented garlic and ginger recipe to deal with fungal problems in the garden a long time ago. Since I'm learning to incorporate fermented foods in my diet, it felt appropriate to try this for my tomatoes as well.

The results to date have been amazing. My tomato plants are looking incredible and the tomatoes themselves are ripening quickly without any signs of being infected. I have been spraying this solution weekly to continue to keep the tomato plants healthy and to harvest what tomatoes remain on the plants.

What follows is the protocol and recipe I used:

Fermented Ginger & Garlic Spray (makes 2 gallons)

2 small garlic bulbs

2 small ginger roots (equivalent in size to the garlic)

1/2 cup cane sugar (do not use white sugar)

Purified water

2 gallon mason jar with lid

Sprayer

Peel, crush, chop and mince your garlic and place it into your mason jar. Do the same with your ginger. Fill with purified water, leaving one inch of head space. Do not use chlorinated water, as it will inhibit bacterial growth. Place lid on loosely. Let steep at room temper for 24 hours.

Add the cane sugar, stir and set the lid on top of the jar. I used a glass lid, which provides weight, but still allows air to bubble out as it ferments. Place in a warm spot for five days. The solution will turn cloudy when it is ready to use.

Remove all yellow leaves and any leaves touching the fruit on your tomato plants. Remove any additional leaves that may be inhibiting air circulation around your plants. Use a ratio of approximately 1/10 solution to 9/10 water (rain barrel water preferably). Spray the plants and fruit thoroughly. I continued to spray everything in my garden - except my lettuce - with this solution. Store leftover solution in a cold cellar or fridge until you need it again. When you're down to one batch left, start another jar fermenting.

Note: When I started experimenting with this solution, my aim was to save what was left of my harvest, and so I snapped off all new growth on my plants. I do not know if this solution would have allowed me to continue developing new fruit or not.

1. Choose the right herbs

Like people, some herbs thrive indoors while others prefer the outdoor life. Indoor lovers include winter savory, chives and horehound; sensitive rosemary and basil may want to spend the winter indoors too. Herbs such as fennel, horseradish and lovage are best kept outdoors.
You will also want to opt for herbs that don’t grow too bushy or you may find your kitchen becoming overwhelmed with foliage.

2. Provide plenty of light

If you have a south or south-easterly facing window, this is usually the best spot for indoor herbs (if you live in the northern hemisphere). Wherever you decide to keep them, you should ensure that they get at least six hours of sunlight a day (ideally eight or more).
If this is impossible in your home, supplement your lighting with specialized grow lights or fluorescent bulbs placed about four inches above the plants. These should be kept on for about ten hours a day.
If your plants are shedding leaves, producing pale leaves or growing ‘leggy’, this is a sign that they need more light.
If you don’t like to clutter your windowsill, placing your potted herbs on a utility rolling kitchen carts on wheels, and then roll them to the window or patio door for sunlight, during the winter months.

3. Avoid garden soil

Garden soil is highly likely to contain diseases, pest eggs and weed seeds, as well as providing poor draining. Plant your herbs in about two to three inches of soil-less potting mix and then add more potting mix up to an inch from the top of the container.

4. Water sparingly but keep humid

There are no hard or fast rules about watering since some herbs (e.g. mint) require more water than others. A general guideline is to water sparingly while keeping the air humid (especially in the winter). Herbs do not like water-logged soil but dry air is a problem too. Try placing containers in a tray of pebbles so that excess water can evaporate and moisten the air around the plants.

5. Choose a food-safe fertilizer

Small containers dry out quickly, so monthly nutrient supplementation is very important to keep your herbs healthy. Ensure you choose a food that is recommended for edible plants as you don’t want to be poisoning your family members and dinner guests!

6. Pick regularly

The great thing about growing indoor herbs is that they need to be picked regularly to ensure the plants grow big and bushy – so don’t hold back. Having said that, never trim more than a third of the foliage at a time and wait until growth is established before taking your first leaves.

7. Beware winter bugs

Although herbs benefit from being protected from the winter cold, the downside is that pests’ eggs do too. Keep a look out for pests on the underside of leaves and treat according to your usual method, making sure any chemicals are suitable for edible plants.

8. Organize your herbs

As you gain in experience you will inevitably learn more about your plants, for example which herbs prefer most light. Make use of this knowledge by arranging your herbs so that they receive optimal conditions. You will soon be amazed at your newfound gardening expertise.

These how-to tips when followed will ensure an abundant supply of fresh herbs during those cold winter months. Can’t you see yourself snipping off some fresh rosemary, or sage for your turkey! Go ahead and start planning your indoor herb garden

Raspberries from our fruit sharing neighbour.

Fruit sharing creates a wonderful, mutually beneficial relationship. Many older properties come with mature fruit trees and raspberry patches. Elderly folks who own these older properties cannot climb the ladders to pick the apples, or bend over to clean the ground up when they fall. I think that while most do not want to see the trees go, they can no longer keep up with the work either. I know of many such properties where fruit trees or shrubs have been removed for this very reason. It is such a shame, especially when there are people out there who would love to have access to such fruit and would be glad to help out maintaining the trees or shrubs in exchange. The key is linking these two groups up.

Fruit sharing organizations are popping up around North America, and I encourage you to look for one in your location if this interests you. Barring an official organization, put the word out with different community organizations or church groups, put up notices on local bulletins or newspapers or just get to know your neighbours and ask them. The neighbour where we get our raspberries is delighted that my son and I come to pick. He is just so happy to see the patch remain and to see the fruit get utilized that he wants nothing in exchange!

And then, there is my back alley and the vacant lot next to us. It is full of weeds - or wild plants - depending on your perspective. I see no out of control pests devouring holes in leaves, no eggs on their undersides, no diseased parts (although I'm sure it's there to a degree). It seems peaceful compared to my growing plot. Here grows dandelions, and over there you'll find wild chamomile. There is also plantain, multiple varieties of clover and countless other plants crowded together in bunches, each doing its own thing without help from anyone and thriving.

The ground isn't much different on either side of the fence. In fact, I would argue that the soil in my garden is better. And yet, how is it that the wild plants seem to be growing so well with no care at all? It is a curious thought, isn't it? I have a feeling that the answer lies in one word: adaptation. It is the difference between wild plants and cultivated ones. Unless we are saving our own, the seeds we are using have likely come from another environment, different soil, and quite possibly, pampered greenhouse conditions. Compare that to the wild plant: it reseeds itself in the vicinity it has adapted to survive in. Wild plants have developed characteristics and properties that enable them to survive in less than ideal soil, in extreme weather conditions and against all other manner of pests and diseases.

I think back to my garden: it requires a lot of intervention. If I do not water it, thin it, weed it, debug it, cover it or use homemade concoctions, I'm not sure how much produce I would have to harvest at the end of the season. It is a lot of work.

This rant is likely just the result of a seriously exhausted gardener looking for ways to make growing food easier. But, could it also be that our produce seeds need some toughening up? I think the answer is YES!, and it provides a good case for saving one's own. Seeds that survive under minimal attention, that thrive despite local pests and diseases are really what we need more of, especially as weather conditions become more unpredictable.

I don't mean to underestimate the work that seed savers do, nor do I mean to oversimplify this topic. I am new at saving seeds myself. However, after several years on the front line, I'm feeling slightly desperate to see gardening become less of a challenge. There are many ways, I'm sure, but my thoughts lately have been on the seeds themselves. Experience makes us as humans stronger, but how do the characteristics of plants evolve if we continually purchase new seeds from far away places? Our garden produce is not given the opportunity to adapt to and eventually thrive in adverse, local conditions. Perhaps my own solution is to start learning about old fashioned trait selection and seed saving with the hope of creating hardier varieties of garden seed rather than trying to make seeds imported from a completely different environment work.

Pineapple Weed

The flowers of this plant are tiny, yellow-ish-green disks that lack any white, ray petals. When crushed, pineapple weed smells strongly of pineapple. This variety is also referred to as wild chamomile or disk mayweed. You will find this growing in rocky, gravelly or disturbed soil and it is native to North America. I have found that extract of pineapple weed works to repel cutworms.

Scentless Chamomile

This plant has small daisy-like heads, which are found singly at the ends of branches. Each head has tiny yellow disk flowers in the center surrounded by flat, white ray florets. Scentless chamomile is often confused with ox-eye daisy or stinking mayweed, however, both have an unpleasant odor, where as scentless chamomile has none. Scentless chamomile was brought over as a garden flower from Europe during the 1930s. I have found scentless chamomile growing in amongst other prairie flowers, and not necessarily in rocky soil.

Chamomile

Chamomile, also know as German chamomile, is what I have seeded in my garden. The other two varieties are considered noxious weeds. The name chamomile is of Greek origin and the word means 'earth apple' because of its apple-like scent. Chamomile flowers take the shape of a badminton shuttlecock, with the petals pointing downwards.

There are other varieties of chamomile not mentioned here, including a yellow chamomile found in the Mediterranean and western Asia that is quite pretty. As far as I know, all of the above varieties of chamomile are edible - I have consumed two out of three so far with no ill effects. Happy gathering!

Sources:
Prairie Beauty, by Neil L Jennings

Weeds of the Prairies, Olds College Alberta

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex871

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamomile

FindTheData recently completed a crop comparison tool offering insight into the crops of American agriculture. This tool utilizes the most recent USDA Census and allows viewers to compare and contrast different crops based on several factors (commodity, harvested, production, yield, etc).

Whether you’re looking to grow something new, or are simply interested in American agriculture, the comparison is fun to play around with and can be modified by any user. This is a call to action for all farmers (and gardeners) to add any information and help your fellow eco-pioneer!

One trait plants and people have in common is they prefer to be in a clean state rather than constantly covered in filth. The reason for this is twofold:

• Like humans, plants enjoy and need light. Though the necessary levels vary per plant natural sun light is essential for carrying out the process of photosynthesis which turns carbon dioxide in the air into organic compounds such as sugars. However, when plants are dirty they absorb less light which slows photosynthesis weakening them.

• Also, like humans plants breathe. However, they do it through pores called stoma which are vital plant organs used in photosynthesis and for releasing oxygen and vapor. When stomatic regions are blocked with dust plants don’t breathe as well and can become sickly.

That said, it should be noted outdoor plants often have an easier time dealing with the dirt factor than their indoor cousins.

The reason is that outside foliage relies on rain, mist, wind and other naturally occurring elements to give them a wash. Indoor plants, on the other hand, are dependent on the interior gardeners they live with.

If that happens to be you here’s a few things you should know about plant cleaning.

Cleaning indoor plants

One of the first things to do when it comes to cleaning plants is remove any decay or dead leaves. This will allow the plant to refocus all its efforts on the living sections.

Next, research the types of plants you have and how much water they can handle. For example, cacti and succulents don’t like a lot of water and would prefer a gentle cleaning with a soft, possibly moist brush.

For all others, take them one by one to the bath tub placing each on an elevated surface so they don’t drown. Then, to prevent soil from spilling out of the pot when water streams down cover the area around the plant trunk with plastic or other material. Make sure to put a strainer in the drain so any debris that isn’t caught doesn’t clog the pipes.

At some point you may be tempted into using products that claim to give plants a better shine, especially when cleaning leaves. Don’t give in, as it’s best to stick to lukewarm or room temperature water applying it with a gentle shower spray.

In some cases leaves of big plants may need to be wiped with a soft moist cloth, however, be careful not to hurt the leaves which may snap or rip when rubbed too aggressively.

Furthermore, if you’ve already done a cleaning and are wondering when to do it again realize everyone’s situation is different.

Various factors such as region, the amount of filth in the air, and section of the home they live in all play a part in the schedule.

Nevertheless, cleaning them more often can elicit a more robust plant.

The benefits of clean plants

Finally, know that cleaning your plants has its benefits such as less dust mites and bugs or other kinds of pests that may cause allergies or respiratory conditions around the house.

Also, don’t forget plants are known to purify indoor air yet when they are dirty this function is compromised.

Air purifying will be optimal when plants are in their cleanest state, which means when they breathe better so do you.