by Jonathan Yaakobi

Is it possible to find a plant that is at once decorative, aromatic, flavorsome and useful as a pest-control agent? Too good to be true? If you have a herb garden or are thinking of creating one, consider planting Artemisia arborescens, as it possesses all those properties just mentioned. You may not have the perfect spouse, but at least there is such a thing as the perfect plant for a herb garden!
Artemisia is a large genus from the sage family, containing many species, including the herb Tarragon. (Artemisia dracunulus) Artemisia arborescens originates from the Mediterranean. Growing to about 1 meter, (3 ft) its foliage is a bright silvery-grey, with interesting, delicate and finely cut leaf patterns. Design-wise, it is highly suited to a dry climate garden, combining beautifully in terms of texture with delicate-leaved plants like Chrysanthemum frutescens. In terms of color, it blends well with the blues, lilacs and pinks of such plants as Lavender, Dianthus, (perennial carnations) and many species of sage.

A silvery plant of course, always functions as an accent amongst the mass of green foliage in a border. Moreover, in a herb garden, the Artemisia leaves contrast dramatically with the purple leaves of some varieties of Basil and the dark or variegated foliage of some sages.

While A. arborescens is well known for its aromatic qualities, not everyone is familiar with its herbal uses. Its leaves are excellent in tea, but ought to be removed shortly after immersion to avoid the tea becoming too bitter. The oils contained in the plant are thought to have anti-viral properties and are the subject of much scientific/medical research.

Some species of Artemisia are considered to depress the growth of neighboring plants. Having grown A. arborescens for years in gardens in Israel, I have no reason to believe that this is the case with this particular species. On the contrary; there seems to be an absence of pests wherever it grows. It is highly likely therefore that the Artemisia repels insects to a considerable degree. The one interesting exception is during the spring when the tips of its stems tend to be smothered in black aphids, while all the remaining garden species in the vicinity remain virtually untouched. Very possibly it functions as a decoy plant. The aphids cause minimal damage to the Artemisia and can be easily removed by clipping the affected parts. In any case, spring is a good time for pruning Artemisia plants. It keeps their growth dense and compact. In time, a plant can be limbed up into a mini tree, rather like Rosemary bushes.

Vegetable gardening has lately become just as popular as taking a walk to the grocery store for your veggies. Vegetable gardening can produce a vegetable that are most of the times cheaper than when purchased in a grocery store, and veggies from a home vegetable garden are without a doubt of better flavor. Vegetable gardening is the same as farming herbs or Roses and if the correct steps are taken and the young vegetables are given the right care they’ll flourish and develop into very tasty veggies.The First thing you will have to make up your mind how much space you are willing to utilize for your vegetable garden and then pick a spot in your backyard, someplace that has a good drainage, good air flow, and good deep soil.

Since vegetable gardens have a lot delightful advantages, a lot of creatures, such as birds, rabbits, insects and a lot of others will take a chance to eat some of your veggies. The method to prevent this is to build a fence around your garden, or put out a trap to snatch the mice, insects and other creatures.Ahead of planting, “remember” the ground must be properly prepared. Good soil for vegetable gardening is achieved by cultivation and the employment of organic fertilizer. The soil must be tilled to control weeds and mix mulch in the soil. Whenever you have a little garden, spading could be a more effective bet than tilling (plowing).

Mulching is also a essential part of soil prep. Organic material added to the soil releases nitrogen, minerals, and extra nutrients plants need to flourish. The most basic and most effectual sort of mulch you should use is compost. Although the type and quantity of plant food used depends on the soil and the kinds of plants, there are a some plants that have particular wants; leafy plants, like cabbage, spinach, and lettuce typically grow stronger with lots of nitrogen, when root crops like potatoes, beets, and carrots need more potassium hydroxide. Tomatoes and beans are used to a lesser extent of the plant food, when plants like onions, celery, and potatoes need a larger quantity.

The one thing that’s vitally important in vegetable gardening is how the yard is ordered, there’s not a single vegetable that will grow in all gardens due to variable circumstances. One of the best ways to arrange a vegetable garden is to plant veggies demanding only limited distance together, like radishes, beets, and spinach, and those that need a lot of space together, such as maize, pumpkins, and potatoes. Try and plant big growing plants toward the rear of the vegetable garden and the smaller ones up front so that their sunlight does not get blocked.

When you’re finally done to begin setting up your vegetable garden, make certain to plant at the right season. If you are anxious to get an earlier start, you may need to start your veggie garden indoors in a hotbed and then transfer when the weather permits it. After you are finished with planting, make certain your veggies get the proper amount of water, which hinges up on the kind of plant or veggie.

Vegetable gardening is for many people a favorite sort of gardening because you can really taste the fruits of your work. Vegetable gardening isn’t that pricey to begin and the taste of home grown veggies by all odds defeat the supermarket veggies.

By Ryan Ginster

Many people are into vegetable gardening nowadays, and they are even getting their supply of vegetables from their gardens. Of course, this makes the vegetables much cheaper, and in addition the vegetables taste much better too. Actually, vegetable gardening is quite similar to gardening for shrubs and herbs. With just a little care, these plants can produce excellent vegetables for consumption.

The size of the garden needs to be decided beforehand. Select a place where the drainage is good, there is good supply of air and healthy soil. Sunlight is most important. One more thing to do is to fence your garden, because there will be several animals trying to get a bite or more at your vegetables. For mice, moles and other rodents, you will need to use a trap somewhere in the garden.

You will have to prepare the soil before planting the vegetables. Organic fertilizers are good for vegetable gardening. You will also need to plow the soil to eradicate weeds and to add mulch to the soil. Use hoeing if necessary to remove the weeds. When you add organic fertilizers, the soil gets all the nutrients including nitrogen. Compost is the best organic fertilizer. Use the optimum amount depending on the type of soil you have and the kinds of plants you are planning to grow in the garden. There are some vegetables that need more nitrogen, such as the green leafy vegetables spinach, lettuce and cabbage. Plants like potatoes, beetroots, turnips and carrots will want more potash quantities in the soil. Celery, potatoes and onion require profuse amounts of fertilizers, but beans and tomatoes can do with fewer amounts.

The way in which you arrange your vegetable garden is very important to its success. No one can lay out a uniform plan for you, since there are so many different kinds of vegetables that people grow. You will do well to closely grow plants such as beetroots, lettuce, radish and spinach because they do not require much space to grow. But corn, potatoes and pumpkins require more room. Grow the plants that do not require much space together and those that require much space together. If possible, grow the plants that can become taller at the end of your garden, and the shorter plants out in the front. This helps in better distribution of sunlight.

You must also take care that you begin planting your vegetables at the right time of the year. You can grow sooner if you want, but you must grow them in a hothouse and then transfer them to the garden when the season approaches. After the planting is done, irrigate the garden thoroughly, depending on the requirements of the plants you are going to introduce into the garden.

Weeds are quite unwelcome in every vegetable garden because they compete with the plants for sunlight, food and water. They can also introduce diseases. Proper cultivation methods and even using mulch can destroy these weeds. You can also try buying disease-resistant plants. This will permanently keep the weeds away, and even if they come up, they will not be able to drastically affect the plants.

Gardeners always have a soft spot for vegetable gardening, because it allows people to actually sit down and enjoy what they have grown. This type of gardening is also quite economical. The vegetables you get will be certainly several times better than those available in the market. Take the right kind of care, and you will get to taste the actual fruits and vegetables of your labor.