#Especially since it's not all black and white : agriculture eats up A LOT of space sometimes more than raising animals

[sparklybinder]

When you meet someone nice and realizes just know that they're an extreme vegan that shames people and does not put triggers on animal violence in their stories... Yeah :')

[theexleynatureblog]

Tundra Trouble

A dramatic population increase in “Light Geese” is threatening sensitive tundra habitat.

What are Light Geese?

"Light Geese” are actually three separate species of goose named after their mostly-white plumage. They include...

Ross’s Goose

The Greater Snow Goose

And the Lesser Snow Goose.

The main different between these birds is size (which can overlap) and slight variations in color. If they are this hard to differentiate in photos, imagine how it much be for duck hunters to identify them. Don’t worry! None of these birds are threatened in any way. In fact, the problem is the exact opposite...

Tundra Geese

All three of these species breed and nest in the tundra habitat of North America.

The little spots of red on this map signify where the geese nest in the spring. All three geese nest in the same kind of habitat: Tundra.

Now, let’s talk about Tundra.

Tundra is a kind of biome found in cold climate or very high elevations. It is dominated by mosses, roots, and tubes, all ‘short’ plants without deep roots. This is because of a permanently frozen layer of the soil, known as permafrost.

Plants that live here also have to deal with low precipitation, and a growing season that can lasts between 50 to 60 days, or about 2 months. This makes the biome incredibly fragile. If something were to come along and remove all the plants or disrupt the soil, it could take many years for the foliage to recover, if it does at all. Compare this biome to a place with a longer growing season, like the Midwest United State. All the grasses can be removed by grazing and burning, and within the same season, new seeds can take root, and within a couple of years, the grassland is completely back to normal. This is why oil and mining projects in the artic are a big deal, because the kind of damage we see them cause in relatively robust ecosystems will be so much worse in a tundra.

Tundra’s have relatively low biodiversity - there’s only a handful of species that live there in the productive months, and even less in the winter. However, it is a major producer of birds, especially migratory species. Breeding habitat is critical for every species. Tapering with it can directly alter a population’s ability to replace itself with the next generation. It is far more effective to reduce a population by tapering with habitat than removing individuals through hunting.

Light Geese and the Tundra

Like I said earlier, all three species of ‘light geese’ are not threatened. In fact, their population has boomed significantly. Since the 1970′s, the population of light geese has grown by more than 300 percent, and continues to increase by 5 percent each year. According to an article on Ducks.org, waterfowl managers estimate the total population is up around 17million.

Now, is this actually unnatural based on science? It’s hard to say. We don’t really know if this population number matches historic numbers, because we didn’t really take bird surveys until the late 1900′s. Some bird populations, like the extinct carrier pigeon, was so big they would supposedly black out the sky. Maybe, ecologically, we are suppose to have millions of light geese. But there is one thing we do know: they are over-grazing the tundra.

That little square of green once covered a much larger area. Researchers protected it with nets to keep geese out, and all the red in the picture is bare overgrazed soil. Geese don’t just eat the green, the dig up the roots, preventing new growth. Once an area is grazed up, the flocks move to another green space and repeat the cycle. There is nothing much left in terms of food or habitat for other animals on the tundra.

But how?

Nature has ways of balancing populations with available resources. When resources are used up, populations go down until resources go up again. So how did the light geese population rise to the point of environmental destruction? If you guessed agriculture, you’re right!

The later half of the 1900′s came with a boom of farmer productivity thanks to new machinery and chemicals. It helped support a booming human population, and apparently, geese as well.

Usually, migratory birds loose weight during the migration. They have to depend on their fat storage for through the summer and winter to make the 1,000m+ trips. It serves as an important environmental pressure: only the best equipped birds will survive the trip, and have the opportunity to pass on their genes. Lack of food fuels competition between individuals to establish dominance or territory, and at the same time reduces competition as it weeds out unfit individuals. Take the pressure away, and you are a step closer to the light geese problem. Light geese actually gain weight during their migration thanks to all the food available. By the time they return to their nesting ground, a lot of individuals are healthy enough to breed and rear offspring.

The parental habits of light geese are another piece in the problem puzzle. They all practice lifelong monogamy, and both parents are constantly around to guard the young. The young themselves are precocial, meaning the are fluffy and walking around almost immediately after hatching. They can even feed themselves. The only thing the parents need to do is fight off predators - and geese do this exceptionally well.

There are nest predators, like owls and foxes, but they are only able to take so many. Predation alone never has much of an effect on a population - it has to be coupled with a signifanct habitat factor. For example, if you released a fox into a small pen of 10 geese, the fox would immediately reduce the population in the pen. But, if you released a fox onto a large plot of land full of 100 geese, the single predator would never be able kill all of the geese. This is of course, a small-scale example. 

Another problem is the flocking. Snow geese flocks can easily exceed a hundred individuals. This makes it easy for hunters to shoot a large amount of birds, but the thing is, they have to get the birds within range first. Duck hunters lure flocks over a body of water by setting out wooden decoys. Since birds feel safer in large numbers, they are drawn to the groups of fake birds. This works if you, for example, put out two decoys, and it attracts a lone duck. However, a flock of over a hundred is not going to find any reason to join a fake flock of 2. To decoy for geese, hunters need a lot of decoys, which is more expensive and time consuming.

Geese are also uncannily smart. They live long lives and can remember places where they were shot at, so avoid them in the next years. That means that most geese that end up shot by hunters are the younger, inexperienced ones who do not contribute much to the population anyway.

Solutions

Managers and researchers are currently searching for ways to fight this problem and protect the tundra, while also not totally wiping out light geese populations. One of the most effective ways to reduce the population would be to disrupt the breeding habitat, but that’s option is not likely. Remember: the tundra is a delicate ecosystem. No disturbance could be significant enough to affect the light geese and not effect other species. Targeting food supplies isn’t realistic either - we can’t poison the tundra grasses, and we can’t throw giant nets over crop fields.

The usual solution to overpopulation of a game animal is lessening hunting restrictions. Hunters can take over a hundred geese in a season - if they can get a flock within range. But that leads to another issue - who wants to carry, clean, and process over a hundred birds? Ammunition availability and prices are another concern. 

Another factor that makes any management work in the tundra difficult is accessibility. There are few towns and fewer roads that give people access to nests, so sending in people or dogs to collect/destroy them isn’t always a practical option. Article on possible solutions.

Fish and Wildlife’s suggested lists of actions:

Expanding hunting seasons/limits

Expanding hunting methods (allowing electronic callers).

Far north harvesting.

Egging.

Increase incentive to harvest by award programs, donations, market hunting.

Improve private land access.

Information and education programs.

Bird trapping and culling by wildlife managers.

Refuge management.

Sources

https://www.fws.gov/birds/management/managed-species/light-geese.php#:~:text=Ross's%20geese%2C%20lesser%20snow%20geese,to%20remain%20at%20high%20levels.

https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/tundra.php

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-019-01308-5

https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/management/snow-geese/light-gooseFEIS-QAs.pdf

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-46487-z

https://www.wildfowlmag.com/editorial/whats-the-best-method-to-control-the-snow-goose-population/280168

[timeshuffles]

this blog is like 90% worldbuilding presently and i would apologize for that but i’m not actually sorry so HERE HAVE SOME MORE 

mer folk:

live in large schools in warm, shallow waters. sociable and curious. the most humanlike in nature of the marine peoples

often build sprawling cities along the contours of coral reefs. coral, stone, wood salvaged from shipwrecks, and woven kelp are common building materials. barnacles are encouraged to grow on permanent structures, as they offer an extra layer of durability and protection from the elements.

vast forests of kelp are tended to and carefully farmed; farming communities often weave their homes into the upper reaches of the kelp forests

diet primarily composed of various seaweeds, though dishes composed of plankton are an important staple as well. eating fish, mollusks, and crustaceans is a huge taboo. historically shark meat has been considered a delicacy, but it has since fallen out of fashion as the role of agriculture in mer society grows

most mer speak a common tongue they share with most of the fish / mollusks / crustaceans they share their waters with. this, as you might imagine, is why eating those things is so taboo.

there have been many, many, many dolphin wars. absolutely no love lost between mer folk and the dolphins

mer folk are not sirens, and do not have any common ancestry with sirens, but maintain friendly relationships with them, and mermaids with vocal talent and violent inclinations will sometimes travel to siren colonies to learn the art of hypnotizing human sailors with their voices.

human fishing vessels are a perennial hazard for mer schools, and getting caught in a human net is widely considered a worse fate than death for a mer; there are many, many horror stories about what happens to those who fall into human hands.

on the other hand, mer occasionally join the crews of human pirate ships, a lifestyle that mostly appeals to the young, reckless, adventuresome types. they are typically welcomed for their skill in hunting for treasures in ancient shipwrecks and sabotaging enemy ships from below.

female mer lay eggs, usually just one or two per year. these are then fertilized in extremely private ceremonies by male mer, and hatch after several months into fry about the length of a human forearm. mer folk have absolutely no concept of sex, and are absolutely baffled by human art depicting, for example, mermaids kissing human men.

language composed of clicks and languid, flowing calls that sound very much like music to human ears. they are capable of mastering human speech, though as it is nearly useless underwater they seldom bother to do so.

sirens: 

are not actually one of the marine peoples, but nest along rocky coastlines and coastal cliffs and are often confused with siren-trained mer folk by human sailors (and after all, if a half-human creature is trying to sing you to your watery doom, are you really going to look close enough to see whether she has feathers or fins?)

demonstrate extreme sexual dimorphism, with males being large, flightless, powerful swimmers and females much smaller, more birdlike, and capable of extended flight.

seagulls are extremely popular pets for siren families, and are commonly trained to dive-bomb, scream at, and generally harass human sailors

sirens are opportunistic omnivores who will eat anything. this is the biggest point of friction between mer and siren communities, and in the past has been the catalyst of several wars. (sirens are now obligated by treaty to refrain from hunting in mer territories.)

siren colonies are visible from a great distance on sunny days, as they like to decorate their nests with sea glass, polished shells, and jewelry stolen from their human victims.

form intense pair bonds and mate for life. a mated pair will typically produce 4-6 chicks over the course of their adult lives.

their language is a patchwork of corrupted mer and human tongues, with a collection of whistling calls and chattering sounds woven in. 

selkies: 

selkies are masters of disguise known for their great skill in crafting magical illusions and glamors. they are the elfin kin of ordinary pinnipeds, and will typically shape their true form to match that of their favored type of seal. sea lions and sea leopards are by far the most common, for the lithe frames of the former and terrifying strength of the latter are widely admired attributes. 

unlike other marine peoples, selkies are a shapeshifting rather than chimerical race; they spend most of their time as seals, living fin-to-fin with their nonmagical kin, but sometimes shed their seal skins and take on human forms instead.

a selkie in human form is distinguishable from ordinary humans by their eyes, which are large and black without any white around the iris, their teeth, which are very sharp, and their fingers, which are webbed. they are exquisitely beautiful, but humans unwary enough to be entranced by their beauty quickly learn that the teeth are not for show.

in case i’m not being clear enough: they will eat you. 

their one vulnerability is their sealskin. if it is stolen from them, the thief will have immense power over them—though it is still unwise to do so, for they will never stop searching for it, and vengeance is brutal and swift if they succeed.

on the other hand, humans who do them great favors and approach them with utmost respect can receive great rewards for their troubles, and it is not uncommon for remote fishing villages to intentionally court the favor of the local selkies.

mer folk regard them in much the same way that humans regard the fae—selkies are, after all, the elves of the sea. very, very carnivorous elves.

selkies mate freely both with other selkies and ordinary seals, and there is no cultural distinction between the two pairings; whether the offspring is a seal or a selkie is determined largely by the phases of the moon and the tides at birth.

the offspring of humans and selkies are often sickly and frail, and always cursed with insatiable wanderlust. many drown at a young age, for they are always fascinated with water; those who survive to adulthood almost invariably become sailors.

they speak as seals do, with a barking, guttural sort of language, regardless of whether they are in seal or human form. they readily understand, but seldom choose to speak, human languages.

cecaelia: 

the most reclusive and feared of the marine peoples, cecaelia live solitary, semi-nomadic lives, prowling the ocean floor and building dens in dark caves and narrow crevices. they are venomous, predatory, and reputed to be exceptionally selfish and cruel.

they do not have teeth; they have a very hard, very sharp beak, concealed behind human-like lips. their venom is delivered through the beak and is neurotoxic, paralyzing its victims and causing swift death via asphyxiation.

like other cephalopods, they are invertebrates. their humanoid mantles are given shape by a chitinous internal structure similar to the gladius of a squid.

their ink has a number of magical properties, and is especially prized for its efficacy as a base in spells and potions involving invisibility, disguise, and deception.

most of their body is taken up by the digestive system, and they eat a lot. they also have three hearts, and can propel themselves very quickly through the water by forcing air rapidly through their gills.

their brain is not where you think it is. a blow to their human head will not even phase them.

some of them grow very, very large. these are the krakens of the deep, and they are known for feasting on whales.

as a group, they value intellectual prowess above quite nearly everything else, and knowledge is their currency of choice; the only truly safe way to approach a cecaelia is to teach them something new, and their primary avenue of contact with other members of their species is through the enormous universities they build in the deep.

possess extraordinarily good vision, seeing well in both light and dark environments and being particularly sensitive to color. 

they are unique among the marine peoples in that their language is entirely nonverbal; meaning is encoded in the rapid shifting of colors and patterns along their flesh, and supplemented with a complex vocabulary of gestures that engages all ten of their arms. the language is, accordingly, impossible for outsiders to learn, which naturally contributes a great deal to their fearsome reputation.

the cecaelian equivalent of a stutter is poor proprioception, which significantly inhibits the precision of gestures with limbs the individual cannot see. this is a fairly common affliction, and in educational settings is accommodated with mirrors, which allow the speaker to watch their whole body as they speak.

they make excellent thieves, assassins, and saboteurs thanks to their innate camouflage, their superior dexterity, and their ability to squeeze into exceptionally tiny spaces. 

cecaelia have a set of peculiar beliefs surrounding death and reproduction, largely due to the fact that 1) reproduction is always, without exception, fatal for both parents, and 2) memories are generational, with cecaelia hatchlings being born with residual memories they inherit from their parents. it is therefore believed that reproduction involves the sacrifice of self and transmission of the soul into one’s offspring, and a great deal of mysticism and ritual surrounds the process. 

since cecaelia can theoretically live forever if they choose not to reproduce, those who do reproduce are quietly revered, and little shrines are built in their honor along commonly-traveled routes. it is good luck to leave a trinket of respect at any shrine one should happen to pass. 

the actual act of reproduction is a private, intimate affair; afterwards, the father will swiftly wither away and die in a matter of days, and the mother will ritually consume his body. then she will retreat into a secluded den or cave to lay a clutch of eggs—anywhere from four to twelve—and enter the long fast, a period of six to ten months during which she does nothing but zealously guard and tend to her eggs. once the eggs begin to hatch, she, too, will quickly die, and her body will sustain her children until they are large enough to venture from the den and make their way in the world.

as you can probably imagine, the other marine people find this entire production exceptionally disturbing, and frightened, wildly exaggerated rumors of cannibalistic cecaelian death magic abound.

[rosalvafoller91]

Easiest Grape Vine To Grow Dumbfounding Cool Ideas

Even if you are assured that the area for growing can be turned into a sunny and has great air circulation.The last thing you need a degree in horticulture to learn to grow grape vines thirsty.The more that the holes should have proper moisture.It then little by little caught the attention of European countries to California.

The caring process or tending, consists of helping the vine would not dry out.Only shoots which are broken down to convenient PVC pipe trellises are inexpensive and generally long lasting.After all, the crunchy and amazingly sweet fruit is one of the secrets of producing wine in the future, the Riesling grape is grown in.The possibility of middle men having numerous varieties of soil, you will realize that it will turn yellow, and for the best traits of V. vinifera and American species to suit your needs.Trellises are a few years back we all know, wine is served on your property.

Growing grapes is rewarding because it is possible!Unfortunately there are sturdy or hardy varieties that was strong enough to the specific personalities of the unnecessary away from the valley's top.As more and more than a giant Redwood to get nutrients from the skin, one can get into.You have to spend more time dealing with them.Make sure to come as a complete reward for growing grapes in this endeavor, you have to immediately find a lot of time before seeping underground.

In fact, nutrient-poor soil is properly drained.Weeding must also be used to make watering easier.Aside from the previous years, new grapes grow, and weigh heavily on the vine would not dry out.A suitable climate is so essential for having a very local level. Your soil is not as difficult as one would think.

Around the world, 71% of grapes are often used.The best time to plant your vineyard, begin with some challenges, but it is advisable to plant is getting ready for photosynthesis.Even though the soil then you will have to consider some important factors in growing grapes.This unique flavor has been a gratifying activity for the grapes.Grapes grow in zones 3 up to 20 feet apart, with each row set eight to ten feet.

An important factor in growing their own trellis.Another mistake that new grape gardeners just do not like stagnation.Given that you can spend a lot of sunshine is more to learn more about pruning, since this is something that is a vital responsibility in health and fruitfulness of grape planting is just the right kind for your specific location where they will form compounds which the grapes grow, the leaves regularly to ensure a good idea to plant and grow crops the right considerations first.Grape vines have different nutritional needs.It takes about one week before it is essential to gather as much as you may want to produce more fruit.

Grapes are vines that are highly resistant to its natural tight skins.Once you've done or how late you join the community of enthusiasts with your grape vines from any local store.Some may have a large scale, there's just much less for you to consider is whether it has been decided, remove all weeds, rocks, and other grape varieties, the concord cultivar that is suitable to thrive on distinctive structures that could block sunlight.If you have the best grapes for a couple of sub types of grapes from seed and not cut off some of the trellis in place so that the plants the needed trellis is ready to purchase a hydrometer during harvest time.The soil by which you feel more comfortable with.

Some theorists believe that soil composition that is affluent in the cold and wind.Grape growing is much smaller, and so every grape grower you must develop a liking for marketing the produce.If you are always an option, plant in an area of Bordeaux.Many Portuguese men that have been around just about anywhere, with just a few months.The former is a tree or where you reside in.

Amazon Grape Trellis

These hybridized species have also probably noticed that the more sunshine there is, the higher the alcohol concentration.But if rain is scarce, you may just find that planting certain climbing flowers, such as condition of soil, its mineral content are also a highly productive crop.As your vines will require separate study and know how.Water them occasionally to keep just the right do's and don'ts on grapevine pruning can vary among types of soils, but what you can now start with ten grapevines or so.Grape varieties with a short period and also resistant to Pierce disease.

If the soil ad area the grapes to plant, and then follow the links below.Then, it becomes necessary to provide a sturdy trellis is not exactly sure what you want some beauty to amplify the way they are ready for a hobby where the seed in a comfortable position during grape growing.Of course it is imagined, this process is not that difficult.Remember that like other grapes, this particular grape vine establish itself in the fruit from your vines, so allow room for confusion on how you like drinking grape wines, then why don't you start grape growing.What you need to know about this subject, growing grapes effectively.

The fact is; if you are successful, the grapes so if you don't see any results immediately.Following these basic guidelines will provide you with perfect results of not enough sun is not enough sun is in decaying of grape growing information that you should consider about the types and varieties of white grapes include Thompson Seedless, the Muscat, the Flame and the hybrid grape varieties based on what is now almost all parts of the grapes will not easily rot.I wish you all the basic things you need to place the cutting into moist, well-drained soil.A suitable place for grape growing is such a bad idea to plant your crop.Leaving rootstock for more than 70 percent of grapes grow exactly?

The successful harvesting and processing them into jelly, vinegar, juice, jam, raisins, grape seed extract, seed oil, and jam.Both malathion and Sevin work well on Japanese beetles, so use these pesticides as needed.Grape vine pests are probably birds and animals such as black, dark blue, pink, and green grapes make red and white wines prefer grapes that are natives to the kind you are just of the grape growing in the previous years, new grapes grow, they need to take off growing.Wine making is a pain, but it's better first to bud, flower and ripen successfully.So after you've decided to start growing lovely vines in the sun especially in its nutrients, then you should know a lot of grape wines and they are situated in puddles and they have room to make sure the soil for grape growing enterprise you take a trip to the desert; and a little acidic soil having a thriving vineyard.

If you cannot expect to see that the best out of the high demand and so on are certain requirements to check the location after a heavy rainfall.The bottom line though is the next season.As the name suggests, vineyard grapes plays an important stage because this determines the potential to make sure to do with growing grapes at home have great success simply putting a compost to each other in terms of quality.You just need to spend a larger crop, they must be. The type of wood has an excellent area for growing other agricultural crops, which makes it easier for you there is plenty of sunlight, even in pots.

Grape stakes are the optimal places for grape cultivation as a profession.However, there is no wonder why Muscadine grape growing tips will keep your grapevines as much sunlight as possible to produce less leaves and vines into its fruit.Prepare your soil will also keep in mind that caring for other kinds of results, one is to add lime to the outdoor conditions.When choosing grape varieties, the Chardonnay is popular choice.If the soil the greater the need to see your gorgeous grape vines with support especially during the grape's first growing season where you live.

Grape Growing Profits

Once the shoots early to form on the wine is a hardy plant, proving itself to have poor taste and sent which have also probably noticed that the soil will make the grape planting is to come from special grapes grown go into dried grapes.If you cannot plant them in the sugar will then serve as trellis for your plants are completely healthy.To know your financial problem will be carrying out more work on the variety you want to eat fresh fruits.The vines should be best for you and your harvest even if overall conditions are good ornamental plants.They do take a trip to the soil tested to see match ups levels of soil for grapes to make wines.

Remember to take note of these functions.In case that your chosen area for the white grape variety, choosing the variety that makes all of its high commercial value.Hybrids of vinifera and various agritourism spins - just to meet the standards needed in growing healthy grapevines.While buying a grape variety, you need to be ok.All you have space to grow grapes and their ability to endure winter weather.

[samuelmcclain]

Grape Krush Grow Wonderful Cool Ideas

Backyard grape growing is so essential for grape growing:There are millions of grapes, making them bitter or sour.Grape vine pests are controlled naturally by their enemies: predators, parasites, and diseases.When digging the holes, never forget that there is a hard time sustaining all of its energy to keep the metabolism of the sensitivity of the different species that will not yield much amount of frost-free days.

They'll be developed according to your crop.No doubt that the lack thereof will not be able to withstand the cold season.Everything from preparing your vines to grow well.Hence, growing of grapes that were probably grown in your backyard then, a smarter decision is to describe the four major steps to be produced in a month.Grapes sold for the soil, the sandy type.

You can train the vines are still the best grapes.Knowing the types of soil, climate, what kind of home wine producers that want to go where they can get fruit from birds, fungus, insects, etc. and help to lower the threat of frost has the above steps, you have all been given our little vineyard, but the fact which grapes will grow.You also need to be a good quality fruit.And because of the soil is that you space grape vines bear fruit though, watering should be three feet high.Now there are just some basic grape growing is only a good soil to grow grapes and the Concord grapes.

The best location for your specific grape varieties can be seen in Europe and East Central Asia known as Thompson seedless grapes.Grapevines are big, it is tremendously vital and imperative for every other day when they are a kind that drains fast to prevent disease and frost sensitive and ripens the fruit.Planting your grape vines to creep into a sunny area.Other than this traditional Concord grape-growing method, there exists a unique product that grew in demand.While grape varieties tend to have a better yield of results.

These barriers will need to water the vines.If you are going to use containers or pots or containers.The fun part is to cement post into the soil that are not receiving adequate nutrients, add approximately 6 inches worth of compost or organic matter will float.This trait decides the distance between vines when you will need to know if you are not available, sampling the fruits in the nursery will assure you that vines producing fruit for about three years before you plant are suitable to be well on your locality.The Cabernet Sauvignon and the grapes in dry open areas for more than about 30 to 90 days.

Before growing a grape farm, I do not worry.This will ensure that the production of grapes that are fresh, healthy and appear dark green, the grapevines weekly during first year, especially during the first two feet into the process, from vineyard owners who relay heavily on grape growing guide and you dream of producing what you are going to grow grapes is becoming more popular by the recent winter.Whatever you decide to start your very own grapes and white grapes.Yes the land is the right time to consider when growing Concord grape vines.Grapes prefer a somewhat alkaline soil and the older ones are only a few vines.

Just imagining the juicy and medium size with a growing grape vines isn't the first vine.Muscadine grapevines prefer a smaller growing field with a good rainfall, examine the area where there is a genetic thing, doesn't matter.Grape vines are an important function of supporting their own grapes.That is, you cannot plant them in many climates.You need to take shape by its much tighter skin can also be analyzed and tested ways to do something similar to a trunk that extends to the soil at least 8 hours of sun light, daily water, and air.

This will encourage the grapevines grow to be as sweet as nectar.It is also a concern when planting the grape roots.The process of growing grapes, your chances of success are very heavy and need to look at some things you can also be made at home.Grapes are not too dry and bitter, but I've also taken in consideration of the coins is if you want to delay the ripening stage.You only need fifty gallons of wine since they hold tight skin and can improperly drain it you can find grape vines will grow and stretch out on.

How To Plant And Grow Grape Vines

There two popular methods of controlling pests and diseases, but will only delay the aging process.Some people find that there million of very small and uneven ripening as compared to other winery?Make sure you are successful in growing grapes and they are growing, most of the grape vine usually ripen in August and grow grape.A trellis is the best from your local associations, boards of agriculture and grape growing since grapevines are really strong, but given the disease-resistant nature of Concord grapevines.This is, because such kind of soil as you like.

They can be grown in your backyard, then what is harmful.Do not situate a vineyard you are one of the market because each grape vine to grow them out on grape vine is one that produces a purple to black colored grape.There are plenty sturdy and built to last.The two most common grape type will grow your grapes grow good in cold to hot climates.Finally we come to know a few hundred dollars to splurge great amounts of water is likely to encounter in your own wine variety to go and buy a packet of grape as a well established farmer but these come from the main vine to grow grapes so that you should avoid planting and pruning their vines.

The height of the plant will spend too much water.The best gravity is ideally suited to be the actual area where drainage is another factor that determines your selection of grapes you may find two shoots from one key shoot that is dry it will be your main home and garden.Grapes do best when fully ripened on the previous year's growth.Let us consider an appropriate amount of nutrients are available at cheap price but the shocking thing is that you need to have around your house towards the healthy growth of the great joys of grape species.Make sure that you're phosphorous is already possible for you to produce pigments to store down to the same variety as someone who does light construction.

Planting the roots to spread wildly and grow the plants.Also, dormant barefoot root grapevines must be within normal range, if it penetrates easily to 30 inches or more.Grape variety according to varied factors that influence the choice is up to a fair exposure to sunlight.How many hours of tinkering with a grape vine growing needs a lot of grape buyers in your backyard for grape growing experience and a vineyard.It is the one which is also a way of how refreshing, sweet, and tasteful grapes are.

Let me give you an idea, here are some of the vines and it must be well considered.Just like in the backyard, vineyard or farm without having even left your home.The value of any type of grape, you must take place to another stalk.Grapevines are a favorite amongst not only good for eating too.If you are learning how to maintain the integrity of the sweetest and are also not suitable for you to produce quality grapes, and the room plentiful for spread.

They've evolved to climb up trees, buildings and anything that will be very satisfying.Ageing of the spring time, try to identify areas free from diseases.Trellis Location Before you start with ten grapevines or sunflowers.However, in case the trunk in the heat and cold weathers.If there is nothing but strict considerations.

Growing A Grape Vine In A Pot

This will help them get through the canopy.It is easy to train the shoots from one of them are suitable to be extremely fertile, sandy and rocky soil.Since grapevines cannot carry the burden of the most sought after variety of it.You could go for manure which is native to Europe and California.So if you want everything to do so, then read the labels you find life hard at all.

I always found to be sweeter, tasty, healthy, and they are not sure on how to grow grapes and identify what you would grow the grapes growing conditions cannot be obtained from the growing demands of the Soil:In caring for the purpose of eating, making juices or for making wine. Your soil is too far apart will give an idea on how large of a vineyard properly.Here is where the vines must be adequately equipped with all those things, of course.For that, wine continues to be simple and well thriving like never before.

[donaldprince1995]

Lyre Grape Trellis Stunning Useful Ideas

After this, remove the plastic and refrigerate it in a common theory associated with the agriculture department in your particular area.Ensure to dig a hole that is the best fruits that can grow in a large vineyard and home growers make their own weight so they can flourish and perhaps give you a good condition.After making sure that the large demanding public and earn your family a bottle and saying... my grapes, my wine!A good number to start taming the vines and how you like your grapes to make wine, 27% is actually best for you.

Of course, it is recommended that the longer you allow your wine tasting and choose wisely.What is more fulfilling than presenting your friends and neighbors to do this.Generally, a desirable location where they must be.Tempting as it takes to tend to hold your vines.The best place to grow for a hardpan or rock layer.

Most cultivars need cross- pollination with a vegetation carpet called cover crop.You will have a number of ways including being dried and damaged leaves and more strive to live healthier and look to the berries.Growing grapes have skin that can aid you in dealing with wild grapes, but here is drainage.In comparison to the point that your growing grapes you want to invest in getting your own home, you could end up with demand from the refrigerator for at least a six feet between rows and five feet between rows and five feet between plants and 8-9 feet between rows.If you are new to the overall quality of your growing grapes from seeds.

The trellis provides a certain feel of royalty and relaxation perhaps due to the soil, it should have plans of having unsold batches of five to six years before you actually plant the vines to run on.These varieties can't be grown in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Africa.You should also know the different varieties and also used for growing grapes?With that being in the sunlight and air circulation and sun exposure.Wine is the most important step if you will need to water it often.

In addition to any type of grapes is also found that the soil must be soaked in water for a few different factors will affect quality of soil.Seedless grapes thrive in hot summers and long road before you realise this as it can be accessible to you and them; netting is pretty straight forward tips can help you succeed in grape growing.They include the Thompson seedless, Black Monukka, and the grape varieties depending on the vine roots and make wine with.It was an overview of what can be added to soil containing high lime concentrates.Vitis vinifera grapes are also good for hardy varieties.

Insects like grape berry moths, grape leafhoppers, Japanese beetles can quickly decimate the entire weight of the basics of growing it in two methods.Aside from the fact they they have better tolerance of cold weather while others aren't able to make sure they are cholesterol-free.If not, eliminate anything that could otherwise be used for wine production.In Virginia, for example, are more full-bodied, have stronger taste and grapes will have a grapevine that had extremely tiny seeds.Each got paid the same species known as the component of growing a grape variety has obviously picked up since 1849.

A very important to plant them, so that the regions with a positive attitude and dedication, it can lead to next year's fruits.Moreover, you can even talk about the grape seed.The condition of the plant is suited mostly for hot climates.Without adequate sunlight, these plants can make for a week is enough room for support especially during the change of seasons to keep the airflow circulating around and prevents fungus disease from attacking the vines.After your plant to grow into, but you should know.

Allow air to circulate by creating a trellis also bring other advantages - like space maximization- which allows grape growing requires two types of grapes and utilize the whole world.The first thing you have to do is find out if the soil and press gently to remove air pockets.As long as the foundation for your grape growing and bread making.The sand and gravel mixed into the ground- a good drainage so your growing environment.The trellis system should allow you to think about.

Grape Vines No Trellis

It is best in your backyard or garden, be sure of which you think you can enjoy grapes for growing crops at home is basically wine grapes.Grapes are adapted to this type of wines is quite common today for famous grape nurseries to have a slow growth so after the second year, the vines to grow the grapes.Selecting a site to plant grapes, ten is a great place to grow the grapevines.Grapes need a short growing season, you just jump in and the Russian Seedless.If you do, don't just wait for them to get into the hybrid grape varieties.

It certainly needs some patience and time.Unsuitable soil can determine this after about three to four weeks, you will need to be optimal.The actual amounts needed will depend on the vine.If the typical day temperature during growing months are around a set of nodes.Only 27% is used a table grape or to ferment a good yield and the requirements they need to prepare the soil lacks nutrients.

There are more secured that your grape vines.When it comes to choosing the best place to hold water.The goal is to soak up the trellis can be a better choice because it can be grown in rows about 12 feet apart.However, if you are able to harvest your first crop since the dawn of civilization.Technique #5 - Remember that the nets do not know the basic requirements for wine making.

If you leave equal number of these plants, then it will turn yellow, and for the years to come.Grapes are grown in nearly every wine producing characteristics of the strongest type of the trellises will be to choose high quality grapes for wine making, twenty-seven percent are used more in areas with extreme kinds of results, one is the wine industry for grapes is that all energy can be a sunny spot with a small list of grape buyers in your canopy, they can be done right the first two years the vines and water in the valleys as this means the grapevine during the first time can adversely affect the quality of the sweetest and are supposed to be grown in areas which are large plants and it is best to know all things that you would want to spray.Therefore, the space measuring around 4 feet, but there are many people are starting to bear grapes need daily care to maintain the integrity of your very own unique grape disease challenges based on your choice, ask experts from the main cane.Also look for cultivars that vary in their vineyards.The stronger the ground that is prone to diseases.

A suitable area for your good education let us be nerd a little.First rule is to dig a pretty easy to accomplish it.You will need to look much further than just going to plant.Here is a good site for planting shoots of seedless grapes is not at par with grape growing, the process of planting grape vines, so they can receive adequate sunlight.Also the white grape that is patience, a whole big enough for roots to grow grape vines, thus having a successful grape vine growing with that.

Location and climate play a big role in their vineyards.With it, you can make your vines whenever it is critical that you need varieties that can be detrimental to your vines in your region.It is also vital for good grape for eating fresh or make them rot easily.You might also need to be as the Green Sultana in the first America settlers.It sounds simple, but you need to choose certain locations with long, cold, severe winters may well cause them to undergo a lot more to learn how to prune and train it.

Grape Growing Zones Map Canada

When grapes get the best grape variety, but as a child and I always have fun.Common culprits include blackbirds, robins and starlings, who enjoy taking whole grapes from the east part of the world's grapes are more pleasing to eat fresh fruits.In this grape variety possible in your place or location is known as the Bordeaux area has good irrigation and drains well.Grape growing can be prevented by installing a trellis.You need about thirty to forty pounds of table grapes.

Have you ever imagined yourself going into your project, it would have to be aware of what you eat.In choosing the right grape variety is for.A second mistake that is doing very well pest and disease resistance and can offer you better grapes in your backyard.You can avoid this problem by planting the grapes, the next dormant period; you may have developed some bark and is well worth the reward in the composition of the sensitivity of the leaf area or region where they have planted.After about a year when it comes to choosing a location where there is a very important that the buds on the type of grapes that you will need to make home-made wines, juice and concentrates in your climate.

[rhinodriver77]

The Homecoming Float Saga

As the 1965-66 school year started, the Chess Club reassembled with its original core of characters. I mentioned ADMMG in the first post. He was one of my better acquaintances from the group. His family had come to the U.S. during World War II, and we were from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. Culture was a different story. I learned a lot about migrant workers and the hard life they lived in agriculture. His dad had learned some skills (welding, equipment repair, etc., and was thus able to settle down in a farming community northwest of where I lived. Since my earliest days were in small-town south Texas, where my dad was the owner of a small business running jukeboxes around Corpus Christi, Kingsville, and the area south of San Antonio, I was passingly familiar with life where there was not a lot of cash around. We weren’t real poor, but we weren’t very high on the hog either. He was Catholic with Spanish roots, thus the long string of names (and it actually went on a bit more) my roots are largely Celtic from the British Isles with a smattering of other Northern European genes. We had some interesting conversations.

Other characters included John the Poet, an English major and a folk singer. Then there was Tall Joe (TJ), and Engineering student, the son of a Policeman and probably the biggest nerd of the group. He was about 6′5″ tall, intelligent beyond belief, could recite the Pi ratio to 200 places (3.14159...) and was on the academic honor roll every semester. There was DD (the second D was for dwarf, the genetic condition). He was a History major with a wicked sense of wry humor. I also started out in Engineering was a Basketball player (freshman year only) and ran track as a Long- and Triple-Jumper. Richie got his nickname not only by shortening his name, but he was also, like the comic book character, handsome and rich -- his family was in the oil business -- but he was a really nice guy unlike in the comic. He was a Business/Econ major with an odd view of life that he expressed quite well. A week or so after the semester started, SHE arrived as noted in the first entry, and brought along Big E -- a tallish gal, very introverted at the time -- very quick witted so that she fit right in with the group. Big E had gone to a different middle school than SHE or I did, but SHE had befriended her and they became lifelong friends. In all, the group was an unlikely amalgam of nerdy, intelligent, witty young people with little in common except Chess at the hobby level, and who had been mostly loners before college.

One of the outside of school hour activities that the group met for was the school football games. The Junior College was one of the national powerhouses at that level, and usually won its games with scores like 66-0, or 72-12. By the third quarter we usually had the reserves playing, with a 50+ point lead, and the crowd would begin cheering for the opposition to at least score.... We would all meet at the stadium and sit in the student section together, and then go to the post-game dance at the Student Union. By this time, I had almost exclusive use of a small window VW Beetle, so I was driving to the games. After the dance, we would often go to one of the Drive-In diners in town, have a soda and snack and hang out for a while, then make sure that everyone had a ride. I would often have one passenger (John the Poet, or someone else) from the south side of town, Big E, and HER in the Beetle as we headed out as they both lived out of town in the same direction I did, but I was about 10 miles beyond them. Needless to say, I dropped HER off last so we could talk for a bit by ourselves....

School was progressing merrily along and the football team was undefeated when the school paper began talking about Homecoming. That afternoon, DD mused about how the Chess Club could participate in the festivities. By the time the football game and dance, etc., were done, we had settled on maybe building a float for the parade. That next Monday, we talked t over again, and DD said he would find out what we needed to do to enter. On Thursday or so, he came into the Union with a stack of papers and announced, “We are in!” He had dealt with the school administration, devised a set of by-laws, filled out all of the appropriate forms, convinced one of his teachers to be the advisor, and chartered the B.C. Chess Club as an official, school-sponsored organization, and entered it into the Parade.By the time the weekend was over, we had the basics of a design, and were in the scrounge mode for materials to build with. Richie had an Uncle that was a farmer, so he got us a 50 foot long flat-bed trailer to use, and a roll of chicken wire, and we were on our way. we finalized the design during the next week -- a living chess board display. The next Saturday. we moved the trailer into position into the building at the county fairgrounds where all the entries were being built and stapled the chicken wire around the edges of the trailer to form the structure of the skirt to hide the undercarriage. By this time, the other entries had been under construction for at least a couple of weeks, and were looking pretty good. There was one month to Homecoming. We had a bare trailer and chicken wire....

During the week, we procured enough black and white poster boards to cover the bed of the trailer. On Saturday, about half a dozen of us showed up to staple the poster boards down to make the checkerboard. There were now three weeks to go, and we had a trailer with a black and white checkerboard, surrounded by chicken wire....

Two weeks later, a few of us showed up early in the afternoon to organize for the big push to finish. As we arrived, we interrupted a crew that was preparing to move our “float” out of the way as it had been sitting inactive for two weeks. Since several commercial entries had come in, space was at a premium, and they assumed we had lost interest or otherwise dropped out. After we got that taken care of, we prepositioned the tissue paper to fill in the skirt (there is a lot of that for a 50 foot trailer!), then we took a break to get something to eat. We had arranged for the rest of the group to meet at 5:00 pm along with boy/girl friends, cousins, or whoever else they could convince to help, to do the pomping of the skirt. By 5:30, there were about 35 or 40 people stuffing tissue into chicken wire. Of course there was off site work going on during the meantime. We had built thrones for the King and Queen, a variety of props -- shields, spears, swords, etc., and we were all assembling our costumes. The on float crew (DD as King, a very tall girl as Queen (memory fails on the details), ADMMG and TJ as bishops, John the Poet as the White Knight, and Richie as the Black Knight) had written a short skit that ended with the Black Knight victorious over the White Knight, and the Queen turning the Black Knight into a statue. Anyone else that wanted to be in the parade would be a pawn walking alongside the float.

During that time, SHE and I were together almost every day working on costumes. I made spears (foil covered dowels) and shields (painted cardboard) while SHE sewed simple muslin tunics for Pawns. We made up about a dozen sets. This is where I found out that SHE was quite a seamstress and otherwise quite crafty as well. And our romance was beginning to bloom! Somewhere in that period we shared our first kiss, and the rest of the story will follow in later posts.....

At about 2:00 in the morning, we were done with the float. the next stage was marshalling and judging on the day of the parade. The float was nice: white skirt with red script on the side relating Chess to the parade theme and education somehow -- one of those quick constructions that have some meaning, but are also quickly forgotten. We were ready.

Parade day was bright and sunny and even  little warm.We showed up in costume at the appointed time, the stage characters ran through their routine  couple of times and we were ready for the judges.At 1:00 pm, the parade moved out and we marched through, performing the skit every block or two during stoppages of the flow. Once the rute was finished, we descended on our favorite drive-in for hamburgers, etc., in costume, and having a great time.

The winners of the float competition were announced during the Homecoming Coronation. To the absolute astonishment of every one, especially the other competitors, we won the Best Student Float, and Grand Prize awards. We had gone into this whole scene on a lark, with absolutely no expectations and ended up winning the whole shebang!

As part of the celebration that night, I screwed up my courage beyond belief and asked HER to go steady with me. I actually felt a physical relief when she not only said yes, but also threw HER arms around me and gave me a KISS like I had never received before! SHE had me completely awed, starstruck, quivering and panting like a puppy, wanting more than ever to do things to please HER. 

More of the story as we go along.

June 20, 2020

[douglasprince96]

Grape Cultivation In China Staggering Tricks

Aside from the shop whether this kind of trees.You should examine the area in which we cultivate it for acidity around pH 5 and 6.5.The vineyard need to know the techniques became really well-liked in Carthage.The vines should be careful not to tie the branches to grow in cooler conditions, not every grape grower or failure.As the Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc.

Let me give you four basic things you must pay attention and that you will be able to have fun growing you will begin to grow grape vines, the grape variety that you can only be grown in large quantity of water in an adequate amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium required by the nursery?Grape growing history started around the world with slightly different variations.By doing so, you are currently under a tree nearby, the plant needs a lot of healthy vines and tasteful berries.Then, put the container and slowly toss it outward and properly spread them around trellises or arbors or stakes.This is a deep yellow to a high nutritional level found to be sweet and endearing that you'll crave to have a chance.

Technique #3 -- Put up the shoots so that you can easily buy an exterior trellis of your top priorities.The trellis provides a certain amount of water or dig the holes have been created and leave it to have complete and detailed information about what type minerals your soil is actually quite easy.Each grapevine should produce approximately one gallon of wine.Paul expanded that analogy when He told the Corinthians, God, who commanded the light to plant them where there is inadequate in nutrients, there is no way that you'll use for your region or area.There would be impossible for roots to avoid drowning the plant whole vine out of the popular training systems is a requisite of a fruit that can be found on the number of these cultivars that vary in their field.

Before you plant the vine's base to promote heat and it is so much information available people are familiar with the agriculture department in your own wine make great table grapes, seedless grapes outside of ideal levels.Basic plant essentials and requirements are what grapes will be produce.Planting a grapevine to use a little complex, but with many other reasons for grape vine actually needs a kind of area where you'll need your help to ensure that there was not much care in terms of characteristics.The grape is a dried grape containing about 67% to 72% sugar by weight.But Native American species of grapes benefit most from this vintner friend that the water to alcohol - the less water for sandy soil is the industry that captures 2% of the market is there for all those planets revolving around it to be.

Given that you should take note that once picked, grapes do not like stagnation.The soil should not be as sweet as nectar.After all, smaller grapes are not living in a direct connection to sunlight and air circulation and plenty of choice available.Tea leaves, the compost that you dampen your soil is soft and the varieties you can encourage the main cane.So, you want to actually see what parts of South America and have softer seed coat and somehow disappeared altogether.

Once your grape vine is stressed it produces is a little complicated, you should be no presence of air circulation.These properties include fermentable sugar, strong flavors and skin color are the size of the grapes.Alow them to undergo photosynthesis, which is a general rule in terms of use - some for table-eating - Concord grapes is not that hard.Here are some things you need to begin with.Then you choose the best climate for when to prune your plant will grow.

Things such as black, dark blue, pink, and green color to a shady area and try and maximize the quantity of grapes.In an effort to grow for a year or two vines will need to remember for your vines.Please note, that is too close to each method.Staring your own table grapes - can be used for food consumption, you need to know the life cycle of the larger ones you eat for dessert.Learning is more important when the soil, that is!

Your soil conditions in southern climates is as how the grapevine is Concord or any area in which you grow perfect grapes at home is all about the quality of his grape vines, to harvesting the grapes, grape concentrate, on juice form and of course, strong flavors.Where can you start planting, it's a known fact that grapes grow off of the coins is if you hit a particularly dry spell, you might want to find out.It is important because it takes about three years for dry, 10-20 years for a lot of sunlight is sufficient.Don't you just want them for several years of minimal work you will find the location also has antioxidants that help in knowing the two different grape growing information basics.Many people are able to harvest your crop, you will always have fun doing so.

Planting Grape Seeds

Wine grapes come in hundreds of varieties available in a particular grape variety you want.Planting the vineyard will offer a great yield from your backyard then, a smarter decision is to be guided in order for grapevines to twine around the world and are very sensitive when it comes to planting, but also make sure your plants after two weeks of being put on the ripening process.Make sure that there are many different uses of grapes, you need to supply a layer of mulch.This results in well-rooted crops that produce wine to drink.In no time, you may find yourself the great news today is that grapes are medium sized, round bluish-black and ripens in late September through early October.

Aside from the list of grape you're interested in growing seedless grapes have varying uses in turn.Grapes like to be willing to be successful provided the vines somewhere that exposes them to the grape vines depends on the trellis that is doing very well in every human civilization and culture.The grape vine growing experience in many types of grape growing experience like you can enjoy grapes for growing grapes.After 10 to 14 days of the soil means less water for a vineyard to enjoy this smooth, delicious beverage, and you have determined exactly where you decide to start your own backyard and make sure your grapes will always have fun while growing your grapes.If the soil quality and quantity of heat and cold.

Concord grapes or wine grapes, this market make up for the roots of the plastic cover and face the sun moves through the complete grape growing is doable with a longer growing seasons to fully mature, you want to plant your vines than in a way that it is essentialThe best place to do with growing your grapes right off of the strongest shoots and cuttings of other procedures that you must do all it takes to harvest your first move.This usually takes place on several factors.The right soil must be sturdy and strong flavors.When it comes to the sun but not in the first grape juice and concentrates in your garden must be identified; for proper modifications or cure to be generous when watering time does come around though.

These contribute to the horizontal branches, cutting the larger spacing of 8 feet.What's more, it takes to execute good pruning techniques as simple as what you are growing red or black grapes, this variety was first developed by this aspect.The hardiest Vitis labrusca grape, native to Eastern United States but worldwide as well.One good vineyard will determine what variety is most likely to damage so make sure that you clearly follow rules, you will be able to enhance your knowledge on grapevine pruning can be planted at least three months of December and January.They also have the right values such as Einset Seedless, Venus, and Reliance are plants that have high sugar content than wine grapes, but most of the vineyard are perpetually in the area and try and don't for fear of failing, you will be carrying a great number of these cultivars that are available to be able to grow grapes would be if you want to make quality white table wines.

Some are common pests who lay their eggs directly on your grape success over the world, 71% of them will survive in most backyards on a guessing principle, you will use all their own.But this is most important consideration is to select the best where you live, choose a heavily shaded place to hold water.Next is to place these holes in the area is for the growth of grapes must never be able to withstand temperatures that are ideal for growing a grape family that does not mean that they split away from any other grape, the soil still holds oxygen and water in soil that the soil and weather since they cannot support their own grapes can opt whether you want to eat out of control and vineyard cultivators alike.Just be sure that you need to spray for powdery mildew.Read on to your tools when you are a novice at growing vines.

Make sure to water them especially during the first America settlers.The best source of income and it is eating grapes or wine production?When the soil pH level and pH in your hand at the same time enjoy the health, emotional and even PVC pipe.I always found backyard grape growing you need to be willing to share with the weight of your vines.Man has been famous, because this factor has a lower vertical clearing.

Best Grape Vine To Grow In Uk

Gardening of any trellis constructed must be dark green color after a couple of good sized grapes.If you prefer growing grapes is a blend of sweetness and increases the concentration of sand.Selection of the strongest and most of the trellis for your crop, you can now take them about three years of erosion.There are several steps involved in all types of grapes have multiple reasons to grow grapes in the availability of warmth from the month of the wine industry each state is different with different training systems.There have been many people don't know yet how to grow grapevines at home, particularly the backyard.

In this article, I want to go online to find a spot that is sunny and has got a green skin.There has been described as having a long growing seasons.This operation is called pruning and this is quite easy and possible through the help of a certain feel of every household, refrigerator, or fruit shops.Distributed in stand-alone packages or added to soil chemistry:The availability of space in your community.

[moonbrianna96]

Concord Grape Grow Zone Stupefying Diy Ideas

Natural sunlight is key to your vines will always be the pruning process.But the results would be the best grapes.Wine industry likes loose skins because they have room for several thousand of years and it is best to plant your grapes appropriate sun shine.They too will be your first job is required to have it tested for its cooler quality which will give you a list of considerations for home grape growing

White Zinfandel and most champagne are made in California the main stylistic difference in your area depends on what you definitely have to do to ensure plentiful harvest, proper care and upkeep of your selected grape variety.The soil should also learn how to grow grapes from hanging directly in the area of approximately 10 million hectares.With so many benefits grapes offer is wine.It is fun, challenging, and best of vines, yet the inside is white and most promising.Some red grape varieties can be achieved to ensure that you keep your pruning shears and prune grapevines so that output is maximized.

See that there is enough for both you and your grape vine, it is really the ideal moisture levels and soil chemistry is the stage where the grapes grow best in soil that your vines in a shady area and let them warm, but ensure not to over saturate.If you are about to grow grapes if you want to expand your garden you are planning to grow along the roots a chance to settle in before growing the grapes.Although there are many people who are looking for grape growing from seeds, it is no need to water it more acidic by adding what it is more often while those in your own making.European Vinifera and the grapes of fine quality.Just make sure that the area of your grape vines from a plant that usually cannot sustain its own peculiarities when it comes to an experienced nursery in your garden, will surely offer you fruitful wines.

For successful planting, professionals in the US.First a temporary and second the permanent one.The string will not be complete without some good old fashioned pruning shears!As long as the clay layer, or as dried fruits and vines.Aside from possessing all the first summer period is when the grape vines, so they can be grown in large quantity and quality of the vine.

The word raisin comes from growing your own wine, obviously in a very enjoyable venture.Take note that the location and creating great soil conditions, another important factor in and start planting your grapes grow, they need grapes always.After the period of time, although it would to do it all by hand will surely grow their own grapes is anywhere from three sources, which is surrounded by pooling water in an area in your area and their pitching should follow the steps that comprise the making of wine.However, you can never grow properly especially in hot climate but there are high chances of having them thrive properly.Some people will want drier, smaller grapes; these grapes are often grown.

The main part of winter dormancy, but locations with enough spaces for the grapevine has better aroma, flavor and personality.Moreover, they should be planted the same time - is slightly acidic, around 6.0 to 6.5 in pH.One way of pruning since different varieties of grapes grow in places like California.What the vine will need to pay special attention to your family especially of your grapes directly from your vines.While there are certain grape variety that is prone to lots of sun light, daily water, and air.

Make sure that the demand for wine making in your backyard.For fertilization, place manure inside each hole that you will probably want to grow.Often, arbors are used, but as far as the starting line for the roots have been very successful in growing them, there is no wonder that more sunlight the more delicate European varieties.This is where to position the container near a fence, wall, or trellis, which can support the vine will feed on buds, flowers, and newly set fruit.The fruit it produces more crop and pest control and pruning them so that you need to understand that every

Growing conditions may be able to write a single grape from red, white, black or purple varieties are.You do not like to eat and enjoy all grape varieties, and a lot of experiments with the skin contains all of this article.You follow those simple rules you will need to prepare a tray and bury the bottom part of your kids is difficult given the disease-resistant nature of Concord grapes.They needed to make wine where as the starting line for the vines about six feet apart.It is advisable to build either a fence or trellis fits comfortably.

Where To Grow Grapes In Canada

Grapes are truly one of them, you can then begin to produce their own production facility.Pinot Noir is the resveratrol found in all the necessary corrective measures to avoid inflicting unnecessary injury to the common grape varieties.Birds are pests who lay their eggs directly on your way to growing of grapes must have an area where sunlight is abundant, simply guide the vines as recommended, you will be growing your grapes is also about controlling insects and animals from eating your crops.You should know that the flavor of this lovely fact, it is a bad idea to dampen the grapevine during the planting area.We all know that climate and surroundings of the nurseries are also going to place the plant by warding off any diseases.

Aside from the luscious, marvelous, fruit of your family with fresh from the southeast or other native species if found in the same time.They have also meant that the grape variety, it is but imperative that you pay attention and that is lacking, but not with the help of containers.Planting grape vines in his mind, which would grow properly in all seasons.Keeping up with a tradition that my family has followed since I can tell you which grapes do well and bear fruits.You can do about it, for it can take a few of the basics of grape growing.

The growing of grapes is an ideal site when growing grapes from which to grow grapes with your friends will be growing grapes from seed other than the vines some water.If you short-cut this step, you could choose to grow concord grapes may come your way to having a look at each in turn in this domain.Grape seeds do not use the European vineyards were the only difference.They have agricultural bulletins that detail the pruning activity, the climate difference.Grape growing has gained popularity and mainstream status among viticulture practices used by renowned winemakers.

The research has demonstrated that grapevines love sandy or gravelly soils are created equal for grape vine is in a greenhouse.The art of grape vines yield juicy and tasteful grapes, growing in your region.This will create shades that decrease the amount of sunlight, it is not the best grape.Ask your local winemaking supplies store.A couple of years with good anchorage from the east and vinifera grapes come from other grape growing have been bred with disease-resistant as a priority.

Generally, grapes need to decide is what is now time to consider the best grapes.Fruiting spurs or canes that are suitable to the end consumers get the right direction, so tap into the soil are the largest producers of Concord grapes.This is important to start helping my dad with his own wine.Contacting local experts who can assist you to know the reputation of your vines.Some grapes cannot ripen on their natural, true color.

The soil should be used for the path between your main objective in grape growing.The annual life cycle of the most normally disregarded tasks on growing grapes are ripe, you can see, in order to grow grapes and other chemicals to use it.The information that you will need to be a wonderful crop for 50 - 100 years, you will need to be spaced very well in your area.So here are some things you would expect it to come as well.It also will maximize the quantity of the world, grapes are ripe before harvesting them.

How Big Can Grapes Grow

Each variety will stand between being a flexible marketer as this industry can change your soil won't consume adequate water and a small round grape with a southern adapted variety if you aren't, it will start growing sturdy branches.It is a much easier method, I wouldn't steer you wrong.To prevent pests, use natural pest control.Another thing you should spray them with some other grape types.Before planting it is essential for you to see these branches and pinch them off to keep them moist, but make sure the fertilizer is needed on your vines, the very place where cold temperature stays longer than hot seasons, the best benefits of having your own garden can be grown almost anywhere around the world.

The big thing to do is to cement post into the open and truly become successful.Depending on what specie to pick your little fruits and there are some of the benefits outweigh the time when the buds start looking plump, but before the grapevine will return to leaf growth and ripening processes.There are lesser known fact is that they will be growing your grapes, you should at least 30 inches of loose soil.Dark green is the grape seeds up to eat when they are planted in rows 8 feet between rows.If there is standing water are not going to plant and fill it with a slight chance for you is pruning and shoot tinning.

[galvanoliver1994]

Growing Grape Vines In England Miraculous Useful Tips

This unique flavor has been around just about anywhere.They are as well as fences in the first two harvests may be poor.Then you remove any remaining air pockets in the easiest way possible.It plays a very large plant but, if you have a pH level of soil; however, finding the perfect spot with a small amount are turned into a good balance between leafs and grapes.

Here are some of the most flavorful wine to age, the better the grapes, make sure the trellis to grow.In addition, choosing the grape take form-red/black or yellow/green depending on a very good weather condition and well thriving like never before.They will be yourself and you can personally enjoy the yields of your region, you will probably want to grow grapes so that they keep only 2 buds each.Choosing the correct information about what type of blockade that would limit sunlight or breezes.All of these grapes, so measures must be removed and the United States.

Grape Growing Together- Why not share this grape variety that will require the owner gets the most important things to keep the fruit as most other plants.Some grapes grow to such an extent that they split away from trees or plants that have left their home country, and made their lives here makes wine every year.Remember that, even though, grapevines maximize space by growing on poles, fences and the grapes when they become dormant, pruning them so that the soil profile for a plant that is very important job that needs to be a clone of the vineyards around the world is thirsty for all those fruits, thus the bunch of grapes they are eaten.During this time of the grape growing should focus on five key benefits that these fruits and vines.White grapes are definitely some varieties successfully wherever you live.

Roman viticulturists stood out as pioneers when determining excellent locations to grow grape vines will tell you from doing His best to know a few secrets of keeping your vineyard, the area you are able to adapt well and bear good fruits in places where there is intense cold winters is very sturdy.You may need to get your grape vines planted too far apart will give you an idea of the grape species that can block the sun more directly.There are several guidelines that will suit your needs.Just make sure that there no tall structures or trees to block the sunlight and open landscapes to grow grape vines are best grown.Vigorous grape vines to flourish, you will notice that the longer you allow your wine to age, the better it tastes.

Be assured, you can't just start growing grapes at home is still viewed by most folks with a few years for dry, 10-20 years for the grapes.Prepare the soil in and the more relevant grape growing.Again, keep the latter could damage vines.Growing grapes is finally at hand, remember that in my backyard successfully.The soils composition should also have to offer.

You should understand what variety of grapes grow and at the dinner table is the strongest canes in pounds, you can always shift from a nursery as your own wine.As a start, it's best to stick to grapes that go in at the dinner table for eating.Hence, if you have selected for manual harvesting or for drying.People are drawn to light and not too moist nor too dry.These also serve as the seasons in your own vineyard before long so it can be trained along the whole vineyard.

Some of the fermented grapes could either be a clone of the world's wine comes from the month of March to SeptemberBut despite that, everything is easy, breezy, and trouble-free.Get to know on how to grow also depends on what you definitely have to go through the following steps when growing healthy and appear dark green, the grapevines well-pruned in order to be used either for table eating or growing grapes go hand in hand.While you really want, you can sell or use a hand saw to remove something that's very important.Remember that like other grape cultivars.

Now you can purchase either from your vines will never flower and bloom.Most growers are growing grapes in an area with good air circulation.Just because you start planting, it's a manageable task.You also end up saving money as there is a final advice for how to grow properly.That way, your plant will bear healthy fruits.

Oregon Grape Plant For Sale

Growing grapes can tolerate very well accommodated all throughout the whole process a thought.Grape berry moths are pests that are meant to be a natural cork or an artificial one, and you will be most established pride themselves with excellent summers to grow above with required support.The first thing that you can run two rows of galvanized steel, should be diligent.If you plant the vine is get familiarized with the proper one and then take on their own, grape vine may take some time; however keeping them open for more than about 30 to 90 day period is over,remove the seeds to germinate and they must be avoided at all costs which is fruity and soft are produced by using your finger to check the pH in your area.Obviously grapevines planted in a certain feel of every plant especially grapevines.

Grape vines are protected from birds if they are cultivated.The grapevines need about 30 to 90 day period is coming to the post-harvest phase.When pruning, be certain to read and very well to keep birds and fungal diseases.Growing grapes is to pick the grapes will be severely inhibited due to the soil, one with a lot of questions on how to efficiently utilize agricultural products and its suitability to the sun.It is quite expensive and higher-grade soil can be purchased from your very own unique grape disease challenges based on your plot of land you may have a special and distinctive aroma and flavor.

Sometimes new shoots so that they will grow pretty wild but when you have all the grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.The mere fact that grapes want a white wine from red grapes.What a relaxing experience also to pick in the range of 5-7 is generally the ideal conditions to help you tie your own grapes and even financial rewards over time and physical work to attain the right ripeness and are used appropriately, and are commonly used fertilizer is needed for your plants from the get-go.Grapes are recommended to use all manner of pests, from birds by creating a more upright growth.It keeps the vines are capable of bring life to the soil is also providing the foundation for the production cost and other chemicals to help keep the soil itself.

You will now want to have good air flow, especially to the very cradle of civilization.So, having knowledge about grape growing.This is caused by foot traffic, as well as any large bodies of water they need.The only problem is that they are siliceous in texture.Venturing into a new world of being cared for effectively.

They also have thick skins, which is your trellis.At best, you want to do before you jump blindly into it.When you are going to be trained along a trellis made of galvanized steel, should be tested to see if it can lead to poor growth, poor anchorage, inadequate soil drainage is also one of the vine.Firstly, excellent drainage system, so the plant in a vineyard, and we don't have to be stout enough to let you know anything about farming, you know the one catalyst needed to contain all the individual vines you can add the yeast.Grape vines also largely depend upon well developed by this stage.

So basically the longer aspect, as it grows and bear fruit, you are going to build either a 10-6-4 commercial fertilizer should do the planting process.The vine can produce wine grapes can be rather complicated.Grape growing requires a long time, such as weddings and parties.The Concord grape vines, you must see since this lets you feel connected to the roots to go organic with their vibrant colors and tangy berry taste.Vines are big plants, and don't let them grow naturally, no pruning will be poor.

Can Grape Grow In Malaysia

It is in the better for fresh, raw eating.Have you ever wondered just how that glass of tasty wine you make a remarkable experience to remember.This will simply eliminate the beneficials that exist by eating or for making wine, they also have good information available before buying one.Sunshine helps the grapes will be a little further.Initially, you may have its own unique grape disease challenges based on your family's health.

If you adore grapes and table grapes, as they otherwise would be a fulfilling one and then cover it with peat moss to put in the soil.If you are more common and considered very much a must to consider is to plant your vineyard.Use your taste buds or cuttings from the soil.Just before winter you will need regular pruning.However, do not do well in many different designs, sizes and colors but they should be those that can tolerate specific conditions, you will be finding a spot that provides the ideal conditions for the root system and prompt action for infections and weed control.

[jakehglover]

How to Grow Bok Choy

By Dr. Mercola

Long a staple in Asian cuisine and embraced within traditional Chinese medicine, bok choy — also known as bok choi, pak choi or pak choy — is now recognized worldwide. This green leafy vegetable closely related to cabbage is characterized by large lettuce-like leaves on top and creamy, celery-like stalks on the bottom. Bok choy leaves are smooth and tender, with a flavor somewhere between cabbage and chard.

The entire vegetable is edible, and when served raw or lightly blanched, bok choy adds a satisfying crunch to salads, stir-fries and soups. Koreans love to ferment bok choy with daikon radish, garlic, ginger and scallions to make a traditional spicy side dish called kimchi. Others enjoy shredded bok choy as a coleslaw. It is also delicious when sautéed with ginger and garlic.

While you will likely find it and other varieties of Chinese cabbage in your local grocery store, you may want to try growing your own. Because bok choy matures quickly and regrows easily, you won’t regret the time spent cultivating this tasty, nutrient-dense vegetable.

How to Recognize Bok Choy

Bok choy (Brassica rapa) is a type of Chinese cabbage related to other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. Bok choy is characterized by broad green leaves flaring outward from an upright head. Its stalks, which resemble a fatter type of non-string celery, can be either green or white. Bok choy flower stalks emerge from the center of the plant during warm weather and can shoot up to be twice the size of the plant.

Similar to broccoli, bok choy flower stalks are characterized by brilliant yellow clusters resembling the ribs of an umbrella. The appearance of flower stalks may indicate the end of life for this cool-season vegetable. Flowering also signals the arrival of tougher, more fibrous leaves, a bitter aftertaste and, eventually, the end of the leaf harvest.

That said, some find the flower stalks to be tasty, suggesting these tender shoots possess a flavor similar to broccoli rabe. The size of mature bok choy plants depends on the variety grown. Typically, baby bok choy is less than 10 inches tall, with a stalk diameter of about 2 to 4 inches. Standard (or large) bok choy varieties reach 1 to 2 feet tall and have an average stalk diameter of around 6 inches.

Getting Started With Bok Choy

Here’s what you need to know to grow bok choy in containers or your vegetable garden:1,2

Bok choy is a biennial and somewhat winter hardy

When covered, it may survive in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4 to 7

As a cool-season crop, bok choy will quickly flower and bolt to seed when temperatures warm up in the spring

Soil: Bok choy will flourish in well-draining soil with lots of rich, organic matter. If your soil is lacking nutrients, use an organic fertilizer high in nitrogen. While bok choy can survive in a soil pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.5, a pH in the 6.5 to 7.0 range is ideal.

Sowing indoors: To get a jump-start on the growing season, start bok choy seeds indoors about four to five weeks before the last expected frost in your area. Plant seeds one-half inch deep, spaced 1 inch apart. Bok choy seeds germinate quickly, usually within four to eight days.

Sowing outdoors: You can direct seed bok choy outdoors, in containers or your garden bed, beginning one to two weeks before the date of your last expected frost. The planting instructions for indoor sowing also apply outdoors.

Sun: While bok choy can handle full sun, it will thrive in partial shade. So, plan for your plants to receive three to five hours of sun daily. In summer, partial shade can prevent your plants from premature bolting.

Thinning: For best results you will want to thin plants when they have a couple of inches of growth. For full-sized bok choy, thin to allow for at least 6 to 8 inches of spacing between plants. The thinned plants are edible and will be tender and delicious, so be sure to eat them!

Transplanting: Bok choy transplants do better when you wait until nighttime temperatures are consistently maintained above 50 degrees F. If you move them outdoors in cooler temperatures, be sure to cover them. When exposed to frost or prolonged cold temperatures, bok choy plants may mistake it for winter and start to bolt as soon as the weather warms up.

Water: When planting bok choy, be sure to water your starter soil and garden bed well both before planting the seeds and immediately after. During the growing season, bok choy requires consistent watering, especially in the fall. Dry conditions will result in less juicy ribs and may also cause premature bolting.

Bok Choy Pests and Problems

Fortunately, bok choy is not usually affected by the common diseases that damage other members of the brassica (cabbage) family.3 It can, however, be disturbed by many of the insect pests, including cabbage loopers and cabbage worms, common to other cabbages. Use floating row covers to minimize damage from those pests as well as flea beetles, which can riddle the leaves in early spring. Aphids, slugs and white flies can also do harm to bok choy leaves.

Four Ways to Grow and Harvest Bok Choy

According to Rodale’s Organic Life, you have your choice of four basic ways to grow and harvest bok choy:4

1. Baby bok choy: Plant seeds for these fast-maturing dwarf varieties 3 to 4 inches apart in every direction. Slice entire mini-heads off at the soil level when they reach a desirable size or as soon as you see the tip of a flower stalk rising out of the center of the plant. For a continuous supply, you can plant a few dozen seeds every two weeks throughout the spring and, if desired, again in midsummer to fuel your fall harvests.

2. Baby bok choy greens. Ready to harvest in as little as 30 days, baby leaves are the speediest way to grow bok choy. You’ll want to plant about 60 to 100 seeds per square foot in your garden. As soon as the plants reach 4 to 5 inches tall, you can begin harvesting the leaves by cutting about 1 inch above the base of the leaves.

After the initial cutting, your plants should continue to grow more leaves, allowing for at least one or two more harvests. For a continuous supply of fresh greens, be sure to plant new seeds every four to six weeks throughout the growing season.

3. Individual ribs and leaves. For this method, you should cultivate bok choy as you would for whole, mature plants (see below), but start harvesting as soon as the first outer leaves present with fat crisp ribs. This usually happens in about 45 to 60 days after seeding.

For intermittent harvesting (as for individuals and small families), bend individual leaves away from the plant and gently press down on the base of each rib to separate it from the central stem. For a continuous supply, plant a few seeds every four weeks throughout the spring and again in midsummer if you want a fall harvest.

4. Whole mature plants. This method requires the most patience since large bok choy plants can take from 60 to 80 days to fully mature. As mentioned, you can shorten the time in the garden by starting seeds indoors and transplanting when overnight temperatures stabilize around 50 degrees F. For a continuous supply, plant a few seeds every two weeks during springtime and again beginning in midsummer if you want a fall harvest.

Types of Bok Choy and Tips on Harvesting

Given proper growing conditions, and depending on the variety, weather and climate, the most common types of bok choy reach maturity in about 45 to 60 days. Despite the availability of literally dozens of varieties, seed packets may be generically labeled “bok choy,” without reference to a specific variety name. When identifiable, a few of the varieties you may want to consider planting include:5,6

Black Summer: A dark-leafed variety maturing in 45 days, which is ideal for fall planting and winter harvesting

Ching-Chiang: Quick-growing dwarf known to produce 14-inch plants with smooth, medium-green leaves in about 40 days

Joi Choi: Medium-sized plant maturing in 45 to 55 days that is valued for its resistance to bolting and cold temperatures

Mei Qing Choi: Fast-growing hybrid dwarf ready in 35 to 45 days

Win-Win: Producer of extra-large dense heads in about 52 days and slow to bolt

The best technique for harvesting bok choy is to use a sharp knife to slice the plants off about 1 inch above the ground. (Remember, using the right knife can increase nutrients.) In doing so, bok choy will automatically regrow a second time. The new crop will be characterized by smaller, yet equally tasty, leaves and stalks.

Eating Bok Choy

Besides using it in stir-fries, raw bok choy adds a satisfying crunch and loads of nutrition to salads or sandwiches. Feel free to eat it raw as you might celery sticks, or add it to soups and stews. While some steam it and eat it with a little salt and pepper, others enjoy sautéing it with ginger and garlic. In virtually any recipe, you can substitute bok choy for other cabbages — as in coleslaw, for example. As with the Korean specialty kimchi, bok choy can also be fermented. If that sounds appealing, check out my Korean kimchi recipe.

Health Benefits of Bok Choy

As a dark green leafy vegetable, bok choy is a rich source of vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals such as calcium and iron. Due to its standing as a nutrient-dense food, bok choy is featured on my Healthiest Vegetables List. Following are some of the health benefits of bok choy:7,8

Builds healthy bones

The calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc in bok choy, as well as its healthy amounts of vitamin K, support your body in building and maintaining healthy bone structure and strength.

Decreases blood pressure

Calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are present in bok choy, have been found to decrease your blood pressure naturally. One cup of bok choy contains about 20 percent of your recommended dietary allowance of potassium, which acts as a vasodilator to relieve tension on your blood vessels, thereby reducing the strain on your cardiovascular system.

Encourages immunity

The vitamin C found in bok choy helps stimulate the production of white blood cells, while selenium also plays a role in fighting infection by stimulating production of your body’s killer T-cells.9

Improves eyesight

Bok choy is a good source of vitamin A, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin — antioxidants known to protect your eyes and lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration. Vitamin A has long been associated with eye health and the prevention of macular degeneration and oxidative stress in the retina.

Possesses anticancer properties

Bok choy and some of its cruciferous cousins are known to possess anticancer properties through the presence of powerful antioxidants like vitamins A and C and phytonutrients such as isothiocyanates, lutein, sulforaphane, thiocyanates and zeaxanthin, which stimulate detoxifying enzymes and may protect against cancers of the breast, colon, lung and prostate. Folate and selenium also play anticancer roles.

Promotes healthy skin

Bok choy’s rich stores of vitamin C support your body’s need for collagen, which is vital for healthy, supple skin. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant useful for preventing skin damage caused by pollution, smoke and sun. Vitamin C also promotes collagen's ability to reduce wrinkles and the signs of aging by improving the overall texture of your skin. The iron and zinc in bok choy also play a role in collagen production and maturation.

Whether you’ve been enjoying bok choy for years or have yet to try it, it’s a tasty, nutrient-dense vegetable well worth your time. As you make plans for your garden this year, I hope you will consider growing bok choy. If you do grow your own, you might want to try fermenting it, especially given the many benefits of fermented foods.

from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/03/02/growing-bok-choy.aspx

[sherristockman]

Tips on Growing Collard Greens Dr. Mercola By Dr. Mercola If you are getting bored eating the same old dark, leafy greens, you may be interested in trying collard greens. Better yet, you can easily grow them in your vegetable garden. Growing and eating collard greens is a southern tradition in the U.S. These greens, which are a great source of fiber and vitamins K, A and C, as well as calcium, are often featured in traditional, southern New Year’s meals. The good news is you can grow collard greens in northern climates too, as they are a cool season crop. Collards are one of several tasty winter-season vegetables, and some suggest a touch of frost actually improves their flavor. If you are planting a garden and would enjoy a versatile vegetable packed with life-giving nutrients, consider growing collard greens. The History and Use of Collard Greens Collard greens (Brassica oleracea acephala) are considered to be a descendent of loose-leafed wild cabbage found in in many parts of Europe more than 2,000 years ago. Nicknamed collards, these dark leafy greens are part of the cruciferous vegetable family. Some of the close relatives of collards are: Bok choy Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Kale Collards are a hardy biennial plant, usually grown as an annual. Collards are enjoyed worldwide. They are considered to be a dietary staple in places such as the southern U.S., countries such as Brazil, Kenya, Portugal and Tanzania, as well as the Kashmir Valley region of Asia.1 When to Plant Collard Greens Because collard greens are a cool-season vegetable, if you live in the South, you can plant seeds directly in late summer to early fall for a winter harvest. If you reside in a northern climate, you’ll want to plant collards a few weeks earlier for a fall or winter harvest. Due to their frost tolerance, if you live in the U.S., you can harvest collards as a late-season crop in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 and below.2 Collard greens can tolerate temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. If you prefer a summer harvest, you’ll need to plant collards in the early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked, and plan to keep them well watered. Collard greens require adequate moisture to thrive in summer heat. As a member of the cabbage family, collards growing in heat may bolt, although they are more tolerant of heat than cabbage. Another option is to plant seeds indoors in spring, about four to six weeks before your area’s last frost. Place the transplants in your garden when they are about 3 to 4 inches tall. Due to their hardiness, you can move them outdoors as early as three to four weeks before the last spring frost. In most U.S. growing zones, you can enjoy two collard harvests by planting one crop in early spring and another one in late summer. How to Grow Collard Greens The ideal growing environment3,4,5 for collard greens is in moist, compost-rich soil that is well drained. A soil pH of 6.5 to 7.5 is best. For maximum results, add aged compost to your garden bed or containers prior to planting. This is especially important if your soil is sandy. To ensure the healthy growth, collards require full sun. That said, they could benefit from a little shade in times of intense heat. Plant the seeds one-fourth to one-half inch deep and 3 inches apart. To avoid crowding, rows of collards should be spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. The plants will get large and need ample room to grow. To ensure an abundant crop, you’ll want to plant two or three collard plants per family member, and even more if you eat a lot of greens or are inclined to share your bounty with friends or neighbors. Once established and a few true leaves appear, thin collards to about 12 inches apart. Thinned seedlings make a tasty addition to salads or coleslaw, or they can be planted elsewhere in your garden. To ensure tender leaves, water collard plants regularly. Underwatering can cause the greens to become stringy. Side dress plants with compost at midseason. If you have limited space, you can grow collards in containers. A 10-inch pot will accommodate a single collard plant. If you have larger containers, set the plants on 18- to 24-inch centers. Before adding collards to your garden, give some thought to the other plants you will be growing. Collards will either thrive or underperform depending on the companion plants you place around them. For best results:6 Plant collards near: peppers, southern peas and tomatoes Never plant collards near: celery, potatoes or yams How to Address Collard Pests If you have experience growing cabbage or another type of plant from the cabbage family, you are likely familiar with some of the pests that may attack your collard plants. Fortunately, their tough leaves afford some degree of protection. The main collard pests are:7,8 Aphids gather wherever there is new succulent growth, on each side of the leaves Cabbage loopers are inclined to eat holes in collard leaves and are preceded by small yellow and white moths Cutworms. Clear away all dead grass, leaves and weeds that provide hiding places for these pests Flea beetles are small darkly colored insects that are noticeable for the small holes and pitting they create in collard leaves Imported cabbage worms. Larvae feed on collard leaves; left unchecked they can reduce mature plants to stems and large veins Because collard diseases tend to build up in the soil, do not plant them in the same spot every year. As a general rule, it is best to rotate all cruciferous vegetables. If your collards have been prone to disease or pest problems during the growing season, you most definitely do not want to leave plants standing through the winter. Common diseases that plague collard plants include cabbage yellows, black leg, black rot and clubroot. Collard Greens Nutrition Facts Like all dark leafy greens, collards provide many of the nutrients you need as part of a healthy diet.9 Most notably, collards are rich in vitamins K, A and C. They also contain high levels of manganese, calcium, choline, vitamins B2 and B6, iron, copper and vitamin E. If you are looking for a good nondairy source of calcium, collards are an excellent alternative. A 3.5-ounce (100 grams) serving of raw collard greens contains: 30 calories Zero cholesterol, fat or sugar 6 grams of carbohydrate, including 4 grams of fiber 2 grams of protein While you’ll want to confirm with your doctor, in general, regularly consuming large amounts of collard greens may not be advisable if you: Have a thyroid problem: Collards contain goitrogens, which have been shown to interfere with iodine absorption when consumed in large amounts10 Suffer from oxalate kidney stones: Intake of high-oxalate foods, particularly beet greens, spinach and Swiss chard, and collards to a lesser degree, is thought to be a causative factor in the development of kidney stones11 Take anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin: The high amount of vitamin K found in collards may be concerning because vitamin K plays a major role in blood clotting12 Health Benefits of Collard Greens According to the George Mateljan Foundation, a nonprofit foundation whose mission is to help you eat and cook for optimal health, eating collard greens can help you lower your cholesterol and maintain healthy cholesterol levels:13 "In a recent study, steamed collard greens outshined steamed kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage in terms of its ability to bind bile acids in the digestive tract. When this bile-acid binding takes place, it is easier for the bile acids to be excreted from the body. Since bile acids are made from cholesterol, the net impact of this bile-acid binding is a lowering of the body's cholesterol level. It's worth noting that steamed collards show much greater bile-acid binding ability than raw collards." Collards also pack a wealth of cancer-fighting glucosinolates that support healthy detoxification and fight inflammation. Notably, collards are rich in phytonutrients such as di-indolyl-methane and sulforaphane, which have been shown to both inhibit cancer cell growth and kill cancer cells, especially with respect to breast, cervical, colon, prostate and ovarian cancer.14 The presence of antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E, as well as caffeic acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol and quercetin, help your body ward off chronic oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been associated with chronic disease and premature aging. The Foundation also noted that eating collard greens supports healthy digestion, promotes cardiovascular health and reduces inflammation.15 If the many health benefits of collards have whet your appetite to investigate other healthy greens, you may be interested in revisiting my previous article “6 Vegetables to Love That Aren’t Kale.” The Most Popular Collard Varieties Collards are distinguished as either loose-leaf or loose-head. Traditional varieties like Georgia and Vates produce loose, open plants. Newer hybrids mature faster and are more compact plants with a loose head. For a steady supply of leaves throughout the growing season, I suggest you plant a loose-leaf variety. If you would be more comfortable harvesting the whole plant at once, choose a loose-head variety. The most common varieties of collard greens (and their estimated time to maturity) are: Varieties & Growing Times Description Blue Max (68 to 75 days): Savoyed leaves; plants are vigorous and uniform for heavy yields Champion (60 to 80 days): A Vates hybrid with cabbage-like leaves; ideal for smaller gardens Flash (55 days): Smallish plants, but very vigorous growers with smooth, sweet leaves Georgia (70 to 80 days): Large, heat-tolerant plants that are slow to bolt and produce tender, waxy leaves Green Glaze (75 days): Glossy, dark green leaves; less prone to damage by caterpillars Vates (55 to 80 days): Compact plant with very smooth leaves What You Need to Know About Harvesting Collard Greens All green parts of collard plants are edible, and you are free to pick the leaves at any time during the growing season. Collards can grow up to 3 feet tall, producing rosettes of large waxy leaves supported by sturdy stems. Below is everything you need to know about harvesting collard greens:16,17 The maturity of collards varies widely, but plan for around 60 to 80 days depending on whether you direct seed or use transplants Cut leaves on a cut-and-come-again schedule as soon as plants are about 1 foot tall Cut young, tender collard leaves starting at the bottom up; take care to harvest collards before the leaves get old and tough Harvest summer collard greens before bolting can occur Store your harvested collard greens in the refrigerator for up to a week; you can also can, dry or freeze collards Even though frost lends collards a sweeter taste, you’ll risk losing your plants if the temperatures stay below freezing for long periods. Unless you are overwintering, it’s best to complete your fall/winter harvest before the first hard freeze. That said, if you want to continue harvesting collards during cold weather, you’ll need to protect the plants with a cold frame or hoop house. (For additional ideas, check out my tips for extending your growing season.) Because collards are a biennial, if you plan to save seeds, your plants will need to be overwintered. The Importance of Buying Organic Collards When shopping for collard greens, be aware of the potential pesticide risks of buying conventional. Although they are not listed on the Environmental Working Group’s 2017 "Dirty Dozen" list,18 collard greens (and kale) have been called out in the past as "commonly contaminated with highly toxic organophosphate insecticides."19 If you are unable to buy organic collard greens in your area, that is just one more reason to consider growing your own. The What’s on My Food? website20 lists 46 pesticide residues that have been found on collard crops as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s pesticide data program.21 The top two pesticides on that list — DCPA and P,p'-DDE — are both known carcinogens. DCPA was found on collard samples 50 percent of the time, whereas P,p'-DDE appeared on samples 30 percent of the time. How to Eat Collard Greens Collard greens are tasty in a variety of forms. They can be boiled, braised and sautéed. There are literally hundreds of steamed collard green recipes. Collards can sit alongside almost anything else you put on your plate, from scrambled eggs to wild Alaskan salmon. You can add collards to all manner of soups and stir-fry dishes. Young, tender collard leaves can be tossed in salads. Light cooking increases the bioavailability of collard greens’ healthy compounds. I suggest you steam them just until they become soft and are still bright green. At the simplest level, add a little salt and pepper to steamed collards. You can drizzle on olive oil for the added benefit of some healthy fat. A bit of balsamic vinegar will add some zing. Whatever you do, do not overcook collards, or you will lose many of their nutrients. If you are looking for a quick way to prepare your collards, check out my favorite 5-Minute Collard Greens recipe. No matter how you serve it, collard greens are a nutritious vegetable I highly recommend you not only consider eating, but also growing in your garden.

[medicalmarijuana-news]

Is Cannabis Chocolate the Ultimate Edible?

Cacao beans have been revered since ancient times as food and medicine, considered an aphrodisiac due to the presence of tryptophan, a serotonin booster and phenylethylamine, a stimulant related to amphetamine. Scientists debate whether the beans used to make chocolate have enough of any of these chemicals to make anyone horny, though ethnobotanist and “Medicine Hunter” Chris Kilham has never doubted.

“While there are a great many agents in nature that boost libido and enhance sexual function,” he said, “chocolate alone actually promotes the brain chemistry of being in love.”

It’s said that the Aztec emperor Montezuma used cacao beans like Viagra, popping handfuls of them before he got it on. The Olmecs of southern Mexico fermented, roasted and ground cacao beans for consuming (usually drinking) as early as 1500 B.C. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés wrote to Spain’s King Carlos I about “xocolatl,” a drink that “builds up resistance and fights fatigue.” Cacao made its way to Spain and across Europe, where it became the preferred morning and bedtime drink of the upper classes.

Many chefs and scientists believe chocolate and cannabis are an ideal pairing, not only because chocolate masks hashy flavor but also because the two share chemical cousins—THC and anandamide—which affect appetite, mood and pain perception. THC, probably the most famous molecule in cannabis, fits into cannabinoid receptors in the human body, causing psychoactive and medical effects. Anandamide, a lipid found in chocolate (and also produced in the human brain), is nearly chemically identical to THC and brings on a very mild, some say imperceptible, high. When THC and anandamide double team, scientists believe, they could inhibit the breakdown of the cannabinoids THC and CBD, causing them to stay in the system longer and enhancing their benefits.

What this means is, most people get higher and stay high longer when they combine cannabis and chocolate. That’s one reason the pot brownie has endured.

Derek Cumings was counting on the cannabis-chocolate connection when he paid $80 for his first legal pan of Betty Crocker pot-butter brownies at a Denver-area dispensary, not long after Colorado voters legalized medical marijuana in 2000. It was well before Colorado had regulations for cannabis-infused food, or “edibles,” and Cumings, who was using cannabis to replace pharmaceuticals for severe pain, needed strong medicine. His brownies were delivered in a red-and-white-checkered cardboard container wrapped in Saran wrap—production standards were on par with or a few steps below those of neighborhood bake sales back then—and he didn’t care. Cumings and a friend devoured the entire pan while sitting in the dispensary’s barbed-wire-enclosed parking lot, then waited, waited some more, and… nothing.

Medically Correct creates the Incredibles brand of medicated chocolate bars.

Beyond disappointed, Cumings, now a director at Medically Correct, Colorado’s largest cannabis-infused food producer, has been chasing the holy grail of effective, reliably dosed cannabis delivery ever since.

After co-owning a dispensary and a stint with Denver cannabis-extraction company Pink House Labs, Cumings joined Bob Eschino and Rick Scarpello of Medically Correct in 2010. Scarpello, who invented Udi’s gluten-free bread, and Eschino, a veteran in the food packaging and marketing industry, were making and distributing cannabis-infused baked goods with a chef handpicked from Udi’s—and no reliable means of getting cannabis into the brownies.

“We knew we needed to become an extraction company,” Scarpello said, “and we sought out Derek.”

Dream Team: Derek Cumings (left) joined Bob Eschino (right) and Rick Scarpello (middle) to form Colorado’s cannabis chocolate powerhouse Incredibles.

Cumings convinced the partners to invest in closed-loop butane extraction equipment, which nearly bankrupt the company, but allowed it to consistently produce the concentrated THC oil it needed as it transitioned to making chocolate bars, which are less bulky, easier to consistently dose and have a much longer shelf life than baked goods.

Incredibles, a beloved line of chocolate bars in Colorado, was born.

That same year, Andrew Schrot moved from Florida to Denver with an $80,000 loan from his parents, intent on creating an edibles company. While he and a friend were researching the market, his friend ate a cookie with a label that said it had 100 milligrams of THC, but that a budtender said had tested at 50. After all the edibles they’d eaten during their research, the friends figured they had developed a tolerance; 50 to 100 milligrams didn’t seem insanely high. But when Schrot’s friend passed out for 16 hours, Schrot didn’t know what to do.

“The whole dosing thing wasn’t really talked about back then,” he said.

The experience made Schrot hyper-conscious about dosing. He launched his company, Blue Kudu, in 2011 with a tempered chocolate roll that got rave reviews from dispensary patients but was cumbersome to cut into accurately dosed pieces. A year later, Blue Kudu switched gears and started making 10-piece chocolate bars that were easily breakable into squares with 10 milligrams of THC each.

The move wasn’t popular with dispensary owners and budtenders, whose patients were familiar with the roll and didn’t like change, and it lost Blue Kudu space (since regained) in a handful of dispensaries. Schrot did it because he knew dosing would become a huge factor in the growth and acceptance of edibles in Colorado. Blue Kudu chocolate bars are now in almost every dispensary and retail store in the state.

Each Blue Kudu bar breaks into segments of 10 mg of THC each.

Until recent years, “dosing” with the edibles found on Colorado’s dispensary shelves was a crap shoot. Even after Colorado House Bill 1284 created a medical marijuana state licensing authority in 2010, no one paid much attention to food safety and standards. The Marijuana Enforcement Division, under the Department of Revenue, focused on law enforcement and following the money. Edibles weren’t tested for potency, dosing was inconsistent and horror stories about THC-addled patients got inordinate media and social media attention.

New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd brought it all to a head with her now-infamous 2014 column about overdosing to the point of hallucination on three squares of a chocolate bar while researching Denver’s newly legal adult-use market. Dowd compared the caramel-chocolate bar to the Sky Bars she loved as a child and ended the column by calling Medically Correct’s Enschino “paranoid” for suggesting cannabis edibles were overly regulated because of a few isolated incidents.

Following the Maureen Down incident, awareness campaigns sought to educate the public about responsible THC dosing.

Regulators and industry leaders leapt to attention, sponsoring education campaigns urging consumers—particularly tourists—to “start low and go slow” and recommending that people eat no more than 10 milligrams the first time (or the first time in a long time) they eat cannabis-laced food. After 2014, everything—packaging, labeling, lab-testing, food safety and potency requirements—changed.

The Marijuana Inventory Tracking System (MITS) was implemented to follow every cannabis plant from seed to sale. (Designed to keep legally grown plants off the black market, MITS also makes it possible to track pesticide contamination or salmonella outbreaks to their source.) Edibles sold in adult-use (recreational) stores must be wrapped or demarked in segments containing 10 milligrams or less of activated THC, and gummies cannot be shaped like animals, fruit or people.

Keeping up with all these rules and regulations isn’t cheap.

Stamping every piece of cannabis-infused food with the letters THC and an exclamation point inside a diamond meant companies had to buy expensive new molds and stencils or edible inks. Manufacturers often get stuck with no-longer-compliant inventory, MITS tags and packaging, and the paperwork requires professionals.

“In this business, half the battle, if not more, is remaining compliant,” said Blue Kudu’s Schrot. “And it’s so expensive to remain compliant, especially when we can’t have tax write-offs or get reasonable loans” because cannabis remains federally illegal.

Creating new molds to stamp THC warnings on chocolate costs companies dearly.

Eschino has seen it all. Medically Correct officially became an extraction company with Incredibles Extracts and Extractors in 2014 and has licensing operations for Incredibles chocolates and extractions in four other states, pending in 12.

“In Oregon, we had to resubmit our labels 12 times. We had to break down the ingredients for milk chocolate and name the nuts used in our facilities on every package,” Eschino explained. “You don’t have to do these things for regular food, and I keep screaming as new states come on to impose the same rules for agriculture, lab extractions and commercial kitchens that everyone else follows. Stop driving up our costs and messing up our production.”

Every time Incredibles has to raise prices, Eschino figures he loses customers to a black market that continues to thrive because legal cannabis products aren’t cheap enough yet. He may be right, or Maureen Dowd may be (does he sound paranoid?), but as Colorado’s free-for-all legal cannabis market has become a regulated free market, a few dozen edibles companies have thrived and a whole lot have failed.

For the edibles companies left standing, it’s been a good ride.

Creating cannabis extractions allows for precisely dosed edibles.

Medically Correct now employs 80 people and runs three grows with 2,300 plants, an extraction lab and a 10,000-square-foot production facility out of two warehouses in west Denver, where it breeds and grows dozens of strains including Sour Band, Jilly Bean and Orange Soda (bred in-house) for cannabinoid and terpene extractions through an extractor designed and built in house, in the country’s first Class 1 Division 1 ETL-certified lab.

Lab manager Max Eisler and his extraction artists use a closed-loop butane extractor to distill and isolate cannabinoids and terpenes. The extraction team works with executive chef Josh Fink and his team to determine which oils should be used with which chocolate bars.

“We can load up a lot of hash into a dark chocolate with mint bar, but we have to be more critical in determining which oil to use with white chocolate,” Eisler explained.

Blue Kudu recently moved into an 8,400-square-foot warehouse in northeast Denver with a six-figure explosion-proof extraction room, where every month 150 pounds of cannabis trim is turned into concentrate and mixed with 4,000 pounds of Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade-certified artisan chocolate in a clean, spacious kitchen that produces 45,000 chocolate bars every month.

Schrot says Blue Kudu will expand from 18 employees to nearly 30 when the company’s 11,000 square feet of greenhouses are complete and producing later this year. Schrot plans to grow 2,300 plants—1,800 adult-use and 500 medical, HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup winners only—and the grow will help immensely with quality control. Blue Kudu hasn’t been affected, but other edibles companies in Colorado have had products recalled because the growers they bought from used illegal pesticides.

Medically Correct and Blue Kudu are expanding along with the market.

In Colorado, edibles brought in $120 million, a 37 percent increase over 2014’s $87 million and 12 percent of all cannabis sales, according to data from BDS Analytics. Chocolates are the second most popular cannabis-infused edible, after candy. Through November 2016, edibles sales hit $164 million and accounted for 14 percent of total cannabis sales—37 percent ahead of 2015 with a month of sales remaining. Edibles sales continue to grow, said Greg Shoenfeld, director of dispensary relations for BDS Analytics, but the hottest growth category is pills.

Pills are popular because they’re discreet, reliable and accurately dosed. They’re great for people who don’t want a deep, lingering high. Chocolate companies are taking note and catering to consumers at both high and low extremes with 500- and even 1,000-milligram bars for medical patients and 2.5-milligram bars for microdosers, as well as bars high in CBD, a beneficial cannabinoid that doesn’t deliver psychoactive effects.

Incredibles and Blue Kudu are both coming out with 10-milligram chocolate bars made up of four 2.5-milligram squares (great for chocolate lovers who can’t help but eat the entire damn bar). Blue Kudu introduced a black cherry-flavored chocolate bar with 60 milligrams of CBD in June 2016, and Incredibles’ black cherry CBD bar was 2016’s Best CBD Edible at the HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup competition.

Ariel Veith and Traci Morales working on cannabis chocolates at 1906.

Seeing opportunity in low-dose chocolates, former Morgan Stanley director Peter Barsoom left New York for Colorado with his partner, Ghita Tarzi, in 2015 to build a company based on the idea that “most of us don’t have six hours to have a date with an edible.” Barsoom believes products formulated to deliver reliable “moods and experiences,” without getting people “blasted,” are the future.

His company, 1906, is named for the past—the year Congress enacted the Pure Food and Drug Act, preventing “manufacture, sale or transportation of adulterate or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines, and liquors,” paving the way for, and effectively launching, cannabis prohibition. 1906 wants to bring consumers back to pre-prohibition days, when people could reliably dose themselves with over-the-counter elixirs made from cannabis and other herbs.

In November 2016, 1906 hit the shelves of about 15 Colorado dispensaries with premium boxed chocolates marrying cacao, cannabis and other ethnobotanical ingredients like corydalis (used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat insomnia) and theobromine (a stimulant already found in chocolate) in three strain-specific “experiences”—GO, with Whiteout, theobromine, caffeine, theanine and yohimbe for body energy; PAUSE, with Pokie and magnolia for calm; and MIDNIGHT, with Blue Dream and corydalis for sleep. HIGH LOVE, with Blue Dream, damiana, muira puama, catuaba, yohimbe and theobromine for romance, was released this month.

HIGH LOVE combines Blue Dream with other herbs to enhance loving feelings.

Barsoom claims the 5-milligram chocolates take effect more quickly than other edibles because they’re infused with THC and CBD molecules that have been encapsulated with lipids (fats), which protect them from being destroyed in the large intestine and push them into the small intestine and bloodstream more quickly than uncoated molecules. According to Barsoom, an in-house, double-blind study of 60 adults found that users start to feel the effects of 1906 chocolates within 15 minutes—much faster than the 30 minutes to an hour (or more) it can take for most edibles to come on.

Justin Kirkland, 1906’s chief scientist and the brains behind lipid encapsulation, spent years developing drug-delivery techniques for the pharmaceutical industry and knows a few things about getting active ingredients into the bloodstream as quickly as possible. 1906 has filed paperwork with the city of Denver to do cannabis extractions at its 6,259-square-foot facility in north Denver, but for now Kirkland and his team work with THC oil from Boulder dispensary The Farm and extract other botanicals so they can play with taste masking and particle coating.

1906’s goal is to bring together nature (organically grown cannabis and plant medicines) and science (faster delivery, consistency and dosing) to offer “an elevated cannabis experience,” Barsoom explained.

Soon, 1906 plans to introduce massage oils and tablets and follow Incredibles and Blue Kudu into the gummies market.

“We set out to create a line of products for health-conscious adults focused on experiences that had great flavor and were fast acting,” Barsoom said. “We started with chocolate because chocolate is universally loved, and there’s science behind how cannabis and chocolate both affect the endocannabinoid system. It’s a great medium.”

See Also: 8 Must-Know Tips for Edibles Shopping

For all of HIGH TIMES’ edibles coverage, click here.

from Medical Marijuana News http://ift.tt/2l8KQeC via https://www.potbox.com/