Greenhouses are a prized item when it comes to gardening. Not everyone can have one because of restraints on the budget and on the size of the garden. However, if you can afford one it will enrich your gardening no end and you’ll appreciate an early start to your growing season.
You can sow and grow on tender plants for planting out later in the season. The greenhouse will also provide you with somewhere to overwinter frost tender plants and during summer you can grow your tomatoes and aubergines that would sulk in a typical UK summer. And if it’s cold, wet and windy your greenhouse is the perfect place to continue gardening in the dry.
But you need to make your greenhouse work to its maximum capacity to get real value out of it. For this you’ll need some type of storage and a decent working surface. If you’ve only got a tiny greenhouse then you may get away with just a potting bench. You can sew and pot on using the bench in spring and store the plant pots underneath during winter.
However, for most people a potting bench is too small and restricting. That’s where wooden greenhouse staging comes in as it come is a whole range of sizes to fit what ever space you have available. The staging can have one or two shelves underneath for storage or even no shelves at all if you want.
The greenhouse staging can have slat tops for better ventilation or solid tops to provide a working surface. If space is tight then some designs will fold down so that during the height of the growing season you can optimise the space inside your greenhouse.
Being flexible with the insides of your greenhouse will help you get the most out of it. At times you’ll need to cope with a mass of young growing plants and at times it could be almost devoid of living vegetation.
Home canning is a great way to preserve food for your garden and market the local farmer. Many believe that canned foods is complicated to learn, but it is really a simple process once you understand the basics. A very important aspect of preserving food using this method is security.
If you have already ventured into a basement musty old and come across some of jars filled with food that Grandma had forgotten you've seen some fairly horrific examples of food spoilage. This canned food is unsafe and should be destroyed.
All spoiled foods are not easy to identify. Always inspect canned goods before eating: check the date on the label, the pot itself, and ensure the seal is not broken.
Some people will tell you that canned products can be stored safely for a number of years. The food may or may not be safe. Studies have shown that a safety rule to follow is to discard all food that you do not consummated within one year after the date of canning. You can keep the jars and sterilize for reuse.
Today, there are only two security methods recommended for home canning: canning under pressure and boiling water bath. The method of water bath is used to treat high-acid foods. The method of canning under pressure used to process low-acid foods.
When canned food, do not reuse lids canning metal. It is good reuse of segments or strips, they do not seal anyway. The band is simply used to hold the lid in place until it "Pops" and seals during the cooling process. After that, the group is irrelevant and can be removed. flat metal lids are readily available and very inexpensive, so there is no excuse for taking chances with metal joints used.
The "popping" noise occurs during cooling and is an indication that the container is properly treated and sealed. you process the food in your pot to high pressure, content of foods are heated and air is pushed out of the container. As the pot cools, the metal seal is literally sucked down and the jar is sealed, nothing can enter or leave, until you open the jar, of course.
Store canned goods in one place fresh and dry. High storage temperatures can damage the seals jar; freezing temperatures are not recommended either. Storage areas should be well below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Always inspect the jars before use. Do not use jars with cracks or chips.
Do not cut corners on time or specific treatment recommended for home canning. Do not assume that just because your pot "pops" and that seals food inside safe. The contents of the jar are supposed to be heated to the proper temperature, the amount fixed time, and following a recommended method. It is important that food is warming and is heated during this period of time to kill micro-organisms and bacteria. Use a good quality canner that seals properly.
Follow directions and do not skip steps. Just because your pots Canning clean look does not mean they are. Always sterilize the jars according to directions. Remember there is no point at all to lose your canned time if you do not do well. skipping steps and do not follow directions, you could cause harm to you or others.
Inspect foods before consumption. Beware of cloudy liquids, unusual odors, silt, and fungi. Note that some discoloration Food is natural and does not necessarily mean your rotten food. Cauliflower, garlic, and pears change color when processed routinely. Review the underside of the metal lid before eating canned food. Is it rusty or discolored? Is the jar rim contaminated or black? If so, do not eat the food in the jar. Use your common sense during the inspection of food staples.
Do not be afraid of food they can to home. It is very simple process and a wonderful way to enjoy your garden throughout the winter harvest. Simply follow the appropriate procedures of canning, and you'll be an expert safe home canning in no time.
Laura Brown is an experienced ghostwriter and professional freelance author. She also enjoys gardening and cooking. You can find some delicious recipes and gardening tips on her website, http://www.theranchersdaughter.com along with a lot of useful information on gardening, cooking, flowers, and living in the country. Learn more about preserving foods at Laura’s website.
Wendy Dewitt — Food Storage Seminar, Part 6 of 9. “Pressure Canning Meat”
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The worst thing about gardening in my opinion is not my weedy garden, or a bed that needs replanting, but rather the fear I have about entering my cluttered dingy garden shed. What makes it worse is the last minute fall pile-in of tools, pots, extra bags of dirt, muddy hoses, etc. If a well ordered garden shed is conducive to efficient weeding, then I have to admit to less than perfect gardening efficiency.
A disorganized shed is simply an impediment to getting outside chores done. We all are prone to procrastination. The thought of dragging various items out of the shed to get access to the long handled clippers almost makes you want to turn the TV on. If you have trouble getting to your outside chores perhaps your messy garden shed is playing a role.
The first thing you need to do to get things organized is to clear out the shed. Everything will get dragged out into the backyard. Make 3 piles – 1) most used things, 2) useful things you never use, and 3) broken or useless things. Those three piles at the end of the reorganization will be 1) fixed, shined up, and put back, 2) given away, and 3) thrown out.
Once the shed is empty give it a good cleaning. This is also a good chance to do some annual maintenance on some the shed contents. Sand off some rust spots on your garden tools and apply a new coat of anti-rust paint. Oil any parts that need oiling and generally give everything a good wash. Do not return any item to the shed unless it is cleaned and in working order.
One more job that you can do now that the garden shed is totally cleaned and still empty of tools, is to figure out if you need to add some more shelving or hooks to make storing your tools and supplies easier. And I’m not talking about banging in a couple more nails to hang the double wide rake you bought last year. There are great vinyl covered hooks that come in all shapes and sizes that hold tools securely, so you don’t start an avalanche every time you try to get the shovel, but didn’t properly place the garden shears and electric trimmer on their slanted spikes.
The last step, and for me the most fun, is putting back the deemed essential garden shed items each in their own spot, with room to find and access everything required for effective gardening. Now that everything has a spot, and your garden shed is the picture of organization, you will be more likely to approach your gardening with less dread. Garden shed organization is definitely worth the effort.
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