Category: Gardening

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Terra Preta

Terra Preta

Terra Preta, or “black earth,” is a man-made soil found in the Amazon rainforest, created over 2,000 years ago. Known for its exceptional fertility, it stands out from the nutrient-poor soils typically found in the region. Unlike other soils, Terra Preta can sustain agriculture for centuries and even regenerates itself over time.

This soil was made by mixing charcoal, bones, and organic waste into the earth through a process called pyrolysis. The charcoal improves soil structure and supports microorganisms that enhance fertility. Despite extensive research, modern science has not been able to fully replicate its unique properties.

The impact of Terra Preta is clear when comparing crops grown in it to those in natural rainforest soil. Crops in Terra Preta grow taller and healthier, while those in regular soil often struggle.

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How To Preserve Garlic

Preserving Garlic

Garlic intact for a year: how to preserve it? The trick?
Experienced cooks will surely know this method of preserving garlic.
First, take half a kilo of garlic cloves and soak them for about an hour in warm water. After drying them, peel them and you will see that they will peel off easily because the skin has softened.
Next, place all the garlic cloves in a sterilized glass jar. Pour two tablespoons of coarse salt, should be about 30 grams of salt. Then add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or, if you prefer, pour in the wine vinegar, this ingredient will help keep the garlic intact.
Finally bring some boiling water and let it cool. Before closing the container with its lid, cut a slice of lemon and place it on the garlic. Close the jar very airtight and shake it so that all the ingredients are mixed.
This way, you will keep your garlic cloves for more than a year in perfect condition and they will not rot. You can eat them whenever you want, without having to peel them whenever you need them. This method is used by many cooks, it is practical and most of all effective.
Creat to: Badre Salhi
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Safe Insecticide

Safe Insecticide

The recipe calls for adding 2 pounds of salt and 50 grams of baking soda to 100 lbs water and mixing well then spraying onto leaves.

(For my pocket handkerchief sized back yard garden I would add 5 grams of baking soda and 90 grams of salt to 5 kilos of water.)

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Dragonfly Babies

Dragonfly Babies

They might look a little scary now, but these tiny creatures will soon grow into one of nature’s most effective mosquito hunters—dragonflies! These little aquatic nymphs spend their early life underwater, feeding on pests, before transforming into the delicate, darting beauties we love. A single dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day, making them an ally in any garden. So next time you see one, give it a little patience—it’s growing into a garden guardian

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Crop Rotation: A Key Practice for Healthy and Productive Soil

Crop Rotation

Crop Rotation: A Key Practice for Healthy and Productive Soil 🌱
Crop rotation is an agricultural technique that involves alternating different types of plants on the same soil over various growing cycles. 👩🌾👨🌾
🔄 How does it work?
We divide crops into several categories, as in the following example:
1️⃣ Fruits: Plants that produce fruits, like tomatoes or peppers.
2️⃣ Leaves: Crops such as lettuce, beets, or spinach.
3️⃣ Roots: Carrots, radishes, beets, etc.
4️⃣ Legumes: Beans, peas, and other legumes that enrich the soil with nitrogen.
💡 Why is this important?
Each type of plant has specific nutritional needs and provides different benefits to the soil. The benefits include:
• ✅ Prevention of nutrient depletion.
• ✅ Helps control pests and diseases that often target specific plants.
• ✅ Improvement of soil structure and its ability to retain water.
• ✅ Legumes, for example, fix nitrogen in the soil, which benefits subsequent crops.
📆 Example of a Rotation Cycle:
• Year 1: We grow vegetables to enrich the soil with nitrogen.
• Year 2: Leaves grow, utilizing that nitrogen.
• Year 3: We plant fruits, which require more nutrients.
• Year 4: We grow roots, which help aerate the soil.
⚠️ Key Tip: Avoid planting the same type of plant in the same spot for consecutive years. This reduces the risk of nutrient depletion and limits pest spread. 🌾
Crop Rotation Cycle