Heritage or Heirloom Vegetables
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Have you ever heard the saying "What is old is new again."?
In today's society that seems to be a way of life. We are seeing remakes of old movies, fashions from our youth are fashionable once more and even our favorite childhood toys and games are being resurrected for the younger set of today.
Even in the world of vegetable gardening there has been a resurgence of growing the vegetables that our parents and grandparents grew. Heritage or heirloom vegetables are being found in more and more backyard gardens.
Even in the world of vegetable gardening there has been a resurgence of growing the vegetables that our parents and grandparents grew. Heritage or heirloom vegetables are being found in more and more backyard gardens.
Vegetables are considered an heirloom variety if they satisfy a couple of requirements.
It must be a plant that has been passed down within a family or has been grown for more than 50 years.
It must also be able to be grown from its own seed. In other words, it isn't a hybrid.
Surprisingly, there are plenty of heirloom vegetable plants to choose from.
Tomatoes, peppers, green beans and squash are just a few that are available in heirloom varieties.
It must also be able to be grown from its own seed. In other words, it isn't a hybrid.
Surprisingly, there are plenty of heirloom vegetable plants to choose from.
Tomatoes, peppers, green beans and squash are just a few that are available in heirloom varieties.
Gardeners plant heirloom vegetables for a variety of reasons.
Taste is a big reason. Most people say that heirloom vegetables are much more flavorful that the popular hybrids of today.
The taste of the not so pretty heritage tomatoes is unsurpassed by today's perfectly pretty grocery store variety. Gardeners are willing to put taste before looks.
The taste of the not so pretty heritage tomatoes is unsurpassed by today's perfectly pretty grocery store variety. Gardeners are willing to put taste before looks.
Heirloom Tomatoes or Any Old Tomato?
Gardeners are preserving the genetic diversity of the vegetable by planting heirlooms.
This would have been lost when growers started selecting for shipping ability rather than taste.By preserving the genetic diversity they are essentially preserving the vegetable.
Relying on just a few varieties can lead to catastrophic losses of a vegetable.
The Great Potato Famine of Ireland happened because they relied on only a few varieties of potatoes. One blight wiped out all of the potatoes.
Preserving genetic diversity is in essence preserving our food sources.
A gardener that plants heirloom vegetables is always ensure of free seed for next years crop.
In essence, the plants pay for themselves year after year after year. Once a gardener has a vegetable, they will be ensured of future crops just by saving some seeds.
They can also share and swap their seeds with their fellow gardeners. There are many different seed saving organizations that gardeners can join so they can swap seed or find seeds for a plant they are looking for.
They can also share and swap their seeds with their fellow gardeners. There are many different seed saving organizations that gardeners can join so they can swap seed or find seeds for a plant they are looking for.
When you are kneeling and have a tough weed to pull, the last thing you want to do is stand up and use a hoe to remove it.
That is just one reason that I think this little hoe/cultivator is an indispensable garden tool to have.
The grip makes it easy to hang on to without tiring out your hand. It is light weight and easy to use. This is a good tool for using when you are bending or kneeling because of its short handle. It works great for breaking up hard soil, cultivating, digging holes and dispensing of weeds.
I love being able to use it to dig holes to put my plants in. And to dig out those really tough weeds. The hoe and rake combination saves you from switching tools during your job. It is sturdy enough to take some abuse and hard swinging when you are clearing a new flowerbed. The rake does a fantastic job helping to get out all of the sod. I got this tool several years ago and it is still the first one I reach for in the spring.
I love being able to use it to dig holes to put my plants in. And to dig out those really tough weeds. The hoe and rake combination saves you from switching tools during your job. It is sturdy enough to take some abuse and hard swinging when you are clearing a new flowerbed. The rake does a fantastic job helping to get out all of the sod. I got this tool several years ago and it is still the first one I reach for in the spring.
Ugly Tools Hoe/Cultivator
Amazon Price: (as of 06/01/2012)
Great for digging through roots, cultivating or breaking clay or other hard-packed soils. The UGLY TOOLÖ combo offers a hoe blade combined with a rugged 3-prong cultivator and a 15" oval-shaft steel handle with ergonomic grip for added comfort.
Heirloom plants are what's new again. More and more seed catalogs are carrying heirloom seeds and plants. Pretty soon we may wonder why we opted for those pretty tomatoes when the ugly ones taste so much better!
When you have a lot of small critters in your yard that would love to make lunch out of anything in your garden, you need a fenc
The Mesh Garden Fence is green so that it really blends in with the garden greenery. It doesn't stand out or look out of place. The small size of the squares prevents most garden munching pests from getting though.
It is a cinch to cut to the proper length with a pair of sturdy scissors or wire cutters. And the 40" height prevents most animals from jumping over the fence. The only drawback is that it only lasts about 2 years so it is not a permanent solution. However, for the price it is an excellent temporary solution to keeping critters out of our garden.
It is a cinch to cut to the proper length with a pair of sturdy scissors or wire cutters. And the 40" height prevents most animals from jumping over the fence. The only drawback is that it only lasts about 2 years so it is not a permanent solution. However, for the price it is an excellent temporary solution to keeping critters out of our garden.
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Hello world! I mean, hi there my name is Loretta Oliver. I've been working from home for the past 9 years now and I love every minute of it. ... more »
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