Gardening Services Guide

Archive for the ‘General Gardening Tips’ Category

J.I. Rodale set up Rodale Inc in 1930. Organic Gardening, fitness and health were the major topics of the books and magazines published by the Rodale press. J.I. Rodale had many strong beliefs regarding the American Agriculture system. He believed that there was a positive correlation between the declining fertility of the soil and the health of the people. Organic Farming and Gardening, a magazine started in 1942 by Jeremy Rodale, made people aware of the benefits of growing their food in a naturally healthy soil. Before preaching to the world Rodale put his theories into practice at a 60-acre farm near Emmaus, Pennsylvania. For Jeremy Rodale, organic gardening was the pathway towards a healthier populace. His idea slowly gained popularity. Today he is considered a pioneer in the field of organic gardening. The magazine started by Rodale, Organic Gardening, is even today the most popular organic gardening magazine. It gives direction to the users to cultivate anything they want without the use of chemicals.

In 1950, J.I Rodale started a magazine Prevention. It dealt with ways and suggestions to prevent illness and disease, rather than wait for the need to cure it. It is the 12th largest magazine in the country now having a circulation of nearly 10.5 million readers each month. The readers are advised to take an active role in attaining and keeping good health and fitness. For twenty years, the people considered J.I. Rodale a crank in general for propounding ideas towards natural foods and organic farming. It was in the sixties that people became aware of the truth in his preaching. The environment crisis was at hand and Rodale’s organic gardening theories made sense. All his cautionary words regarding the side effects of chemical sprays, erosion of topsoil etc were coming true. “Failure to look after the soil under the green carpet does not pay. It leads to the destruction of large areas of land; it creates an inefficient population.” As mentioned in his book Pay dirt.

J.I. Rodale was a prolific author and has many books to his credit. J.I. Rodale passed away in 1971. The leadership of his company Rodale Inc was taken over by his son Robert. Under him, Rodale gained immense popularity. Their message “You can do it,” was labeled strongly across their ever-popular books and magazines. It mirrored their belief that the common people. On taking holds of the reins, Robert Rodale published many successful books on books on gardening, health, home improvement and fitness. In today’s world the name Rodale, organic gardening and natural products are synonymous.

Home Gardening is growing in popularity. One in three families does some type of home gardening, with the majority of gardens being in urban areas. To be a successful home gardener requires following a few basic rules and making practical decisions.

Many urban gardeners have little choice, but an area that is exposed to either full or almost full sunlight, with deep, well drained fertile soil is perfect. The location should be near a water outlet and free of competition from any existing shrubs or trees.

As a home gardener, one the first major decisions is deciding what to grow. Proper variety selection is an important key to successful home gardening. The wrong variety may not produce satisfactory yields regardless of subsequent care or attention. If your garden is not in an area that receives full or almost full sunlight, you can always try leafy crops such as leaf lettuce, mustard and parsley.

A gardener needs to plan for their home gardening just as an architect does for their building. Plants need to be grouped according their rate of maturity.
Many gardens do not have deep, well drained, fertile soil which is ideal for home gardening, so the soil needs to be altered to provide good drainage and aeration. Never work wet garden soil. To test is the soil is suitable for working, squeeze a small handful of soil together. If it sticks together in a ball and does not readily crumble under slight pressure by the thumb and finger, it is too wet for working.

Seeds germinate better in well-prepared soil than in coarse, lumpy soil. An ideal soil for planting with your home gardening is granular, and not powdery fine. Proper fertilization is another important factor-the amount of fertilizer needed will depend on soil type and crops. Once you have determined the proper amount of fertilizer for a pre-plant application, apply the fertilizer a few days before planting.

Plant your garden as early as possible in the spring and fall so the plants will grow and mature during ideal conditions. Gardens need plenty of watering so that the water can penetrate the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. For the best production, most gardens will require a moisture supply equivalent to 1 inch of rain a week during the growing season.

A long-handled hoe is the best tool for the control of any undesirable plants, such as weeds. Mulching will increase the growth of your home gardening and it will conserve moisture, prevent weed growth and regulate soil temperature.