If your Trini herb garden is still thriving or for the most case alive, you are ready to up the ante and begin planting some vegetables. Either that or you just heard the budget and need to find some ways to cut back on your food bill. Either way, it’s time to plant your very own vegetable garden for fresh, organic and delicious produce! You will be amazed by the sweet, juicy flavors and vibrant textures that you will harvest!   Start by thinking about what you purchase in stores the most or what seems to be too expensive so you can save some money. For me, I love sweet peppers with my pasta, omelets and salads and pimentos in basically anything from my macaroni pie to homemade pizza so these were must haves for me!   Here are some popular selections: VEGETABLES Tomatoes Bell Peppers Pimentos Melongene/ Eggplant Lettuce Cabbage Kale Cucumber Cauliflower Broccoli Once you know what you want to plant, it’s time to make your vegetable garden work with the

The word ‘organic’ has become a buzz word when referring to eating healthier. We want organic fruits and vegetables but what exactly does this mean and how do we achieve this in our home gardens? WHAT IS ORGANIC GARDENING? Simply put, organic gardeners don't use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on their plants. Ideally, organic gardening seeks to work with nature through replenishing resources as it makes use of them like using waste for compost or rotating crops to replenish nutrients in the soil, organic gardening. HOW DO YOU CONTROL PESTS AND DISEASE ORGANICALLY? While having an organic garden doesn’t mean that you have to live with worms in your produce, it does dictate that your garden may not be 100% pest free or look magazine ready. ORGANIC GARDENING TAKES THOUGHTFULLNESS, PLANNING, AND PATIENCE To keep your garden organic start with following the following steps. 1.      Be Observant - Check your garden often and get to know your plants so t

There are many ways to practice mindfulness, one which seems to be growing is gardening  (pun intended) . Mindfulness refers to the mental state of being calmly and consciously aware of what is happening not just in our mind and body but in our surrounding area without judgment. The practice of mindfulness stems from ancient Buddhist traditions and practices which purported that mindfulness can help to improve mental clarity, concentration, emotional flexibility, empathy, and tolerance whilst also reducing stress. MINDFULNESS IN THE GARDEN Being fully present and engaged in the garden allows the same relaxing effects to occur. If you are a regular gardener you may have experienced a time where you felt a level of pure peace and tranquility that is associated with being present in nature in the process of gardening. At these mindful moments you really feel the dirt and the potential it has in the palm of your hands, you feel the renewing warmth of the sun and the crisp

When I started killing flowers and having flowers kill themselves in my backyard I never for one moment thought that I’d learn so much about myself during the process and actually fall in love with gardening. Over the years I have learned so much, apart from now having something in common with my mom, these are my top five life lessons from the garden:   Visions, no matter how crazy, can become a reality I wanted lots of butterflies and pretty flowers. I wanted fruit trees and a potting bench with outdoor seating and a hammock for relaxing. Heck, I want a reading nook too! As the years progressed, I was able to check things I thought were impossible in my tiny yard off the list and it makes me feel accomplished because it’s my vision that’s becoming a reality. I am more than enough Through killing countless seedlings and plants, which is part of being a Rogue Gardener, I have learned I have the skill and the patience to make great things happen, after all, the best re

If you are a Trinbagonian Rogue Gardener, you’ve probably heard a couple of these common phrases thrown at you. If not, this is a disclaimer that my mom may be crazy and overprotective… Whenever I garden too early in the morning…. ·        Drink some tea before you fall down in the garden ·        Yuh eat breakfast yet? What yuh doing out there? Whenever I garden mid-morning…. ·        You know in my days we didn’t have sunblock, we use to make straw hats or cover we head with a jersey… Whenever I garden in the evening… ·        Put on some long pants in the garden. You ain’t fraid something bite yuh fine legs? ·        Rub some Vaseline on it to stop the scratching  Whenever I ask for things to add to my compost... ·        Compost? I don’t have time for dat! Mom in her garden (...or forest?) Whenever I complained that a plant isn’t doing well…. ·        Stick a blue bottle by the plant to cut blight ·        In my days, we would have thro

Granny use to say “Make sure and check the Old Farmer’s Almanac before you plant anything’. As a child, I would be confused. Why would an almanac dictate when you would go outside and garden in your own yard? I would see her with the book but still, it just made no sense.   Fast forward 20 years and here I am cynically looking at, you’ve guessed it, the Old Farmer’s Almanac to determine when the next best day for planting would be. For those of you like me, had no clue what this Almanac is about, I’m about to blow your mind!   How Do They Predict the Weather? According to the Old Farmers’ Almanac, they derive their weather forecasts from a unique secret formula that was devised by the founder of the Almanac, Robert B. Thomas, in 1792. Thomas believed that weather on Earth was influenced by sunspots, which are magnetic storms on the surface of the Sun. (Mental Floss http://bit.ly/1zb4028 )   Is This Reliable Information? Apparently, the accuracy of the forecasting

Have you ever seen those cute tiny gardens in a bottle? That’s a terrarium, a self-sustainable ecosystem with a living, growing plant inside a sealed bottle. Mind blown! As the owner of four cats, creating a terrarium may possibly be the only way to keep a plant indoors without it being chewed on or peed in…. Plus, if you are popular for inadvertently murdering plants, this artistic, low maintenance option may be your saving grace!    This year, I have decided that I will use my passion for gardening to create personalized terrariums for my friends and family as Christmas gifts. Making a terrarium is a pretty easy project and the plant growing inside can survive for decades without any watering or other care. So it’s the gift that keeps on giving. SUPPLIES Ø Glass bottle or jar with a lid - clear glass bottle, soft drink bottle and liquor bottles which tend to be a little fancier, and can make a beautiful enclosure. Recycled jam or pasta sauce jars can work too.

Like most things in life, sometimes you need a little inspiration to get things done. While most days I want to garden, there are some days I wish the plants could water and maintain themselves. Those are the days I need a little extra push to get up and go outside. Inspirational quotes can help to reignite the passion gardeners have for making food grow and watching flowers bloom.   Here are 21 of the most thought-provoking gardening quotes. We must cultivate our own garden. When man was put in the Garden of Eden he was put there so that he should work, which proves that man was not born to rest. ~ Voltaire The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. ~ Alfred Austin The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway. ~ Michael Pollan I like gardening — it's a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself. ~Alice Sebold

If you are reading this blog and you are from Trinidad and Tobago, you know the struggles we faced with our parents and grandparents having a plant in almost every room, even if it was made of plastic! (Yeah, I see you!)  Today, that dedication to positioning plants on walls and in corners can come in handy when gardening indoors, especially if you live in an apartment. Although gardening in apartments restricts planting huge trees, it forces you to come up with creative ways to plant your favorite herbs and vegetables that maximize the space that you do have. Many varieties of salad greens can also thrive indoors with any type of pot that has adequate drainage. Did You Know- Filling your indoor space with plants creates a relaxing environment and helps purify the air. The most important thing in apartment gardening is knowing what your sunlight exposure is in the various areas of your home. If you have a spot that gets full sunlight, then full sun plants can be pla

One thing I love about gardening is that you can make a meal, a side dish or a quick snack from your produce. Because I grow a lot of okra I have tried several recipes that have become household favorites as a snack or a healthy side.   OKRA BITES Fried okra may not be the healthiest way to consume okra but boy oh boy is it delicious. This recipe packs a really nice crunch that leads into the delicate and flavorful okra. Who can resist Okra dredged in seasoned cornmeal, then fried until golden? This recipe only takes 25 minutes with 4 servings and it's super versatile because you can change it up in so many different ways. Ingredients 10 pods okra sliced in 1/4 inch pieces 1 egg beaten OR Buttermilk 3/4 cup cornmeal flour  1/4 cup white flour 1 tablespoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons of all-purpose seasoning 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional if you are watching your salt intake)  1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup v