Recent research, presented at the National Astronomy Meeting, suggests that the northern hemisphere could be plunged into a mini ice age within the next ten years. This would lead to those currently living in temperate climes (like the UK and USA) enduring colder and harsher temperatures than they are prepared for. If this comes to pass you will want to be as self-reliant as possible in terms of heat, energy and food. While the mini ice age may prove to be a lot of hot air; these methods can still be used to save you money, help the environment and keep you healthy.
“Finally warm temperatures are here to stay and you don’t have to worry about that frost. You may think it’s too late to grow all your favourite vegetables from seed but warm May temperatures have made the soil perfect for sowing seeds. Warm soil will allow for fast germination and growing plants. Good choices are summertime kitchen garden staples like squash, beans, cucumbers and melons.”
When most people think of gardening, soil comes to mind. But plants don’t actually require it to survive. They mostly need the nutrients and minerals in the soil. Plants can grow in water, gravel, perlite, rice hulls, pine bark, cedar shavings, and other mediums, or even suspended in air.
The science of soilless gardening is called hydroponics. It may sound like something devised in a modern laboratory, but it’s been around for thousands of years. The essential ingredient is an oxygenated mineral-nutrient solution that’s circulated through plants’ roots.
Some scholars theorize the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was a hydroponic system. The Aztecs grew maize, squash, beans, amaranth, tomatoes, chili peppers, and flowers in high-output chinampas, or floating gardens, which were hydroponic systems. A traditional hydroponics system is still in use on Myanmar’s Inle Lake, and similar systems probably existed in ancient India, Greece, China, and Egypt.
In the early 1600s, the British scientist Sir Francis Bacon, father of the scientific method, conducted formal research on hydroponics, which he called “water culture.” Laboratory experiments continued into the 20th century. In 1937, William F. Gericke applied the experiments to large-scale commercial applications, and the modern hydroponics movement was born.
Today many people identify hydroponics with marijuana growers, who’ve made use of the technology. But much of the world’s greenhouse produce is now grown in hydroponics systems, including some of the lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, and veggies in many supermarkets’ refrigerated cases.
April is finally here and your garden soil is finally warming up! April is the best time to plant most of your vegetable seeds after your last frost. It’s still not too late to plant tomatoes and peppers from seeds as well. Check out this infographic to know which vegetables and herbs can be started in April.