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SPRING IS HERE AND FOR SOME THAT
MEANS GARDENING.
THIS TIME OF YEAR THE RISK OF
FROST SLOWLY DECLINES, WHICH
MEANS IT IS
TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT
OUTDOOR GARDENING
CASSANDRA VANDERWALL, WITH UW
HEALTH, JOINS US FOR SOME
GARDENING TIPS.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS
OF GARDENING?
GARDENING IS A UNIQUE HOBBY THAT
CAN BE
SHARED AND ENJOYED THROUGHOUT
THE LIFESPAN
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR ALL AGES.
COMMUNITY GARDENS PROVIDE
ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE GARDENING
WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.
KIDS CAN LEARN ABOUT BIOLOGY,
CHEMISTRY,
MATH, WEATHER, AND NUTRITION IN
THE GARDEN, WHILE SPENDING
QUALITY TIME WITH THEIR LOVES
ONES AND TEACHERS.
RESEARCH ALSO SUPPORTS THE FACT
THAT
PEOPLE WHO GARDEN EAT MORE FRUIT
AND VEGETABLES, INCLUDING KIDS.
HOW SHOULD PEOPLE DETERMINE
WHERE THE RIGHT
LOCATION TO PLANT?
CONSIDER THE SIZE OF THE PLOT OR
CONTAINER
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PLANTS
YOU HOPE TO PLANT
BE SURE TO ASSESS THE HEIGHT OF
THE PLANTS
AND IF YOU WILL NEED A SUPPORT
STRUCTURE SUCH AS A TRELLIS.
AVAILABLE LIGHT DURING THE
MAJORITY OF THE DAY
IS NECESSARY FOR MOST VEGETABLES
IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO WITH A
CONTAINER,
CHOOSE ONE WITH GOOD DRAINAGE:
CLAY POTS REQUIRE GREATER
WATERING
SINCE THEY ARE VERY POROUS
PLASTIC POTS ARE FAIRLY LOW
MAINTENANCE AND
RETAIN MOISTURE BETTER THAN
OTHERS.
METAL POTS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED
WHAT TYPE OF SOIL SHOULD YOU
CONSIDER?
CHOOSE SOILS WITH AN ABUNDANCE
OF ORGANIC
MATERIALS SUCH AS: COMPOST, PEAT
MOSS AND EVEN GROUND BARK
THIS WILL HELP TO KEEP THE ROOTS
OF THE PLANT
HAPPY BY RETAINING MOISTURE.
MIX IN YOUR OWN COMPOST AND
REDUCE
HOUSEHOLD WASTE
GREEN MATERIALS: COFFEE GROUNDS,
PEELS, FRUIT CORES, AND
EGGSHELLS
AVOID ADDING CITRUS PEELS AND
GREASY
FOODS.
BE SURE TO ALSO INCLUDE BROWN
MATERIAL (DRY LEAVES AND TWIGS)
AND MOISTURE
WHAT TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR
SELECTING YOUR SEED?
COOL WEATHER VEGETABLES CAN BE
STARTED IN MID-APRIL TO
EARLY-MAY:
GREENS: SPINACH, KALE, COLLARDS
AND LETTUCE
RICH IN VITAMINS A, C, K AND
FOLATE, AS WELL AS,
IRON, MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM
BROCCOLI AND CABBAGE BOTH HIGH
IN THE POTENT
ANTIOXIDANT, VITAMIN C
PEAS HIGH IN VITAMIN K AND C,
MANGANESE AND
AN ASSORTMENT OF B VITAMINS
BEETS ARE ALSO HIGH IN FOLATE
AND MANGANESE
AND ARE POTENT ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
FOODS CARROTS WITH A DEEP ORANGE
COLOR THEY ARE
LOADED WITH BETA-CAROTENE AND
THUS VITAMIN A CAN BE
FRUSTRATING TO GROW BECAUSE THEY
ARE VERY PICKY ABOUT THE SOIL
AND TAKE A LONG TIME TO
GERMINATE.
PLANT RADISHES ALONGSIDE CARROTS
TO
HELP KEEP THE SOIL LOOSE AS THEY
SPROUT MORE QUICKLY
HERB GARDENS: BASIL, CILANTRO,
OREGANO,
PARSLEY, ROSEMARY, THYME, ETC.
SO WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE
SHOULD TRY GARDENING?
ALL IN ALL, GARDENING IS AN
EDUCATIONAL,
ENRICHING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT
CAN BE JOINED FROM YOUNG TO OLD
AGES.
PLUS, IT IS A KEY STRATEGY TO
BOOST YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY'S DIETARY
QUALITY WITH FRESH FRUIT AND
VEGGIES!
THANKS FOR JOING US. NOW WE'LL
GO OVER TO AJ WITH A LOOK AT
YOUR
WEATHER.