Greenville Whole Health Nation

15/02/2023

A FEW NATURAL WAYS TO KEEP SQUASH BUGS AWAY

It won't be long, and we will have to contend with these guys. If you had problems with Squash Bugs or Borers in the last couple years, this info will be of help. The best way to treat them is by Natural (Organic) methods. I'll list a few of those methods for you. Some methods will work better than others for your specific situation, so if one method doesn't work for you, then you should try a different one. Please, also let us know what has worked well for you.

START YOUR SEEDS INDOORS--I recommend you start your Seeds at least 4 weeks early indoors, and then transplant after last frost. This will have your Squash plants larger and more vigorous by the time Squash Bugs and Borers start hatching out. You may even miss most of them by your earlier harvest.

COMPANION PLANTING--One of my favorite ways to deter them. In many cases, planting these around and among your Squash plants will keep them away. The best plants are:

1) French Marigolds
2) Catnip--Repels everything
3) Dill--Sprinkle chopped up leaves on Squash plants
4) Nasturtiums
5) Petunias

EARLY PREVENTION--In Late Spring/Early Summer, you need to be on the lookout for Squash bug eggs. They are very small, shiny, and copper colored. Squash Bugs will lay them on the undersides of leaves on your Squash plants. Check your plants frequently, wipe off eggs, and put them in a bowl of soapy water. This will wipe out many of them before they hatch and start damage.

SOME NATURAL SPRAYS/TREATMENT--You can try these 4 sprays.
1) Basil Spray--Squeeze 2 handfuls of Basil leaves and stems, put in 1 gallon jar, add 1 gallon water, and then sit in sun for 4 - 8 hours. Strain the liquid thru mesh, add 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, mix, and then you can spray on your plants.

2) Garlic/Onion Spray--Mix Garlic, Onion, and water in a 1 gallon jar, and let sit until it smells pretty strong. You can then pour some of this mixture around the base of your plants where the bugs congregate. Make sure to reapply after a rain.

3) Liquid Soap Spray---Mix 1 - 2 Tbsp of Liquid Castile Soap, or regular dishwashing soap will also work, with 32 Ozs of water. Fill a 32 Oz spray bottle with this mixture, and then spray your affected plants in the mornings--under the leaves and base of the plants.

4) NEEM Oil Spray--To make 1 Quart of .5% dilution Neem Oil Spray, you will use these ingredients: Use 1 teaspoon Neem Oil, 1 - 2 ml Castile Soap, and 1 Quart of warm water. You can up your dilution % to 1% solution by using 2 teaspoons of Neem Oil and 2 - 4 ml of Castile soap in 1 Quart of warm water. You then spray this mixture on your plants every 2 weeks to keep the Squash Bugs away.

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH--This works well if everything else fails. Only use Food Grade. Apply a light dusting to the foliage of your Squash or Zucchini plants in the morning when dew is still on plants. Don't get any on the flowers, and wear a mask so you don't breathe in.

Here at THE SEED GUY, we have a great 60 Variety Heirloom Seed package Special (34,000 Seeds) that has 49 Veggie Seed varieties, and then 11 Herb Seed varieties. Some of the Herb varieties in the package are great Companion Plants and will help you keep pests away.. Small Farm Grown, Non GMO, fresh from the New Fall 2022 Harvest, and Priced Now at $89.

You can click on link to our website to see Seed varieties included in package and to Order --) https://theseedguy.net/seed-packages/50-60-variety-heirloom-seed-package.html

You can also call us 7 days a week, and up to 10:00 pm every night, to Order by Phone at 918-352-8800.

If you LIKE US on our page https://www.facebook.com/theseedguy then you will be able to see more of our great Gardening articles, New Seed Offerings, and healthy Juice Recipes. Thank you and God Bless You and Your

15/02/2023

How The Matrix Controls The Simulation
NEW VIDEO: 👉https://youtu.be/54ttNXsrvKA

15/02/2023

This man’s forest garden produces tons of food, while practically tending itself! Historically, farms and forests have been at odds. Conventional wisdom says we have to cut down the forest to make way for agriculture. But a growing movement called agro-forestry “capitalizes” on the free servic...

15/02/2023

We are located in Zone 6, to find out what is best for your zone. Research seedlings to start indoor for February. Check out our following posts for gardening tips!🥦🥬🥒🌶🫑🍅

15/02/2023

Mimi Prunella Hernandez and I will represent NC!😍🧜🏼‍♀️

15/02/2023

We know that an impaired gut microbiome can be triggered by a number of things. ⁣⁣⁣
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These include a high-sugar, high-fat, low-fiber diet; impaired immunity; use of drugs, like antibiotics, birth control pills, and estrogen; and psychological stress.⁣⁣⁣
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Refined grains, and highly processed foods convert to sugar when we eat them and SUGAR is what FEEDS the bad bacteria. Anti-inflammatory medications, acid-blockers and antibiotics have been proven to lower the biodiversity of the gut flora. ⁣⁣⁣
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In a study published in Clinical microbiology and infection showed that the biodiversity was significantly lower in the participants taking more than one of these medications. ⁣⁣⁣
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The great news is that the gut microbiome can be healed. ⁣⁣⁣
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You can start healing your gut by first removing the bad and adding in the good stuff. ⁣⁣⁣
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Good bacteria love healthy whole, organic, plant-based foods, ones that are high in fiber and nutrients and contain no artificial ingredients. ⁣⁣⁣
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Focus on fibrous foods such as cruciferous vegetables, berries, garlic, onions, lentils, nuts and seeds, avocado oil, and olive oil. And supplement with probiotics. ⁣

15/02/2023

PLANT DEFICIENCIES AND FIXES

It's Winter, but i won't be that much longer, and we will be planting again. If you have had issues with your vegetables, you might want to check on how to spot mineral deficiencies your plants might get. Fruit and vegetables and plants grown in containers are all vulnerable. Yellow or reddish colored leaves, stunted growth and poor flowering are all common symptoms of nitrogen, magnesium or potassium deficiency. This information might be good to think about now during off season.

NITROGEN DEFICIENCY
You will notice spindly yellow plants or yellow leaves, sometimes with pink tints. Nitrogen promotes green, leafy growth and deficiency results in yellowing and stunted growth. Nitrogen is very soluble, and is easily washed out of the soil in winter rains. leaving the soil deficient in spring. Nitrogen deficiency is a common cause of yellow leaves in spring.

TO FIX: In the long term, mulching with organic matter (such as well rotted garden compost or manure) provides a steady trickle of nitrogen to stabilize levels. In the short term, applying high nitrogen fertilizers such as sulfate of ammonia or poultry manure pellets will fix the problem.

POTASSIUM DEFICIENCY
You will notice yellow or purple leaf-tints with browning at the leaf edge and poor flowering or fruiting. Potassium is needed for controlling both water uptake and the process allowing plants to harness energy from the sun (photosynthesis). Potassium promotes flowering, fruiting and general hardiness. Shortages are more likely on light, sandy or chalky soils where potassium is easily washed away.

TO FIX: Apply high potassium fertilizers such as sulfate of potash, tomato feed or an organic potassium source derived from sugar beet processing.

PHOSPHORUS DEFICIENCY
You will notice slow growth and dull yellow foliage. Phosphorus is needed for healthy roots and shoot growth. Soil shortages of phosphorus are rare, but may occur in areas with high rainfall and heavy clay soil.

TO FIX: Apply fertilizers such as super phosphate or bone meal.

MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY
You will notice yellowing between the leaf veins, sometimes with reddish brown tints and early leaf fall. Magnesium deficiency is common in tomatoes, apples, grape vines, raspberries, roses and rhododendrons. Magnesium is needed for healthy leaves and for plants to harness energy from the sun (photosynthesis). Soil shortages of magnesium are more common on light, sandy soils. Over-use of high-potassium fertilizers (such as tomato feed) can cause magnesium deficiency, as plants take up potassium in preference to magnesium.

TO FIX: In the short term, apply Epsom salts as a foliar feed in summer. Dilute the salts at a rate of 20g of Epsom salts per liter of water (1/3 oz per pint) plus a few drops of liquid detergent. Apply once a week, spraying in dull weather to avoid leaf scorch. In the long term, apply to the soil around the roots either Dolomite limestone (calcium-magnesium carbonate) at 4 oz per sq yd or Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) at 1 oz per sq yd.

MANGANESE + IRON DEFICIENCIES
You will notice yellowing between the leaf veins with browning of leaf edges on acid-loving plants. Manganese and iron are important for allowing plants to harness the energy of the sun (photosynthesis). Soil shortages are rare, but manganese and iron can be unavailable to plant roots in alkaline conditions.

TO FIX: Apply chelated iron and manganese treatments, such as Sequestrene, to the soil around the plant roots.

BORON DEFICIENCY
You will notice stunted growth and tip die back on lettuce, brown cracks in celery; rotten swedes, turnips and celeriac. Boron is required for healthy plant cell formation. Soil shortages are rare, but this nutrient can be less available to plant roots in alkaline conditions.

TO FIX: Treat by applying borax (disodium tetraborate) to the soil before sowing vegetables. Soil application rates for borax are: 1 oz per 20 sq yd. Mix well with a large quantity of light sand before spreading so that the chemical is evenly distributed.

Please visit our THE SEED GUY website when you get the chance. We have 9 of our Heirloom Seed packages in stock, and also all our Individual Varieties in Stock that we Great Pricing on. https://theseedguy.net/15-seed-packages

You can also Call Us 7 days a week at 918-352-8800 if you would like to Order By Phone.

If you LIKE US on our page, you will be on our list for more great Gardening Articles, new Heirloom Seed Offers, and healthy Juice Recipes. https://www.facebook.com/theseedguy/ Thank you, and God Bless You and Your Family. :)

15/02/2023

15/02/2023

15/02/2023

YOU CAN CONTAINER GARDEN ALL YEAR

It's February 4th, and many of your are thinking about Spring, and planning your Gardens. Just to let you know, everyone can grow in containers, even if you live in an apartment or condo. You can also grow vegetables and herbs in containers indoors during the Winter, and have those fresh salads you always crave.

Please Plant a Garden. If you don't have a big yard, or any yard at all, you can still plant in containers. I feel now more than ever that we will need to grow Home Gardens, and be able to help Feed our Families. We are in a very uncertain time in our Countries history, and we need to be prepared.

There are several types of containers that can be used for growing vegetables including polyethylene plastic bags, clay pots, plastic pots, metallic pots, milk jugs, ice cream containers, bushel baskets, barrels, and planter boxes. It is important to use containers that can accommodate roots of the vegetables you want to grow as the vegetables vary in sizes and rooting depths.

The container needs to have good drainage, and should not contain chemicals that are toxic to plants and human beings. Most vegetables grown in backyard gardens can be grown in containers, although a container's diameter and depth needs to be considered when selecting what vegetables to grow. The plant density (number of vegetable plants per container) depends on individual plant space requirements, and rooting depth.

It's best to use one of the potting mixes in vegetable container gardening as they are light, disease-free, w**d seed-free, and have good drainage. Some potting mixes have pre-mixed plant nutrients, so read the information on the label about how long the pre-mix will feed your plants before you start applying fertilizers. You can also make your own two bushels of potting mix using the following recipe: Shredded sphagnum peat moss (1 bushel), Vermiculite (1 bushel), Ground limestone (1¼ cups), Phosphate fertilizer either 0-20-0 (½ cup) or 0-45-0 (¼ cup), Slow release granular fertilizer such as 5-10-5 (1 cup).

Container-grown plants require more frequent fertilization than field-grown plants because of the limited space within the container for drawing nutrients. Fertilizers can be mixed with the soil mix before filling the container and can also be applied as a nutrient solution. Nutrient solutions can be made by dissolving soluble fertilizer such as 10-20-10, 12-24-12 or 8-16-8 in water following label directions. The nutrient solution is applied once a day when the plants are watered. How often you water may vary with vegetables, but once a day is adequate.

Leach the unused fertilizer nutrients from the potting mix once a week by applying tap water only. It is also very important to water occasionally with a nutrient solution containing micro nutrients such as copper, zinc, boron, manganese, and iron and follow label directions in order to give plants the right amounts.

Plants grown in containers need frequent watering as the containers dry fast. Watering on a daily basis is necessary to provide adequate moisture for plant growth. Apply enough water to reach the bottom of the container. Allow the excess to drain out through drainage holes. Avoid wetting the leaves when watering as this will encourage development of foliar disease. Try not to allow the containers to dry out completely between watering as this will lead to flower and fruit drop. Do not over water the plants as the container will be waterlogged and the roots will lack oxygen leading to poor growth and eventually, perhaps, the plant's death.

The size of the containers needed will depend a lot on the vegetable or herbs you are planting. Most Herbs can be planted in 1/2 - 1 gallon containers. Cabbages, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Leaf Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Cherry Tomatoes can be planted in 1 gallon containers. Beets, Carrots, Eggplants, Peppers and Radishes need 2 gallon containers. Your regular tomatoes will need 3 gallon containers. (great info from the University of Illinois Extension)

When you need some great Non GMO Heirloom Seeds for your containers, please visit our THE SEED GUY website. We have a great 60 Variety Heirloom Seed package with Good Pricing at $89, 34,000 Seeds, and fresh from the New Fall 2022 Harvest--) https://theseedguy.net/seed-packages/50-60-variety-heirloom-seed-package.html and we still hand count and package our Seed varieties, like the old days, so you get the best germination.

We also have 8 other Heirloom Seed packages, in different sizes, and also all our individual varieties in Stock Now on our Seed Guy website. https://theseedguy.net/15-seed-packages

You can also Call Us 7 days a week, and up to 10:00 pm each night, at 918-352-8800 if you would rather Order By Phone.

If you LIKE US on our page, you will be on our list for more great Gardening Articles, new Heirloom Seed Offers, and healthy Juice Recipes. https://www.facebook.com/theseedguy/ Thank you, and God Bless You and Your Family. :)

15/02/2023

it doesn't have to be perfect :)

15/02/2023

Happy Violet Valentine's Day to You!

Grateful for this nourishing wild food and gentle powerful medicine.

Its heart-shaped leaf is a rich source of vitamin C + other nutrients, while offering a soothing touch to our skin and mucous membranes—and of course those lovely EDIBLE flowers!

To help with ID, harvest and use, here is our Violet Plant Map from Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook by Dina Falconi (me), illustrated by Wendy Hollender.

To see more about our book, please go to our site here: www.ForagingandFeasting.com

Do you use violet, and if yes, how so?

Who is your herbal valentine, do tell?