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Gardening is the best hobby in Old Age
Gardening is the best hobby in old age for your health and
fitness, pleasure and financial gain. With aroma therapy and spas becoming an upcoming trend,
cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants has also gained in importance.
Government bodies, Agricultural Departments of Indian states encourage and provides also financial assistance to the people
willing to cultivate medicinal plants. The Fragrance and Flavor Development Centre (FFDC)-- a ministry of MSME body is supplying various aromatic and medicinal herbs
in India. There are plenty of inspiring gardens worth visiting, filled with great ideas for their own landscapes.
Some basic information
Gardening is an adventure with new challenges and experiments.
Some basic information are
1. Select good Soil
The foundation of your garden is your soil. Loose, fertile,
well-drained soil will make your gardening experience a good one. By
a basic soil test you can improve the nutrient levels of your soil.
It is better to add two to four inch layer of organic matter to your garden in the spring or
fall and dig it in six to eight inches deep.
2. Choose the best location
Choosing the best location for your garden for the growth of
plants.Most vegetables and flowers need at least six to
eight hours of full sunlight for best growth. The garden plants should far away as possible from trees and shrubs.
Source of water should be near the garden. . |
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3. Water to plants
Flower plants and Vegetables need at least one inch of water per week
Watering only at the base of the plant and avoid wetting the foliage. Wetting the
foliage during each watering is just inviting disease.
4. Cultivate good varieties plants
Cultivate only good and disease resistant varieties plants to control disease .Look for guidance on the back of the seed packet
where valuable numbers and dates will provide plant facts, growing patterns and most of all the suggested time for planting. Verticillium and Fusarium Wilt are two major
diseases that attack tomatoes. Proper spacing of plants will allow good air circulation
around plants allowing them to dry quickly after watering or rain. Keeping plants fertilized and growing
vigorously plants will help them to withstand disease problems.
5. Insect Control
Avoid using insecticides in the garden
as some insecticides will kill bees. Bees are needed for pollination in order for fruit production to occur. Identify
the insect before you use insecticides. Neem
is a dream Insect Control. Mix neem oil in water and spray
on plants. Neem oil doesn't kill pests outright, It affects their physiologic processes so that they no longer eat, mate or
mature. A neem-treated plants are safe for beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.
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Use organic fertilizers
Use only organic ferilizers in your garden during the growing season and during the
cultivation of plants.
7.Use Mulches
Use mulches in your garden during the growing season and during the
winter. Mulches conserve moisture, prevent weed growth and help to maintain even soil temperatures.
8. Become an expert Gardener
Anyone can become an expert Gardener.
You need to have a sincere desire to learn and share home horticulture information, have practical
experience or knowledge of gardening, be willing to follow the use of pest control recommendations and home horticulture
information. The knowledge you learn in the training sessions and the practical experience you will receive from your
volunteer efforts, will make you a better gardener.
9. Some Research is beneficial
Better to know your plants before you
start gardening. Checking out the growing requirements and potential
insect and disease problems of plants before you cultivate the plant in your garden. Read books and available garden catalogs to get
all basic information on the seeds and plants . Check out your local library for gardening
information and also from internet.
10. Face the Gardening Challenges
Gardening is an adventure and will have
also problems such as climate change, growing heat, water problems, new type of plant disease etc. With experience and from
experts help you can overcome all the difficulties.
Use small garden with close cropping
Close cropping is a cheap and easy way to boost yields from small plots.
Spacing between plants can be tightened when using traditional row designs or vegetables can be massed in square or diamond patterns.
Placing garden plants shoulder-to-shoulder is not a new idea. Native Americans are credited with introducing the "Three Sisters" concept, in
which corn, beans and squash were planted alongside one another. The nitrogen-rich climbing beans used the corn stalks for structure, while
the ground-hugging squash smothered weeds and reduced soil evaporation.
The result: three interdependent and eminently edible crops produced from the same ground. |
Anar (Pomegranate)
Medicinal Plant Rauvolfia serpentina
Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)
Tulsi (Holy Basil) |
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Choose
useful plants for Gardening
If your garden plot is small then choose selective
plants such as beautiful flowering plants, medicinal plants and aromatic plants. The useful medicinal beautiful and small plants
are Tulsi (Holy Basil) Plant , Amala a fruit and Medicinal Plant,
Anar (Pomegranate) the fruit and Medicine, etc.
Gardening Good exercise For Aging Hearts
Gardening is a recommended physical activities for the aging people to maintain a
sound health. At least 30 minutes of gardening can cover up for the low intensity fitness routine required for the cardio patients to keep fit, but do
not have the stamina required. The study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of
Sports Medicine. Recently a study conducted by Sin-Ae Park, Candice Shoemaker, and Mark
Haub of Kansas State University, aimed at finding out if gardening enables older adults to meet the physical activity recommendation set
forth by the CDC and the ACSM.
Gardening results in improved health and helps beat depression, as
reported by a recent study. However the researcher are yet to conclude whether gardening can offer the individuals the same positive health
benefits that regular physical activity (such as jogging, swimming, or
weight training) provides. Gardening results in improved health and helps beat depression, as reported by a recent study.
Gardening has many health and therapeutic benefits for seniors or older people. Garden beds, equipment and tools can be modified so older people
can create a garden that is interesting, accessible and productive. Gardening provides exercise, enjoyment and fresh food. Avoid falls, wear
good sun protection and store garden equipment safely.
Age-Old Moon Gardening Growing in Popularity
More gardeners today are turning to the moon for sage advice on the best time to plant, prune, weed, and harvest. The practice, known as moon or
lunar gardening, is cultivating a cult following. "Lunar gardening is the oldest form of gardening known to man," said
Harris, the head gardener at a private estate near Cornwall, England, and author of a book on the subject. The practice centers on the moon's gravitational effect on the flow of
moisture in soil and plants and, to a lesser degree, the effect of moonlight on seed germination. |
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