Kale Seeds - Buy Kale Seeds Online

History

Kale comes under the cabbage family and is scientifically known as Brassica oleracea var Acephala, which had its origin in Asia. It’s a green leafy vegetable that can be found in the mid of the winter and early spring season. It matures in a total span of 60 to 63 days. This versatile vegetable features attractive long and curly green blue leaves with a large flower head.

Purpose/Use

It’s delicious, nutritious and health promoting, indeed. For various unsurpassed health benefits, this food is recommended by many. It is notably good in many B complex groups of vitamins and helps you to build up a strong immune system against infectious diseases.

Features & Benefits

Its delightful taste will pursue you to cook it in a variety of savoury dishes. It also serves like an excellent salad choice. Also, the flavonoids contained in this vegetable make it a good agent for anti inflammatory and antioxidant benefits for your health. It’s rich in omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin K which helps in limiting neuronal damages in brain. It is also considered to be an excellent diet for the Alzheimer patients.

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Kale Seeds - Buy Kale Seeds Online

Bio GREEN 988 Organic Liquid Fertilizer & Plant Booster:

Quick Summary on BioGREEN Benefits:

Is an Organic Based Liquid Fertilizer made from Botanic extracts with these contents:

Total Nitrogen (N) - 3.7
Available Phosphoric Acid (P205) - 0.71
Soluble Potash (K20) - 1.30

and more… Increases Yields, Promotes Healthy Rapid Growth And Robustness Of Plants, Flowers, Vegetables, Fruits, Trees, Lawns, Shrubs, Etc. Guaranteed Minimum Analysis

Application:

• 1:100 To 1:400. Apply Every 7 - 21 Days As A Foliar Spray And Via Root
  System
• Easy To Handle And Use
• Operator Friendly

Application Guidelines:

Applying on tree roots would allow systemic uptake of BioGREEN to the whole tree. To do this, please ensure that there is sufficient amount of solution being drenched onto the soil to reach the root tips of the tree. This is necessary since the roots of large trees may be quite deep and grown away from the main tree trunk.

Since the 'waxy cuticle layer' underside of leaves are thinner than their topside, they tend to be attacked by spider mites, aphids and numerous other insect pests. Hence, BioGREEN should also be sprayed on the underside of leaves where insect pests pose as a significant problem.
 http://www.taylorstanley.com/biogreen988.php?gclid=CJ6A-qDSkKMCFdFA6wodhkSGqg

Type of Crop	Dilution	Recommended Application Frequency
Leafy vegetables such as cabbage, kai-lan, kang-kong, lettuce, etc.	1:300 to 1:400	Spray leaves and soil every 7 days
Rice (padi)	1:200 to 1:400	Spray rice (padi) field once a month
Carrot, celery, corn, cucumber, egg plant, flowers, garlic, green bean, onion, mango, peppers, potato, etc.	1:300	Spray fruit, soil and leaves every (7-18) days
Broccoli, cauliflower, chillies, grapes, honeydew, pepper, strawberries, tomatoes	1:200	Spray fruit, soil and leaves every (7-18) days
Fruit trees, oil palm, etc.	1:200	Spray leaves, trunk and soil every (14-18) days
Grass turf and pre-germination seed treatment	1:100	Spray soil every 14-21 days

Organic farming promoted in Sariaya, Quezon schools

SARIAYA, Quezon—New classrooms and cash prizes were given out to winning public schools in this province last week in a contest conducted to promote organic- and natural-farming practices in local schools.

The “Procesong Gulay para sa Masaganang Buhay—Gulayan sa Paaralan,” now in its third season, is a project of Quezon Second District Rep. Proceso Alcala, supported by Allied Botanical Corp. (ABC).

The announcement of the winners and the awarding of the prizes was held at the Agricultural Trading Post in this town.

The contest aims to raise farming interest among elementary pupils, high-school students and their teachers using environment-friendly and healthy (organic and natural) farming practices.

About 150 public elementary and high schools in the province’s Second District participated in the contest, said Rommel Lopez, ABC corporate communication manager.

Pili Elementary School and Lucena East 3 Elementary School were adjudged the grand winners for the Quezon Division and Lucena Division, respectively. The two schools will each receive three new classrooms and P10,000 cash prize for participating students.

All the prizes came from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Alcala.

Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Dennis Araullo lauded the project for encouraging the younger generation to go into farming.

“Food security is national security, so food production is crucial to the stability of our country,” Araullo said.

Alcala lauded all who supported the project since its inception in 2007. He expressed optimism that the project would inspire the youth of Quezon to return to farming, and hoped that the country’s best vegetable farmers would all come from this province in the future.

He also expressed hope that the project would continue even after his term ends in June this year.

A Liberal Party stalwart in the province, Alcala opted not to seek reelection for his third and final term and instead endorsed the candidacy of his son, Irvin, to the post.

The congressman thanked ABC, which provided the vegetable-seed requirements of the project for free.

ABC is the only fully Filipino vegetable-seed company in the country with a solid research and breeding program, said Lopez.

Willy Co, ABC president, said his company is committed to continually support the project.

Lopez said participating schools planted Condor Quality Seeds, ABC’s seed brand, in their school yards. Highvalue crops such as lettuce, mustard, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots were grown and harvested by teachers and students.
In Photo: Teachers of Pili Elementary School receive a facsimile check worth P20,000 for winning first place in the third season of the “Gulayan sa Paaralan“ project.
Source:
Agri-Commodities
Written by Butch Gunio / Correspondent
Tuesday, 09 March 2010

Farming Tips for Better Yam (Ube) Production

Pests and diseases of seed tubers compromise yam production.

Numerous pests and diseases affect yam tubers. Nematodes, a particular concern, manifest during storage and facilitate tuber rot by fungi and bacteria. Viruses, on the other hand, can be devastating in the field during the growing period. Most bio-constraints affect seed productivity and viability, reducing germination, plant vigor and yield. The use of good quality and healthy seed material is therefore a crucial foundation for high and sustainable yam production, as it is for other clonally propagated crops, such as potato.

The use of diseased seed tubers results in the production of small, poor quality ware yam and a persistent cyclical decline. To prevent the introduction of pests and diseases into the production cycle, it is essential that healthy planting material is supplied to producers. However, obtaining healthy seed yam is one of the biggest problems for growers. Some farmers use their own seed stock, harvested from the previous season, while others obtain the seed material from specialized seed yam producers.

Producing Healthy Seed Yam

As with potato, yam seed material should be generated following strict production and phytosanitary guidelines to ensure high quality and disease-free seed stock. Dedicated seed producers are best suited for the supply of seed material. Farmers who prefer to generate seeds for their own use should set aside areas specifically for seed production. Seed yam should be produced by planting setts cut from a larger tuber which will provide whole seed yam of a suitable size as planting material; a relatively high level of care has to be applied because cut surfaces increase the likelihood of tuber rot and desiccation.

Minisetts (cutting yam tuber into smaller pieces) of 25 g have proved successful. However, farmers in West Africa prefer larger sized setts. These are less likely to fail and require less attention, especially under more marginal or risky conditions. An optimum size for the setts with which farmers felt comfortable and which produced favorably sized seed was 75-100 g spaced 25 cm on rows and with up to 1 m between rows. Rows spaced closer together can be used, but may require nutrient and irrigation supply.

Uncut whole seed tubers are best suited for the production of ware yam, rather than cut pieces from a larger tuber. Whole seed material reduces seed loss, particularly under marginal or stressed conditions. The supply of healthy, suitably sized whole seed tubers for use as planting material should therefore be a priority aim.

To generate healthy stocks, it is important to use the best possible quality yam for planting. The seed stock then acts as the superior quality material for the successive generation of seeds. This ‘rolling stock’ should then be regularly examined and treated as necessary to maintain high quality. A strict system for the identification, removal, and destruction of plants infected with viruses in the field needs to be rigorously employed.

For healthy seed stocks, three treatments can be employed to produce (or maintain) planting material free of pests and with very low presence of pathogens.

Hot Water Treatment

Exposure to a temperature of 50-55°C for 20-25 minutes disinfests tubers of most pests and pathogens. A large container that can be heated, into which yam tubers are submerged, preferably with a thermostat that will help maintain the water at a constant temperature, is required. The container can be constructed locally.

Disadvantages: There is the need for specialized equipment and a fuel/energy source; the process is time-consuming and slow; it may reduce germination of treated material, particularly certain sensitive cultivars.

Chemical Seed Sett Treatment

The use of a recommended fungicide-insecticide combination before planting has provided excellent results for producing healthy seeds. This is ideally applied by dipping setts into a liquid suspension, then leaving them to dry before planting. Studies in West Africa showed that a combination of a compatible fungicide and insecticide was most effective in increasing the yield, quality, and storability of seeds (Kenyon, 2005). It is important to receive local information from agro-input suppliers on safe and suitable products for this use. Chemical dusts can also be used, but may result in an uneven distribution.

Disadvantages: Care is required to prevent unwanted human and environmental contamination and to ensure the safe disposal of excess chemicals and packages; this method is not suitable for organic crop production.

The dual combination of hot water treatment followed by chemical dip is also a viable strategy, particularly when dealing with poor quality initial material.

Tissue Culture and Vine Cuttings

Tissue culture and vine cuttings are other technologies to mass-produce plants that form healthy mini-tubers to be used as seed material. They allow the elimination of major pests such as nematodes if they are planted on nematode-free land. However, as for hot water and chemical treatment, viruses cannot be fully eliminated and plants must be monitored for these symptoms and affected plants eradicated.

Vine cuttings give a high multiplication rate without the use of tubers. Depending on the cultivar, size, and type of mother plants, the multiplication rate of vines (about 20-50 times or more) and the size of tubers harvested will both vary. The combination of tissue culture and vine cuttings gives even higher multiplication rates, rapid growth, and clean tubers for seeds. However, there is a need for the validation of the technology with more species and cultivars in different agro-ecological zones. Nevertheless, it is expected that this technology can be simplified so that NARIs and seed producing farmers can apply it and produce healthy seed tubers.

Disadvantages: Tissue culture facilities are needed and the availability of rice husks for making carbonized rice husks as the rooting media is limited in some areas where rice is not cultivated.

source: www.practicalaction.org, bakerri.blogspot.com 

Health Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is extracted mostly from the flowers of lavender plant, primarily through steam distillation. The flowers of lavender are fragrant in nature and have been used for making potpourris since years.

Lavender essential oil has also been traditionally used in making perfumes. The oil is very useful in aromatherapy and many aromatic preparations are made using lavender oil. Lavender oil blends well with many other essential oils including cedarwood, pine, clary sage, geranium, and nutmeg. Today, lavender essential oil is used in various forms including aromatherapy oil, gels, infusion, lotion, and soaps.

The various health benefits of lavender essential oil include:

Nervous System: Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves. Therefore, it helps in treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity.

Sleep: Lavender essential oil induces sleep and hence it is often recommended for insomnia.

Pain Relief: Lavender essential oil is also an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore muscles, tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago. A regular massage with lavender oil provides relief from pain in the joints.

Urine Flow: Lavender essential oil is good for urinary disorders as it stimulates urine production. It helps in restoring hormonal balance and reduces cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder. It also reduces any associated cramps.

Respiratory Disorders: Lavender oil is extensively used for various respiratory problems including throat infections, flu, cough, cold, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, laryngitis, and tonsillitis. The oil is either used in the form of vapour or applied on the skin of neck, chest and back. It is also added in many vaporizers and inhalers used for cold and coughs.

Skin Care: The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and antifungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammations. It heals wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns rapidly as it aids in the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is added to chamomile to treat eczema.

Hair Care: Lavender essential oil is useful for the hair as it can be very effective on lice and lice eggs or nits.

Blood Circulation: Lavender essential oil is also good for improving blood circulation. It lowers blood pressure and is used for hypertension.

Digestion: Lavender oil is useful for digestion as it increases the mobility of the intestine. The oil also stimulates the production of gastric juices and bile and thus aids in treating indigestion, stomach pain, colic, flatulence, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Immunity: Regular use of lavender essential oil provides resistance to diseases.

Other health benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to treat leucorrhoea. It is also effective against insect bites. The oil is also used to repel mosquitoes and moths. You will find many mosquito repellents containing lavender oil as one of the ingredients.

As with many other essential oils, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using lavender essential oil. It is also recommended that diabetics stay away from lavender oil. It may also cause allergic reactions to people having sensitive skin. Some people may also witness nausea, vomiting and headaches due to usage of lavender oil.
http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/natural-essential-oils/health-benefits-of-lavender-essential-oil.html

Health Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil

 The health benefits of lavender essential oil include its ability to remove nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems. Lavender has the Latin name Lavare, which means “to wash”, due to its aroma that gives the feeling of a clean aroma.

Health Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/natural-essential-oils/health-benefits-of-lavender-essential-oil.html 

Organic Oils Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

 The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc.

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/