De-Wormers Plants for Chicken

Medicinal plants aren’t limited to human use. Medicinal plants can benefit your chickens too. The following three plants are natural de-wormers for your free-ranging chickens:

Garlic can be a preventive for worms and is considered an organic de-wormer for chickens.

Garlic, allium sativium, is a perennial that grows from bulbs. Place crushed garlic pieces in your chickens' waterer for a weeks time. Also acts as insect repellent.

Don't feed garlic directly to your hens, because their eggs will take on a garlic flavor. Remember to put a few cloves of crushed garlic in their water for worming, using moderation. 

Nasturtium is a very common old-fashioned garden plant that has many redeeming qualities.

Nasturtium, nasturtium majus, comes in both annuals and perrenials. Zones vary by species. 

Bright, sunny, slightly spicy edible flowers are perfect to add to salads and for chickens to eat, This is a great herb for chickens, combining antiseptic, antibiotic, and insect repellent qualities. Its seeds also have a natural de-worming attribute for chickens. 

Nettle often gets a bad rap because of its stinging properties when handled, but is a great dynamic accumulator, a natural chicken laying stimulant, and a good preventive for worms

Nettle, urtica species, can be harvested and dried, boiled in water and steeped like a tea. Let mixture cool entirely and add to your chickens' laying mass. 

Pumpkins and other squash/melons - There are varying opinions on this subject and not much study has been done, but raw ground pumpkin seeds are thought to be a natural de-wormer, not only for chickens and ducks but for sheep and goats as well. Twice a year, spring and fall, it is suggested that you feed your girls ground raw pumpkin seeds free-choice for a week.

The pumpkin seeds (as well as the seeds of other members of the cucurbitaceae family such as winter, summer, zucchini and crookneck squash, gourds, cucumbers, cantaloupe and watermelon) are coated with a substance called cucurbitacin that paralyzes the worms.  The larger fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of cucurbitacin, while the smaller cucumber contains far less. 

Since pumpkins are plentiful and inexpensive in the fall, that is what I use for my fall worming. You can merely cut a fresh pumpkin in half and feed it to your chickens, but I take it one step further and make them a Pumpkin Soup. I add some yogurt and molasses to cause a bit of diarrhea and help flush the paralyzed worms out of the chickens' systems.  Dandelion greens also serve as a natural diuretic and are included in most natural livestock de-wormer 'recipes', plus the chickens and ducks love them!

Vegetables Throughout The Year

You can fight malnutrition right in your backyard!

The Food Always In The Home (FAITH) gardening method is a non-conventional form of gardening that, with minimum capital and lots of-native enterprise, can assure needy families of a steady supply of nutritious food - and extra income. FAITH can provide the necessary protein, vitamin and mineral requirements needed by a family of six. It can also reduce the country's heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers that pose health hazards and wreak havoc on the environment.

The system was developed and popularized by the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization working in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, Philippines since 1974.

While vegetables can be grown easily in the Philippines, Filipinos do not grow enough of them. The average per capita consumption of 12.4 kilograms of green and yellow vegetables is far short of the recommended allowance of 32.4 kilograms per year. (Medrana 1988)

Home gardening can reduce, by about 20%, a family's total daily food expenditures. (Tones 1987)

19%, or one out of every five of the country's pre-school population, is severely or moderately underweight.

16.8% of the country's school children (7 - 10 years) have weights that fall below the standard weight for their age.

The Ten Steps of FAITH Gardening

1. Locate the best site for the garden. Select a site with a good water supply (it is vital, particularly during the dry season), good soil drainage (if your land is flat, dig drainage channels or ditches around the planting site) and fertility (it must be fertile enough to make plants grow), sunlight availability (growing plants need sunshine to manufacture food), and good air circulation (the site must have natural windbreaks).

2. Provide enough space. The ideal garden size is 96-100 square meters and has a dimension of 6 × 16 meters. This size is adequate to supply every day the fresh vegetables needed for a family of six.

3. Thoroughly prepare the plot. Prepare the land manually with a hoe and rake. Clean the site and save cut grasses and weeds for composting later on. Dig the land at least two times to a depth of 15 - 20 cm, harrowing with a rake and pulverizing clods between diggings. To provide good surface drainage, make raised beds 10 - 15 cm above ground level.

4. Fertilize with compost. Make compost baskets of wire or shape flexible bamboo strips around stakes to make round forms at least 30 cm high. Plant seeds/seedlings 5 - 8 cm away from the composts. Watering should be done inside the baskets - not directly to the plants.

5. Plant 1/3 of the section to early maturing vegetables. Divide the garden into three sections. Set aside the first section for vegetables that you can harvest in 2-4 months, such as tomato, pechay, sweet corn, etc. Do not plant the whole section; reserve I/2 of the section for relay planting.

6. Plant another 1/3 to semi-annual vegetables; Set aside the second section for vegetables that are harvestable in 6-9 months. Examples: winged bean, bitter gourd, cucumber, ginger. As in the first section, plant ½ of this section and reserve the remaining half-portion for relay planting.

7. Plant the remaining 1/3 to annual vegetables. Set aside the last section for planting year-round vegetables like lima beans, upland swamp cabbage, basella, pigeon pea, etc. Reserve In of the section for relay planting.

8. Plant the surrounding area of the garden to permanent crops and semipermanent crops. Examples of these crops are papaya, pineapple, guava, yam beans, horseradish, banana and citrus.

9. Plant reserved portions on time. This will further help ensure continuous and adequate supply of fresh vegetables in your home. In the third section of the garden, plant the reserved half-portion when the first crops in the other half are about 5 months old. In the second section, plant the reserved portion when the first crops are about 4 months old. In the first section, plant the reserved portion when the first crops start to flower.

10. Practice crop rotation when replanting. This is done to improve soil fertility and prevent the spread of pests and diseases. This means that you plant leguminous vegetables (like soybean, bush sitao) to garden plots where non-leguminous vegetables (such as tomato, eggplant, ginger) were previously planted and vice versa.

Locate the best site for the garden

Thoroughly prepare the plot

Fertilize with compost

Plant 1/3 of the section to early maturing vegetables

Plant reserved portions on time

Before transplanting seedlings in the garden plots, "harden" them first for several days. This is done by exposing them gradually to strong sunlight in the field or by withholding water from them.

Cultivate or loosen the soil around the plants to enable their roots to expand and develop fully.

When you observe that your vegetable crops are no longer productive, you can rejuvenate plants like ladyfinger, lima beans, winged beans, eggplants sweet pepper and horseradish by cutting to a height of ½ to 1 foot above the ground.

Plants like cucumber, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, winged beans, string beans and snap beans need trellises or supports. Poles 2.4 - 2.7 meters in length are usually set in the ground to a sufficient depth in a tepee-like arrangement.

FAITH is not the final word in family gardening. This is only an attempt to develop a home garden that can provide adequate food with minimum cost, labor and land utilization. It is meant to be used as a guide.

Source: Tacio, H. D., HR. Watson and W. A. Laquihon. (Undated). Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center.

Eggplant Production

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a member of the family Solanaceae and is botanically related to tomato, pepper and potato. Eggplants are native to India and China but were introduced to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region by Arabic traders.

Botany

Eggplants produce a bushy, vigorous plant with large leaves, woody stems and attractive flowers. Some eggplant cultivars can reach a height of 4.5 feet. Eggplants have a deep taproot, which helps them tolerate dry weather. Flowers are open for two to three days and are self-pollinated. However, bees may improve both pollination and yield of eggplant. Fruits vary in size and shape, from round to bell-shaped, oval or elongated. Oriental or Japanese eggplant cultivars have elongated fruit. The fruit surface of eggplant is smooth and glossy. Fruit color can be yellow, green, white, purple, black, violet or various combinations of these colors (Figure 1, Table 1).

Before choosing an eggplant cultivar for commercial production, make sure there is a market demand for that particular type of eggplant. Some consumers prefer specific shapes, colors and sizes of eggplants.

Figure 1. Eggplant fruit varies in shape, color and size.

Table 1. Suggested eggplant cultivars.

Cultivar	Fruit color	Fruit shape	Days to harvest
Calliope	White/purple	Oval	64
Casper	White	Bell-shaped	70
Classic	Purple	Elongated	76
Dusky	Purple/black	Bell-shaped	56
Epic	Purple/black	Bell-shaped	65
Fairy Tale	Purple/white stripes	Elongated	65
Ghostbuster	White	Oval-shaped	80
Ichiban	Purple	Elongated	60
Little Fingers	Purple	Elongated	65
Millionaire	Purple/black	Elongated	55
Nadia	Purple/black	Oval-shaped	65
Orient Charm	Pink/white	Elongated	65
Rosa Bianca (Italian heirloom)	Violet/white	Round	73
Santana	Purple/black	Oval-shaped	80
Tango	White	Cylindrical	60

Transplant production

Eggplants are most successfully established as transplants. Start with good quality seed, and sow the seed for transplants 8 to 10 weeks before the anticipated planting date. Eggplants can suffer transplant shock, so using a larger container size (2 inches or larger) to grow the transplant will be helpful. A starter solution containing phosphorus should be applied to each newly transplanted eggplant.

Planting date

Eggplants thrive in warm, dry weather but are more sensitive to low temperature injury than tomatoes and peppers. Therefore, eggplants need to be transplanted after all risk of frost has passed. Eggplants respond favorably to being grown on plastic mulch with drip irrigation. Black plastic mulch will accelerate crop growth because it keeps the root zone warm. For later plantings, white plastic mulch can be used. Transplanting date depends on geographical location.

Planting and fertilization

Choose a well-drained soil for planting eggplants. Although eggplants are deep-rooted, they do not grow well in poorly drained soil. The soil pH should be 6.0 to 7.0 for optimum growth. Plants can be spaced 18 to 36 inches apart with rows 4 to 5 feet apart. Eggplant can also be planted in twin rows with 18 to 36 inches between plants and between rows on raised beds 3 to 4 feet apart on center.

Sixty pounds of nitrogen per acre should be applied to the soil before planting with all the recommended phosphorus and potassium applied based on a recent soil test. If the eggplants are not being grown on plastic mulch, an additional 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre can be side dressed at first flowering (three weeks after transplanting). If plastic mulch and drip irrigation are being used, 10 pounds of nitrogen per acre can be injected into the drip irrigation system per week for four weeks, starting one week after transplanting. Irrigation may be needed through the production season to supplement natural rainfall.

Figure 2. Staked eggplant plants with growing fruit. 

Figure 3. Staking eggplants improves marketable yield and quality.

Staking

Like tomatoes and peppers, eggplants should be staked for optimum growth and yield (Figure 2). Staking keeps the eggplant fruit from touching the ground, which reduces disease and improves fruit shape, particularly on elongated fruit. Staking also makes harvesting easier. Eggplants can be staked like tomatoes, placing a wooden stake 1 inch thick and 48 to 60 inches long between every other plant in a row. String is placed along the plants and looped around each stake to support the growing stems and fruit (Figure 3).

Harvest

Generally speaking, first harvest of eggplants begins 65 to 90 days from transplanting. Eggplants should be harvested when the fruit surface is glossy and tender and before seeds within the fruit become brown. Overmature fruit have a dull, bronze appearance and the seeds become bitter. Fruit should be clipped from the plant, leaving about 1 inch of stem rather than pulling the fruit from the plant. Harvest may be done two to three times a week during peak growth, depending on the fruit size desired. Failure to harvest regularly reduces flower formation and fruit yield. Eggplants can yield 500 to 700 bushels (33 pounds per bushel) per acre.

Eggplants are tender and should be handled carefully. Eggplants can be stored for up to one week at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity. Do not store eggplants lower than 50 degrees.

Insect management

Insects are one of the most significant pests of eggplants. Cucumber beetle, Colorado potato beetle and flea beetle are particularly problematic in Missouri. Immediately after transplanting, scout plants for insect damage. Most significant damage on yield and quality of eggplant occurs from early-season damage. Flea beetles chew small holes in the leaves of eggplants but do not feed on the fruit (Figure 4). Cucumber beetles and Colorado potato beetles chew the leaves and can also damage the fruit. Rotate eggplants with vegetables botanically unrelated to eggplant. Separate eggplants from other vegetables that may attract cucumber beetles and Colorado potato beetles (e.g., potatoes and cucumbers). Row covers or lightweight insect-exclusion covers can be used to prevent these insects from feeding on the plants.

Figure 4. Top, cucumber beetle feeding damage on eggplant leaf. Bottom, flea beetle damage to eggplant.

Source: 

Lewis W. Jett
Division of Plant Sciences

University of Missouri Extension

Vegetable-Duck-Fish Culture (Tinola Garden)

Tinola garden, as the name implies, is a type of garden where major ingredients in the preparation of tinola (a kind of poultry or fish soup with vegetables) are found in a 200 sq.m area.

Vegetable-duck-fish culture

BASIC COMPONENTS:

a. Duck raising for meat and/or eggs
b. Mini-fishpond
c. Vegetable growing

This vegetable-duck-fish culture is actually a modification of the original mini-fishpond operation. This technology, however, optimizes land use by planting vegetables on the dikes, fence and the construction of trellis over the mini-pond. Depending on the preferences of the farmer, dikes could be planted with different vegetables and crops (e.g., leaf, fruit, root or legumes) and areas along the fence and trellis with any climbing vegetables.

ADVANTAGES:

Some of the advantages of this tinola garden are the following:

• increase in quantity and variety of food for home consumption
• ensures fresh supply of poultry meat and eggs, fish and vegetables
• practical for those farmers whose land area is less than 1.0 hectare and adopting the rice fish culture.

NOTES ON INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS:

A. Vegetables

• On the trellis and fence -- squash, patola and other climbing vegetables.
• After the construction of pond dikes, the trellis could be constructed and planting of varieties of crops could immediately follow.

B. Mini-fishpond

• The dikes should be at least 1 m high, 1/2 m wide on the top and 1 m wide at the base.
•  Water inside the pond must not be more than 1/2 m (to minimize fish losses).
• Recommended fish for stocking is Tilapia (Tilapia nilotica) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) at the rate of 3 fingerlings/sq.m.
• Low-cost feeds may include rice bran, crushed snails and kitchen refuse.

Note: Refer to technology paper on Rice-Fish Culture for feeding and other management techniques.

C. Duck-Raising

Shed house (4 m x 1 m) made of low-cost and locally available materials (e.g., bamboo, ipil-ipil, madre de cacao, cogon, nipa, etc.) located in a 25 sq.m area in one section of the pond.

• Feeding troughs and waterers using old jeep or truck tires, clay pots or old cooking utensils.
• Stock: 8-12 heads (any species, depending on the farmer).
• Feeds may consist of rice bran, crushed banana trunk, crushed snails, kitchen refuse, kangkong, etc. Feeding is done twice a day.

Note: For more detailed information on duck raising, please see the technology paper on Backyard Duck Raising for Meat and Eggs.

Care and management of mini-ponds

The secret of success in growing fish in mini-ponds is proper care of the fish and management of the pond. Good pond management and care of the fish means faster growth and more fish for the family. The major points to remember are the following:

1. POND CONSTRUCTION

Care and management of mini-ponds

• Establish the mini-pond near a water source such as streams, springs, irrigation canals or manually operated pumps (pitcher pump), etc., which is free from flooding and with good drainage.
• The soil at the bottom and side of the minipond must be well packed to minimize seepage. If the soil is sandy or porous, line it with a mixture of carabao or cow dung, clay soil and cement.
• Plant grasses on the banks to prevent soil erosion. Grasses that grow fast and spread rapidly are ideal for this purpose.
• Put screens on the inlet and overflow pipes to prevent the entrance of predators and at the same- time to keep the fish from escaping.

2. WATER—QUALITY, DEPTH AND TEMPERATURE

• Water is of vital importance in raising fish. Always make sure that it is free from toxic substances, of the right temperature and the proper volume (depth). However, the warmwater fish do not require a constant supply of a large volume of fresh water. Most freshwater fish can be raised with water temperature ranging from 20°C - 40°C.
• The ideal water temperature ranges from 25°C - 30°C. In order to maintain the right temperature, plant leguminous trees like ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala), katuray (Sesbania grandiflora), madre de cacao (Gliricidia septum) and Dapdap (Erythina) on two sides of the mini-pond, about 1.5 m - 2 m from the bank. Orient the planting of trees on the east-west direction to allow enough sunlight into the pond. The leaf litter also serves to improve aquatic life.
• Occasionally, the water in the pond becomes turbid and muddy. To check the turbidity of water apply lime at the rate of 1 tbsp/sq.m. Dissolve the lime water and sprinkle it over the pond.
• Maintain water depth at 1 m so that the sun's rays can penetrate the water and induce the growth of plankton (natural fish food). Production of plankton decreases as water depth increases. In shallow water (.5 m), the water temperature easily gets high during summer. High temperature retards fish growth.
• Avoid letting the water out from the pond to prevent the fertilizers and plankton from flowing out.
• Drain the pond once a year. Keep it dry for a period of 2-3 weeks to aerate the soil.

3. POND FERTILIZATION

Fertilize the pond

Any kind of animal manure can be used

• The production of algae and microorganisms in the mini-pond is the most important task for the low-cost production of fish. Fertilize the pond at least twice a month for the water to remain greenish. Green color indicates that the water has plenty of small plants and microorganisms which serve as nutritious food for the fish.
• Any kind of animal manure can be used. However, chicken manure makes a better fertilizer. Apply .5-1 kg chicken manure/m. The manure can be placed directly in one corner of the pond or put in a burlap sack and submerged 20 cm below the water surface. Never broadcast the manure on the surface as this, in turn, will reduce sunlight entry into the water, resulting in poor plankton growth.
• Dried leaves of leguminous trees can also be used to fertilize the pond. Put the leaves in porous bags and submerge in water 20 cm below the surface. One to two sacks of dried leaves can help fertilize the mini-pond. Dried rice straw can also be dumped directly in one corner of the pond. Occasional broadcasting of green leaves of leguminous trees (smallleaf varieties such as Calliandra, Leucaena, etc.) is also very helpful and promotes aquatic life.
• If a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer is desired, 500 9 of organic fertilizer and 10 9 of inorganic fertilizer (preferably urea or 16-20-0)/m water can be applied to produce good results.
• On soils or water that are acidic, lime must be added. It can be broadcast on the bottom of the pond or put in a porous bag. Tie the bag to prevent it from submerging into the bottom of the pond. If lime is not available, it can be substituted by aged wood ash (not fresh ash or ash from paper).

4. FINGERLINGS

Stock only high-quality fingerlings. Secure your fingerlings from reliable hatcheries.

5. FEEDS AND FEEDING

• For faster growth, fish should be given supplemental feeds. A diet consisting of 20-30% ground ipil-ipil leaves or Azolla and 70-80% fine rice bran is recommended.
• When affordable, supplemental feeding of 100% fine rice bran is still the most economical (when natural food plankton in the mini-pond is abundant).
• Feed the fish twice a day, morning and afternoon.
• For a more efficient feeding, mash the feeds and place in a feeding tray made of fish net.
• The fish can also be fed with green leaves of kangkong, sweet potato, Azolla, kitchen leftovers, boiled sweet potato, cassava, gabi, crushed golden snails and white ants (termites).
• Surplus tilapia fingerlings (fresh) can be crushed and mixed with fine rice bran. This diet is very nutritious.
• Other cheap methods of feeding fish are:

1 Hanging a lighted lamp over the center of the pond. At night, insects are attracted to the light and hover around it. The insects will fall into the pond where the fish can eat them.

2. Feeding the fish with maggots (small worms). To produce maggots, hang pieces of meat or dead animals on a pole 2-3 ft above the water surface. Flies and other insects will lay their eggs on the meat or dead animals. After 2-3 days, maggots will come out and fall into the water.

6. CONTROL OF OVERPOPULATION

Overpopulation of fish is one of the problems in raising fish (tilapia) in mini-ponds. To obtain good yields of harvestable or marketable size of fish, population control is necessary. Any of the following methods may be used:

• Scooping the fry with a fine net early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The fries swim at the edges of the pond at this time of the day.
• Introducing predators into the pond such as mudfish (dalag) and catfish (hito) at 2% of the total stocking rate. To prevent predators from preying on the original stock, the size of the predators must be smaller than the original stock and should weigh less than one gram.

7. HARVESTING

• After 4-5 months, the bigger fish can already be harvested. Catch them with a hook and line using earthworms or golden snails as bait or use a sweep net.
• Harvest only enough fish for the family to consume.
• To ensure a continuous supply of fish for the family, replace the number of fish harvested immediately by collecting fingerlings from the breeding/hatchery pond.

How To Grow A Kiwi Plant From Seed

Kiwifruit is so tasty; it’s intoxicating.  All my life, I’ve enjoyed the unique flavour and texture of kiwis but never stopped to wonder where they come from and how they grow. It took 24 years, countless fruit salads, and the digestion of innumerous tiny black seeds before I thought about planting some.

After my first kiwi sprouts emerged from the soil, I did some research and realized that Canada, with its uncomfortably cold winters, is not an ideal environment for growing kiwi plants. While fairly hardy, kiwi cannot survive temperatures below -18 degrees celsius. This news didn’t; however, change my mind about continuing to care for my seedlings. I find watching their development fascinating and enjoy seeing them grow into beautiful little vines. Plus, judging by the way our climate has been changing in recent years, it may soon become possible for kiwi to survive a southern Ontario winter.

Whether you’re planting to observe or to consume, here’s how you can get growing your own kiwi vines:

Things you’ll need:

1) A kiwi. Try to get an organic kiwi in order to avoid the possibility that non-organic seeds may not reproduce as well. There are a few different types of kiwifruit in existence and this step-by-step method for sprouting should work for all varieties.

2) A small mug or container. This will hold your kiwi seeds for their first week of germination.

3) Paper towels, a plate, and a clear plastic container. These will be used to construct a very simple mini greenhouse for germinating your kiwi seeds.

4) Potting soil. I would guess that any potting soil will do, but I suggest using one with a blend of peat, perlite, vermiculite, and organic fertilizer. Almost all of the seeds I planted in this type of certified organic potting mix have sprouted beautifully, so I think it’s fair to say that it works.

5) Containers/pots. A container (with drainage holes) that is 2-3” deep and an inch or two in diameter will be sufficient for sprouting; however, the seedlings will eventually need to be re-potted into larger containers in order to continue growing. The size of the container is up to you, but I suggest a rather large pot since kiwi vines get quite big and re-potting intertwined vines is not always a simple task.

6) Sun, or a grow light. Kiwi vines need lots of light, especially when sprouting. If you don’t have enough natural sunlight you will likely need to supplement some of it with a grow light.

Method for sprouting kiwi seeds:

1) Scoop some kiwi seeds out of your ripe, organic kiwifruit and clean them by rinsing off all of the fruit. I found that placing them in a small cup, adding water, swishing them around in it and then carefully straining the water out was the easiest way to accomplish this. Do this a few times until they are completely clean.

2) Fill your small mug or container with lukewarm water and add your kiwi seeds. Place them in a warm location, such as in front of a heater, on top of a computer, or on a warm window sill. Your kiwi seeds will remain in this water-filled mug until they start to open (for about one week), so I suggest changing the water once a day in order to avoid unwanted bacteria growth.

3) Once you can see the seeds beginning to open, it’s time move them to their mini greenhouse. Soak some paper towel with lukewarm water and place it on a plate. Distribute your germinating seeds on the paper towel, cover them with a plastic container and place them in a warm, sunny spot. (Make sure you poke some holes in the plastic container in order to allow for some airflow). Your seeds will sprout fast in these conditions. After only two days of life in their greenhouse, my kiwi seeds were ready for planting.

4) As soon as you’re seeds are sprouted, it’s time to plant. Before planting, always prepare your container well. Pre-moisten your potting soil by putting some soil into a bucket and mixing in some water until it is damp all the way through.

5) Fill your container with the pre-moistened soil. Leave about an inch of space below the rim of your container.

6) Plant your seeds! Sprinkle your seeds into one or more pots making sure they are at least a few inches apart. I suggest giving each seed its own small pot in order to make transplanting easier; however, I split seven sprouted kiwi seeds between two pots and they are all growing fine. Once they are in their pot(s), cover them with a thin layer of soil. I’ve read that all seeds should be planted at a depth of about twice their length, so you can imagine just how little soil is necessary to cover your kiwi seeds.

7) Once planted, water thoroughly with a squirt bottle or gentle watering can and place your pot or container in a warm, sunny, location (for some, this may mean under a grow light). If you feel that your house may be too cold or drafty for the little guys to continue germinating, cover the top of your pot(s) with clear plastic with holes punched into it and secure with an elastic band. This will continue the greenhouse effect and can be left on until you see your sprouts emerge from the soil.

8) Take care of your fuzzy babies and enjoy the process. Provide them with:

• Water. Ensure that the soil is damp at all times, especially when your kiwi sprouts are young. Do not allow them to sit in a puddle of stagnant water though; those drainage holes are there for good reason.
• Sunlight. Ideally, they should be placed in a warm sunny window where they will receive plenty of direct sunlight each day. If a consistently sunny window is not possible, supplement some sun for a grow light. Since Toronto rarely seems to get any sun in the winter, my sprouts reside under the warm rays of a grow light for 12 hours each day. Once they get a bit bigger, I will move them outside for the summer months.
• Food. In order to keep your kiwi vines healthy and growing, the soil will eventually need to be replenished with nutrients. I suggest feeding it an organic fertilizer, such as compost or vermicompost, once it has developed a nice little set of leaves. Dig a little trench around the base of your vines, fill it with compost and water it well. Or, serve it up as compost tea. Try feeding your vines a few times each year or as needed, but do not overfeed! When it comes to fertilizing, less it best; so if in doubt, put it off a bit longer. (Another option is to start your seeds in potting soil with vermicompost or worm castings mixed into it).
• Love. Spend some time looking at your fuzzy new friends. Get into the habit of watching for browning leaves and checking the underside of leaves for pests. Just like us, our plants can fall victim to bugs and disease and may sometimes require some extra love and affection.

How To Grow An Avocado Tree from Seed

Avocados are one of the wonderful fruits of summer. High in nutrition and flavor, nothing signals the start of summer like a zesty lime guacamole dip with tortilla chips. The next time you’re making guacamole or slicing an avocado for a salad, try saving your pits to grow into avocado trees. It’s surprisingly easy to grow your own avocado tree from seed, and it makes a great educational project for home and classrooms. 

For best chance of success, try this with a pit that has been taken from a very (very) ripe avocado that hasn’t been refrigerated. You may also want to start 2 or 3 at a time in case one fails.

Tip: If you have plenty of sunny locations in your home, you could start several of these in the early Fall and have a bunch to sell at your annual summer yard sale or donate to church raffles, team fundraisers, etc. Depending on what part of the country you live in, these can be hot sales items.

Directions:

• Wash all the flesh off the pit, pat dry and set aside for a couple days.
• After the drying time, remove the skin and insert 3 toothpicks 1/2″ deep into the pit equally distant from each other around the fattest part (circumference).
• Suspend in a dark glass (pointy side up) with the toothpicks resting on the rim of the glass.
• Fill the glass with water until the bottom 1/3 of the pit is submerged.
• Place glass in a sunny spot. Change water every two days so there’s fresh water instead of stagnant.
• Once you have a 6 inch stem with a couple leaves (this will take several weeks), cut the stem down to 3 inches.
• Wait several more weeks until you have a few stems with leaves, you’re then ready to plant. The roots should now be about 2″ long.
• Taking a 10″ diameter pot, fill with good, well draining potting soil (sandy mix works great). Removing the toothpicks, plant the pit roots down (pointy end and stems up), the top of it should be level with the soil surface.
• When soil is dry, water. Feed regularly with houseplant food once or twice a month.
• If the leaves turn yellow, you’re watering it too much. If leaves turn brown, you’re not watering enough. If it looks sickly, make sure you’re feeding it.
• If you want a bushy tree, pinch the leaves after it grows every 6 inches.
• Can be left outside during the summer months.

Another Option:

Push pit into a mix of sand and potting soil (pointy side up) with the top half above soil surface. Keep the soil moist. Leave it in a sunny spot. Pinch new growth and care for as mentioned above.

Another Method:

Wrap in moist paper towel and place in a ziploc baggy, seal. Place bag in a warm, sunny spot or somewhere warm (ideas: top of fridge, your computer monitor, television, under sink). Once it starts sprouting and the roots are about 2″ long, proceed as noted above.