Home Garden

 Starting a garden is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Plant fragrant florals or start a vegetable garden (or both!), and everyone can benefit from getting their hands a little dirty. But if you're new to gardening, it can be difficult to know where to start. Still, it doesn't have to be complicated; when you break your project down into manageable steps, you can ease into gardening at your own pace. And soon you'll see the rewards of your efforts with beautiful views, delicious flavors, and colorful blooms. These steps will help you get started from scratch, but if you have something particular in mind, you could also use a garden plan to guide your design.

http://CREDIT: RINNE ALLEN

1. Consider What to Plant

Do you want to plant a vegetable garden? An herb garden? A flower garden? If you choose vegetables and herbs for their contributions to your dinner table, plant ones your family will eat or be willing to try. If you want flowers for their flair, color, and fragrance, decide whether you want annuals that bloom most of the summer but need to be replanted each spring or perennials that have a shorter bloom time but return year after year. Each one, or even a combination, makes a stunning garden but will have different maintenance requirements. One bit of advice: Start small until you know what you’re getting into.

2. Pick the Best Garden Spot

Almost all vegetables and many types of flowering plants need 6-8 hours of full sun each day. So you need to observe your yard throughout the day to figure out which spots receive full sun versus partial or full shade. Don't worry if your yard is mostly shady: You won’t be able to grow tomatoes in shade, but many other plants (such as hostas and outdoor ferns) will do just fine. Check plant tags or ask the staff at your local garden center to help you understand out how much sun a plant needs.

If possible, pick a relatively flat spot for your garden because it’s more difficult, time-consuming, and potentially expensive to deal with a sloping garden. And make sure your new garden will have easy access to a water source.

CREDIT: BOB STEFKO

3. Clear the Ground

Get rid of weeds and sod in the area you plan to plant. If you want quick results (if it’s already spring and you want veggies this summer), cut it out. Slice under the sod with a spade, cut the sod into sections to make it easier to remove, then put it on your compost pile to decompose. For a longer term project, it’s easier to use the lasagna gardening method: Cover your future garden with five sheets of newspaper; double that amount if your lawn is Bermuda grass or St. Augustine grass. Spread a 3-inch layer of compost (or combination of potting soil and topsoil) on the newspaper and wait. It'll take about four months for the compost and paper to decompose. But if you start in the fall, by spring you’ll have a bed ready to plant with no grass or weeds and plenty of rich soil.

4. Test and Improve Your Soil

To learn more about your soil, have a soil test done through your county cooperative extension office. They'll lead you through the procedure: How much soil to send from which parts of the garden and the best time to obtain samples. Expect a two-week wait for the findings, which will tell you what your soil lacks and how to amend it. You can also use a DIY kit that may not be as detailed, but will give you an idea of your soil's nutrient levels.

Residential soil almost always needs a boost, especially in new construction where the topsoil may have been stripped away. In addition to being low in essential plant nutrients, your soil may also have poor drainage or be compacted. The solution is usually simple: Add organic matter. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost, decayed leaves, dry grass clippings, or old manure to the soil when you dig or till a new bed. If you decide not to dig or are working with an established bed, leave the organic matter on the surface where it will eventually rot into humus (organic material). Earthworms will do most of the work of mixing humus in with the subsoil.

5. Prepare Your Planting Beds

Loosening the soil in new beds before sowing or planting helps roots to grow more easily and access the water and nutrients they need. There are two methods: tilling with a mechanical device such as a rototiller or digging by hand. The first one is a good method when you need to mix in large amounts of amendments. However, it's easy to overdo it, which will end up damaging soil structure. Digging is more practical for preparing small beds.

Either way, work the soil only when it's moist enough to form a loose ball in your fist but dry enough to fall apart when you drop it. Digging when the soil is too dry is harder work, and you can damage the soil structure if it's too wet. Use a spade or spading fork to gently turn the top 6-8 inches of soil, mixing in the organic matter from Step 4 at the same time. (Walking on prepared beds compacts the soil, so lay down plywood boards temporarily to evenly distribute your weight.)

CREDIT: PETER KRUMHARDT

6. Pick Your Plants

Some people pore over catalogs for months; others head to the garden center and buy what wows them. Either method works as long as you choose plants adapted to your climate, soil, and sunlight. You can even surf the Internet for plants to purchase. Here are a few easy-to-grow plants for beginners:

• Annuals: Calendula, cosmos, geraniums, impatiens, marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias
• Perennials: Black-eyed Susans, daylilies, lamb's ears, pansies, phlox,  purple coneflowers, and Russian sage
• Vegetables: Cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, and tomatoes

7. Start Planting

Some plants, such as pansies and kale, tolerate cold, so you can plant them in autumn or late winter. Tomatoes and most annual flowers, on the other hand, prefer warm temperatures, so don't plant them until the danger of frost has passed in your area. Midspring and midautumn are good times to plant perennials.

Many annuals are easy to grow from seed sown directly in the garden. Be sure to read the seed packet for information about planting time, depth, and spacing. If you're an adventurous beginner, get a head start on the growing season by sowing seeds indoors a few weeks before the last frost date. There are containers or flats designed especially for seedlings and seed-starting soil mixes available at garden centers. Follow seed packet instructions and place the containers on a sunny windowsill or under grow lights if you don't have window space. Be sure to keep the seeds and seedlings moist but not wet, or they may rot.

Related: 6 Tips for Planting a Beautiful Container Garden Every Time

An easier method of starting your garden is to buy young plants, called set plants or transplants. Dig holes in your prepared bed based on tag instructions. Remove plants from the container by pushing up from the bottom. If the roots have grown into a big ball (known as being root-bound), use an old fork or your fingers to untangle some outer roots before setting it into the hole. Pat soil into place around the roots, then soak the soil with water.

CREDIT: BOB STEFKO

8. Water at the Right Time

Seedlings should never be allowed to dry out, so water daily. Taper off as the plants get larger. Transplants also need frequent watering (every other day or so) until their roots become established. After that, how often you need to water depends on your soil, humidity, and rainfall, though once a week is a good place to start. Clay soil dries out more slowly than sandy soil, so you won't need to water it as often. Sunny, windy conditions dry out soil more quickly than cool, cloudy weather. Still not sure? Feel the soil 3-4 inches below the surface. If it feels dry, it’s time to water. Water slowly and deeply, so the water soaks in instead of running off. To minimize evaporation, water in the early morning.

9. Protect Your Garden With Mulch

To help keep weeds out and moisture in, cover the soil with a couple of inches of mulch. You won’t have to water as often, and by preventing sunlight from hitting the soil, you’ll prevent weed seeds from germinating. Choose from a wide variety of mulches, each with its own benefits, including shredded bark, straw, and river rock. If you use organic mulch, such as bark, compost, or cocoa bean shells (which smell good, by the way), it will nourish the soil as it decomposes. For a vegetable garden or bed of annuals, choose a mulch that decomposes in a few months. For perennials, use a longer-lasting mulch such as bark chips.

10. Maintain Your Garden Regularly

As your garden begins to grow, help it reach its full potential by keeping up with garden chores. Water the plants before they wilt. Pull weeds before they go to seed. Get rid of dead, dying, and diseased vegetation. Banish destructive insects by picking them off the plant and dropping them into a bucket of sudsy water (such as tomato hornworms), hosing them off, or spraying on an insecticidal soap purchased at a garden center. Support tall plants (such as tomatoes) with a trellis, stake, or a tepee. Also, harvest vegetables as soon as they’re ready. And remember to stop and smell the...well, whatever it is you’re growing.

Dehydrating Vegetable Soup Business

Dehydrating or drying of vegetables is one of the oldest and easiest methods of vegetable and food preservation. In dehydration water and moisture from a vegetables is removed, which makes them smaller and lighter, as well as stops microbial growth and hence longer shelf life. 

Dehydrated vegetables can be defined as a vegetable preserved and stored with the help of dehydration technique for a long period of time. There are various techniques of dehydration by which the vegetables can be preserved and can be consumed whenever needed as a fresh vegetable. Due to dehydration process the supply of vegetables is available during off season also. Vegetables are dried so that the storage stability can be enhanced which reduces transport weight also. Quality of dried products and energy consumption depends on the process of drying process. In dehydration process the moisture from the vegetables is removed, which stops the growth of bacteria, molds and yeast which normally spoils the food. Removing moisture from vegetables makes them smaller and lighter. Sun-drying of vegetables is the oldest method used since centuries, various modern techniques have been developed for commercial dehydration of vegetables.

There are many benefits associated with dehydrated fruits and vegetables and they are given below:

·         Storage and preservation:

Drying or dehydration is one of the most ancient and traditional methods of preserving food, and it helps remove any extra moisture so as to prevent any spoilage or decay. The foods can be dehydrated using the advanced dehydrators of today and this method makes for a great way or enjoying produce when they are out of season. This is an awesome alternative to freezing or canning foods.

·         Less Expensive

Processed snacks cost quite a bit of money on their own, and healthy and organic dehydrated food cost even more. You can save a lot of money by buying fresh food in bulk and dehydrating it yourself. That way you can take advantage of any deals you find at your grocery store’s produce section by dehydrating it and storing it for later. This practice will also allow you to replace many store-bought snacks. All of this adds up, and you will find that you are spending a lot less in the long run.

·         Reduces Waste

With a dehydrator, you can reduce waste by dehydrating foods that are coming close to spoiling. When your fresh fruit starts going soft, slice it up and put it in the food dehydrators. If you have meat that needs to be cooked, make some jerky. This method can help you from throwing out that sack of apples or bunch of bananas that you forgot about until they started turning brown. Simply slice them up and enjoy them later!

·         Convenience

Dried fruit or vegetables is convenient to pack for anyone “on-the-go” because it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, it’s not messy or sticky, it’s compact and doesn’t take up a lot of space, it doesn’t weigh much, and it provides quick energy.

·         Nutritional Value

Nutritiously, the heat from dehydrating does tend to destroy some vitamins in the food, but fortunately dried fruit retains all of its fiber and iron. Fiber is associated with lowering risk of certain cancers such as colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers. Also, a home dehydrator is not nearly as harsh on nutrients compared to the commercial process of drying. Dried fruit contains no fat, cholesterol, or sodium. Another perk of using your own dehydrator—you can ensure no additives or preservatives, and also use organic when desired.The food industry is witnessing a substantial growth over the last decade. Dehydrated fruits & vegetables are in high demand among the food processors, owing to the advantage of their out of season availability. The significant factor driving the growth of the dehydrated fruits & vegetables market is the increased shelf life of the product. Increased vegan population and intake of fruits & vegetables for nutrition, are boosting the growth of the market. The development of the food technology is also adding fuel to the growth of the market.

The hectic lifestyles of the people, coupled with the changing dietary patterns of the consumers, further are expected to propel the demand for the dehydrated fruits & vegetables, in future. Also, growth of organized retail industry is also one of the factors expected to increase the growth of dehydrated fruits & vegetables market during the forecast period.

Mushrooms are grouped as vegetables and are porous, fleshy, spongy, and fruity parts of a fungus. Increased recognition of nutritional and medicinal values of mushroom leads to increase in its demand, which created a new segment called dried mushroom, a dehydrated regular or organic mushroom with no preservatives. The quality of mushroom depends on its desirable taste, aroma, and absence of poisonous content. Mushrooms are becoming popular among health conscious consumers, less sodium content, being gluten-free, cholesterol-free and fat-free, and a rich source of nutrition.

The growth of the global dried mushroom market is driven by growing demand for organic food and increasing health consciousness among consumers. The properties of dried mushroom including no added preservatives, natural product, and high vitamin-D content fueling the global dried mushroom market. Macroeconomic factors such as rapid rate of urbanization, increasing per capita income, changing lifestyle, and growing economy driving the global dried mushroom market. Some of the factors trending the global dried mushroom market include mergers & acquisitions between companies of dried mushroom market, high investment in the food industry, and new product launches such as mushroom spices. The company operates in the dried mushroom market can increase its share through collaboration with domestic players, forward integration, and launching organic products in the market.

Dried soup is an instant soup mix consisting of dehydrated vegetables, meat, grains, legumes, etc. along with flavoring agents and preservatives. The ingredients in dried soup are dehydrated using slow air drying or freeze drying process without losing the nutritious value of the food. They are more nutritious than canned soups which consist of high amounts of sodium and preservatives. Dried soups are considered as a convenience food and are hugely popular among the working class consumers. They are available in two packaging forms i.e. cups and pouches.

Dried soup continues to gain more impetus in the F&B sector owing to its increasing popularity among consumers across the globe. It is safe, easy to make, portable and above all, suites the requirements of a modern consumer. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the global consumption of various convenience food items including dried soup. Moreover, introduction of soups that are gluten free and contain more nutritional value is expected to reflect favourable on the sales of dried soup over the next couple of years. 

The increasing demand for convenience food coupled with a rise in disposable incomes and health consciousness among the people drive the dried soup market growth. Strategic partnerships with companies act as a catalyst for the expansion of the industry. However, health concerns related to preservatives added to dried soups for longer shelf-life, tend to restrain the market.  The health conscious population is less inclined to opt for such products. To tackle this problem, vendors are introducing organic soups that are healthier than the regular ones. Innovation, in both product and packaging, plays a key role to attract the consumers.

Demand for dehydrated dried soups is significantly higher than instant dried soup. Sales of dehydrated dried soups currently account for more than three-forth revenue share of the global dried soup market. Dehydrated dried soups are available in a wide-range of flavour, vegetables, grains, dehydrated meat and legumes. Moreover, convenience of quick and easy preparation afforded by dehydrated dried soups remains highly appealing for a large number of consumers. In many of the European countries, consumption of dehydrated dried soup has been substantially high. By the end of 2017, over US$ 500 Mn worth dehydrated dried soup is expected to be consumed in Europe. Meanwhile, consumption of instant dried soup is likely to remain sluggish throughout the assessment period.

India is the world’s 2nd largest producer of vegetables in the world next only to China. But the fruit and vegetable processing industry in India is highly decentralized. A large number of units are in the small scale sector, having small capacities up to 250 tonnes per annum though big Indian and multinational companies have capacities in the range of 30 tonnes per hour or so. Hence India now ranks only third in the production of Dried and Preserved vegetables.

World demand for dried and dehydrated vegetables is expected to increase over the long term as industrialized countries develop new markets and end-uses for these products. Being the prime export producers, developing countries are expected to gradually enlarge their share of the total export market. Ultimately, a country’s export competitiveness in this specific product line is expected to be largely dependent on the ability of its producers to provide high-quality products that meet increasingly stringent product requirements.

Dehydrated vegetables can be segmented on the basis of their types, application, dehydration technology, and regions. On the basis of product type Dehydrated vegetable market is segmented as organic and conventional dehydrated vegetables. As global consumers are becoming more health conscious and organic food consumption is a trend, organic dehydrated vegetables segment possess major market shares. On the basis of application dehydrated vegetables market is segmented into soups, bakery and confectionery products, infant food products, ready mixes(ready to cook, ready to eat, seasoning, premixes etc.), snack products, powdered beverages and others. Amongst applications market segments ready mixes and soup segments are trending and acquires major shares in the global market.

Dehydrated food market can be segmented on the basis of technology which includes spray dried, freeze dried, vacuum dried, sun dried, hot air dried and others. Traditionally among all these segments sun dried process of dehydration was the major segment in terms of usage by food manufacturers followed by hot air dried process. However due to the introduction of new technology spray dried is expected to account for largest share in terms of market revenue contribution, followed by freeze dried during the forecast period. Vacuum dried segment is expected to show a consistent growth as compared to others. Limited usage in food products is expected to be the restraining factor for the growth of vacuum dried technology in dehydrated food market in the near future.