Find the Bright Spot In Life.

Good News! Tomatoes Can Prevent Strokes!

Heirloom tomato from my garden

According to a study published in Neurology, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, particularly tomatoes, can cut your chances of stroke by 55%. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, the chemical responsible for tomatoes rich red color. Lycopene has been found to reduce inflammation, act as an anti-oxidant, and reduce blood clotting. Heart disease and strokes and a serious problem in the United States, and part of the problem is due to a diet rich in fat and cars. It is important to get at least 5 serving of fruit and vegetables a day to stave off the risk of stroke. I love growing tomatoes in my garden, so I am glad tomatoes are getting the attention it deserves!

Check out my guide on Tomato Growing

Fresh organic tomatoes

Anyone's Garden Still Going Strong?

Growing Tomatoes in the Garden

Sadly, summer is coming to an end, but my garden is just starting to come alive with red tomatoes, bell peppers, and spicy habaneros. Its exciting to see all my hard work pay off; everytime I step out to check on my garden, there's always something that's ready to be picked to make lunch. The cherry, grape and heirloom tomatoes are all looking great, I can harvest about five tomatoes every couple of days. The habanero peppers, are also doing well and maturing, but they have'nt turned into the red-orange color, so I am trying to exercise a little patience and wait until they are red until I pick them, but its really hard!

The green habaneros are still pretty hot; I used one just yesterday to make spicy beef quesidillas. Habanero plants are perrenials, which means that as long as the weather is hot and sunny, the plants will still produce peppers. But because the weather is getting colder, I'm afraid the frost will come to soon and kill the plants off before the habaneros are able to mature fully. Last year at this time, most of my habanero plants were turning red already and I was harvesting them by the handful, but for some reason the habanero plants are just now getting started. I'm still happy, though, that my garden is thriving now, and hopefully this cold air will recede a little for a few weeks to allow my plants to continue growing.

Gardening can be something of a crapshoot; you may plan for the best, but if the weather takes an unexpected turn for the worse, or there is  a sudden increase of pests you didn't foresee, your garden is toast. So instead of feeling worried, I'll say that I am grateful that my garden is still going strong :)

I Think This is Ready to be Picked!

Sadly, summer is coming to an end, but this is also the time when my tomato and pepper plants are ripening and ready to be picked. This particular bell pepper plant eventually turns red, but it was already grazing on the ground and it was so big, so I decided to pick it!

I didn't think harvesting bell peppers would be difficult, but my mom kept peering over my shoulder and making sure I didn't ruin the vegetable; it seemed as if I was performing surgery! 

Usually I use bell pepper to make stew or soup, but I decided to make stuffed bell pepper with beef instead. I've been trying to watch my diet, and it is really hard to cut down on carbs, because it is so prevalent, and super-filling. The stuffed peppers is low on carbs, tastes great, and fills me up. 

Check out my site: http://www.atomatogrowsinqueens.com/urban-organic-gardening-blog.html

If you know any other bell pepper recipes, leave it in the comments below.

Gardening as a Sanctuary for Refugees!

Today I read a USAToday article titled, Urban Gardens Allow Refugees to Plant Roots, which spoke about how refugees from countries such as Burma and Togo are finding solace in participating in community gardens across the United States. This article really got to me because as a gardener, I can attest to gardening's calming influence on my life, and I am happy that community organizers dedicated to helping refugees from war-torn areas recognize this. Most of these refugees come from areas in the globe that are not as developed as the U.S and where people rely heavily on sustainable agriculture to survive. Allowing refugees to garden in communities helps them deal with the stress of language and cultural barriers and makes them feel more at home. I'm glad the love of gardening is universal!

Check out my site on organic vegetable gardening- http://atomatogrowsinqueens.weebly.com/

Grow Big Beautiful Fruits and Vegetables!

Large heirloom tomato growing in my vegetable garden

Growing big, beautiful fruits and vegetables took a lot of effort and trial and error. I spent hours searching online for ways to increase my harvest and I discovered that I wasn't treating my soil right for it to support abundant growth. As you know, after every growing season, the soil loses vital minerals and nutrients, but what I didn't know is that I needed to actively treat and care for the soil for it to be fertile again. I've tried different types of plant food and fertilizers, but one thing I found that ABSOLUTELY works is Miracle Gro Organic Choice Garden Soil. Check out my article: Grow Bigger and More Delicious Vegetables in Your Garden! for how to use this wonder product.