Hoe Hoe Hoe!

For hundreds of years farming/gardening tools have remained fairly consistent in design. Shears, rakes, pitchforks, and shovels are standard for anyone growing plants of any kind.

Most people are unaware of the origins, various applications, and correct usage technique for these tools. The hoe has been around nearly since the dawn of agriculture and is indispensible to gardeners and farmers. It is a simple tool, consisting of a flat blade attached approximately at a right angle to a long handle.

Starting your own Vegetable Garden

The many health benefits from eating fresh vegetables is best ensured by starting your own vegetable garden. With the rising food prices, it is also a good way to save.

A successful garden requires a bit more effort than your knowledge of what vegetables you like to eat. It involves planning, preparing the soil, planting, and maintaining your crops. Do all of these and you'll be on your way to a beautiful vegetable garden.

Gary Coulton: ‘farmer from foreign’ breaks new ground in St. Ann

Gary Coulton closed a flourishing vegetable growing business in West Palm Beach, Florida that he ran for 9 years and moved back to Jamaica. He also left behind a construction company, albeit in other hands, to bringing his expertise to benefit Jamaica agriculture.

Eager to reestablish in his homeland, Coulton searched for 4 months to find suitable farm lands. He found 16-acres outside Hinds Town, St. Ann, lands formally owned by the Reynolds Bauxite mining company. 

Annual General Meeting

Gardening During Periods of Drought

Water is obviously important to a successful garden, and gardening during this drought period can be tricky, more so as the NWC water restriction is being enforced. However, there are creative ways to garden without contravening the rules of restriction including anything we can do to help reduce soil evaporation, prevent weeds, and using recycled water to keep the garden green.
        
Mulching
Mulching material can be utilized from lawn cuttings, a 1 to 2 inch layer of which can be spread around your plants to reduce soil evaporation while providing protection from direct sunlight. Mulch also helps to control the growth of  weeds which rob the plant s and flowers of vital water and nutrients.

T’is the season for Roses

It is the season for Roses and Agro Grace in partnership with Jackson & Perkins, growers of the world’s finest roses, will, in a couple of weeks, bring to our stores several great new varieties to grow so you can definitely look forward this summer to a garden full of colour and fragrance.

Caring For Roses

Growing roses can be one of the most rewarding experiences in the garden. The fragrances spread throughout and, the lush foliage and variations of blooms add quite a bright crisp appearance to any garden area.

The debate continues amongst many persons on the “ease of growing roses”. One thing is clear, while it is not a difficult plant to care for, the more attention and best practices observed, ensure more profound results.

Watering:

Rose plants require adequate watering, however overwateing is undesirable. They need good drainage, the roots should never sit in water. The rose bed or container should be soaked slowly and thoroughly to a depth of 12 inches or more .

Composting: Turning plant waste into nutrient rich fertilizer

Composting is the process that turns discarded organic matter into nutrient rich natural fertilizer. Compost is also a very good soil building material that helps retain moisture and reduce erosion.

This is a great way to recycle and transform organic materials. And the process is easy. Compost consists of  grass clippings, fallen leaves, food peeling, coffee grounds, eggshells, animal manure and even leftovers, like cabbage etc.

Making fruits and vegetables last

Don’t’ you just hate it when you’ve bought a freezer load of fruits and vegetables and when you’re finally ready to eat them you find many of them rotten? What was green now has blue mould, and some black spots too, so the only thing left to do is throw them out.

Well, that doesn’t always have to be the case. Instead of having to devour all your fruits and vegetables as soon as you buy them, you can try to keep them fresh for whenever you’re ready to have them.

Norman Borlaug: The Man Who Saved Millions of Lives

He saved more lives than any human who ever lived. Yet most do not know his name. Some say he was the "person of the 20th century." Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug, who continued to work at 95 but died September 12, is an American agronomist, humanitarian, and Nobel laureate, and has been called the father of the Green Revolution

Borlaug was a plant scientist who led a research effort during the 1950s and '60s that started what became known as the "Green Revolution." His work in Mexico led to the development of a variety of hybrid grains that could be grown in many climates, was immune to many common diseases and produced larger yields. The result was larger harvests to feed the world's growing population.