Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

Feel like a radiated sitting duck? Things you can do to mitigate the problem.

By Barbara H. Peterson
Farm Wars

At this point in time, most of us can say “no” to vaccines, genetically modified (GM) food, fluoride, and Big Pharma drugs. But we can’t “just say no” to radiation in the air all around us coming from Japan, and through oceanic contamination resulting from the BP Gulf incident. So, the difficult question is not how do we avoid this contamination, but rather, how we mitigate our exposure.
Let’s face it. We are surrounded by radioactive contaminants in the air, water, soil, and in our food, which is grown outdoors. We cannot control the air, which contaminates the soil, water, and plants. So, if we cannot get away from the problem, then what do we do? We can start by making sure that we have the knowledge to do the right things and collect the right resources to lessen our exposure. The following is a collection of some of the materials and applications that can be used to mitigate radiation exposure.

Personal detoxifying – people and animals

Unless we live in a bubble, our bodies will be contaminated with radioactive particles, so don’t just wait until someone tells you that you have been exposed, do something about it now. There are certain materials that will help detoxify the body without ill effects whether or not you have been exposed to these harmful materials. Some of these are:

• Zeolite Clay
• French Green Clay
• Bentonite Clay
• Baking Soda
• Boron
• Certain foods

Clay
The same products that are good for humans, are good for the animals you care about also. You can mix the above-mentioned clays in food and water for ingestion, as well as in bath water or use body wraps and clay packs to draw radioactive materials out of the body, and aid in preventing the uptake of harmful radioactive materials.
Clay of all kinds ─ in the bath, on the body and taken internally ─ is recognized (albeit quietly) as being the fastest and most effective way to remove all forms of radiation from the body.
Taking a clay that is high in electrolytes internally… sets up an electromagnetic polarity in the body causing heavy metals, radiation, chemicals and other toxins (which are positively charged) to gravitate to the clay as it passes through the body and through the bloodstream.
Before the Response Team at Chernobyl put on their radiation suits, they smeared clay all over their bodies. (What did the Russians know that we are just now beginning to understand?) (Vitality Herbs and Clay)
The research on the use of Zeolite in Chernobyl show that giving 1-2 zeolite cookies per day cleared all radiation after 3 days for adults and children. (Gabriel Cousins)
Growing up in Provence, South of France, the use of green ILLITE clay was a part of our lives. Mom made me drink it, would spray her plants with a clay/water solution, it was given to dogs, cats, horses… Internally and externally..
After moving to the US and becoming fully involved in the horse world, I became aware of how little was known about the benefits of the green illite french clay. It is my hope to bring the clay and its healing properties into public awareness.(Clay for All)
Baking Soda
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate is by far the least expensive addition to our defense against radioactive contamination.
The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys. The kidneys are usually the first organs to show chemical damage upon uranium exposure. Old military manuals suggest doses or infusions of sodium bicarbonate to help alkalinize the urine if this happens. This makes the uranyl ion less kidney-toxic and promotes excretion of the nontoxic uranium-carbonate complex. The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys. (IMVA)
Baking soda taken internally, or used in baths along with salt is very effective at cleansing the body from radiation.
This bath counteracts the effects of radiation, whether from X-rays, cancer treatment radiation, fallout from the atmosphere, or television radiation: 1 cup of baking soda and 1 to 2 cups of ordinary coarse salt (or epsom salts or sea salt) to a tub of water. You can soak for 20 minutes. (Our Little Place)
Boron
The backup system to force-fed potassium iodide in severe, acute radioactive poisoning is boron.
In the entire table of elements, including subatomic particles, there is only one mineral that is capable of accepting and ionizing radiation that never changes the innards or the nucleus of the cell — boron. The protons and the neutrons do not change under any conditions in the boron molecule. Boron can take radiation and release it without upsetting this very delicate balance.
That makes Boron an excellent candidate to have into your system, whether the radiation be from excessive sunlight or spent uranium bullets that’s being ionized and released into the atmosphere. When that mineral is present in your system, your DNA creates a much better buffering system to ward off radiation. Even when chromosome breaks do occur, they are much more easily repaired and maintained by the system. (New Paradigm Digest)
Interestingly enough, Boron can be found in Borax.
Borax: Yes, this is the laundry detergent. It is quite safe, it has been for years. The Boron content of Borax is approx 11 %. While Borax is classified as a chemical, but it is usually a mined product – meaning that it is a natural mineral complex. It has some H202 quality and emulsifies fat. Hence its use as laundry powder. (New Paradigm Digest)
Foods
Here are 19 of the best foods to naturally combat radiation poisoning:
Brown rice
Seaweed
Kelp
Miso
Pumpkin
Spirulina
Bee pollen
Wheat grass
Rosemary
Blue-green algae
Beets
Garlic
Ginger
Alfalfa sprouts
Broccoli
Onions
Olive oil
Leafy greens
Apples and other sources of pectin

Indoor Gardening

If you are concerned that your garden will be subjected to rain containing radioactive material, and you are able, a greenhouse or indoor gardening space will protect your fruits and veggies. Make sure to use uncontaminated soil by treating it with one of the clays discussed earlier, rock dust, and/or baking soda before planting. These soil treatments will be discussed in the next section titled “Treating the soil.”
Here is a nifty video with instructions on how to turn a room in your home into an indoor gardening area.



If inside gardening is not an option, or you prefer to garden outdoors, here are instructions for small hoop houses on the cheap:





If you have a large outdoor area that you want to use for growing fruits and veggies, then you might want to consider treating your fruits and veggies after harvesting. This will be discussed in a later section titled “Treating veggies and fruits.”

Treating the Soil

There are a few products that will bind radioactivity in the soil and keep your plants from assimilating it. The following are a few examples:
Rock dust
Simple rock dust can be used to remineralize the soil and remove radioactive materials. At the Chernobyl disaster it was found that
“Remineralization protects not only soil and plants from radioactivity, but humans, too. Supplying abundant minerals especially trace elements to the human body improves radiation tolerance, immune system integrity and radiation exposure recovery.” -David Yarrow, 2006
The intelligence of Nature tends to work to maintain health. Life on earth has evolved systems to selectively incorporate healthy minerals and trace elements into biological structures, and to repair the damage done by low levels of radiation, which is a common phenomenon even in Nature. Plants, for example, will selectively uptake healthy metals over radioactive particles if given the choice. However, under high levels of radioactive stress such as those encountered during a nuclear disaster, those systems become stressed and cannot cope with the damage, resulting in radiation sickness. Replenishing these systems with remineralized foods or a finely ground rock dust supplement is an important part of coping with this unprecedented radioactive stress.” (Remineralize the Earth)
Zeolite
The following information is from John:
I heard about zeolite a few weeks back and thought I could buy enough for a 1 acre garden but saw how expensive it was. So I thought “go to the source” and called a mine I think was in Texas. Turned out that they sold a minimum of 2 tons or so but told me that a horse deodorizer called “Sweet PDZ” is 100% zeolite. Comes out of Spokane, Wa and is sold locally here on the west side of the state.
They assured me not to worry about radiation in our soil but went on to tell me how much I should buy if I were to treat 1 acre, off the top of my head I think the guy calculated I should get 10 or 12 bags…..50 lb bags. (John VanVoorhees)
This equates to roughly 500-600 lbs per acre.
Bentonite Clay
Calcium Bentonite clay will bind radiation in the soil, as well as other toxins. You can mix this clay with water, and sprinkle it on your soil.
When it is safe to go outside, get a clean new garden sprayer and add ½ cup of liquid clay to a gallon of water and spray your lawns and gardens.(New Paradigm Digest)
Baking Soda
So useful and strong is sodium bicarbonate that at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, researcher Don York has used baking soda to clean soil contaminated with uranium. Sodium bicarbonate binds with uranium, separating it from the dirt; so far, York has removed as much as 92 percent of the uranium from contaminated soil samples. I started writing about baking soda after discovering that the United States Army recommends the use of bicarbonate to protect the kidneys from radiation damage. (IMVA)
Here are some instructions for using baking soda in your garden. They are not specific to radiation cleanup, but are a rule of thumb for normal use:
Acidity test for soil: To test the acidity level of your garden soil, add a pinch of baking soda to 1 tablespoon of soil. If it fizzes, the soil’s pH level is probably less than 5.0. Flower species that prefer alkaline soil such as geranium, begonia, and hydrangea should be watered occasionally with a weak baking-soda and water solution.
Sprinkle baking soda lightly around your tomato plants. This will sweeten the tomatoes by lowering their acidity.
Raise alkalinity in potted plant soil: Carnations, mums, and petunias prefer neutral soil. To raise potting soil alkalinity, apply some baking soda but use it sparingly.
Flowers and planting pots: Coat clay pots with a thin layer of baking soda when transplanting plants but before adding the soil. This helps keep the dirt fresh. If you have cut flowers, dip them in a solution of baking soda and water to lengthen their life. (How Stuff Works)

Treating Veggies and Fruits

Clay
According to the CRIRAD “Spinach, salads, cabbage and other vegetables with large surface areas are among those food products that are particularly sensitive to iodine-131 contamination, if they are cultivated outside and exposed to rainwater. Washing vegetables does not help, as iodine-131 is quickly metabolized by the plants.”
Calcium Bentonite clay has been proven to remove radiation. Not only can the clay remove radiation but it can also remove pesticides and toxins.
Because Calcium Bentonite Clay has a strong, negative ionic charge, it will act like a magnet when activated with water, adsorbing* and absorbing radiation, pesticides and toxins. The clay grabs these substances which get removed when the clay is washed off.
How to Wash Your Vegetables:
Mix 1 part Calcium Bentonite Clay to 8 parts of water. In a large bowl (non-metallic), mix ¼ cup of liquid clay with 1 quart of water. Toss your produce in this clay water, ensuring complete coverage, and let sit for about 10 minutes. (for a large batch of produce, use more clay/water). Rinse, dry and store. (Vites)

Treating the Water

Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is highly effective in removing several impurities from water such as total dissolved solids, turbidity, asbestos, lead and other toxic heavy metals, radium, and many dissolved organic. The process will also remove chlorine, and also can remove nuclear radiation such as radioactive plutonium or strontium in the drinking water. Therefore, reverse osmosis combined with activated carbon seems to be the most advanced water purification method developed so far. (Free Drinking Water)
Zeolite
Zeolites have the ability to capture cesium 134, 137 and strontium 90 isotopes and are ideally suited for the treatment of liquid radioactive waste effluents…(Steelhead)
Using Zeolite as a filtering material for water is being done in Japan after the nuclear reactor incident:
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. will build a special facility to process radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant.
The new facility, to go on-stream already in June, will push the contaminated water through an oil filter using zeolite, a mineral that absorbs radioactive materials.. (The Voice of Russia)
Shower heads for the home are available with Zeolite filters. Just type “Zeolite shower filter” into your Internet search engine and you will find information about this product.
The University of Texas has a patent on a Zeolite water filter application that can be used for the production of potable water from wells, bodies of water such as ponds, and/or point of use filters and water bottle filters:
Our Surfactant Modified Zeolite (SMZ) filter is a filter that is designed to remove biological pathogens from water. Removed pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and parasitic protozoa. The material can be included in a filtration device, which can be used as a potable water filter, a point of use water filter, a water bottle filter, or a filter packet that can be placed into a body of water such as a well or a pond. The SMZ filter is especially suited and was intensively tested as a filter pack of wells. SMZ can be produced cheaply (about 50 cents per pound or less than $500 per cubic meter), and used for any types of water ranging from drinking water to waste water. The SMZ can be manufactures in various grain sizes to allow water to flow at reasonably fast discharge rates through the filter. The SMZ was tested in the laboratory and in field experiments and was shown to be extremely efficient in removing bacteria and viruses from water. For example, in field experiments 100 % of E. coli and more than 99.9 % of the bacteriophages tested were removed from sewage water. After 6 months the removal efficiency for E. coli was still 100%. (University of Texas)
New Discovery
We also might want to keep our eyes on this new discovery by Russian scientists:
Russian scientists in the Khibinsky Mountains in the Arctic Circle have made an important scientific discovery. They’ve found a new mineral which absorbs radiation.
It does not yet have an official name and is known only as number 27-4. It can absorb radioactivity from liquid nuclear waste.
“It can extract radioactive substances from any water-based solution and so has a very important practical significance,” said Yakov Pakhomovsky, the head of the Kolsky Research Institute.
After coming into contact with the mineral, radioactive water becomes completely safe. Had this mineral been available to physicists after the Chernobyl or Three Mile Island disasters, the consequences might have been very different, as both accidents resulted in contamination from radioactive water. (RT)

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best

Face it. None of us will make it out of this world alive, but we might just be able to make things better along the way. Since we are constantly being bombarded by radiation, which is a clear and present danger due to the Japanese Fukushima reactor melt down, we find ourselves facing the very real prospect of imminent demise. So, what matters most is how we react to the situation. We can succumb to fear and go out cowering, ignore the situation and pretend it isn’t happening, or face it and embrace our circumstances, doing all that we can to make things better for ourselves and the people around us. I choose the latter, and hope you do too.

http://farmwars.info/?p=6062

Fruit Trees



• Choosing a fruit tree• Planting a fruit tree
• Pollination - the key to successful fruiting
• Tips for growing fruit trees
• Fruit tree supplies

Fruit trees may offer a better return on effort than anything in the garden.

A single semi-dwarf apple tree, for example, can produce up to 500 apples in a season, with a productive life of 15 to 20 years. Several trees, with different harvest times, can bring fruit to your table 8 months of the year. Consider the benefits of planting your own fruit trees:

Your own supply of organic fruit - With your own fruit trees you know exactly what you're getting. No sprays, no wax, no chemicals. And you can enjoy a steady supply of fruit for much of the year.
Savings - The cost of organic fruit is high. Averaged over a ten year period, organic apples from your own tree will cost about a penny apiece. Compare this with the supermarket price for organic apples.
Good for the environment - A fruit tree filters the air, conditions the soil, provides shade, shelters wildlife and attracts pollinators to your garden.

You can have all of the above for very low cost and a few hours of fresh air and exercise!

Choosing a fruit tree

Size: Common available sizes of fruit trees are Dwarf, Semi-Dwarf and Standard.

......Dwarf: Small trees for small spaces. Dwarf fruit trees can do well in an 8' diameter plot. They are easy to prune and harvest because they don't grow tall. The fruit is normal size, but the yield is less because of the smaller tree size. Dwarf trees are not as long-lived as the larger trees. Most dwarf trees begin bearing fruit in 3 to 5 years.

Semi-dwarf: Medium-sized trees which require a growing area of about 15' diameter. Semi-dwarfs can range in height from 10 to 16' and need annual pruning to keep the height down and the shape balanced. Very productive, this size tree will produce hundreds of fruit per season. Occassionally, trees will take a year off and produce little or no fruit, especially after a season of heavy production. Most fruit trees planted today are semi-dwarf, because they produce a large crop from a tree with manageable size for pruning and harvesting.

Standard: That huge old apple tree in Grandpa's back yard is a standard, the only choice of size before the smaller hybrids were developed. Standards require more space and are a bigger job to prune and harvest. They can grow to 25 - 30', or taller if left unpruned. If you want a "landmark" tree that the kids can climb in and swing from, get a standard. They take many years to reach full size, so it may be the grandkids who do the swinging. Most standard trees begin bearing in 3 to 5 years.

Maintenance tasks, such as pruning and yard work beneath the tree, should also be considered when choosing tree size. Smaller trees yield crops of manageable size and are much easier to spray, thin, prune, net, and harvest than large trees. And, if trees are kept small, it's possible to plant a greater number of trees, which can offer more kinds of fruit and a longer fruit season.

Fruit: What varieties to choose? Here are a few tips:

• Choose local varieties. Ask at your local nursery for the varieties which do best in your area. Many exotic varieties are inviting, but the local varieties will produce best with the least effort.
• Match the tree to your soil. Plums, for example, do well in damp soil conditions which might not be good for apples. Pears and apples can handle drier soil, but need good drainage. Peaches can get blight from too much rain, so they will do better in semi-protected areas, like alongside buildings under eaves which offer some protection. If you have a planting location in mind, consult with your local nursery or garden center.
• Provide pollinators. Not all fruit tree varieties are self-pollinating. Often, the right combination of varieties are necessary for fruit trees to produce fruit. Most apples are partially self-pollinating and will set some fruit off their own pollen, however these varieties will set more fruit if cross-pollinated with another variety. Ask at your local nursery about the pollinating requirements for trees you are considering.
• Extend the harvest. If planting a few trees, choose varieties which will give you fruit for a longer time. With apples, for example, you can plant one early variety like Gravenstein for summer eating, a late summer variety like King for fall eating, and a winter keeper which can be stored all winter. Stored properly, the fruit from winter keepers will last to the following March or April. With three trees of different harvest times, you'll enjoy your own organic fruit for 8 months of the year.


Conformation: When choosing a tree from your local nursery, it's most important to look carefully at its features. Trees are commonly sold as 'bare root', meaning the roots are exposed, and the young tree is 3' to 6' tall. Here's what to look for:

Strong, straight stem. Fruit trees do best when they grow straight. A slight lean in a young tree, if left unstaked, will develop into a large lean when mature and laden with fruit. The tree is susceptible to blowdown from wind, or can fall under its own unbalanced weight. Defined leader. One central branch should be the obvious 'leader', which leads the growth straight up. A tree with no clear leader will require frequent pruning to keep the shape in balance.
Well balanced branches. Look for the 'candelabra' shape with branches extending evenly in all directions. This even growth will keep the tree balanced and growing straight, as well as maximizing fruit yield.
No low branches. Branches should be starting from the same general area along the tree stem. Avoid trees with one lone branch, low down. This is out of balance, and low-lying fruit encourages pests like raccoons. Low branches also get in the way of lawn care beneath the tree.

Several feet of stem. You don't want your tree to start branching too low - it will be hard to walk under when harvesting, and it encourages pests.



Plentiful, undamaged roots. Roots should be well protected and kept damp. Avoid trees with roots exposed too long in the sun or damaged in any way.

Planting your fruit tree

An important consideration when choosing where to plant a fruit tree is soil drainage. Fruit trees will not thrive in soil that drains too slowly. You can test for drainage by digging a hole about l foot (30cm) deep and filling it with water. The hole should drain within 3 hours.

Dig the hole. Go down about 18" and, with a pitchfork, fork the bottom and sides of the hole to loosen the soil. Sprinkle compost on the bottom of the hole.

Put some dirt back in the hole, leaving a mound in the center.

Set tree in hole with the root ball on top of the mound. The graft line of the tree should be about 3" above the ground. Adjust the height of the mound if necessary.
Spread roots evenly in all directions.
Fill hole with soil and firm gently with your foot. Check that the tree is vertical. Be sure to 'overfill' the hole so the soil is an inch or two above ground level. The soil will compress when watered, and settle to ground level.

Stake if necessary. Tie tree to stake with a rubber tie or piece of cloth. The tie should be loose so as not to girdle the tree. Allow plenty of room for the trunk to thicken.



Mulch around the base of the tree with grass clippings. Be sure to keep graft line clear of mulch so it remains above ground. Fence if necessary. Deer will eat the bark of young trees, given the opportunity.


Fruit tree pollination - the key to successful fruit production


A healthy fruit tree with a large spring bloom does not guarantee the tree will produce fruit in the fall. Successful pollination must occur to produce viable seed, which leads to the development of mature fruit. Pollination can occur in several ways: some fruit tree varieties are self-pollinating, others are partially self-fertile, and others must be pollinated from another tree, usually the same type of tree but a different variety.

When buying fruit tree stock, ask about the pollination characteristics and requirements of the tree. Local advice is usually the best since pollination can vary within species in different climate zones. If you're buying trees which need a separate pollinator, be sure the bloom time is the same. For example, early season plum varieties shed their blossoms before midseason plums come into flower, so there's little cross-pollination.

To help improve the chances of successful pollination:


• Plant two or more varieties of the same tree - This is the most reliable way of ensuring successful crops. Even self-pollinating fruit trees will set more fruit when cross-pollinated.
• Attract bees to your orchard - Bees are active pollinators and a valuable asset in any garden. Plant flowers of both early and late blooming varieties to ensure a good display of flowers throughout the season. Mason bees can also be attracted and kept as permanent residents by providing small mason bee 'houses' near your fruit trees.
• Avoid using insecticides - Toxic sprays kill beneficial insects as well as pests, and should be avoided especially during the pollinating season.
• Consider 'multi-graft' trees for small yards - Fruit trees are available with three of four compatible cross-pollinating varieties grafted to a single tree. This effectively convets a cross-pollinator to a self-pollinator.
• Consider manually pollinating your trees - When poor weather results in low bee activity during the peak flowering time, you can take a branch from one tree and dust it in among the branches of another tree, effectively doing the job of a bee. This is more difficult with larger trees or if you have more than a few trees to pollinate.

Tips for growing productive fruit trees


• Be careful taking your new tree home - trees can die of shock. Keep root ball damp and shaded from sun.
• Always keep graft line clear of debris and above ground. If the graft line goes below ground the tree may revert to its root stock and give the wrong fruit - like crab apples!
• Thin the fruit. If the size of the fruit produced from your tree is below expectations, it may be due to an over-abundance of fruit on the tree. The tree has only so much energy to use to produce fruit, so thinning (removing some of the fruit) is essential to produce large fruit in some species, such as peach and apple. For best results, thin fruit trees early in the season, when the fruit is still quite small.
• Does your tree fail to produce fruit some years? Healthy, productive trees sometimes take a year off. However, if a fruit tree produces an over-abundance of fruit which is not thinned, the tree may become a biennial producer. Therefore, it is prudent to thin the fruit when trees produce a large amount of fruit.
• Defend against Apple Maggots. The apple maggot is the most destructive pest of apples grown in home orchards. This insect is a type of fly which pierces the skin of ripening fruit and lays eggs. In 5 - 10 days, the eggs hatch a maggot which burrows through the fruit. These pests can be managed by using sticky red sphere traps. Hang one trap for every 100 apples in a tree. For more information, or to purchase apple maggot traps, click here.
• Other Pests? See our Natural Pest Control page.• Rake the leaves. Fruit tree leaves should not be used as mulch around the garden. If the leaves are still on the ground, cover the area with ground limestone. This will prevent spores on the leaves on the ground from developing.
• Prune during the dormant season. All major pruning should be done in late winter or spring. Ask your nursery for a leaflet on pruning. Some pruning is usually required each year to keep the tree growing in a balanced shape.
• Water during dry seasons. Water once every two weeks during dry spells; put a pan under tree and water until it fills 5 - 8cm (2 - 3") to ensure water reaches the root zone.
• Make a field plan. Record on paper when you planted and what varieties you planted so when you harvest you'll know what variety you are enjoying. Do not depend on memory or the plant identification tags to know what you planted - both will fade with time.
• Beware the weedeater! A weedeater can quickly damage a fruit tree by cutting the bark at ground level. This can stress the tree to cause reduced blooming and fruiting, and repeated injuries can even kill the tree.
• Prepare your trees for winter. Read our page Fall Care of Fruit Trees

Fruit Tree Feed/Mulch - Spring Treatment
You can use the following mix to promote root and vegetative growth for fruit trees in the spring:
5 shovels leaf mould
5 shovels garden compost
5 shovels peat moss
1 cup bonemeal
1/4 cup each: rock phosphate, alfalfa, greensand

Top-dress with 2" of the above mix in early March and again in mid-June.

http://guides.eartheasy.com/grow_fruit_tree.htm

Fruit trees may offer a better return on effort than anything in the garden. See the article above.. all filled with links at the site

Site map http://www.fruit-trees.org/

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http://www.fruit-trees.org/

Anytime I eat an apple, peach etc. I save the seeds and toss them randomly in the forest.... some take, some dont.. but it's an added resourse that you know about in bad times

I have 2 Dwarf trees..1 is an Orange the other is a Meyer Lemon both are in containers...I have about 12 oranges getting ready to turn orange and my Lemon did not do anything this year. In fact most of the leaves fell of in the spring when I uncovered it and I think I trimmed it wrong because it is stunted. last year I had about 15 lemons..

These were 2 of the sites that I have bookmarked for information on the dwarf trees....




Dwarf Fruit Trees – A Planting Guide for Fruit Trees in Containers

By: Nikki Phipps
Planting guide for fruit trees in containers

Lemon miniature fruit treeDwarf fruit trees do well in containers and make care of fruit trees easy. Growing dwarf fruit trees in containers makes them easier to prune and harvest. Younger trees bear fruit faster. You can find dwarf varieties of almost any common fruit tree, but citrus trees are the most commonly grown kind.

Containers for growing dwarf fruit trees may include those made from plastic, metal, clay, ceramic, or wood, as long as there is adequate drainage provided. A general rule of thumb, however, is to start with a container approximately six inches wider than that from which the tree is initially placed in at the nursery.

The miniature fruit tree enjoys well-drained sandy soil of moderate fertility, which is suitable for most dwarf fruit trees.
Care of Fruit Trees in containers

Care of fruit trees begins with suitable light conditions. Most miniature fruit trees grow best in full sunlight, but some may also do well in partial shade, depending on the type of dwarf fruit tree you have. Generally, container grown fruit trees should be placed where they will receive maximum sunlight.

Regular pruning is sometimes necessary for proper care of fruit trees to maintain the shape of your miniature fruit tree. Most pruning is performed during dormancy, just before active growth begins in spring. However, summer pruning may be done to remove undesirable growth and maintain smaller tree size.

Your potted miniature fruit tree should be moved indoors during cold spells and placed away from drafts.

They should also be watered only as needed, depending the species of fruit tree, the type and size of its container, and its surroundings. For most dwarf fruit trees, the soil surface should be allowed to dry out some before watering. Fertilizing, however, should be done more often, at least once every 4-6 weeks during the growing season.

When growing dwarf fruit trees, you should be repotting them one size up about every two years.
Grafted Dwarf Fruit Trees

A popular way of increasing fruit production is to graft several varieties onto the one miniature fruit tree. The growth habit of the dwarf fruit tree is a major consideration when deciding to do a multi graft. Grafting fruit trees with similar growth habits will prove to be more successful, as a stronger variety will outgrow a weaker one. An alternative to the multi-grafted tree is growing two separate varieties together in one large container.
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More Information:

# Can Grafted Trees Revert To Their Root Stock?
# Growing Trees in Containers
# Grafting Trees: What is Tree Grafting

Didn't find the answer to your question? Ask one of our gardening experts.

Read more articles in Urban Gardening.

You might also be interested in these articles:

* How to Propagate and Plant Christmas Cactus
* Proper Care of a Swiss Cheese Plant & Swiss Cheese Plant Propagation




http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/urban/d ... ainers.htm



Another site for growing things inside...not too sure about that but the site is extensive :


Growing Citrus Trees Indoors
Growing fruit trees indoors is very rewarding and easy to do. You don't need to be living in a warm climate (or have a green thumb) to grow your own lemons, limes or oranges.

Dwarf fruit trees can be grown in containers indoors during the winter months then brought outside when the weather warms up. These trees are a treat for the senses - not only are they visually attractive with their lush foliage and blossoms, some are quite fragrant as well.
Contents at a Glance

1. Indoor Citrus Trees
2. Buy Indoor Fruit Trees
3. Indoor Citrus Tree Tip

4. Dwarf Fruit Trees in Containers
5. 5 Steps To Successful Indoor Fruit Trees
6. Grow a Meyer Lemon Tree

more...

Contents at a Glance



Indoor Citrus Trees
5 Tips For A Healthy Vibrant Tree

If you've discovered the joy of growing an indoor fruit tree, you're likely very pleased with their low maintenance. Just about anyone can grow these citrus trees in just about any living space. Their fragrant blossoms and sweet delicious fruit make them a welcome addition to any home.

Here's 5 tips for making sure your indoor fruit tree is healthy, vibrant, and productive:

1. If you need to add soil to your tree container, never use soil from the yard or anywhere outside. Get a soil mixture with perlite mixed in. You can buy this mix online or at most garden centers. The soil mixture should be an airy potting soil, and you should add soil up to the line on the trunk where discoloration from the dirt used by the nursery ends. Leave enough space at the top of the pot to water thoroughly.

2. These trees like regular watering. For the most part, every week to 10 days is plenty. When the soil is no longer damp, go ahead and water. Be thorough but don't drench the soil. As for light exposure, a western or southern exposure is best.

3. Not only do indoor citrus trees like water, they like to be fed as well. Once a month, fertilize them with a specially formulated fertilizer made for indoor citrus varieties. If you don't want to buy a specialized fertilizer, no worries. The key ingredients are zine, iron, and manganese. Most good quality multipurpose fertilizers contain these ingredients.

4. Most humans hate humidity, but as you might imagine, indoor citrus trees love it. If your living space is dry, particularly in the colder months, add moisture with a humidifier, or mist them frequently. Another good idea is to place your tree container in a tray filled with pebbles and water added to the top of the pebbles. Note of caution: Don't put your tree directly in front of a drafty vent.

5. When it gets warm outside, give your tree some TLC and let it live outside on a patio or balcony. The outdoor sun will do your tree good, but acclimate it to full sunlight gradually. We usually place our three trees in a shady area for a few days first.

Other Tips

After you've owned your tree for a while, you'll notice it will produce quite a number of blossoms. Not all of these blossoms will produce fruit, but you can help encourage fruit production. Take a soft small paintbrush and brush the stamens of open blossoms from blossom to blossom. Basically, you're helping the pollination process.

Lastly, for pests, spray your tree with horticultural oil. Your most common pest will likely be spider mites. Horticultural oil will smother the pests and should rid your tree of the problem.


There is a lot more at the site...

http://www.squidoo.com/indoorfruittrees


Kathyet

bttt

Scared to Take Chinese Herbs? Here Are the Basics!

September 28, 2010 by Dr. Mark Wiley


Herbology is the study of the properties of herbs, their collection, preparation, effects, dosage, administration, combination and contraindication. Chinese herbs are a main feature of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The study, use, gathering, preparation and administration of herbs for the treatment of illness and disease is thousands of years old.

Traditional Chinese medicine is concerned with the theories of Yin and Yang, Five Elements, Meridians and Pathogenic Factors causing disease. Specific methods are used to treat disease, such as acupuncture, massage, energy work, muscle scraping and herbal medicine. In China, herbs are clinically used to treat diseases according to the basic theories of TCM.

Homeostasis and Chinese Herbs

The goal of TCM is to return the body to homeostasis: That is, its optimal balanced functioning state. When the body is at homeostasis there is no room for disease. It is only when the body is out of balance (something is deficient, excessive or stagnating) that pain, illness or disease can occur.

It is for this reason that the Western application of synthetic drugs and natural herbal supplements can never hope to cure disease. Their application is based not on returning the body to homeostasis (removing the problem and balancing the body) but rather on dealing with the symptom (e.g., pain, vitamin deficiency).

The application of Chinese herbal therapy is able to balance the underlying cause(s) of pain, illness and disease, but only after a proper pattern identification has been diagnosed by a competent TCM practitioner. Patterns of disharmony (imbalance) include such things as Spleen Qi Deficiency, Heart Blood Stagnation, Liver Qi Stagnation, Excess Phlegm Damp in the Channels, Interior Heat Syndrome and so on.

These patterns describe syndromes occurring in the body, not merely the symptoms associated with disease. They refer to underlying imbalances in the body causing the body to manifest symptoms you may be experiencing. And many seemingly unrelated symptoms can be caused by the same underlying pattern of disharmony.

Let’s take “Interior Heat Syndrome” as our example. Symptoms associated with this syndrome include diarrhea, eventual constipation, abdominal distension, eczema, acne, bloodshot eyes, urinary tract infection, genital herpes, cold sores, insomnia and eventual blood stasis, among other things. By recognizing that this list of things is in whole or in part caused by too much heat in the interior of the body (as opposed to a fever, which is heat that has moved to the exterior of the body), they can then be treated at the same time.

Once the Interior Heat is resolved, that is, once the body’s internal temperature is balanced, the symptoms associated with the problem will go away.

This happens because the body has been returned to homeostasis and no longer supports an environment conducive to prolonging the symptoms.

How to Take Chinese Herbs

There are many ways to take Chinese herbal medicine. Raw herbs can be prescribed, decocted and drank. This method generally offers the strongest effects, as the herbs are fresh and their grams and combination can be precisely decided by an herbalist to match your syndrome. Moreover, the liquid is easily absorbed into the body. However, the preparation generally has a bad smell and the taste is often not liked by Westerners.

Herbal powders are also available in single form or in common formulas. These are like instant coffee in that a measured spoonful will dissolve in a mug of hot water to be drank in one sitting. Again, this is effective and fast, but leaves much to be desired in the area of taste.

Perhaps the most common way of taking Chinese herbs in the West is what is known as the Patent Herbal Formulas. These are prepackaged herbal formulas that have been found effective for specific syndromes. Examples include taking You Gui Wan for Kidney Yang Deficiency or Tao Hong Si Wu Wan for Blood Stasis or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan for Uplifting of the Central Qi. These are little black pills the size of BBs that are generally taken in quantities of six, eight or 12 pills at a time, three times per day.

There are several ways of determining how long it takes the herbs to work. Since we are talking about changing an underlying condition in the body, as opposed to symptomatic relief, times do vary. In general, six weeks is a minimum amount of time it will take for the herbs to build up in the bloodstream to a level necessary to effect a strong change in the body. Three months time is about average. For some diseases, nine months is not uncommon. For chronic cases, a general rule of thumb is one month of herbs for every year the problem has been in the body.

For best results, Chinese herbal medicine should be used under the direction of a qualified practitioner. Your condition (pattern) should first be identified, and then herbs prescribed accordingly. They are a great and gentle way of balancing the body.

Just keep an open mind and remember, they will be less effective if used in the allopathic way — that is, taking them to remove a symptom as opposed to correcting an imbalance.

— Dr. Mark Wiley

http://www.personalliberty.com/alter...es-the-basics/

10 Ways to Beat Fatigue

October 5, 2010 by Dr. Mark Wiley


Each day more than 2 million Americans complain of feeling fatigue in addition to the 4 million who have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. With this chronic tiredness often comes lack of focus, feelings of being overwhelmed, flu-like symptoms, memory loss, chronic aches and pains, restless sleep, short temper and even depression.

While many people accept their tiredness as part and parcel of their daily lives, it needn’t be the standard way of life. Yes, we are more overworked and under more stress than ever, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
The following 10 lifestyle changes can make all the difference over time, if embraced as a new lifestyle approach to wellness.

1. Eat four to six times per day — In the past 10 years the idea of ditching the “three square meals a day” plan has proven successful. In its place is the three-hour diet, or eating something every three to four hours. Eating more frequently prevents one from overeating at one sitting, which zaps energy and retards digestion. Eating smaller meals more frequently also helps sustain a steady level of energy throughout the day, which helps avoid the “two o’clock crash.”

2. Consume energy-giving foods — While eating more frequently is a great way to stay energized, eating the wrong foods over and over will take the wind right out of you. To get the best energy results from food it is important to eat plenty of fiber, which helps clean fats from blood and create bulk to move stools — this frees up energy in the body. Consuming complex carbohydrates like whole grain breads, seeds and pasta provides glucose for brainpower and sustained fuel for physical energy. Eating lean protein also adds fuel for the body. And where carbohydrates are fast-burning (instant energy) fuel, proteins provide slower burning (continuous energy) for the day. Drinking plenty of filtered or distilled water keeps the body hydrated, helps move toxins from the body and aids the kidneys.

3. Avoid energy-sapping foods — Food is certainly the main source of energy for us humans, but consuming the wrong types of food can drain and waste energy faster than we want it to. The basic idea is to avoid all foods that create an instant energy rush as a sudden energy crash is soon to follow. Energy-zapping foods include caffeine, soda, coffee, chocolate, sugar and simple carbohydrates like white bread, rice and potatoes. The energy derived from such foods is fast to come and go, is harassing to the metabolism and wreaks havoc with one’s energy. In short, they cause fatigue.

4. Exercise 30 minutes per day — While it may seem counterintuitive, exercising each day creates more energy in the body. It requires energy to exercise, and the result of exercise in increased energy. Exercise creates feelings of wellbeing because one is able to let off steam, get out anger, move the blood, sweat out toxins and help the body release chemicals like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. And mixing up the daily routine between running, walking, weight training and aerobics keep things interesting and fun.

5. Compartmentalize your time — One of the main reasons people feel overworked, stressed out and unhappy is because they do not prioritize their time. They often feel a greater obligation to their job than to their family, themselves or their friends. This is draining physically, spiritually and emotionally and can lead to an unpleasant home life. The key to maintaining harmony and prevent burnout is to set time each day for work, family, social occasions and for your own quiet time. All of these areas need to be met to maintain a whole life that is full of love, happiness and energy.

6. Derail the burnout — There are times when taking time for yourself or leaving the office on time is not an option. In these cases, where burnout and fatigue can just drain you dry, you must derail the freight train and create energizing blocks of minutes. A few suggestions include standing up and doing jumping jacks, walking a few laps around the building or parking lot, talking to someone in the office or on the phone who makes you laugh, splashing cold water on your face and taking some deep breaths.

7. Break the stress each night — It is important not to allow stress to grip you firmly all day and night. This leads to too much tension in the body, which takes up energy. Engaging in deep breathing, taking yoga or Pilates, watching sports or listening to music you enjoy are easy things you can do to relax and break the stress. Above all, it is important not to go to bed and then wake up stressed out or you will have a very difficult time waking up and making it through the day.

8. Cut out the cancer — In this sense, “cancer” is any person, place or thing that is in your life that saps your energy and spirit. If you don’t remove these things, then your energy will be drained each day. You know those friends or co-workers who expect too much from you and always ask too much of your time? Set clear boundaries and don’t allow them instant access to you or your time. Does your email fill up too fast? There is no reason to read and answer every correspondence right away. Create email folders and prioritize which ones you read and respond to, and when. Don’t allow work to interfere with personal time. Pay bills on time. Avoid unnecessary arguments. Let go of old grudges. All of these tips will cut out the old and free up stores of energy that have needlessly been wasted and made you tired and fatigued.

9. Set your sleep/wake cycle — The power of restorative rest and sleep is one of the most essential things one can do for rejuvenating the mind and body. Many people feel overly tired even at the start of each day because their sleep is not restful. They work late into the evening, lie awake in bed worrying and often awake after only a few hours of deep REM sleep. To be energized while also repairing your muscles and tissues, setting a firm bedtime and wake-up time is essential. Sleeping from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. is said to be the best time for our body clocks.

10. Express love and gratitude — One of the easiest ways to free up energy and reduce stress and fatigue is to express your love and gratitude as often as possible. Each day you can tell those around you how grateful you are for their help, work, friendship, etc. You can tell your spouse or children or parents how much you love them. Acting with love and feeling grateful for even the smallest of things makes life worth living. And with purpose to each day and gratitude for the work we do, it seems less a burden. When life burdens and we thank it for the lessons or experience we are less apt to become overwhelmed, cranky and resentful… and without these, we have more energy available for living life to its fullest.

— Dr. Mark Wiley

http://www.personalliberty.com/alter...-beat-fatigue/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ncBG...eature=related

Prepare Your Own Personal Home Grocery Store And Pharmacy

October 11, 2010 by Peggy Layton


”Food in the basement is better than money in the bank.”

There are many reasons for stockpiling a one-year supply of food. The value of food commodities generally increases at the same rate as inflation. Money in the bank doesn’t do that. Investing in 500 cans of tuna fish in your basement or dehydrated food that will last five to 10 years is a better bet than putting $350 in the bank.

The most important reason to store food is that it comes in very handy in a crisis of any kind. Whether it be a large emergency such as an earthquake, flood, volcano eruption, war, strike or economic crash, or something as personal as being laid off work, moving or helping other family members that are down and out or when cash is short, it is comforting to know that you can use your home grocery store to help buffer lean money times. If you had to live on what you had in your basement for an extended period of time, you would wish you had a well-rounded supply of food.

In general, most households do not have more than a one-week supply of food. Let’s face it, as a nation, we rely almost totally on the supermarket and fast food restaurants. An average family of four spends $750 or more per month on food. As the children grow up, the price increases. That is double the amount spent 10 years ago. In the past five years inflation on food has risen more than anything else has. Your best investment right now is FOOD!
If you ask any supermarket chain manager to tell you how long it would take to empty the shelves in any store in the event of a crises, the answer would be approximately three days. They just don’t keep that much in their warehouses. And if there were a trucking problem it would be less. People would storm the grocery stores and buy anything they could get. The water is the first thing that goes.

I strongly suggest that you find a place in your home, either in a basement, spare bedroom, closet, junk room, under the stairway or heated garage, and go to work turning it into your own home grocery store and pharmacy. Somehow get shelves in there, build them, have them built or buy them pre-built. Whatever works best for you. Just do it, now.

This “home grocery store” will be to you and your family as the ark was to Noah and his family. It will contain all the necessary food, water, bedding and medical supplies to sustain life for a minimum of three months to one year.

So what are the best kinds of food to stock pile? It is recommended that you “store what you eat and eat what you store” otherwise you might get sick. A crisis is not the time to change your family’s diet.

Appetite fatigue is a very serious condition. Food storage experiments have been conducted where people had mock disasters and lived on their basic food storage for extended periods of time.

If you are suddenly thrown into a diet that you are not used to, especially one with a lot of wheat, beans, corn, honey, powdered milk and dehydrated food, you will have a double crisis. One thing we do not need in an emergency is a sickness caused by a drastic change in our diet.

It is best to incorporate these foods into your diet gradually. These are the foods that store well for long term and, to rehydrate them, you just need to add water, so they are good to have in your storage along with any canned goods that you like. The shelf life on canned goods is approximately two years and dehydrated food up to 10 years.

There is nothing wrong with storing wheat, beans, rice, powdered milk and honey, if that is what you are used to and prefer. Some people have allergies to wheat and they learn this when they change their diet. Store a variety of wheat and other grains, along with flour, oatmeal, rice, noodles, evaporated milk, beans, peas, lentils, legumes, canned meats, tuna fish, canned salmon, soup of all kinds, tomatoes, sauces of all kinds, all baking items, shortening, oils, peanut butter, jams, syrups, salad dressings, mayonnaise, Jell-O, cocoa, bottled fruits and vegetables and many other dehydrated products.

Nothing should be kept for more than two years without rotating except the following: wheat, grains, beans, sugar, salt and any product that is nitrogen packed for long term storage and has a low oxygen content.

If people store what they eat and eat what they store, the rotation will automatically take care of itself. Rotating your food so your family gets accustomed to eating the grains, beans, honey and dehydrated products is very important.

Shelves built to accommodate buckets of bulk food.

Always replace each item as it is used up so you can maintain your stockpile. Purchase cases of items when they come on sale. Our hometown grocery store has case lot sales about four times a year. The best prices are when items are in season. I buy wet pack corn and beans in the fall when they are two cans for $1. When tuna fish comes on sale I buy three or four cases. It’s an excellent source of protein and I save a lot of money by purchasing in bulk.

A sample formula for knowing how much food to store is to keep track of what you eat for a two-week period of time. Surprisingly most families repeat meals every few days. Multiply the basic ingredients by six to calculate a three-month supply, 13 for a six-month supply and 26 to calculate a year’s supply. Separate menus can be calculated for summer and winter taking into consideration gardening and seasonal foods available. Build your own stockpile slowly, over a six-month period of time.

A hint that has helped me to obtain extra food items: Every time I go to the grocery store I get two of each item that I normally buy, such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, pickles, olives, cream soups, mayonnaise, salad dressing, spaghetti sauces, mixes, etc. I put one away and use the other. It’s a good idea to keep adding more and more of a variety of items to your home grocery store, so your diet won’t be so bland.

Planned menus can eliminate the panic feeling you get when you know you should store food and you don’t know where to begin. I have included a chart in my book, Food Storage 101. Where do I begin?, to plan menus for two weeks. It asks you to list every ingredient to make sure you have each item on hand.

If you plan your food storage program out carefully you can avoid impulse or panic buying which will save you a lot of money and grief. Anticipate your needs for a three-month period of time. Buy bulk food in larger quantities and store them in plastic food grade buckets that have airtight lids. Do not use paint buckets or any other container that has been used for chemicals. Do not use garbage bags, as they are treated with pesticides. A food grade Mylar liner inside a plastic bucket works very well with an oxygen absorber vacuum packed and sealed.

A No. 10 (1 gallon) can is the best way to store smaller quantities. (We will be discussing the different methods of storing bulk food in an upcoming article.)

Store your food in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and in a place that stays a constant temperature of around 40-60 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot or cold fluctuations in temperatures can destroy the nutritive value of the food and shorten its shelf life. A basement or cold storage area is ideal. I realize that some people don’t have a basement, that’s why it is so important to plan a space that can stay cooler than the rest of the house.

Always label every can, bottle or bucket with what is in each container, the date of purchase, shelf life, and the date to be used by.

A Three Month Well Rounded Food Storage Plan

A three-month well-rounded supply of food storage is much better than a year’s supply of wheat, beans, honey and powdered milk. The basics are important, but it is just the beginning.

I have created a plan of action and divided it into six steps. Each month you can work on one step and after six months you will have a three month or more supply of food storage, vitamins, minerals, clothing, bedding, fuel, medical supplies and non-food items to sustain your family in a crisis.

I will be writing two articles per month. In these articles I will cover all six steps, and if you are serious about getting prepared, you can make it a goal to follow this plan. Then you will quickly have your own three-month supply of the essentials and receive the peace of mind of knowing that you are not dependant on the government or anyone else.

Next time we will begin with step one of my six-step plan for storing food. I will be discussing one or two steps per month and breaking it down into bite sized steps so it isn’t overwhelming and can be done in a timely manner.

The goal is to acquire a three-month, well rounded stock of food so you will be prepared for any situation where you may need to use it.
This information came from my books Food Storage 101. Where do I begin? and Emergency Food Storage and Survival Guide. For more about the books I have written go to my website and click on Peggy’s books.

—Peggy Layton

http://www.personalliberty.com/survi...-and-pharmacy/