Summer's prize, full of
natural nutrients
Summer is truly one of my favorite times of the year.
It's that time when we're finally able to enjoy freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, straight from our gardens and neighborhood farmers' markets.
Bold, plump, and colorful fruits and vegetables teeming with nutrients just not found on supermarket shelves.
I love to frequent my local farmers' market to appreciate the many varieties of vibrantly colored produce.
And I can't seem to resist coming home without one of those enormous bunches of freshly cut flowers.
How about you?
Have you ever wondered how these gardeners and food growers net such prized results?
I decided to ask a few Master Organic Gardeners how they do it. Their answer may surprise you.
The Secret World of Plants
A plant is only as healthy as the soil in which it grows. In fact, a plant's mere survival depends on the nutrients it receives from the soil and water.
Soil is chock full of microorganisms that aid plant growth... and determine plant health. Some are good, such as bacteria and fungi - which are decomposers - and protozoa and worm-like nematodes - which are beneficial predators.
But bad guys lurk in the soil, too - disease-causing bacteria and fungi, protozoa, and root-feeding nematodes.
Successful plant growth depends upon a healthy balance in the soil - and an abundant supply of beneficial microorganisms to maintain control over the bad guys.
The good microorganisms are especially important when you add organic materials such as manure, compost, or bone meal to your garden soil. These microorganisms help break down the rich nutrients for the plants.
And speaking of beneficial microorganisms ... farmers and gardeners have known for years that these microorganisms are essential for protecting plants and the environment from insects, disease, and pests.
In fact, using beneficial bacteria allows organic farmers and gardeners avoid toxic pesticides on their crops and flowers.
If you're a serious gardener, you probably notice how your garden comes alive when it rains. After a good soaking from Mother Nature, the earth sparkles and plants take on a deeper hue of green.
Do you notice the same effects when you water your garden and lawn with regular tap water?
Possibly not. Part of the reason may be water quality.
Most of us don't think twice about using regular water, whether it comes from a well or municipal water supplies, on our gardens and lawns.
Not All Watering Options Are Equal
Master Gardener Watering Tips
For Healthy Soils
1. Is watering really needed?
Sometimes we’re too quick to water and actually set up our plants for disease. Testing with your finger, only water when dryness extends below the top
two to three inches of soil. Do waterseeds and seedlings frequently.
2. Water deeply.
Plants need deep watering to develop strong, deep roots. You want soil that's damp (but not soggy) five to six inches below the surface. Be careful not to overwater as to starve your plants of oxygen and subject them to disease.
3. Ditch the sprinkler and conserve water.
Try a spray wand for watering smaller gardens and containers. Invest in a good quality soaker hose for carefree gardening. They’re easy to use and allow for deep and even watering.
4. Timing matters.
During hot weather, water early to protect plants from the afternoon heat. In drought conditions, cover sensitive plants with a shade cloth to limit midday transpiration, says Cado Daily of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Avoid watering late in the
day to guard against fungal diseases.
5. Conserve soil moisture.
Mix organic material, such as compost, into your beds to keep soil moist. Topping off your beds with a layer of organic mulch such as straw, dried grass clippings, bark, or wood chips helps to slow moisture evaporation and control weeds. Mulching may also help protect your plants from soil diseases.
Contrary to popular belief, well water may not be the best option for watering lawns and gardens. High levels of sodium, iron, or sulfur may be present in the groundwater.
A high level of sodium in the soil hurts the plant by pulling water from its soil.
And as that water evaporates, the salt remains as a white crusty buildup on the soil surface or around the base of pots. Perhaps you've seen it on your potted plants?
Brown tips on plants may be your first indication of a high sodium level in the soil.
Or, if you notice shiny residues on leaves, that may be due to high iron levels.
And we all know that familiar scent of rotten eggs that comes along with sulfur dioxide. Even low levels can be harmful to plants and stunt growth.
To ensure a safe water supply for your garden and lawn, I recommend you periodically test your well water.
Can I Use Tap Water to Water My Garden?
Most municipal water supplies contain chlorine, as well as sediment minerals supplies laden with chlorine, the odor can be overwhelming.
Chlorine is added to the water supply to kill living organisms such as disease-causing bacteria and fungi in your water source.
In other words, chlorine is added to protect you from potentially unsafe water supplies.
However, chlorine cannot differentiate between beneficial organisms and harmful organisms. It's designed to kill. And it's effective.
This is exactly why water companies use chlorine in the first place!
So, when chlorine-laden water is applied to your plants, vegetables, and lawn, it goes to work and does its job.
Chlorinated water can kill those healthy, beneficial microorganisms in the soil that are there to protect the plant and help produce the plant's source of food.
High levels of chlorine are also lethal to beneficial insects in the garden such as ladybugs and lacewings.
The Master Gardeners I spoke with do not use chlorinated municipal water to water their vegetables and flowers.
So... What Are My Options?
Here are a few options to protect your garden and lawn from the harmful effects of chlorine and salts in your water source:
- Avoid the use of chlorinated water or untested well water on vegetable and flower gardens and lawns. Collect natural rainwater for watering.
- Fill watering containers with tap water and allow them to sit for at least 24 hours to reduce chlorine content or add aquarium de-chlorinating drops.
- Install an outdoor hose filter to reduce chlorine content in the water.
The first two options may work for some, but probably are not practical for everyone. Personally, I believe the best option for most gardeners is to install an outdoor hose filter. And I especially like the KDF Copper-Zinc technology for this purpose. It's non-toxic and effective at safely removing chlorine from tap water.
KDF Copper-Zinc Media
Granules
KDF (stands for Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) is a copper-zinc formulation that uses a natural process of electrochemical oxidation and reduction to reduce free chlorine from water supplies.
Simply put, during this oxidation-reduction or "re-dox" process, electrons are exchanged with the contaminants and converted into new elements. Some of the harmful contaminants transform into harmless components and others bind to the KDF media. Either way, the process renders certain contaminants in the water harmless.
Patented KDF media is a very pure copper-zinc formulation. These two substances are highly effective at exchanging electrons with chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, and hydrogen sulfide in the water and replacing them with harmless substances.
What this means is when you use a KDF filter on your outside garden hose, you can feel confident that you're protecting your plants as well as their delicate growth environment.
So what makes a KDF filter so superior for your garden?
- Converts approximately 85% of the chlorine in your tap water into totally safe chloride, thus removing harmful free chlorine from the water.
- Inhibits the growth of bacteria, algae, and mold and effectively reduces lime scale.
- Totally non-toxic and meets EPA and FDA safety standards.
- Protects the natural balance of a healthy soil ecosystem and beneficial organisms and insects.
- Supports non-chemical pest control.
The Master Gardeners I spoke with told me about the AquaClear garden filter. They attribute this filter to their gardening success.
Not only does the AquaClear help them protect the delicate balance and health of their soils, it allows them remarkable time and monetary savings.
The AquaClear uses the new PowerDiskTM Patented FilterFoam® Technology KDF disks.
These molded copper-zinc disks have important advantages over KDF filters using granular media. Because they're molded, the FilterFoam® disks contain more surface area, making them more effective at filtering water.
Water flowing through filters made with loose granular media can create channels in the media, thus reducing filtering capabilities. With the AquaClear non-granular, non-carbon based filtration system, water does not channel.
Just look at some of the noteworthy features of the AquaClear:
- Reduces harmful, corrosive chlorine by 85%.
- Inhibits scale and conditions water for less spotting, liming, and mineral build-up.
- Refills easily with the recyclable PowerDiskTM refill, so no need to replace the entire filter and no solid waste. Environmentally friendly!
- Each PowerDiskTM refill filters up to 20,000 gallons of water - normal usage for about 12 months. Economical to use!
- Filters water up to a maximum temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit and maximum pressure of 100 psi.
- Fits any standard outside hose faucet.
- Uses bacteriostatic media - the original, patented KDF 55-D.
- No maintenance or backwashing required.
But that's just the start. There's more.
I've got good news for you.
Not only can you have a worry-free garden like the pros, but you can also use your AquaClear filter for the brightest, cleanest wash ever.
Say goodbye to fading colors and stiffness - and say hello to fluffy softness and cleaner smelling, longer-lasting clothes.
How can a water filter do all this?
Let me explain.
Unlike a water softener that removes calcium and magnesium from the water, the KDF media simply alters their molecular form and changes the way these minerals behave in water.
The result is softer-feeling water without the added sodium water softeners leave behind.
Further, reduced water hardness requires less detergent to clean your clothes. You'll not only save money on detergent but there's less soap residue to irritate sensitive skin.
Without the damaging and fading effects of chlorine, your clothes look brighter and maintain their good looks longer. And for chemically sensitive individuals, no more chlorine residues on clothes, sheets, and towels is welcome news.
Does your water smell badly? AquaClear reduces unpleasant odors from chlorine and sulfur dioxide. Now you can enjoy the fresh, clean smell of newly laundered clothes!
Protects Your Washing Machine As Well...
The AquaClear filter simply screws onto the cold water intake for your washing machine.
And here we find additional benefits.
The AquaClear reduces water hardness and scale and protects your washing machine from the corrosive effects of chlorine.
Here's how...
Calcium and magnesium adhere to your washing machine's plumbing by forming crystalline scale structures. These structures harden and interfere with heat transfer. Eventually you lose water flow and pressure.
Copper-zinc reshapes these hardness ions so they don't adhere to each other or to the inside of plumbing. The calcium and magnesium ions remain soluble in the water, reducing scale while adding life to your washer.
By reducing the mineral scale, your washing machine lasts longer and performs better.
No more unsightly
spots and dull luster.
When nothing but the best will do for your car... think again about the water you use to wash it.
Tired of spending precious time and energy washing your car only to discover spots afterwards?
That's what hard water leaves behind.
Because the AquaClear is so effective at softening your water, unsightly spots are a thing of the past. And... your car will lather up faster and rinse off easier.
If you really want to bring out the shine and protect your car's wax job, wash your car only with AquaClear filtered water. Chlorine dulls wax's rich luster.
With AquaClear, you'll appreciate that spotless, long-lasting shine!
During these warm summer months, Fido will appreciate a cool, outdoor bath using your AquaClear hose filter.
Just like your own, repeated exposure to chlorine can damage your dog's hair and sensitive coat. Dogs' coats lose their luster and can become brittle.
Excessive chlorine can also cause your dog's skin to become dry and flaky.
And remember, softer water requires less shampoo to get the job done. Plus it rinses easier so there's less itchy residue left behind.
You'll notice the difference - and Fido will thank you - when you bathe him with AquaClear water.
So, there you have it from the Pros...
Now their secrets are yours. Those best-kept secrets from the Master Gardeners. You can now have the best looking, healthiest lawn ever and the most bountiful crops possible. And... a few other things besides.
As we've learned - a bountiful garden begins with healthy soil and preserving that delicate ecosystem of beneficial microorganisms and insects.
The AquaClear Garden Filter...
- Protects the natural balance of your soil, compost, or mulch.
- Promotes healthy plant growth and availability of nutrients.
- Provides natural protection from destructive pests and diseases.
- Promotes the effectiveness of non-chemical pest control methods.
- Protects beneficial nematodes, ladybugs, and lacewings in your soil.
And, it's completely non-toxic and safe for the environment.
Imagine... stepping out your door to water your garden. Cool, clear water flows from the tap, free of chlorine. Your plants glisten with earthy virescence, teeming with vibrant energy. You pause to snip a fresh bouquet of flowers - colossal blossoms that should have stopped blooming weeks ago... You gather a colorful array of plump vegetables for tonight's dinner... And a few succulent fruits to adorn your table...
Successful organic gardening just became a whole lot easier. Especially when you follow the Master Gardener secrets.
Order your AquaClear today and start enjoying the garden of your dreams - just like the pros.
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Better yet, take advantage of our special and order two - one for your garden and one for your laundry. You'll be glad you did. Give them a try and see if they don't make a difference.
I know you'll be pleased with the results. In fact, I guarantee it. If you're not satisfied with our AquaClear filter at any time, just return it to us. We'll gladly refund your payment (you just pay shipping and handling).
Aquaclear Garden & Hose Water Filter
AquaClear Garden & Hose Water Filter 3-Pack
| FREE SHIPPING for a limited time - Get Free S&H on your ENTIRE ORDER (US & Canada Only) |
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$ 188.91 |
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AquaClear Garden & Hose Water Filter