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(BPT) – The growing season isn’t over with the arrival of cool weather. Until the first hard frost hits, you have time to plant, pick and plate delicious homegrown cool-weather crops – and save yourself some money in the produce aisle.

Favorable fall conditions mean growing cool weather crops is comparatively easy, with less care needed for a successful garden. Cool crops will start out strong, growing quickly and then slow their growth as days become shorter and cooler. You’ll also need to work less to protect your garden from destructive pests, as both insect and animal populations will taper off in fall. And since weeds will germinate less frequently, growing slower, weeding won’t be a time-consuming task. Finally, more rain and less sun and heat reduce the risk of crops falling victim to drought or too much heat.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of fall gardening is that you’ll have fresh, healthy produce on hand well into the cooler season. Many autumn vegetables can endure the first few frosts if you provide them with proper protection, like row covers, cold frames or cloche. Some varieties – like spinach, collards and kale – actually taste better when nipped by frost.

Fall growing tips

The first step to success is to know your growing season. In warm climates, fall crops can actually thrive throughout winter. In colder areas, the growing season will be shorter. Not sure when frost will arrive in your area? Check out the USDA frost map on the Bonnie Plants website.

Next, you need to ensure your growing spot is in tip-top shape. Regardless of where you choose to plant your garden – in the sunniest spot in the yard or in containers – it’s important to get the soil in shape; test the soil and add amendments if needed. Clear the ground and containers of any left-over garden debris, then add a 2-inch layer of mulch or compost, plus a balanced, natural fertilizer like Bonnie Plant Food, for a strong, healthy start.

Since fall’s growing season can be unpredictable, it’s important to give your garden every possible advantage. Get a jump-start and use transplants, like those offered by Bonnie Plants, in biodegradable pots, available at most garden retailers. They’re already six weeks old, so you’ll start growing right way, skip the volatile seed starting process and you’ll harvest six weeks sooner than if you start from seed.

Fall variety favorites

The plant pros at Bonnie Plants recommend some top performers for fall:

* Artwork Stir-Fry Broccoli – Also called stem broccoli, produces multiple long, edible stems with tender, bite-size heads instead of a single large head. This means you can harvest the small heads -perfect for stir-fries and sautéing.

* Brussels sprouts – Brussels sprouts are high in protein and vitamin C. These hardy “mini cabbages” grow along a thick stem and can stand up to frost.

* Bonnie hybrid cabbage – Cabbage heads will be ready to harvest when they’re firm and solid to the touch. Although they can withstand temps below 28 degrees, cabbages that go through a hard freeze won’t store as well, so be sure to harvest before temperatures drop very low.

* Georgia collards – The sweet, cabbage-like flavor of collards make them a favorite in southern dishes. Frost sweetens their flavor further, making collards a nutritious and delicious fall favorite.

* Spinach – A chill-loving green, spinach can produce abundant leaves ready to go from garden to table. Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse, and is high in vitamins A, C, K and E, as well as iron, maganese, folate and calcium.

* Cauliflower – Rich in vitamin C, cauliflower can withstand light frost and Bonnie’s can resist colder temperatures. Cauliflower is naturally low in calories and high in fiber.

Plant herbs too, like parsley, rosemary, thyme and onion chives; they’re wonderful culinary additions and they’re ready to harvest right away.

If you put proper practices into place this fall, you’ll get your garden off to the right start and reap an extra inning of a healthful and productive harvest. For more information on fall varieties and planting tips, visit www.bonnieplants.com.

(BPT) – Can you imagine keeping your windows open all winter long? The heat loss, cold drafts and all that money spent on wasted energy would be staggering. But if your home has folding pull-down attic stairs, a whole-house fan, a fireplace or clothes …

(BPT) – When you’re improving a bathroom, do you assume that luxury upgrades may look good but aren’t always good for the environment? Or that sensible, eco-friendly fixtures, finishes and materials will lack the aesthetic of more luxurious ones? Just …

(BPT) – While everyone eagerly waits for spring each year and wishes summer could last a month or two longer, when it comes down to it, fall just might be America’s favorite season. It’s warm but not hot, the air has that clean crispness that’s hard to describe and perhaps the biggest draw, pumpkin-flavored everything. And let’s not forget about all those bright, beautiful leaf colors that come with the change in weather. So why start shutting down your outdoor living space with the first sign of fall?

Packing it in early is something dynamic design duo, Colin and Justin, would never consider. The home improvement stars of “Cabin Pressure” and “Game of Homes” make the most of their beautiful Western Red Cedar deck all year around.

“Oh my gosh every single day, we’re on the deck — whether it’s summer, spring, fall, winter or whatever,” says Justin. “A deck isn’t just for three months of the year; a deck is what you want it to be. And if you love the great outdoors as much as we do, you can make it work.”

Here, then, are Colin and Justin’s top five design solutions to help extend your outdoor living well into the autumn months:

Start with the right deck

Just because you procrastinated, doesn’t mean you need to wait until next spring to build or start designing a show-stopping deck. Whatever your plans, though, one thing almost everyone agrees upon is that there’s nothing quite like the rich, textural warmth of a Western Red Cedar deck to create a beautiful all-season outdoor living space. Low maintenance, surprisingly affordable and easy to work with, Real Cedar can’t be beat.

“We recommend getting your big ticket items first, around which you can seasonally adjust and tailor your look with different smaller and more affordable purchases,” says Colin. “And with decks, it’s worth investing in a really good product to start with like Western Red Cedar, which will last and last and last. Honestly, it just gets better with age, improving as the years pass, and it really is a showstopper.”

Screen it in

Unless you’ve got a screened-in porch, you may still have to shield your outdoor living space from the occasional nippy breeze. For Colin and Justin, this is easily rectified with movable wicker screens that they store inside during the summer months.

“They’ve got a lovely weighty bottom to them,” says Justin. “The wind passes right through them and that’s a good tip for anyone using freestanding screens on the outside. If they’re too solid, the wind can catch them. But if they’re fretwork or open panels or cutout work, they’re good.”

Heat things up

Paradoxically, as the days grow shorter, you’ll wish they would last longer. There’s no more perfect way to cap off a perfect fall day than by sitting around a fire with friends and family.

“In the autumn, we have two propane operated fire bowls that sit smack dab in the center of our Western Red Cedar deck,” says Colin. Their gas-powered fire is safely contained in a stone bowl and leaves no ashes or embers. “And those fire bowls help us stretch out our summer a little bit. We also have two big patio heaters, which we can direct inward at either end of our terrace and they really makes a big difference.”

Bundle up with textiles

Sometimes all it takes to warm up your outdoor living space is some simple, yet chic, soft furnishings and yes, maybe even a change in wardrobe. (But don’t worry — you don’t have to say good-bye to your beloved flips flops, just “until we meet again next spring.”)

“We take out lots of really lovely textural throw pillows and rich woolen blankets – think Pendleton and Hudson’s Bay striped blankets — and we cozy up,” says Justin, adding, “And don’t forget your winter woollies. When the weather is changing, sometimes it’s less about what you add and more about what you put on in terms of clothing.”

Install a BBQ cover

If you’re like Colin & Justin, you enjoy the thrill of the grill year round. This is where an easy-to-build, Real Cedar BBQ Cover really earns its keep. Made from nature’s most resilient building material, this sturdy and beautiful structure is going to last you a very long time. Just think of all the cookout possibilities!

“We BBQ all the time,” says Colin, “So we got a cover. That way we don’t have to worry about weather.”

For free downloadable project plans, visit RealCedar.com or for more fast facts on building with Real Cedar, download their free DIY app — available on the Apple App Store for iOS and at Google Play for Android.

COSTA MESA, Calif. – Clean Energy Technologies, Inc. (OTC: CETY), a clean tech company offering heat recovery solutions, announced that Progeco s.r.l. introduced its latest Combi Cycle using CETY's Clean Cycle™ ORC heat recovery steam generator at the mcTER Cogeneration Conference in Milan, Italy in June 2016. The mcTER Conference and Exhibition on Applications of Cogeneration showcases technologies and products focused on renewable energy markets, with a particular emphasis in…

This story is related to the following:
Chemicals & Chemical Processing
Thermal & Heating Equipment
Green & Clean

Search for suppliers of: Steam Generators | Heat Recovery Systems

COSTA MESA, Calif. – Clean Energy Technologies, Inc. (OTC: CETY), a clean tech company offering heat recovery solutions, announced that Progeco s.r.l. introduced its latest Combi Cycle using CETY's Clean Cycle™ ORC heat recovery steam generator at the mcTER Cogeneration Conference in Milan, Italy in June 2016. The mcTER Conference and Exhibition on Applications of Cogeneration showcases technologies and products focused on renewable energy markets, with a particular emphasis in…

This story is related to the following:
Chemicals & Chemical Processing
Thermal & Heating Equipment
Green & Clean

Search for suppliers of: Steam Generators | Heat Recovery Systems

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