I see many of my friends and neighbors with their home gardens, and somedays it seems to me that they are not really saving much? But maybe there is something I am missing. Do you think home gardens are really worth all the time, energy and expense?
There are a couple of exceptional answers here, and I will need the community’s help with this one!Thanks for the time and information!
There are a couple of exceptional answers here, and I will need the community’s help with this one!Thanks for the time and information!

From a purely economic perspective, depending on the type of things you grow and their cost in your area, one probably saves some money. Here in the midwest, I grow tomatoes and peppers, which can be pretty expensive, but not corn as it takes a lot of room and is very cheap in the late summer. Our garden is relatively small, I don’t own a rototiller, and only apply fertilizer once or twice a season, so my costs are low compared to my neighbor who has an elaborate watering system, fencing to keep rabbits out, a complicated trellis for beans, and fancy tomato cages.

From a time and labor perspective, it depends on the person, the size of the garden, the amount of detail you want to put into it, the amount of preparation in the spring, and the fastidiousness you exhibit during the growing season. My neighbor takes a more detailed, fanatic approach than I do. I simply hand till the soil, plant, and fertilize in late May. Then it’s a matter of watering and keeping the weeds down during the summer. So for me, it really isn’t much work. For others, it’s a lot of effort, for what seems, on the surface, as not much payoff.

But there’s obviously a lot more to it than that. I take a commuter train to work in Chicago every day, so when I get home, I find it very relaxing to putter around in the garden, and really enjoy being outside without the stress and noise of the city. I don’t get all philosophical and feel I’m closer to the earth, or communing with Mother Nature, I just like the peaceful setting, watching things grow, and the challenge of keeping the pests and weeds at bay.

Things taste a lot better when you’ve grown them yourself, especially compared to tomatoes that are grown on corporate farms to have a longer shelf life and be resistant to bruising, not for flavor. You also know the things you’ve grown don’t have any harmful chemicals or toxic substances in or on them. Friends and family are highly appreciative when you can give them fresh produce that you raised yourself as it is a very personal gift, and better tasting than that from the grocer. When I take tomatoes and peppers in for my coworkers, the folks that live in apartments really seem to enjoy them. It beats buying a box of donuts (mmm, donuts).

So it kind of depends on the person. I don’t spend any money on gardening books, magazines, and home videos. I don’t own any fancy equipment or elaborate systems, but a lot of people do, because they like the challenge of getting the most out of their garden and making it as efficient as possible. It doesn’t have to be a labor intensive activity unless you want it to. You’re probably right, in that some folks expend so much energy in their gardens, that it may seem too much for not enough payoff, but I bet they would have a different opinion. In February, when I can take some green pepper out of the freezer to cook with, I’ll know that it’s $3 a pound at the supermarket and mine will even taste better. It’s like any activity, there’s those are way into it and seem to take it to the extreme, and that may be the kind of people you’re referring to. But I think most folks take a more pragmatic approach and do the work that’s necessary while deriving a great deal of joy from the effort and the results.

I am looking for white eggplant for my father.He is very sick,he want to eat white eggplant,So if you plant white eggplant ,and I can buy them or you know where I can buy it ,please tell me ,I appreciate !(I went to hunt point market today ,but I can’t find it)

Go to Brooklyn, and ask some older Italians, if not call some restaurants and if chefs can’t help you might not have much luck..Good luck,and I hope for both you and your father you find them

Here is our top ten for Palm Desert:

1. Children laugh at your Home For Sale sign as they ride by on their bicycles.

2. The bank keeps pleading with you not to give them your house.

3. Real estate agents hang up when you ask them to list your house.

4. Government bailout plans to prevent foreclosures specifically exempt your house from any help.

5. Joe the Plumber won’t work on the plumbing.

6. Sarah Palin can’t think of any mavericky ways to help you.

7. The neighbor’s auction didn’t produce any bidders.

8. You didn’t get a single bid on ebay.

9. Your house is always used as an example of the housing slump by your local news.

10. They refused to do a house makeover of your home on TV.

Today, it is estimated that one in ten homeowners is either in foreclosure or behind in their payments. As the economic crisis becomes more severe and the recession feeds upon itself, people have become more and more desperate to find some way to hold onto their houses. With such conditions, the average member of the public is ripe for a scam and the and those who try to dupe you or use trickery know this. It is no surprise, therefore that the number of foreclosure and loan modification scams are on the rise.

Those who are most likely to be targeted by persons attempting to perpetrate a fraud are the elderly, anyone entering foreclosure, people who have recently lost their jobs, families who have lost a loved one, people who have limited knowledge of English, people with limited resources, and homeowners whose payment amounts have recently been raised.

The moment you enter foreclosure, you can expect to be inundated with offers of help from many individuals with generic type sounding names, and some claiming even to have references from churches or other social organizations near you. These are, in most cases, some of the people you should stay away from at all cost.

The person who will approach you in this type of scam is more often than not, well-dressed, well groomed, and seems personable, kind, and trustworthy. Some utilize social skills to put you at ease such as their representation to be of the same religion as you, or even the same church, to have been in the military if they think that will put you at ease or feel more trusting of them, and others will claim to be working for non-profit organizations, or branches of the government.

If you need help selling or finding a home or land in Southern California, in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Orange County or San Diego County or anywhere in the Inland Empire or Coachella Valley including Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, La Quinta, Indian Wells or Rancho Mirage, call us at any of the numbers you find on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonProperties.com

In the interim, these are some of the most common scams you should be aware of and here’s what you can do to avoid being a victim of such real estate scams, ripoffs and frauds.

1) The Disappearing Foreclosure Consultant – With a helpful sounding name, and armed with references and a kind voice, the person who contacts you promises to help you stave off foreclosure with just an up-front fee for their time. The only problem is, as soon as the money clears their bank, you never see or hear from them again. The soon-to-be phantom performs little or no service, takes your money and you are left with your original problems and less time to try to save your home from foreclosure.

2) Loan Modification Helpers – Unlike Santa’s Helpers, in this scam you pay a fee up front to the “loan modification expert” to negotiate directly with your bank, only here you don’t get a present from Santa. If the expert really gains your trust, you also make your mortgage payments directly to the expert rather than to the mortgage company. Both the up front fee and the mortgage payments go directly into the pocket of the loan modification helper with the white beard and the kind voice and by the time you receive notice that your house is in foreclosure, this elf has disappeared and is back at the North Pole.

3) Just Sign Here Scams – As you face the prospect of foreclosure, one offer of help seems far better than all the others because it allows you to stay in your home as they save it from foreclosure. Unfortunately, in the papers you sign without having a lawyer look at them, you agree, knowingly or unknowingly, to sign over the house to the person offering this help and still remain responsible for the mortgage payments. The person then either sells your house, collects other fees from you or holds onto the house and evicts you.

4) Sale and Leaseback Scams – In this scam, if you are a homeowner who still has some equity in your home, you will be convinced to sign over title in your home and pay rent to the scam artist with the promise that they can bail you out, cure your problems and that you will be allowed to buy back the house later at a bargain price. All of this can be accomplished, but only if the property is in the consultant’s name. The payments you make go directly to the scam artist and eventually you will find yourself holding the bag. You may also find yourself evicted when you can no longer make the excessive rent payments. If you have lost your job and are having trouble making your house payments, even if you have equity in your home, you may be tempted by this scam. And while you would be entitled to the excess equity in your home if the house is sold in foreclosure, when you fall victim to this scam, you will lose the equity when it is either sold out from under you or the equity is stripped away by the new owner.

5) The Trust Me, I’m Religious or I Was In The Military Too Scam – These people posing as Christians, former members of the military or members of whatever social organizations you belong to come complete with references from members of your church or with military haircuts and promise that by adding them to the title to your home, they can rescue you from foreclosure, and have your credit repaired. Having gone through your mail or your trash, they probably know all about you. There’s no need to see a lawyer, they tell you. Just pray with them or have a drink with them and swap military stories. Just be sure to hold on to your wallet, don’t give them any money and don’t sign anything.

6) Sign Me Up Scotty And Get A New Loan Scam – In this scam, you are told that if you add the nice looking good Samaritan onto your title by signing a Grant Deed or other legal instrument, (which you are told, you don’t really need to read) this friendly person can apply for a new loan, which, unfortunately, if approved, will leave you on the hook for both the old loan payments and the new loan payments, and any up front fees you pay for this service will disappear with this fraud.

7) Buy My Books, Take This Seminar And Make Millions Scam – You may see this offer on late night television, on roadside signs or even on billboards. Only this time, you are talked into buying materials that are full of worthless information that will do nothing to help you avoid foreclosure. Even worse, the materials you receive may offer advice that will land you in jail by telling you how to approach others in foreclosure and advise you to tell them you can save them from foreclosure. The trouble is, what you will be doing is either practicing law without a license or acting as a credit repair agency or loan modification expert without a real estate license and without an advance fee agreement approved by the Commissioner of the California Department of Real Estate and without being registered with the California Department of Justice.

The Short Sale Scam – In this scam, the “short sale specialist” who contacts you promises his expertise to accomplish a short sale in a small amount of time that will protect your credit. There is a fee of course that would have been better spent on groceries. When the real estate market was better, there were additional wrinkles to this scam that today are more difficult to perpetrate due to the difficulty of selling homes in this economy.

9) It’s Like Magic – Here the homeowner is told to sign one thing, but the homeowner winds up signing something altogether. In some instances of this bait and switch scam, the scam artist will serve as the notary as well. In conjunction with this and other scams, or in other variations, forgery may be utilized, and identity theft employed as well.

10) Want Somewhere Cheap To Rent Scam – Here the bogus homeowner or leasing agent takes your rent payment and security deposit and rents or leases you vacant residential or commercial property, that isn’t owned by the person you are talking with and if you are talking with a leasing agent, this “agent” has no authority to offer you the property for rent or lease.

Here are the five tips of advice we recommend to anyone in this situation being approached by people offering help.

1. Avoid any solicitations of help that come unexpectedly, by mail, e-mail and by phone or to your door.

2. Avoid using any help agency whose name you find on roadside signs such as those which state “We Buy Homes For Cash” and those which promise to “Stop Foreclosure.”

3. Avoid paying up-front fees to foreclosure or loan modification experts.

4. Disregard anyone who tells you not to talk to your bank or tells you to avoid consulting with a lawyer.

5. Don’t sign anything without having it reviewed by a real estate lawyer.

Red flags to you that you are about to be scammed should include requests of you for any of the following: to pay money up-front before any service has been performed, payment by cash, cashier’s checks or bank wires only, transfers of title, actions to be taken immediately, power of attorney, signatures on grant deeds, signatures without any explanation or while under time constraints, signatures on incomplete documents, and mortgage payments to persons other than the mortgage company.

Other red flags include unqualified promises, offers that sound too good to be true, failures to provide you with copies of what you sign, oral promises that are in conflict with written provisions, refusals to put the oral promises in writing, oral statements that the provisions in writing don’t mean what they say or won’t be enforced, and warnings not to discuss the matter with an attorney, your lender or anyone else.

In the Inland Empire and Riverside County, you can count on Sebastian Gibson for all your real estate needs from Palm Springs to Palm Desert, from Indio to La Quinta, in Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage, from Cathedral City to Coachella, in Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. To learn more about

To learn how we can help you in finding, listing or selling your home, land, or horse property in Southern California, the Inland Empire, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Orange County or anywhere in the Coachella Valley, call Sebastian Gibson Properties at any of the numbers on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonProperties.com

R. Sebastian Gibson
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/palm-desert-realtors-top-ten-signs-the-economy-is-hurting-your-real-estate-and-your-home-for-sale-688678.html

First, it is not a "television show," but a "television channel" full of individual shows on home and garden improvement, decorating, etc.

Yes, the network channel does inspire many people to improve the looks of their homes and gardens. It provides many useful shows that help the watcher learn to repair minor problems (leaky faucets) and to hire contractors to repair major problems (water leakage in the basement).

It is useful and informative.

Selling a house can be an extremely stressful process. Dealing with multiple walk through appointments, talking to your real estate agent, and making preparations to move all add to the confusion that is selling a home. One way to cut down on some of the stress is to invest in a storage unit while waiting for your home to sell. Why on earth would anyone want to rent a storage unit while waiting for their house to sell? It will help give them a head a start on their own move in the future while making their house more appealing to potential buyers.

After selling a house many sellers find that they have only 30 days to completely pack, move out of, and clean their old home. This might be doable for some hone owners but many home owners have a hard time especially if they are parents that have many children who are unable to help with the move. Investing in a storage rental unit will help get a head start on all of the chaos.

Before putting your house on the market, or immediately afterwards, invest in a storage rental unit if you do not already have one. If you do have one but it is a small one used for storing a few valuable items talk to your storage rental facility about upgrading to a larger unit. Then clean out your new unit and begin moving your furniture out of your home and into the storage unit. Focus on moving the Furniture that you do not immediately need out of the house first. This can include couches, extra beds, desks, televisions, etc. Anything that you and your family do not need to survivor or do not use on a daily basis.

Next, start packing up your belongings that can be spared. This can include everything that is decorating your home that is pretty to look at but not immediately useful. Start packing up pictures, paintings, and other things that are hanging on the walls. This will give you a chance to fix any holes that might cause a problem with potential sellers while giving you a head start on minor repairs that will be necessary. Then start packing up extra clothing. Place all of the clothing in tight plastic containers that have been filled with paper to avoid moving and moth balls to avoid damage. Leave only enough clothes in your house that is necessary to get through work and casual activities. Always remember that you can go to your storage unit at anytime to retrieve anything that you placed inside by accident.

After you have packed everything into boxes or plastic containers that can be packed including clothes, books, and pictures start packing up all extra kitchen appliances. Once you have everything out of the way you can begin giving your home a thorough cleaning. This will help your home sell because visitors will see a nice, spacious, residence that is clean and well cared for. Also you will no longer have to worry about strangers coming through your home while you are gone and being able to go through all of your personal belongings.

Lastly, using your storage unit while you are waiting for your house to sell will make it easier for you and your family to move once your house has sold. As soon as your house has sold and you are able to move you will be able to easily have your remaining furniture moved to your new residence and your home made available to the new owner. This will help avoid an awkward transition between owners where the new owner must wait impatiently for the old owner to completely vacate the premises. By using a storage rental you will be able to quickly move into your new house and then slowly move your items out of storage into your new home. No more scrambling around trying to plan a last minute move from one home to the next.

Another benefit of using your storage rental when you are waiting for your house to sell is that it gives you the opportunity to get rid of junk that you have been holding onto. Many people are pack rats meaning they love to hold onto to things even if they aren’t immediately useful. Packing things up and moving them into storage gives families and individuals two chances to go through their belongings in search of things to throw away. They have one chance when initially packing and moving things to storage and another chance when moving things out of storage into a new home.

Simply Self Storage
http://www.articlesbase.com/moving-and-relocating-articles/use-your-storage-rental-while-waiting-on-your-house-to-sell-747998.html

Please answer soon.
Thank you.

One inch a week. Measure it with a rain gauge or when the soil is dry 1/2 inch below the surface.

Many experts recommend updating your home’s exterior to improve your chances to sell. Rightfully so! Most of the fixes you can do outdoors that will pay big dividends at closing are low cost and relatively easy to accomplish with a minimum amount of tools.

Several popular TV programs focus on improving the exterior appearance of homes. Often, properties showcased on these programs undergo amazing visual transformations after very small changes. We can use this attitude – more for less – to improve your own home.

First, a tip: remember our motto – more for less. We want to focus on small, inexpensive changes that impact the VISUAL appearance of your home. Fixing that broken sprinkler head in the back corner (things that will not be seen by visiting buyers) or spending big bucks for major improvements like adding mature landscaping will surprisingly yield less than you think.

1. Mow, Trim and Water

Perhaps the cheapest of all fixes – if you have a yard, you more than likely already have the tools. Plan on mowing 2 days before an open house (this gives the grass clippings a chance to dry up and blow away – sweep up whatever is left before your visitors arrive). Trim those hedges and cut away dead or unsightly tree branches. Also, if you tend to save money by not watering, now’s the time to spend a little – just a couple good soaks a week can really make a difference. You can also invest in a bag of fertilizer. You really want your grass to be as green and nice as possible.

2. Keep the Yard Neat

Some buyers can be turned off by clutter in the yard. This can include:

Scattered toys – clean them up and ask your children to help clean and keep things tidy – maybe offer an incentive like a trip for some ice cream

Excess lawn ornaments – as a general rule, no more than 2 in the front and 2 in the back. Seriously. If you have more, time to start packing them up for the move.

Jumbled or neglected lawn furniture – if you’re keeping it, put it in the shed or an off-site storage shed. If this isn’t possible, do your best to clean it and keep it stacked or placed nicely. Of course, if you have a nice deck or patio and your Furniture is in good repair, you can highlight the use of this space for entertainment – unfurl the umbrella for your open house.

Visible yard equipment – keep the mower, trimmer, shovel, rake etc. in the shed or in the garage, or if possible, in an off-site storage shed. Coil up that hose and keep it out of site (but at hand for watering).

Trash – give your yard the once-over – look for stray pieces of trash in and under the bushes, near the fences and wherever you feel trash might collect.

Animal waste – if you have a pet, really work hard at removing all pet waste. Buyers want to walk around the yard, and stepping in something is never good – even worse if they track it into your nicely cleaned house. This is a big one and only takes an hour or so of unpleasantness.

3. Freshen the Mulch and Remove Weeds

If you have beds with mulch, get a bag or two of fresh mulch – changing the washed-out grey of old mulch to the light-brown of new is a big visual improvement. Also, do your best to keep your planters weed free. You can save by staying away from weed killers or other chemicals – the last thing you want is brown, dying weeds. Two hands, a small trowel and some sturdy gloves are the way to go.

4. Flowers Sell

An oldie but a goodie – if it’s an appropriate time of the year, plant some nice flowers in the front of the house. Go for rich colors – reds, purples, blues – and low-maintenance types. Impatiens are hardy, pretty and fairly inexpensive – that’s just one suggestion. Hanging baskets or potted flowers on the porch create a warm and inviting entry to your home.

5. Wash that House

You’d be surprised at the amount of dirt a house naturally attracts and how much brighter it looks without it. If you have a hose nozzle, put it on the stream setting and give your house a bath. Even better, spend a few bucks on one of those spray-on, wash-off house cleaners – just make sure you get one suitable for your type of siding (read the product specifications before you buy). For a real revelation, borrow a pressure washer from a friend, just be careful you don’t strip paint – we’re trying to save, not start a month-long painting project. Speaking of which….

6. To Paint or Not to Paint

That is the question. On one hand, paint is fairly inexpensive and can make things really look fresh and new. On the other, some houses have LOTS of areas to paint, and painting one or a few only draws attention to those areas that didn’t get treated. Here’s where you have to use your own judgment. Exterior painting can really get to be a can of worms, especially when you have to deal with scaffolding and such. My rule of thumb is: if you can do it yourself without using expensive equipment (scaffolding) and do it quickly and relatively cheaply, go for it. If not, focus your energy on other areas.

7. Fix any Obvious Repair Issues

Things like broken shutters, missing shingles that are visible from the ground, badly dented or missing siding and all other random and general repairs should be taken care of if possible. Remember our motto: more for less. If something will take too long or cost too much, unless you feel it is a major visual distraction, best to leave it alone. I usually take a few circles around the outside of the house and just write down any negatives I can see. Go stand out at the curb and take a look – note anything out of order. Afterwards, I take the list and prioritize. I put the things that are big visual distractions or cheap/easy fixes at the top and begin there.

8. Wash the Windows

You don’t need to get all the way up to the highest ones, but the ones on the ground floor should be washed. This will allow visitors to see into the house from outside and gives it the appearance of being more inviting as opposed to drawn curtains and closed blinds.

9. Ask the Neighbors to Help Out

Many don’t even think about this, but make sure your neighbors know you’ll be holding an open house – they might even help you with some word-of-mouth advertising. If your neighbors are thinking of having the drive resurfaced, doing heavy yard work, paining the exterior of the house, parking a garbage truck in the driveway, (etc. etc.) the day of your open house, politely ask that they do those things on another day. You don’t want buyers to come away with any negative impressions about your home or neighborhood and neighbors are a big thing to new buyers.

10. Prepare the Home for Showing

Remove all personal items from the exterior of the house – those plaques that read “The Smith Family” should be taken down and packed away, same thing with personalized mailboxes – either replace them (you will have to if you want to take it with you) or remove any personal identification. Take a few minutes and sweep the porch, steps, deck, patio, driveway and sidewalk before visitors arrive – a good once-over is fine. Put your cars in the garage, or better yet, the street. If you have heavy oil or grease spots, try to get your hands on a degreaser – you can find them at your local home improvement stores. A little scrubbing will really improve the look of your driveway or garage. Finally, turn on all exterior lights, even during the day. If you have landscaping lights, turn these on as well. Do any last-minute pick-ups or put-aways, and then head out. It’s always better to NOT be home when visitors come to look at your house – it feels like an imposition for many people. You want them spending as much time as they want in your home.

Congratulations – you have now set yourself up for success! After completing all of these things, you have greatly increased your chances of a sale and also increased your chances of realizing more money at closing. Many home buyers take visual appearance very seriously when choosing a new home. By making sure your house looks as nice as it can be from the outside, you have left a positive and lasting impression on your potential buyers.

Eric Rogers
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/10-inexpensive-outdoor-fixes-to-help-sell-your-home-118011.html

Someone I know has a vegetable and fruit garden in his backyard. He used pesticides on his fruits and vegetables, however, he had been eating them for two months without washing them. Do you think he consumed a significant amount of pesticides to cause serious long-term Health effects?

This is a serious question, and the person concerned is very worried.
Thank you for any insight you can offer.

Well, that depends on the ingredients of the pesticide used. Generally speaking, he should stop that from now onwards. If he feels that his conscious level is lowering or excessive salivation , then he should go to the emergency room immediately