Did you know that annual open pollination plants are a great place to start seed?
The easiest picking seeds are peppers, tomato beans, cucumber and lettuce.

Beware: Plant only one variety per species to keep the vegetable strains clean and true. If cross-pollination occurs between varieties, the seed may grow into a strange hybrid next year.

Also the seeds of biennial crops can be saved and stored, but you will have to wait until their second growing season before the seeds can be harvested.

Harvesting the Seed:

Peppers

Gathering the sweet peppers and jelly is quite easy, all you have to do is squeeze the pepper seeds in the center of the cone.

Tomatoes

Harvesting tomato seeds is also easy. Before you begin harvesting you should make sure the vegetables are fully ripe, after you have fully ripe tomatoes, cut them in half and peel the seeds and the surrounding pulp with a spoon, and then place them in a clean glass jar. Afterwards, add some water and cover loosely with cheesecloth.

Place the jar in a warm, dry place and stir 1 or 2 times a day. The next day you will be able to see how the pulp begins to ferment. When about 5 days have passed, the seeds will sink to the bottom, then you need to pour the liquid and collect the seeds.

Peas & Beans

Pea and bean seeds should be harvested approximately a week after they are normally harvested for eating. (then the color of the seed is brown). You will be sure that the seed is ripe to collection when you hear the shaking of the seed inside. Peas and beans should be left on a dry surface for about 2 weeks before peeling and collect seeds.

Cucumber

If you want to collect cucumber seeds then you need to let a few cucumbers overflow. You will be sure when you need to cut the cucumber when it gets yellow.

Harvesting cucumber seeds is similar to tomatoes. The cucumber should be cut and spooned together with the pulp and then fermented. After about 5 days the seeds should be harvested.

Squash & Pumpkin

Squash and pumpkin should be fully mature before you harvest the seeds. The outer shell needs to be hard. Once you have cut the fruit from the plant, set it aside for another 3 weeks or so and allow the seeds inside to ripen further. Then, slice the fruit open and scoop out the seeds. Place them in a strainer and rinse them with warm water to remove surrounding pulp.

Seed Drying & Storage:

Only use ceramic or glass dishes to dry seeds as they tend to stick to paper towels. Set them in a cool, shaded spot with low humidity for quicker drying. When seeds are hard, they are completely dried.

Stow seeds in a cool dark and dry place. Seeds stored in paper envelopes will keep for 2-4 years, but you can extend their shelf life for a decade or more if you keep them in a tightly sealed glass container and store them in the fridge or freezer. Make sure you include a label that specifies the crop, variety name, and date of harvest.

Spices are amazing, they add flavor to a dish, and they often come with a host of health benefits, and turmeric is no exception. Actually, turmeric is considered as the magic spice with plenty of health benefits!

Just a few of its beneficial effects include offering powerful anti-inflammatory compounds to help battle excess inflammation. Experts believe that chronic, low-level inflammation is rooted in nearly every chronic disease, including arthritis, cancer, irritable bowel disease, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, metabolic syndrome and many others. Having said that, consuming turmeric can help you prevent these conditions.

Here’s how to grow turmeric!

Turmeric is different than most herbs but it grows similar to ginger. Growing turmeric is easier than you think as it can handle just about any challenge it faces, from drought to floods.

Turmeric does best in moist soil and needs dry soil to thrive well. It can do well in sunlight, but it is best to grow it in mid-shade. Turmeric can be in the ground over winter through its dormancy period, otherwise, dig up the roots in the fall and store them in a cool place through the colder months.

You should plant in spring. Once you’ve picked your spot to plant and have a few fresh roots, all you need to do is plant them. The easiest way to encourage it to sprout is to place the root under two inches of loose soil.

The pleated leaves will eventually grow to four feet tall in ideal conditions, which is followed by green and white cones of flowers, that tend to emerge between the leaves in the summertime.

Once established turmeric won’t need much of your attention. During the winter, turmeric doesn’t need much water, but when the growing season begins, it’s important to water frequently.

When you start to notice that the leaves are yellowing and beginning to dry out, it’s time to dig it up and harvest it. Just cut the roots away from the stem and wash them off the dirt.

In order to use turmeric, peel the roots and keep in mind that homegrown turmeric is stronger and healthier than the store-bought.

10 Ways To Use Turmeric

1. Relieve the pain of arthritis.

Turmeric has potent anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants which work to reduce inflammation and neutralize harmful free radicals. Curcumin (the ingredients found in turmeric the most) was not only more effective in relieving RA symptoms, but that there were no side effects experienced either.

2. Treat a cough.

Embrace the powers of turmeric to treat coughs. It’s not only an anti-inflammatory agent, it possesses strong antibacterial and antiviral action that can treat infections and a cough. It helps to relieve chest congestion as well.

Here’s the most famous recipe for cough that have helped milions of people:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon ginger root, grated
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 teaspoon raw, organic honey
• 1 lemon, juiced

Boil water in a large pot on medium-heat. Add the ginger, turmeric, and the crushed peppercorns and reduce the heat. Bring mixture to a boil again until it reduces to about a half. Strain it into a cup and add the honey. Mix well and drink while it is hot.

If you serve it to a child over 12 months of age, make sure it is not too hot.

3. A natural antidepressant.

Turmeric may be one of the best natural antidepressants there is. Turmeric may be just as effective as those pharmaceutical pills, without the serious downsides. The active compound in turmeric known as curcumin offers strong antioxidant action that has the ability to fight off free radicals leading to depression. It can also help modulate neurotransmitters in the brain – vital for proper brain functioning. So cook with turmeric as possible as you can, and you will see how stress and depression lessen.

4. Support heart health.

Curcumin is powerfully rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and protects and improves the health of every organ in the body, including the heart. It helps to prevent oxidation and the resulting chronic, low-grade inflammation.

5. Eczema relief.

Turmeric can help when applied directly to the skin. It’s been known to relieve the itching and reduce the inflammation associated with eczema. Mix some turmeric with a little coconut oil, almond oil or olive oil, and then apply it onto affected areas. Allow it to sit for about 15 minutes and rinse it with water.

6. Give your smoothie a super boost of nutrition.

You can add an inch or two of raw fresh turmeric to your favorite smoothie and you won’t even taste it, but you will get all of those powerful nutrients.

7. Make a turmeric tea to support overall health.

Stay healthy and hydrated with turmeric tea. Boil a cup of water and stir in about a quarter teaspoon of grated turmeric. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes, and then strain just before drinking. Add lemon juice or honey for a better taste.

8. Add turmeric to brighten up boring dishes.

Use turmeric to spice up, and brighten boring dishes like mashed potatoes, plain basmati rice, quinoa or even eggs. Just stir a dash in – while it doesn’t add a lot of flavor, it does add lots of nutrition!

9. Make a natural food coloring.

Artificial dyes have been connected with all sorts of health problems, so why would you use them when you can just as easily use turmeric to replace dyes like Yellow #5 and Yellow #6.

10. Make Golden Milk.

Golden Milk was designed to improve absorption, making it an easy way to tape into turmeric’s amazing healing benefits.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 tsp raw honey, optional

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the liquid in a small pan and heat for 5 minutes until it is hot.

Whether you are a vegetarian, or you are going to be, or you simple don’t love the idea of meat, these foods will bring you many health benefits and lots of iron!

There are plenty of non-meat options that contain the same amount of iron, or more, than meat.

Spinach

Spinach provides plenty of iron. Three cups of spinach contain about 18 mg of iron! You can meet your daily RDA of iron with just one hearty spinach salad.

Broccoli

Broccoli full of iron and other key nutrients like vitamin K and magnesium, it’s also high in vitamin C!

Lentils

Did you know that just one cup of lentils has more iron than an 8-ounce steak? Lentils are also a solid source for dietary fiber, potassium, and protein.

If you want to maintain a garden, but don’t have lots of space, you can always turn to container gardening.

Here are 15 veggies that will grow perfectly in containers:

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are pretty easy to take care of and fit perfectly in an average pot!

Beans

Beans are also great for containers! Just use a trellis so they can grow upwards and put them in plenty of sun.

Lettuce

Lettuce grows so fast, and you can often harvest lettuce multiple times throughout the season. Choose a wide pot so the lettuce has room to grow!

Collard Greens

Collard greens are a great alternative to any other leafy green plants!

Radishes

Radishes  grow fast and can grow in nearly any kind of pot, wide or deep. The bigger the variety, the bigger the container you’ll need.

Eggplant

Eggplants do really well in containers. Take good care since they’re pretty vulnerable to garden pests.

Spinach

Spinach grows in partial shade, so you can shove it in the corner of your porch and still get a great plant! It also requires space to grow well!

Kale

Kale likes cold weather and you can grow it in containers and harvest it as a whole plant or just the tender leaves for garnishes and salads.

Chard

You can grow chard in small pots but it does need at least 6 inches of space.

Peas

Peas are simple and don’t require much attention, and they don’t need a lot of space, so you can easily grow them on your balcony.

Carrots

Carrots love cooler weather! To grow them, keep the soil moist so that the roots don’t dry and crack.

Cucumber

Cucumbers require a medium to large pot (depending on the variety) and need to be fed and watered regularly.

Zucchini

Zucchini does great in containers and isn’t too hard to take care of!

Garlic

Garlic is great for container gardening!  Keep bulbs about five inches apart from each other in the container.

Peppers

For those of you who like hot and spicy food, grow some peppers in containers!

It is important to make sure your plants stay healthy and disease free throughout their life cycle. So, these tips will make sure you keep up with your plants health and happy growth. Follow the tips bellow and enjoy growing your precious plants!

1. Propagate your Roses with Potatoes

Roses love potatoes! They are perfect for helping maintain the stanch of roses in the ground. Simply make a small hole in a medium sized potato and push the end of the rose stem in. Then plant the rose with the potato in the ground. You will see the difference once your roses start blooming!

2. Use Nappies in Potted Plants

This sounds a little bit weird, right? Think of it this way: whatever makes your plants happy and healthy, you should do it! By putting the nappy at the bottom of the potted plant container with soil on top this will help to retain water and will stop the annoying leaks.

3. Ground Eggshells to Powder

The image above says it all! Sprinkle your blended eggshells on the ground around your plants for a lovely calcium boost.

4. Use Old Coffee Grounds

By adding coffee grounds to your plants you will provide vital nutrients to your plants and keep away unwanted pests at the same time.

5. Homemade Weed Spray

Instead of buying weed sprayers, why not make your own? All you need is  white vinegar, table salt, and liquid dish soap.

6. Make a Mini Greenhouse for Your Seeds

Make a mini greenhouse for your seedlings. You can use a large milk jug, that will house your seeds perfectly. Add dirt, a little manure and your seeds in the milk jug. In no time you will see sprouts!

7. Use a Plastic Bottle for Irrigation

Ensure your plants get a proper irrigation by placing a plastic bottle that has holes pushed into it. This way you can fill the water bottle up and the water will slowly seep through the soil giving the plants a thorough watering!

8. Start Seedlings in an Eggshell

In order to give your seedlings the best chance consider growing them in eggshells.

9. Use Epsom Salt for a Healthy Ground

Epsom salt improves a plants blooming period and enhances color, as well as it allows the plants to take up vital nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

10. Use Rainwater

It is a good idea to use rainwater, especially during the summer months. You should always have a supply of rainwater on hand for your plants.

It’s not that hard to grow a hundred pounds of potatoes, and once you read the steps, you’ll be surprised just how easy it is.

Growing potatoes in a barrel (or bucket) prevents having to dig them up during harvest (which can damage the delicate potatoes) – instead, all you have to do is tip over the container and voila!

People often look down on potatoes for not being all that healthy, but when you get your hands on some good-quality, organic potatoes, you’ll be surprised by the benefits your body receives. Potatoes are a very good source of vitamin B6, as well as potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorous, niacin, dietary finer and pantothenic acid. They also contain a hefty amount of antioxidants, which protects the body against various forms of disease.

Potatoes have the potential to help lower blood pressure, and because of their vitamin B6 content, help nourish the nervous system and brain, and also help aid in the formation of virtually all the new cells in your body. B6 provides cardiovascular protection, too, and is necessary for the breakdown of glycogen, making it great for anyone involved in exercise of any type.

How to Grow A Hundred Pounds of Potatoes in a Barrel

1. Select a good container

Picking a good container is important for growing a large concentration of potatoes in a small space. Half whiskey barrel planters work really well, but people have also had success with food-grade barrels or commercially available potato planters. Just make sure it is about 2-3 feet tall, and that it has holes in it, or would be okay to cut holes in it. Clean your container really well with a solution of vinegar and water – you don’t want to use bleach, because that could be absorbed by the potato roots.

If your container does not already have holes in it, cut or drill large drainage holes in the bottom and sides of your container. If you want a healthy, and hearty potato harvest, you’ll want these drainage holes. If you’re growing indoors, make sure you have a large enough tray with edges to put underneath your container. This way, water won’t get everywhere.

2. Planting the potatoes – choose variety!

You can find seed potatoes in nurseries, which is probably the best way to buy them (and you will only have to buy them once). This way you can choose from a variety of heritage potatoes, and also grow a variety of different colours.

Sprout your potatoes before planting them. Set them out in an egg carton, with the side that has the most sprouts, facing up. Put them in a cool room with indirect sunlight, and they’ll start to sprout after a couple days. Alternatively, you can place your potatoes in an open brown paper bag – they will sprout this way too!.

Fill in 6 inches of your container with an organic soil-compost mix. Peat moss and soil combined is a really great mix to use. It will keep the soil from becoming too compact, and will allow for optimal moisture storage for the roots. Add your sprouted potatoes (sprouts UP!) on the layer of soil, leaving around 4 inches between each potato sprout. If you’re using whole potatoes, cut into 1-2 inch cubes for planting (of course, cut the potato so that each cube as a sprout). Loosely cover the potatoes with another 6 inches of soil and compost, and water to dampen (but not soak) the potatoes. Always make sure the soil is damp, but never over-watered.

3. Add more soil

Once your potatoes have started growing (about 6-8 inches of foliage), add another layer of soil-compost mix. You want to cover 1/2-3/4 of the visible stems and foliage. Continue repeating this process, allowing new sprouts to grow, covering the sprouts, and watering the soil as the plants grow higher and higher up the barrel.

4. Harvest!

Once the fresh greens on top start to look yellow and dull (around 10 weeks or so), the potatoes are ready to harvest. Inspect the top soil layer by carefully digging down with your hands to ensure your intuition is right! Once potatoes have been confirmed, dump the barrel, or bucket, on a large sheet of plastic, like a tarp. Surprise! Look at all your potatoes!

If your reason for being a houseplant murderer is a busy lifestyle or forgetful nature, grow these 10 Indoor Plants that Don’t Need Water before a month.

Water is life to plants, and they need it regularly. However, certain plants are different. These low water plants need less moisture and can survive for an extended period. Considering the indoor conditions like indirect sunlight and lack of evaporation, they can grow without water for up to 15-30 days.

1. ZZ Plant

This popular houseplant often tops the “most likely to survive” lists, making it a perfect pick for any time of year. What makes the ZZ plant particularly notable is its remarkable ability to thrive in areas with minimal natural light. Also famous for its robust nature, it is a forgiving plant when it comes to watering. Also, too much watering can cause rhizome rot. Water it usually in 20-30 days.

2. Succulents

On a windowsill in a dry room is the ideal location for a succulent collection. They come in a wide array of colors and styles, so you can mix and match to create a unique grouping.

As succulents and cacti are tough desert plants, they do well in dry soil. They’re one of the best indoor plants that need water once a month.

3. Cast Iron Plant

A resilient beauty, with shiny dark green leaves, the Cast Iron Plant is the perfect statement plant for rooms with no natural light. It is a slow grower, can withstand dry spells, and is known to be a virtually everlasting houseplant.

The cast iron plant needs occasional watering as it can survive in dry soil for a long time. For best results, let the growing medium become dry a bit between watering spells. Saturate the plant only when the top layer shows a lack of moisture.

4. Rubber Plant

This fast-growing Ficus elastica loves bright sun and medium to low watering. Watering it once every 15 days is the key to optimum growth. During winters, you can reduce it down to once a month.

Slugs can be one of the most annoying garden pests. If left uncontrolled, they can completely annihilate a healthy garden.

If you notice lots of small holes in the leaves of your plants, you likely have a slug issue. No worries though, you can get rid of them using simple household items, some of which you likely have on hand.

1. Cornmeal

For some reason, slugs aren’t very good at knowing what they can’t eat. They absolutely love cornmeal, but shortly after eating it they die.

You can make a homemade slug trap by placing a couple tablespoons of cornmeal inside a glass jar. In the evening, lay the jar down sideways in a slug infested area and they will be drawn to it.

Come back in the morning and you will find a bunch of dead slugs lying in and around the jar. Keep at it every night until your garden is slug-free.

2. Beer

Beer is another thing that slugs love, but can’t handle.

Dig a hole in your garden bed that is just deep enough to put a disposable plastic cup in. Fill the cup up about ¾ of the way with beer and they’ll jump right in.

When you come back in the morning, remove the dead slugs. Refill your cup with beer whenever it starts getting low and pretty soon they’ll all be gone.

If you have a serious slug infestation, you can make a larger trap as shown in the image above.

3. Coffee & Egg Shells

Instead of throwing your used coffee grounds and egg shells in the compost pile, mix them together to create a powerful slug repellent. Sprinkle this mix around your plants and the slugs won’t go anywhere near them.

The egg shells cut their bellies, and they won’t crawl across them. The smell of the coffee is a natural repellent, and you’ll be able to watch slugs make a U-turn as they get close to it. As an added benefit, both ingredients will decompose and feed the plants they are protecting.

You can also find some great, all-natural, caffeine based slug repellents at your local garden store, but why bother when you get the same effect using something you already have on hand.

Read More: 6 Genius Ways To Use Eggshells In Your Garden

4. Sand

Sprinkling some sand from the playground or beach around your plants creates a barrier the same way the eggshells do. You can get the same effect from any small, sharp fragments of stone.

Sprinkle a generous amount around young plants early in the spring. It will help keep moisture in your soil and slugs away from your plants

5. Ammonia

You can mix up an effective slug-killer/deterrent with a little bit of household ammonia and water.

For this solution, the weaker the better – use no more than 1 part ammonia to 6 parts water- or it will kill the slugs and the plants too.

Spraying ammonia directly on the slugs will make them shrivel up and die, and the smell left behind (even if you can’t smell it) will keep his friends away from that area for quite a while.

6. Trash Bags

Another simple slug trap can be made using a trash bag and water. In the evening, lay the trash bag down in your garden bed and put a few cups of water inside. Attracted to the moisture, the slugs will crawl inside the bag and be waiting for you in the morning.

This method doesn’t kill them, so you’ll have to find something to do with the ones you’ve collected. You and either set them free in another natural habitat or dispose of them however you like.

7. Natural Predators

You can also leave the killing of the slugs to other critters, by importing or attracting their natural predators.

Nematodes, frogs, salamanders, newts, toads and hedgehogs all love to eat slugs. Several types of birds will also eat up your slugs, but might eat your plants as well.

If you have ducks or chickens, they can do some supervised slug control in the evenings, or you can set out seed to attract thrushes, blackbirds or redwings.

8. Copper

If all else has failed, put some copper tubing, flashing or thin gauge copper tape around your plants or the entire garden bed. This is definitely the most expensive of the methods provided, but it never fails.

Slugs will not cross the copper line, because it acts like an electric fence. The copper has a natural reaction to the slime that they are covered in and they get shocked whenever they try to cross.

The only problem with this method is that any slugs inside your garden bed won’t be able to get out.

If you’re applying the copper method, use either a beer or cornmeal trap as well to get rid of all of them.

Growing asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) requires patience but boy, is the payoff worth it. Although it takes up to three years to really get going, this perennial plant will produce a bountiful harvest year after year for up to 30 years. In addition, the plant itself is quite attractive with a long feather-like top that turns a warm golden hue in the fall and makes a powerful statement in your garden.

Native to Western Europe, asparagus does best in areas where the ground freezes in winter or there are dry seasons. In wet and warm areas such as Florida and the Gulf Coast, it is difficult to grow this plant because it is just too moist.

If you live in the USDA planting zones 2-8, you can plant asparagus and expect a generous return for your time and energy.

Growing Asparagus From Seed

If you have acquired seeds or perhaps even harvested some seeds from a previous crop, you can grow new plants. It is best to start seeds inside or in the warmth of a greenhouse in mid-February to May. Seeds require bright light and soil temperatures between 70-85 degrees for germination. I find it works best to soak the seeds for a couple of hours before planting as well.

1. Fill 3.5-inch pots with sterile soil.
2. Place 3 seeds on the surface of the soil in each pot.
3. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of sifted sand.
4. Bottom water all pots by placing in a pan with sides with water.
5. Place on a heated table to be sure that the soil stays warm.
6. Do not let pots dry out.
7. Allow the seedlings to grow for three months before transplanting as long as all risk of frost has passed.
8. Place transplants about 18 inches apart in rows that are 4 inches apart. For thinner spears, place them 8 to 10 inches apart and 4 inches deep. For thicker spears, place them 12-14 inches apart and 6-8 inches deep.
9. Cover the seedlings with a light layer of soil as they grow.
10. Provide one-inch of water each week.
11. Remember, don’t harvest for three years – allow the plant to grow all summer and cut it back to 2 inches in the fall.

Growing Asparagus From Crowns

Just be sure that you choose a reputable supplier and pick a variety best suited for your growing zone. It is important to prepare your bed ahead of time so that you are ready when the crowns arrive. Asparagus likes soil that is pH neutral and somewhat sandy and loose that drains well.

1. Work compost into the soil.
2. Dig two 12-inch deep furrows in the raised bed.
3. Put one cup organic fertilizer in each furrow.
4. Mound up loose dirt into cone-shaped piles about 6 inches tall at the bottom of the furrow. Leave 18 inches between each cone.
5. Put an asparagus crown on top of each dirt pile in the furrow. The roots should hang down over the dirt pile.
6. Cover the crowns with about 1-inch of soil.
7. Keep the soil moist but do not saturate.
8. Keep weeds out of the bed.
9. Add more soil as the asparagus continues to grow.
10. Continue this process until the furrow are filled to ground level with the soil.
11. Do not harvest for two years, let the spears grow to into ferny plants and develop deep roots.

Tricks Tor A Bigger & Better Asparagus Harvest

• Plant asparagus seedlings near tomatoes. Asparagus repels nematodes that attack tomatoes and tomatoes repel asparagus beetles. Companion planting can really aid your growing efforts.
• Harvest new asparagus crops for four weeks in year three and for six to eight weeks in year four and on.
• Asparagus plants are either male or female. There are some varieties such as Jersey Knightand Jersey Giant that produce all male plants so that they are more productive. Choose an all-male variety if you want a bigger yield.
• Apply mulch to suppress weeds.
• Soak crowns in compost tea before planting to give them a burst of energy.
• After harvest, allow plants to grow to replenish nutrients. Wait until the foliage has turned brown or yellow – usually in the fall. Cut down to 2 inches.
• Fertilize established crowns in spring and fall using a rich organic fertilizer/compost containing things like fish, seaweed, kitchen scraps including bread dairy fruits and other vegetables.
• Add rock phosphate to trenches each year before planting new crowns.

Harvesting & Storing Asparagus

When asparagus plants are robust enough for harvesting, cut off new spring shoots when they reach about 8 inches in height. Use a clean and sharp knife to cut just below the soil line. Do not harvest spears once the plant has begun to develop foliage. To keep this from happening, harvest every other day. Plants will produce anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks depending on their maturity and strength. Keep harvesting until the spear diameter measures the size of a pencil.

Cook harvested spears immediately or store in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week or more. For long-term storage, blanch spears in boiling water for five minutes, dry and store in freezer bags.

Health Benefits Of Asparagus:

Asparagus is known to be one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables around. It is loaded with folic acid and also offers a good amount of potassium, fiber, thiamin and vitamins A, B6, E, K, and C.

Asparagus can aid in weight loss: Asparagus is low in fat, low in calories and contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. The body digests fiber very slowly and this helps you feel full between meals – making asparagus a great food if you are trying to drop pounds. Try pairing some asparagus with healthy protein such as a hard-boiled egg to boost that full feeling.

Asparagus can help keep your urinary tract healthy: Asparagus contains the amino acid asparagine which is a natural diuretic. When women don’t urinate enough they can develop a urinary tract infection. Eating this healthy green veggie on a regular basis will help prevent urinary tract infections by flushing excess fluid and salt out of the body

Asparagus can strengthen your immune system: Asparagus contains vitamin E which supports a healthy immune system while protecting cells from free radicals.  Because we absorb vitamin E better when it is eaten along with some healthy fat – roasting asparagus in olive oil will boost its effectiveness.

Asparagus is a natural aphrodisiac: If you are looking to rev up your love life, try eating asparagus, a natural aphrodisiac. Vitamins B6 and folate help increase arousal and vitamin E stimulates sex hormones. Planning a dinner for your sweetheart? Don’t forget the asparagus.

Asparagus can improve bone health: Because asparagus is rich in vitamin K it can help your body absorb calcium which is necessary for bone strength.

Asparagus can make you smile:  Not only does asparagus contain folate, a B vitamin that has been linked to reducing irritability but it also contains a great deal of the amino acid called tryptophan that has been shown to have a positive impact on mood.