
The holiday season is drawing near, and most folks are probably trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones. A silver Rolex for dad, YSL handbag for mum, and probably both a PS4 and an Xbox One for the kids since one is already feeling pretty generous.
However, while these gifts are awesome and all, they still pale in comparison to those that have been really thought out and personally crafted. The problem is, most people also resort to shoddily-made “gifts” when going the homemade route. It isn’t necessarily that they haven’t put their all into the gift. All too often, it’s because they just don’t know where to begin in the first place.
As a suggestion, one of the better homemade gifts would be to preparing a special meal for friends and family. To put it up a notch, he should not just try cooking the food at home, but also having the ingredients homegrown too. This way, the meal becomes a truly personal gift.
The three most basic things to consider when growing produce are seed selection, soil, and fertilizer. Yes it is important to be knowledgeable in more advanced factors like companion planting and crop rotation; but these can be put aside at least until a person is already about a week into planting.
For beginners, seed selection simply entails knowing what loved ones would prefer to eat. A good tip when considering gardening space is to plant crops that cost more to buy when fully grown. Of course, if the available space allows a person to plant all the necessary veggies, he should do so.
For the soil, it’s always a premium to have a fertile patch (about pH 6-7.5) that receives ample sunlight time. One way to build up the humus in the soil is by using prime organic matters such as seaweeds, manure, and leaves. As for the soil’s nutrients, slow-release fertilizers are best for long-term vegetable growth.
Speaking of long-term growth, June would be the right time for planting homegrown crops. This falls roughly in between spring and summer, providing just the right temperature and humidity. And with a little bit of luck, even the occasional rain.
By December, these crops should already be mature enough for picking. All that’s left to do is to actually prepare the meal with these fresh ingredients. Celebrity chef Nathan Lyon show A Lyon in the Kitchen, whose tagline is “Great food starts fresh,” has some great recipes.
To cap everything off, decorating the dining table with flowers should complete the ambiance. After all, as any good cook would tell you, presentation matters just as much as the food itself. To that end, it’s imperative for one to learn the exact flowers to buy and how to maintain its beauty. UK retail giant Marks & Spencer gives in-depth tutorials on how to do just that. UK retail giant Marks & Spencer gives in-depth tutorials on how to do just that.
A memorable dinner experience satisfies not just the palate, but the other senses as well – and floral arrangements definitely deliver on that end. They say that flowers are the perfect gesture for so many occasions, and a special holiday dinner that’s 100% prepared at home definitely falls under said events.
No one ever said that picking out the perfect gift was easy, and it shouldn’t be. Gift-giving is a special gesture that has as much to do with the act as with what’s inside the box. Giving a specialized present that’s entirely made from the heart – especially one that’s also concerned with the recipient’s well-being – speaks volumes.