Growing Vegetables in Buenos Aires

[Crema Americana]

Would it be safe to grow fruits or veggies in ground here? We have a house with a yard, but I'm a little concerned about pollution and the general state of the soil (rain, runoff from the street, pollution from cars on the road, etc.)

 

[sleslie23]

...and Los Angeles (N), and all of these cities are within a couple of clicks up or down:

Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Santa Fe (NM), Tuscon, Phoenix, Santa Barbara, Atlanta, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, and pretty much ALL of South Carolina.

Be careful with this, though. I've lived in or near Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Santa Fe (NM), Tuscon, Phoenix, and Santa Barbara and I can tell you that there are at least 4 different climates between them.

I would say that Dallas, Ft. Worth, and OKC have a climate that is most similar, though none of them are anywhere near a large body of water, so expect differences. I would say BsAs is closest to Houston, TX though El Queso would be the judge of that.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Any good leads on where to buy chilli seeds? I want to grow on my balcony, have a fair bit of space that i would like to grow spicy stuff on

 

[PhilinBSAS]

where to buy chilli seeds?

Buy or otherwise acquire the chilli's you like. Seeds are in the middle.
Dry on the windowsill.
Then plant in moist seed compost. The seeds dont have to be deep - just cover.
You will have plants germinating in a fortnight - or less if can provide underheat (dont let them dry out)
Thin out seedlings and nurture!

Simples!

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Hahaha, thanks, not much of a botanist, or biologist apparently.

I will give it a whirl !

Buy or otherwise acquire the chilli's you like. Seeds are in the middle.
Dry on the windowsill.
Then plant in moist seed compost. The seeds dont have to be deep - just cover.
You will have plants germinating in a fortnight - or less if can provide underheat (dont let them dry out)
Thin out seedlings and nurture!

Simples!

 

[arlean]

GS_Dirtboy I LOVE this thread! Maybe I can get a ??? answered here. I buy organic (yes I know some question if it really is organic). I have been trying to find out what is genetically modified so that I can avoid it. I don't know how many saw the photos of the rats raised on GM corn and the huge tumors (cancer) they were dragging around. Monsanto's tests to prove to the US FDA that GM is safe lasted for 90 days. This test was, as I recall, done in France and lasted for two years. At the end of that time the rats were cancerous and sterile!

I am serious enough about avoiding GM that I would move out of BA if I have to! Not kidding! One well-educated person here (an attorney) insisted that ALL food here is GMed. But upon questioning I found out she is confusing GMed with Hybridized, which is, of course, entirely different. You will not find me eating anything made with soy or corn because they are highly GMed just about everywhere now.

But people here don't even seem to know what genetically modified food is. Anyone have any ideas on this subject? Or even better--knowledge?

 

[ghost]

GS_Dirtboy I LOVE this thread! Maybe I can get a ??? answered here. I buy organic (yes I know some question if it really is organic). I have been trying to find out what is genetically modified so that I can avoid it. I don't know how many saw the photos of the rats raised on GM corn and the huge tumors (cancer) they were dragging around. Monsanto's tests to prove to the US FDA that GM is safe lasted for 90 days. This test was, as I recall, done in France and lasted for two years. At the end of that time the rats were cancerous and sterile!

I am serious enough about avoiding GM that I would move out of BA if I have to! Not kidding! One well-educated person here (an attorney) insisted that ALL food here is GMed. But upon questioning I found out she is confusing GMed with Hybridized, which is, of course, entirely different. You will not find me eating anything made with soy or corn because they are highly GMed just about everywhere now.

But people here don't even seem to know what genetically modified food is. Anyone have any ideas on this subject? Or even better--knowledge?

This is not the subject of this thread. Start a new one if you are so concerned about the GM topic.

 

[Amargo]

Be careful with this, though. I've lived in or near Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Santa Fe (NM), Tuscon, Phoenix, and Santa Barbara and I can tell you that there are at least 4 different climates between them.

I would say that Dallas, Ft. Worth, and OKC have a climate that is most similar, though none of them are anywhere near a large body of water, so expect differences. I would say BsAs is closest to Houston, TX though El Queso would be the judge of that.

Dallas is certainly colder than BA, I was there once in January and it was -5°C during the day. That never happens in BA. Frost in BA is rare, a bit more frequent in the suburbs.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

SNIP....But people here don't even seem to know what genetically modified food is. Anyone have any ideas on this subject? Or even better--knowledge?

I don't know about Argentina, but all the crops in the US will be GM'd pretty soon. There was a GREAT documentary recently on Monsanto and how they sold US farmers GM'd crops that had "anti-pest" characteristics (aka pesticide). When farmers who used Monsanto's seeds planted next to farmers who used their own seeds the crops cross-fertilized. Obviously wind blows and seeds fly, right? Monsanto successfully sued those farmers who did not pay for their seeds but had the same genetics in their crops. Lots of family farmland was taken by Monsanto. I'm not doing the documentary justice ... someone who remembers the name please post here.

If you want to get really pi$$ed at big corporations watch the film.

I would be surprised if Argentina farmers were not heavily into GM'd crops. But I don't know for certain.

GS

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Would it be safe to grow fruits or veggies in ground here? We have a house with a yard, but I'm a little concerned about pollution and the general state of the soil (rain, runoff from the street, pollution from cars on the road, etc.)

We got our dirt from Easy. Mixed a bit of sand in with it. I don't think I'd have a problem eating veggies that grew on my balcony in the middle of the city. I did think about runoff from the roof of our building. The dirt in your yard could be contaminated but in general I think it's ok. There are many urban garden programs happening now in the US that I know of. I haven't heard of any general health concerns from just being in the city, pollution, etc.

GS