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What better way to get fresh fruits and vegetables for your bodybuilding nutrition plan than growing them yourself! You can do this even if your garden is small, just like I did.

I disposed of approximately 80 square feet of planting space which I covered with geotextile - landscape fabric. Next, I pinned it down with some scraps of wood which also had the purpose of controlling any weeds that might want to surface. Then I added enough topsoil (a small truck load of low quality earth) to cover what was going to become my garden patch, taking care of smoothing the topsoil by breaking up the clods of dirt. Finally, I bordered my small garden so the soil wouldn't be washed away, using pieces of old concrete from my next door neighbor who was redoing the driveway, but you can use bricks, wood or any other material suitable for borders.

Now you are all set for planting but what to buy? You can opt to buy seedlings - small plants of your favorite vegetables or buy the seeds and plant them directly into the soil. Seeds can be bought pretty cheap. I've narrowed my selection this year to onions, corn, squash, cucumbers, and bush beans. If you are afraid of getting bothered by insects, then also plant marigold flowers which act as a natural insect repellent.

Here comes the fun part: planting the seeds. The depth at which you should plant the seeds depends upon their type and size, for this reason you should always read what's written on the packet first. Now, just follow the instructions and start making holes in your garden patch to plant your seeds, using a gardening tool or simply your index finger. Once you place the seeds in the holes, cover them up loosely with the soil.

Don't forget to water as soon as you have finished planting all the seeds. It is recommended that you use a watering can containing water with an appropriate quantity of liquid plant food, and use it as if it were water falling gently from the sky onto your garden patch.

During the first couple of weeks, it is recommended that you water your plants using the "mist" or "shower" setting of your garden hose. This should be done early morning or late evening. Don't bother watering if it rains.

If you've planted some bush beans, you've not only saved some ground space but you've also acquired an early harvest. Bush beans are usually among the first ready to be eaten. If you don't eat them right away, you can always refrigerate them for later use. You can prepare the beans for storage by cutting off the ends, pulling the strings, breaking them into one inch pieces, and rinsing them in a colander before placing them in the fridge.

Cucumbers are also an excellent choice. They are prolific producers to be harvested green. Don't worry if it is the end of the season and you have some small cucumbers because they are good in any size. Just keep in mind that cucumbers are best used right away if sliced, but you can always store them in the fridge to be used later.

If you have planted corn and squash, by now you should have some small corn ears with tassels and plenty of yellow flowers on your plants of squash. You'll still have to wait some time before taking pleasure in eating them.

Before my father died, I planted 3 blackberry plants and some tomatoes in a semi-shady corner in his back yard. It was amazing to see the quantity of blackberries we harvested from such a small number of plants. Unfortunately my father didn't get to taste the blackberries. My mom made the most delicious pies from these blackberries. We also enjoyed the tomatoes very much; they complemented the cucumbers from my garden patch. Tomatoes are terrific alone or in salads but particularly liked in sandwiches.

There are plenty of bodybuilding recipes for a healthy nutrition and this is one of them. This Jumbled Jubilee can turn into an excellent summer salad. To make it even better use vegetables grown in your back yard!

JUMBLED JUBILEE

Yields a healthy meal for one

Ingredients:

- A large purple onion
- A large tomato
- A medium bell pepper
- A small or medium cucumber
- A bottle of Light Italian salad dressing

Instructions:

Chop the onion, tomato, bell pepper, and cucumber into little pieces. Blend together and place in cups or in one large bowl. Refrigerate at once after pouring the salad dressing over the mixed veggies. If you want to change a little, you can add some other raw vegetables, squash for example, or serve with a different salad dressing. As a last note, always keep in mind the importance of fruits and vegetables in your bodybuilding nutrition program.

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