Organic food

They pack more of a nutritional punch. The researchers found the organic tomatoes had significantly higher levels of vitamin C, sugar and lycopene. Now, while the extra sugar may improve the taste, it's the lycopene that could amp up organic tomatoes' health profile

There's nothing more disappointing than seeing your promising tomato crop fall victim to tomato blight or downy mildew. These fast-spreading fungal diseases can absolutely destroy your tomato plants and ruin your crop. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent and treat mildew and blight without toxic chemicals.

1: pace your plants out well
Tomato blight and downy mildew thrive in situations where there is too much moisture and not enough ventilation. You can support both by making sure that your tomato plants aren't too crowded. Proper spacing also makes it easier to stop fungal infections from spreading between plants. If you're growing bush tomatoes, you'll need to plant them one or two feet apart. Vining tomatoes, also known as indeterminate tomatoes, should be planted 18 inches to two feet apart.

2: Water carefully
Mildew and blight need wet leaves and stems. If you make sure there is no excess water on your plants, you can reduce the chances of a fungal infestation. When watering your plants, make sure you only put the water on the soil around the base of the plant. You should also make sure that condensation or leaks can't drip onto your tomato plants if you're growing indoors.

3: Keep leaves and fruit from touching the soil
Spores from blight, mildew and other diseases can easily linger in the soil around your plants. It's therefore important to do everything you can to stop tomatoes or the leaves of the plants from touching the soil.

4: Rotate plantings
You can reduce the chance of fungal infections by rotating your plants. Any fungal spores living in the soil will re-infect plants if you put tomatoes in the same soil two years running. Ideally, you should avoid planting tomatoes in that soil for at least three years.

By the same token, you should avoid planting other vegetables that are prone to the same infections. For example, you should avoid planting tomatoes in the same patch where you grew peppers last year, or planting peppers where you had tomatoes before. Cross-infection is possible between any plants in the same family as tomatoes. This includes sweet peppers, chili peppers, eggplants and potatoes.

5: Inspect your tomatoes for signs of blight and mildew
The sooner you catch a fungal infestation, the better. Blight and mildew spread very rapidly from plant to plant so it's vital that you identify infected plants so you can take action to protect the rest of your crop.

What is Capsicum?
The terminology ‘capsicum’ can be confusing as it can be used to describe both, the fruits and the plants, of the Capsicum genus. So let’s make it simple. The word capsicum can mean:

Genus: Botanically, the Capsicum genus is one of the most important in the Solanaceae family, popularly known as the nightshade family. Some well-known nightshade vegetables include eggplants (brinjals), potatoes, and tomatoes.
Plant species: There are at least 36 known capsicum plant species, mainly from Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil. Some of the most famous ones are Capsicum Annuum, Capsicum Chinense, Capsicum Baccatum, Capsicum Frutescens, and Capsicum Pubescens.
Fruit: The fruits or berries of the Capsicum plant are varied in shape, color, size, and taste. The spicier versions are called chili peppers or chilis or just peppers in different parts of the world. The large mild green, yellow, or red bell peppers are called capsicum in India, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Some of the most popular Capsicum species are:

Ancho peppers
Chili peppers such as serrano peppers
Poblano
Bell peppers
Habanero
Scotch bonnet
Pimiento or cherry pepper
Banana peppers
Many people are familiar with the use of chili peppers in the preparation of spicy meals. What is it that makes the chili pepper spicy, though? the answer is – capsaicin, a water-insoluble derivative of homovanillic acid, and also the major active ingredient in capsicum is responsible for the hot and burning sensation to the tongue.

With the varieties of chili peppers available, it is important to know that the capsaicin content of each type of chili pepper varies. This natural fruit may be used fresh or dried as a culinary spice, added to teas, or taken in capsules to reap its medicinal benefits.

It's now easier to send Organic food a message.

We tend to take tomatoes for granted since they’re available year ‘round, but peak tomato season — when they’re at their juiciest and most flavorful — is worth celebrating. The best tomato recipes are ones that show ‘em off (like gorgeous multi-colored tomato tarts) and use them up before they go bad (and so you can acquire your next stash!) Not just delicious, there are tons of tomato health benefits, so don’t hesitate to load up on them the next time you see a colorful pile. And if you have even a little bit of sunny outdoor space, maybe it’s time to think about growing tomatoes: It’s hard to beat biting into a vine-ripened beauty that you’ve grown yourself. So go ahead and make the most of these vibrant summer jewels with this collection of recipes for fresh vegetarian dinners (some for meat-eaters, too), surprising sides and even a cocktail!