Growing
Is Distilled Water Good For Plants? It's Complicated - There's No Scientific Consensus
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Distilled Water? Can You Distill Water At Home? Understanding Your Water Source Is Your Tap Water Harming Your Plants? Is Rainwater Harming Your Plants? Would Your Plants Benefit From Distilled Water? References Many gardeners overlook one of the most important things for good plant health – fresh water. Could using distilled water be the answer? Some people say that using distilled water to water your plants is the best option and sometimes, that may indeed be the case. However, while using distilled water may sometimes improve plant health and growth in very specific circumstances, it may not always be the best thing. Which type of water you should use when watering your plants very much depends on where your water comes from and the properties it has. It also depends on which plants you are growing, and where they are being grown. Let’s delve a little deeper to help you understand the best options when it comes to watering your plants. What Is Distilled Water? Distilled water is water which has been purified by being boiled. As it boils, the water evaporates. In the distilling process, this evaporation is condensed on a cold surface and collected to give something that is very close to pure H2O.1 During this process, impurities such as heavy metals, chemicals like chlorine, parasitic organisms and other contaminants are removed.2 However, minerals required for plant growth are also removed and so where plants cannot obtain these from the growing medium instead of the water, plant growth could actually suffer. There is no scientific consensus on whether distilled water really is better for your plants. However, some scientists suggest that it could improve plant performance in certain situations.3 In particular, distilled water is said to be good for some houseplants and other plants grown indoors in containers. This is because plants grown in containers do not obtain the benefits of natural soil filtration, and chemicals and other contaminants found in tap water are not diluted by natural rainfall, so where tap water is used, this can become more of an issue. Can You Distill Water At Home? It is possible to distil your own water at home, using a water distiller that has been purchased for the purpose, or by making a make-shift distiller using a pan, a bowl, a lid and some ice. However, this is a time-consuming process and you will only ever be able to make a small amount of distilled water at a time. What’s more, distilling water on a hob is likely not a very sustainable choice. It requires a lot of energy, which, especially when this energy is not entirely from renewable sources, hardly seems worthwhile. It may negate the benefits to the environment you gain from growing your plants in the first place. The other option, of course, is to purchase distilled water, but since distilled water is usually purchased in plastic containers, this also raises thorny issues when it comes to trying to grow in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.4 Understanding Your Water Source When trying to work out what to use to water your plants, understanding your own water and where it comes from is key. Sometimes tap water will be perfectly suitable and indeed even better for watering than distilled water because of the minerals it contains. If possible, you should always seek to understand your tap water, where it comes from and how it might be treated before you use it on any of your plants. Not all water sources were created equal and some will be much more problematic when watering plants than others. Is Your Tap Water Harming Your Plants? We are fortunate here in the UK to have one of the best municipal water supplies in the world.5 The water coming out of our taps has usually been treated to a high level, and levels of chlorine are much lower than they are in many other countries. However, the quality of tap water varies greatly from region to region, and impurities can enter your supply even from the individual pipes leading to your home. From micro-plastic pollution to heavy metals, most tap water will have some impurities in its supplies. While impurities may be worrying for a range of reasons, many of the plants you grow may have no issues if you have to water with tap water where you live. Understanding where your water comes from and how it reaches your home is important, since it can help you to understand the properties of that water, and how it might affect your plants. Some plants are particularly sensitive to the chlorine and other chemicals and impurities that might be present in the water supply to your home. Some plants may also be sensitive to the low pH, or calcium and magnesium content of the tap water in hard water areas. “For example, ericaceous plants such as camellias and rhododendrons prefer lower pH water which is free of calcium,” says Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. Even if you do not live in a hard water area, tap water isn’t the best thing to use on your plants, regardless of where you live. It is always better to use natural rainfall where possible to water indoor plants, as well as relying on it for plants growing outdoors. Is Rainwater Harming Your Plants? “We’ve got to be less wasteful and even as gardeners, we are guilty of that,” says Danny Clarke, TV Personality & Garden Designer. “One of the things that I think we can do is conserve running water from the mains, as this can be very wasteful and a lot of it goes to plants that don’t really need it. “A great way of conserving water is to install water butts in our gardens.” As Danny says, harvesting rainwater to water your plants is almost always the best solution. If at all possible, affix water collection vessels to guttering to collect water that falls on roofs, or make ponds or other bodies of water to store water in your garden.6 Think about finding ways to catch rainwater on your property and keep it around. Even leaving a bucket on a balcony or hanging from a window could help you if you are growing plants indoors. Rainwater is naturally mildly acidic, which most plants will love.7 It contains nitrates and small amounts of organic matter which provides other plant nutrients and it is a free resource that you should be taking advantage of. “Over time, the water in water butts can start to smell as the organic matter breaks down,” says Roy. “To counter this, it might be worthwhile to use an organic water butt treatment.” However, it is important to think about where you live. In some areas, such as homes below flight paths or in city centres where there is a lot of air pollution from traffic, rainwater will likely not be as pure and natural as you might think it is.8 It may be contaminated with pollutants of various kinds and may be far more acidic than usual. “It’s best to avoid using rainwater for seedlings as the possible pathogen content can lead to the fungal problem of damping off,” explains Roy. Would Your Plants Benefit From Distilled Water? In most cases, as mentioned above, your container plants will be happiest with rainwater and many can cope fine with tap water where harvesting rainwater is not possible. However, in a few very specific cases, for particularly fussy plants grown in containers indoors, the neutral pH and purity of distilled water may make for healthier and happier plants. “As minerals have been removed from distilled water, it’s advisable to supplement these with a balanced organic plant feed,” adds Roy. Just remember that distilled water is, in the majority of cases, not really required, and most plants will always be happiest with natural rainfall. References 1. Blades, N. (2019, July 17). Distilled Water. WebMD. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/distilled-water-overview 2. Drinking Water Treatment: Distillation. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g1493/build/g1493.htm 3. Alwan, N. T., Shcheklein, S. E., & Ali, O. M. (2021). Evaluation of distilled water quality and production costs from a modified solar still integrated with an outdoor solar water heater. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, 27, 101216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2021.101216 4. Reasons to Avoid Bottled Water. (2013, November 13). Sustainability at Harvard. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://green.harvard.edu/tools-resources/green-tip/reasons-avoid-bottled-water 5. Water and health. (n.d.). Water UK. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.water.org.uk/advice-for-customers/water-and-health/ 6. Taylor, A. (2012, April 25). What’s the best way to store rainwater? BBC News. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17839818 7. Water: collecting, storing and re-using. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-jobs/water-collecting-storing-and-using 8. Air pollution. (2017, February 3). Met Office. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/guides/air-quality
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Everything You Need To Know About Cross-Pollination (And What To Do About It)
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Cross-Pollination? What Happens When Plants Cross Pollinate? Which Crops Cross Pollinate? Is Cross Pollination A Problem? Beneficial Cross-Pollination Problematic Cross-Pollination Preventing Cross-Pollination References Cross pollination is an interesting topic and understanding it further can help you to develop a successful and sustainable home garden. In this article, we will introduce you to the topic and help you understand what this term means. We will talk about what happens when plants cross pollinate and with which crops it is likely to happen. Cross-pollination can be extremely beneficial, but in cases where it isn’t, we will provide you with the solutions for when it may become a problem. Read on to learn more about cross pollination in the vegetable garden and what it might mean for you, your plants and your garden. What Is Cross-Pollination? Cross-pollination is the name given to the process where one plant pollinates another plant of a different variety within the same species.1 This happens when, through a range of different mechanisms, the pollen from the anther of a flower on one plant is transferred to the stigma of a flower of another plant. What Happens When Plants Cross Pollinate? When cross-pollination occurs, usually the result will be seen not in the two plants themselves, but in the offspring which come from the seeds which are produced after the pollination. When those seeds are sown the following year, the progeny may not always have the same characteristics as either of the parent plants. Sweet corn is an exception to this rule and can be affected by cross-pollination in the current year, producing different corn. Which Crops Cross Pollinate? Cross pollination can occur between different plants of the same species, but not between plants of different species. Understanding which crops are likely to cross-pollinate in your garden involves learning their Latin names, so you know which species they belong in, and also in learning how certain plants are typically cross-pollinated.2 Crops found in the UK are typically self-pollinated, insect-pollinated or they are pollinated by wind.3 Some plants, like peas and beans for example, are self-pollinating, which means that they pollinate themselves. As a result of this, it is rare (though possible) for cross-pollination to occur. Most tomatoes are also self-pollinating, which means that the tomato seeds saved from heritage tomato plants (not F1 hybrids) will usually come true to type. In other words, the offspring will be the same as the parent plants. However, by transferring the pollen manually between different tomato types, gardeners can encourage cross-pollination to occur – and potentially breed new tomato varieties in their garden. Potato-leaf varieties of tomatoes are slightly more prone to cross-pollination within varieties. Insect-pollinated plants are cross-pollinated when a bee or other insect visits the flowers of one plant before making their way to another of the same species, transferring pollen between the two. Plants which are typically insect pollinated include the major group of Brassicas (members of the cabbage family), commonly grown as garden crops. Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale can easily cross-pollinate with one another, creating seeds which generate new hybrids the following year. Members of the Cucurbita genus are also usually pollinated by insects – these include pumpkins, squashes and courgettes. Sweet corn, beetroot, swiss chard and spinach are all examples of plants which are typically wind-pollinated. Sweet corn can cross with other corns, even those growing some distance away. Beetroot and swiss chard can cross with each other and other Beta vulgaris plants. Carrots can cross with wild carrots and any subspecies of Daucus carota, but, contrary to popular option, will not cross with cultivated parsnips. Bulb and bunching onions can cross, though this is rare, and they will not cross with leeks or chives. Is Cross Pollination A Problem? The important thing to understand is that cross-pollination is not something that is always a problem in a vegetable garden. In fact, there are evolutionary advantages to this mechanism. Plants often have mechanisms which prevent self-pollination because cross-pollination provides more genetic diversity, with the characteristics of both parents contributing to the offspring produced.4 Cross-pollination can lead to greater adaptability and plants which are better able to withstand change, meaning they might be more ideally suited to the growing conditions in a particular area. Beneficial Cross-Pollination Gardeners and growers can sometimes utilise the mechanisms of cross-pollination in order to create crops with beneficial characteristics. Over the centuries, cross-pollination has led to many of our most prized horticultural and agricultural crops. Experimentation in plant breeding can lead to varieties of crops which are ideally suited to growth in a particular area, and you may even be able to breed new and interesting varieties of your own by tailoring cross-pollination and allowing certain cross-pollination to occur. Problematic Cross-Pollination Of course, we do not always want cross-pollination to occur. It is important to note that cross-pollination is not an issue for this year’s plants or this year’s fruit. It can only ever be an issue if you plan to save seeds from your own plants to sow next year. Some people believe, for example, that this year’s squash can turn out not to be true to type, or to be deformed by cross pollination this year, or that growing hot and sweet peppers close to one another will affect the flavours of this year’s fruit. However, only the seeds from the plants which have been cross-pollinated can be affected in most cases. However, if you do wish to save seeds which will come true to type then cross-pollination can be an issue. If you wish to maintain genetic integrity and grow plants of the same varieties from your collected seed next year then you will need to take steps to make sure that cross-pollination does not occur, as Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant, shares: “Back garden seed savers will need to ensure that they avoid cross-pollination. Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library has some great advice on its site.” Preventing Cross-Pollination Understanding how to prevent cross-pollination means understanding how the different varieties you are looking at are pollinated. Self-pollinated plants can usually be planted in close proximity to one another without any risk of cross-pollination. Insect-pollinated types which cross-pollinate will usually have to be isolated by a reasonable distance. The distance required depends on how far insect pollinators will tend to travel between flowers of certain types. This can vary significantly depending on the species in question and the typical pollinators for those plants in a particular area. Wind pollinated plants often produce pollen which can travel great distances on the breeze, so they may need to be kept at quite a distance from each other to get true to type seeds. However, the effectiveness of isolation by distance can sometimes be increased by densely planting an area between two varieties of the same species which can cross pollinate. This will help to trap wind-blown pollen. In home gardens, the great distances involved in reducing the chances of cross pollination to an acceptable level are usually too great to consider as an effective solution. Therefore, there are usually only two options for people who want to prevent cross-pollination and collect seeds from insect or wind-pollinated plants. The first option is to grow only one variety of crops prone to cross pollination in your garden in a particular year. While there is still a risk of cross-pollination from neighbouring gardens or gardens in the wider community, this will be far less common than when multiple varieties are grown in the same garden space. Usually, however, gardeners will want to grow a wide diversity of different cultivars in their gardens. When they wish to save seeds, therefore, creating physical barriers to prevent cross-pollination is the only surefire option to make sure that certain varieties come true to type from seed. Gardens will usually pollinate by hand by taking a small paintbrush or similar and swirling it inside one flower before transferring the pollen to another plant of the same variety and species. They will then cover the flower with a paper bag and secure the bag in place with twine. Plastic bags should not be used as this can trap heat around the developing seed pod and kill the seeds inside. By isolating the flowers of species which can be cross-pollinated, gardeners can ensure that they can collect seeds from those flowers which will come true to type the following year. References 1. cross pollination. (2023). In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cross-pollination 2. How to be a gardener. (n.d.). BBC. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module2/plant_names2.shtml 3. Waddington, E. (2022, July 25). Beginner’s Pollination Process Guide. Polytunnel Gardening. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://blog.firsttunnels.co.uk/the-pollination-process/ 4. Pollination. (2023, March 3). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/science/pollination/Mechanisms-that-prevent-self-pollination
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Fertiliser To Pest Management: 9 Ways To Use Eggshells In The Garden
IN THIS GUIDE 1) As Seed Starting Pots 2) As An Organic Fertiliser 3) To Reduce Soil Acidity 4) When Planting Out Crops 5) To Give A Calcium Boost 6) To Deter Pests 7) As A Supplement To Chicken Feed 8) As A Feed For Wild Garden Birds 9) To Add To Your Composting System References Learning how to use eggshells in the garden and compost can help you reduce waste and create a healthier and more productive space. Eggshells are something that many people don’t think twice about tossing away, but sending food waste to landfill or for incineration is never a good idea.1 To reduce your carbon footprint and live in a more sustainable way, you should reduce food waste as much as possible. If you do not already compost at home, you should get started right away and you should definitely add eggshells to that system. In this article, we will focus on how to use eggshells in the garden and why, if you don’t want to use them in other ways, composting them is also an excellent idea. Here are several ways you can use eggshells in your garden: 1) As Seed Starting Pots The first way to use eggshells is as little seed starting pots. You might remember from your childhood putting damp cotton wool or kitchen paper in eggshells, sowing cress seeds on top, drawing little faces on the sides and waiting for the ‘hair’ to grow. Eggshells can also be filled with a seed starting potting mix and used for starting out a range of seeds which can then be potted on or planted out into your garden. Using eggshells in this way is one option which can help you reduce plastic use in your growing efforts. Eggshells are good for starting micro-greens on a windowsill or for sowing a range of crops for the very first stage of their life. Some people use eggshells as biodegradable plant pots, planting them into the ground along with the seedling. However, eggshells do take a while to break down, so it is important to make sure you gently crack the shells apart before planting so the roots of the growing plants can spread out, or to simply remove the seedlings from the eggshells and then reuse them. 2) As An Organic Fertiliser Eggshells are often thought of as a waste product, but when we actually begin to look at their composition, it can be easier to see their value for a garden. Eggshells are made up of around 95% calcium carbonate, 0.3% phosphorus, 0.3% magnesium and trace amounts of other plant nutrients such as potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, copper and iron.2 Ground eggshell meal is an organic fertiliser sometimes used by home growers and commercial organic farmers. While its NPK value, like other organic fertilisers, will vary, an average analysis revealed an NPK of 1.2 – 0.4 – 0.1. (NPK refers to the values of the three key plant nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).3 However, eggshells are known particularly for adding calcium to the soil. 3) To Reduce Soil Acidity Gardeners and growers battling with very acidic soil will often use lime (mined from limestone – an extractive and finite product) to reduce soil acidity. However, studies have shown that ground eggshells are on par with agricultural lime and can be a more eco-friendly and sustainable way to achieve the same result.4 Of course, gardeners will have to determine the pH of their soil in order to decide whether adding a lot of ground eggshells is a good idea in their situation. Remember, acidic soil is desirable for growing some plants (blueberries and other ericaceous plants), so adding excessive amounts of an alkaline supplement like this one won’t be a good idea if you want to grow plants of this type. Adding eggshells excessively might also be a bad idea if you already have particularly chalky, alkaline soil. 4) When Planting Out Crops While adding supplements like ground eggshells is not always the best idea in all situations, it can often be beneficial to add powdered eggshells to the hole when planting out certain crops. Plants which will benefit from this in particular are those which have high calcium requirements or those which will tend to develop issues if calcium is not sufficient. Larger pieces of eggshell will break down too slowly to do much, but grinding the eggshells and using the powder will make the calcium they contain more readily available for your plants. 5) To Give A Calcium Boost Tomatoes are one plant which can benefit from a sprinkling of crushed eggshells around them to provide calcium, as a calcium deficiency can cause blossom end rot.5 As well as placing powdered eggshells in the planting hole, it can also be beneficial to sprinkle finely crushed eggshells around the plants as part of an organic mulch. All plants need calcium for cell wall development, enzyme activity, nitrate uptake and metabolic processes. Some plants will particularly benefit from a boost of available calcium in the soil including, not just tomatoes, but also peppers, potatoes and other Solanaceae, brassicas, cucurbits, lettuce, and fruit trees like apples, cherries and pears. 6) To Deter Pests Some swear by crushed eggshells to keep slugs and snails away from seedlings and tender young plants. Unfortunately, this anecdote is not borne out by science, and experimentation has shown that slugs are rarely deterred by eggshells and will often pass a barrier of crushed eggshells with no difficulty at all.6 “A recent experiment by the RHS replicating a garden situation revealed that lettuces protected with physical barriers, including, eggshell fragments, suffered the same amount of damage as those lettuces without protection,” adds Colin Skelly.7 However, there is some suggestion that eggshells crushed and laid thickly around the base of plants may at least partially deter soft-bodied pests like cutworms in a garden. Eggshells alone are unlikely to be an answer to a pest problem. When it comes to pest management, it is best to look holistically at the problem and boost biodiversity to attract plenty of predatory creatures to keep pest numbers down. 7) As A Supplement To Chicken Feed If you keep chickens in your garden, you may already know that it is not a good idea to feed whole eggshells as this can encourage egg eating in the coop. However, crushed shells can and should be given as a supplement. 8) As A Feed For Wild Garden Birds You may also add finely crushed eggshells to a bird feeder to keep the wild bird population in your garden healthy.8 9) To Add To Your Composting System Even if you don’t have other uses for them, eggshells can be a good addition to your composting system. Of course, the eggshells will add calcium and other micro-nutrients to the compost, helping to make sure it has a good nutrient profile. Beyond this, eggshells can also be beneficial for earthworms (whether in the soil or the special worms in a vermicomposting system). Grinding up eggshells is best, unless you are bokashi fermenting first, in which case the shells will break down just fine. First of all, ground-up eggshells won’t leave larger, slower-to-break-down pieces in the compost that you retrieve from the system. Secondly, smaller pieces of ground-up eggshell are best for worms, which need grit to digest their food. The ground-up eggshells work very well for this purpose. Crush or grind your eggshells to avoid any issues and get the most benefits from the eggshells in your composting system. References 1. Fight climate change by preventing food waste. (n.d.). World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/fight-climate-change-by-preventing-food-waste 2. Concepts of Eggshell Quality. (n.d.). University of Florida. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VM013 3. Organic Calcium Sources. (n.d.). Grow It Organically. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.grow-it-organically.com/organic-calcium-sources.html 4. Saldanha, R. B., Da Rocha, C. G., Caicedo, A., & Consoli, N. C. (2021). Technical and environmental performance of eggshell lime for soil stabilization. Construction and Building Materials, 298, 123648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123648 5. Blossom end rot. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/problems/blossom-end-rot 6. Barkham, P. (2021, October 29). Eggshell and copper tape do not protect veg from slugs and snails. The Guardian. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/27/eggshell-and-copper-tape-do-not-protect-veg-from-slugs-and-snails 7. Plant pests: research projects by the RHS Entomology scientists. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/plant-health-in-gardens/entomology/rhs-projects-on-plant-pests/gastropod-barriers-experiment 8. Do your bit for birds. (2008, April 29). BBC Norfolk. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2008/04/17/dawn_chorus_do_your_bit_feature.shtml
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Cloches Can Protect Plants And Reduce Losses - Here's When And How To Use Them
IN THIS GUIDE What Is A Cloche? Why Use Them? How To Use Cloches Common Disadvantages How To Make A DIY Cloche References Using cloches in the garden can be a good way to protect plants and reduce losses. It can help you extend your growing season and make more of your space. If you are new to gardening, you may be wondering what a cloche actually is and how you might use one. In this article, we’ll introduce you to this concept, tell you why they are used, and help you understand how and when to use them in your own garden. What Is A Cloche? The term cloche comes from the French word for bell.1 It was originally used to describe glass domes, or bell-shaped covers which were placed over individual plants, or small numbers of plants, in gardens and on farms. Cloches of this type were used in the potager, market gardens and farms in France during the 19th Century – sometimes over all the plants in a field.2 It must have been rather remarkable to see these bell-shaped glass domes covering acres of fields outside Paris, when they were used to supply the households and restaurants in the city with produce outside of the usual season. Across Europe, other forms of cloche began to be used over time. Popular cloches also included ones shaped like little barns, or mini-greenhouses – like those developed by Chase in the 1930s. These are barn-shaped cloches held together in rows by a clever wire framework. You may still see these in traditional walled kitchen gardens. Over time, the word cloche came to refer not only to the original bell-shaped covers, but also to other covers. Of course, the advent of plastics meant that plastic cloches are now a more common option. These come in a range of shapes and sizes, and you can even make your own using items that might otherwise have been thrown away. Today, the term is used to refer to any small glass or plastic-covered frame cover used to protect plants. Why Use Them? Cloches can be used to extend the length of your growing season and make more of your space because they create a small microclimate around the plant or plants which are covered. The covered area affords the plant or plants some level of protection, either from the cold, or from certain pests. Winter Protection The main reason why cloches can be so extremely useful is that when they are used to cover plants, they can alter to temperature below them. Depending on the materials used and the exact design of the cloche in question, they can create a microclimate a couple of degrees, or even more degrees warmer than the surroundings. Cloches are commonly used to allow growers to sow and plant earlier in the spring, to keep plants going longer into the autumn months, to ripen crops such as aubergines and peppers, to grow cut flowers and to strike cuttings in the protected environment. Cloches can be placed to warm the soil prior to spring sowing or planting and can give a few extra weeks for summer crops to ripen as the first frosts approach. They can also be used to provide some protection for more tender plants over the winter months – including ones which you would not usually be able to overwinter successfully where you live. They work in exactly the same way in this regard as any other covered growing area, be it a row cover, cold frame, polytunnel or greenhouse structure. Though cloches are smaller, more portable, more useful for smaller spaces – and can offer more flexibility for gardeners. Protecting From Pests Cloches also provide plants with some level of protection from certain pests. However, the exact design of a cloche will determine how effectively they can serve as a physical barrier to prevent pests from reaching your plants. Of course, cloches can be an effective barrier when pests come from above or from larger pests on the ground, such as pigeons, or other birds, and rabbits, for example. It should be noted that cloches must usually be ventilated in order to gain effective airflow. This means that there may be gaps allowing pests to get through. Since cloches are open at the base, they also will not protect from pests within the soil such as slugs and vine weevil larvae. “Cloches can also help prevent infection from air-borne diseases, such as late blight which affects tomato and potato crops,” shares Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. How To Use Cloches Place cloches in the garden in early spring to warm the soil before sowing or planting out indoors grown plants. Keep cloches over early planted crops to protect them from late frosts and cold snaps. Place cloches over plants like strawberries for example to force an earlier harvest. Put cloches over small seedlings or particularly prized plants throughout the summer to create a physical barrier against certain pests. Protect plants usually too tender for your summer climate with cloches to grow them outdoors where you live. Place cloches over tender plants when an early frost threatens. Use cloches to cover tomato plants or other summer crops to encourage fruits to ripen before the end of the growing season and prolong the period of harvest. Overwinter crops that cannot quite cope with winter conditions where you live under cloches, so you can sow, grow and harvest year-round. Common Disadvantages Though cloches can be very useful in a smaller space to protect plants over winter and to prolong the growing season and in pest control – there can be certain challenges which come along with their use. It is therefore important to choose a cloche wisely, and to use it correctly, in order to make sure that the disadvantages do not outweigh the benefits. Watering & Humidity Of course, when you cover your plants, this means that natural rainfall will be excluded, so you will have to work a little harder to ensure that water needs are met. Cloches will tend to raise humidity levels below them and in certain circumstances, this can be beneficial. However, when ventilation is inadequate, and airflow is lacking, certain diseases such as fungal issues may be more likely to take hold. This is something that you will have to bear in mind when deciding how, where and when to use them. Encouraging Weeds Rainfall flowing down the sides of cloches can create a moist environment around the edges of the cloche where weeds can thrive. Another thing to note is that the warmer environment below a cloche will not only foster good growth of the plants you are protecting, but also of any weeds that germinate. Checking regularly and keeping on top of weeding can therefore be especially important. Pollination Issues Another important thing to remember when plants are grown under any sort of cover is that it may restrict or eliminate pollinator access to the plants. If insect-pollinated crops or wind-pollinated crops are grown under cloches, these should usually be removed during the time when flowers are in bloom, or pollination and fruit set may not occur. How To Make A DIY Cloche Cloches can be purchased, but it is also an excellent idea to consider making your own using reclaimed materials. This is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to protect the plants in your garden. Small mini-greenhouse type cloches can be made from small reclaimed window sections, or even old CD cases. Plastic boxes and clear plastic tubs can also be used. One of the easiest DIY cloche ideas involves the use of plastic drinks bottles or milk containers cut off at the base. Plastic cloches will not warm the environment as much as a glass cover, but they can offer enough protection for many purposes. One benefit of making cloches from plastic milk containers is that the handle can be cut off, and a cane or small branch inserted through it so that the cloches will not blow away. The lid can be removed to allow airflow during the day and then placed back on for extra heat retention at night. Of course, these cloches can only be used for very small seedlings and plants, but they can be very useful for protecting plants sown early in the spring. They can also be used as extra pest protection for plants overwintering outdoors, or in a polytunnel. “Another effective way to make a tunnel cloche is to either purchase wire hoops or make them from pieces of bendable wire or plastic pipe and then drape them with horticultural fleece, mesh or polythene, pegging the material down at the sides to allow ventilation at either end,” shares Roy. “This suits crops or other plants grown in drills, with the material used varied according to the protection required, whether for warmth or against insects.” References 1. Definition of cloche. (2023). In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloche 2. Crown & Colony Antiques. (2017, August 27). French Cloche. Crown and Colony Antiques. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://crownandcolony.com/blog/french-cloche/
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Turn Your Comfrey Leaves Into A Fertiliser 'Tea' And Feed Plants Organically
IN THIS GUIDE Why Grow Comfrey? What Makes It A Good Fertiliser? How To Make Comfrey Tea Fertiliser How To Use Comfrey Feed Storage How Long Does Comfrey Tea Last? Alternative Methods References Comfrey is a ubiquitous plant in sustainable gardening, used in a wide range of different ways. One thing it is especially useful for is making a comfrey fertiliser, or liquid feed. Comfrey is an extremely useful plant, both when growing in the garden, and when chopped and used. In this guide we’ll explain exactly how you can maintain fertility in your garden and keep your plants happy by making a comfrey fertiliser or ‘comfrey tea’ to feed your plants in an organic, eco-friendly way. Before we do – it is worth exploring briefly exactly why comfrey is such a useful plant to grow in your garden; the benefits it can bring for you, wildlife with whom you share your garden, your garden soil and your plants. Why Grow Comfrey? There are a huge range of reasons why comfrey is such a useful plant to grow: Comfrey grows quickly, producing an abundance of organic material. That material can be used as a mulch and soil amendment. It can be used in the creation of no-dig garden beds, added to a compost heap, or, of course, used to make a liquid plant feed. Their quick growth and effective ground cover means that they can be good for stopping the ingress of grasses or weeds into areas where you do not want them. Comfrey plants don’t just grow quickly, they also have very deep tap roots which means that they are very effective ‘dynamic accumulators’. In other words, they are good at taking up nutrients from the soil (we’ll explore this more below).1 When the plant materials are gathered and used, or the plants die back naturally in winter, those nutrients return to the soil and can be taken up by other plants. When comfrey is in flower, they are beloved by bees and other insects. Of course, bees and other pollinators are essential visitors for many of the crops and other plants we grow. Other insects attracted to comfrey can also help in keeping pest numbers down – comfrey is a great plant for organic pest control.2 This plant is also a great addition to the diets of backyard chickens and other livestock. What Makes It A Good Fertiliser? Comfrey is, as mentioned above, great at gathering nutrients.3 It draws up nutrients through its deep roots and stores them in a more bioavailable form. It is this characteristic which makes comfrey great for use as a fertiliser. The nutrients can be harnessed by chopping and dropping the material a couple of times over the growing season. These can either be used as mulch or an ingredient in composting systems or raised beds – where the materials will break down pretty quickly. Or they can be used to make a liquid fertiliser to give certain plants a boost. “I’ve always made a lot of comfrey and nettle feeds,” shares Author and Gardener Tamsin Westhorpe. “This is definitely worth doing as long as you can stand the smell of rotting foliage!” Comfrey (all parts of the plant) contain the three key nutrients required for plant growth: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK).4 Comfrey is said, in particular, to be a good dynamic accumulator of potassium, though it typically also includes plenty of other micro-nutrients in smaller amounts. The exact NPK profile of comfrey will depend on where it is grown, but a mulch or liquid feed made with this plant will be rich in potassium, which makes it particularly beneficial for flowering and fruiting plants. Potassium is important for plants in maintaining their lifecycles and it is especially important during phases of reproduction.5 How To Make Comfrey Tea Fertiliser The first step in making a comfrey tea fertiliser is, of course, choosing and planting your comfrey. One of the most commonly used types of comfrey in gardens in the UK is called Symphytum x uplandicum (Russian comfrey) ‘Bocking 14’.6 This is a sterile cultivar developed in the 1950s by Lawrence Hills, who founded the Henry Doubleday Research Association.7 We do recommend that you choose a sterile cultivar since comfrey, though useful, can easily spread, and wherever it grows, it can be difficult to eradicate due to its deep roots.8 Comfrey is a hardy plant, which can grow well in many gardens with very different conditions. For best results, it should be grown in a sunny or partially shaded or dappled shade site in deep, rich soil. Comfrey is typically harvested for a liquid feed twice in the growing season – once in June, and again in August. The comfrey can simply be chopped down, or mowed. Remember, however, while harvesting, that it may be beneficial to keep some flowering for the wildlife in your garden. Next you should: Chop the comfrey leaves, stems (and flowers where these have emerged) into smaller pieces, which will break down more quickly. Prepare a large bucket, barrel or other receptacle in which to make your liquid feed. It can be beneficial to choose a container which has a tap near the base, so you can draw off the liquid. It should also have a lid, since the comfrey tea will get very smelly! Fill the container with the chopped up comfrey leaves, packing them down to cram in as many as you can. Cover the comfrey with water, placing something on top to hold down the plant material. Then be sure to put the lid back on the container. Next, simply wait until the plant materials rot down into the water. This should take around 4-6 weeks. How To Use Comfrey Feed Run off the slurry and dilute it with water at a ratio of ten parts water to one part of this mix. This will give you a liquid fertiliser that will not be too strong for your plants. You can use this when watering your plants – I tend to fill a watering can with 1/3 of diluted comfrey tea with 2/3 water and use this on plants which will benefit from the potassium. You can also use the diluted mix as a foliar feed – spraying it onto your plants. Comfrey fertiliser can also be added to a composting system to pump up microbial content and nitrogen and aid in speeding decomposition. “When using for the first time, I’d suggest starting with a very weak mix and then check the plants for any ill effects that may look like burning, as too strong a mix can do more harm than good,” shares Dan Ori, a Master Horticulturist. “If all is well after testing a weak mix, you can creep up to 1/3 comfrey tea to 2/3 water, just keep checking the plants for burning, as it can happen that mixes come out too strong.” Storage I tend to plan to use my first batch of comfrey tea in early summer, on summer crops, and the second batch in late summer or early autumn. Storing any liquid feed for a long time is generally not the best idea as it will lose nutrients over time. “Label containers that comfrey tea is stored in correctly,” Dan recommends. How Long Does Comfrey Tea Last? You can leave any remaining comfrey mix in the container in which it was made until spring, though typically, it is best to use it up in the autumn before starting fresh with a new batch the following year. You can also decant the mix and store it in tightly sealed bottles in a cool, dark place for later use. However, it will have a shelf life and is usually best used within around 4 weeks. Alternative Methods If you are pushed for time, you can also make a quick comfrey tea by steeping the leaves in boiling water for just 24 hours. Just leave the leaves in the water, then strain out the leaves and dilute the mix with the same quantity of water and use this to water your plants. Another alternative method is to pack the foliage into a covered container without water. The leaves should turn into a thick blackish goo which can be collected after a few weeks and diluted 1 part to 15 times as much water for use. References 1. Zarro, G. (2020, July 20). Breaking Ground with Dynamic Accumulators. Cornell Small Farms. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2020/07/breaking-ground-with-dynamic-accumulators/ 2. Comfrey: Its History, Uses & Benefits. (2022, June 30). Permaculture. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/comfrey-its-history-uses-benefits/ 3. Comfrey Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Aeronvale Allotments. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://aeronvale-allotments.org.uk/downloads/Comfrey_factsheet-01.pdf 4. Comfrey. (2023, January 10). Garden Organic. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/expert-advice/garden-management/soil/comfrey 5. Potassium for crop production. (n.d.). University of Minnesota. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://extension.umn.edu/phosphorus-and-potassium/potassium-crop-production 6. A survey of comfrey use. (2022, November 15). Garden Organic. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/what-we-do/citizen-science-and-research/members-experiments/a-survey-of-comfrey-use 7. Comfrey. (n.d.). Google Books. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Comfrey.html?id=HWTEOQAACAAJ&redir_esc=y 8. Comfrey – A Controversial Herb. (n.d.). Master Gardener. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.mastergardenersmecklenburg.org/comfrey—a-controversial-herb.html
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You Can Regrow Greens From Carrot Top Scraps And Potentially Collect The Seeds
IN THIS GUIDE Why Regrow From Carrot Tops For Greens? 1) Selecting Carrots To Regrow 2) Choosing A Method 3) Waiting For Shoots & Hair Roots 4) Planting Sprouted Carrot Tops 5) Saving Carrot Seeds Carrot tap roots won’t regrow once chopped off, but you can regrow carrot greens and potentially collect seeds from the plants to sow next year. Learn how to grow carrots from carrot tops and you can make the most of even the vegetable scraps from your garden. You could, of course, simply decide to place carrot tops in your composting system to recycle their nutrients into the garden system – but before you relegate carrot tops to the compost heap or bin, you might want to consider this fun and useful project. It is important, first of all, to understand that when we talk about growing carrots from carrot tops, we do not mean the colourful tasty tap roots. These, unfortunately, are a ‘one-hit wonder’ and will not regrow from the carrot top no matter how long you wait. However, when you place carrot tops in water or a suitable growing medium or soil, you can grow a supply of fresh carrot greens. And, if you leave the plant to grow on, these biennial plants will flower and set seed, and you could potentially collect the seeds from these plants to sow in your garden to grow new carrots for their roots from scratch next year. Why Regrow From Carrot Tops For Greens? When you think about eating carrots, you are most likely to think about eating the roots. Many people are unaware that you can also eat the green leafy foliage that grows from the top of the taproot. This secondary yield from carrots has a rather strong carrot or parsley-like flavour. The fronds can be added in moderation to mixed salads, or used much as you would use parsley, as a pot herb – it can add flavour to a wide range of recipes. While the plants regrow, they can also make rather attractive houseplants for a sunny windowsill. They have soft feathery fronds, and when grown correctly, can flower with delicate flowers and then set seed. Regrowing carrots is a fun activity to enjoy with kids, or simply to hone your own simple growing skills. And there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in really making the most of a homegrown carrot crop, or of parts of your purchased carrots that might otherwise have been thrown into the composting system. 1) Selecting Carrots To Regrow The first thing to think about is the carrots that you select to regrow. If you grow your own carrots, you should consider saving the tops of the best and healthiest specimens. I’d recommend that you choose organic, heritage options. If you wish to save your own seeds it is important to remember that hybrid varieties will not ‘come true’. In other words, the plants which grow from the seeds may not be the same as the parent plant they came from. “Heritage or heirloom varieties also may not produce ‘true’ seed if there are other varieties nearby with which they have cross-pollinated,” adds Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish. If you have purchased your carrots, from a supermarket, farmer’s market, farm shop or through a veg box scheme, you might not always know which type of carrot you have. Remember, where possible, purchasing organic produce direct from the producer is the most eco-friendly and sustainable option. While this is more expensive on the whole, learning about regrowing can help you buy less and eat better for less overall. 2) Choosing A Method Once you have your carrots, simply cut off the ends of the roots from which the foliage grows, leaving around 2cm or so of the taproots. Eat the rest of the carrots, or set them aside to eat later – what comes next could not be easier. “If the carrots have foliage, cut this back to a few centimetres, because until new roots form, this growth will only wilt,” shares Peter. You simply need to place the carrots, cut side down, in a position where new shoots will emerge from the top, and small hair-like roots will emerge around the edges of the former tap root. For this, sunlight and water are required. There are a few different methods you could use in terms of where exactly you position your carrot tops. You can: Place the carrots into a shallow tray or saucer of water. Arrange the carrots on top of damp pebbles surrounded by water in a tray or on a plate. Layer damp newspaper or scrap untreated paper/card in a shallow container and place the carrot tops on top of that. Whichever option you choose, you should place your carrots on a sunny windowsill. 3) Waiting For Shoots & Hair Roots Once you have placed your carrot tops in a suitable location, the next job is simply to wait for new shoots to emerge from the top of each one. This should not take very long at all and usually, you should see new growth within around a week or so, perhaps even sooner. As well as seeing fresh green growth at the top of the new plants, you should also see, before too long, small new roots like little hairs coming out around the edges of the former tap root. Once you see some of these new roots, you can think about planting up your new carrot plants into their own pots, within the next couple of weeks, so you can continue to enjoy them as houseplants within your home or plan them out into the soil in your garden if it is between late spring and late summer. 4) Planting Sprouted Carrot Tops Carrots need a moist yet free-draining medium, such as peat-free compost, and the right conditions are easy to achieve when growing them in pots for this secondary yield of leaves, or letting them grow on to produce seeds. Simply place your carrots in small pots filled with a suitable growing medium, so that the top crown of the carrot is just sticking above the surface of the potting mix. Then watch your carrots grow and harvest the foliage as and when required or desired. “If you have got the bug for propagating your own veg plants from their tops, why not try the same thing with pineapples?” asks Peter. “Their tops can be used to grow another fruit, but you’ll need patience as this can take a couple of years.” 5) Saving Carrot Seeds If you leave your carrots to mature, they will grow larger, flower, and form seeds. Carrots are biennial, which means that they go to seed in their second year. When you grow carrots from carrot tops, you are allowing carrots to enter this second phase of their life cycles. Just remember that if you want to save seeds from your carrots, these will not necessarily have the same, tasty tap roots as the original unless you have a heritage or heirloom variety. Carrots grown from tops may not always develop full flowering heads. If you want a more reliable way to save seeds then leave a few carrot plants unharvested to flower the following summer. However, if your carrot regrowth does flower, you can leave the head to fully mature. Wait until the flowering head begins to turn brown and dry out, then carefully cut it off. Place it in a small paper bag where drying can continue, and the tiny seeds will fall from the heads into the bag with a gentle shake. You can now retrieve and store the darkened little seeds in a cool, dry location in an airtight container and sow them the following year, either in containers, or outdoors in your garden. By selecting and saving seeds from heritage carrot varieties, you can selectively breed carrots ideally suited to the conditions where you live and create closed-loop, sustainable growing systems in your garden.
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A Beginner’s Guide To Crop Rotation With Garden Presenter Ade Sellars
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Crop Rotation? Why Practice Crop Rotation? Which Crops Need Rotating? Adding Nitrogen Through Rotation Planning Your Growing 3 Year Crop Rotation Example 4 Year Crop Rotation Example Key Tips For Crop Rotation Combining Crop Rotation & Companion Planting Year-Round Growing Growing Gaps References Understanding crop rotation can go a long way toward helping you manage disease and maintain fertility in an organic garden. In this beginner’s guide to crop rotation you will find out what crop rotation means, why we practice it, and the crops for which it is most important. We’ll give you some tips for crop rotation and some examples which will help you in making planting plans and determining the layout of plants in your garden. What Is Crop Rotation? Crop rotation can be a simple concept, but it is one which can cause some confusion, especially for new gardeners. It simply involves taking steps to make sure that you do not grow the same plant family in the same part of your garden over more than one year. Rather than growing, say, tomatoes or potatoes in the same bed year after year, you will ‘rotate’ them between a number of different raised beds or growing areas over the course of several years. Why Practice Crop Rotation? Before we delve into crop rotation a little deeper, it is important to look into why this can be a beneficial practice when it comes to your annual crops. We practice crop rotation because it can prevent or decrease the likelihood of a range of common issues, and bring a range of benefits. We practice crop rotation to: Make sure different garden areas get the nitrogen (and other nutrients) they need.1 To prevent nutrients from being excessively depleted from the soil.2 In order to reduce disease build-up in the soil of our growing areas.3 To reduce pest problems (especially those pests which spend the winter in the soil in your garden). Keep crops healthier by taking care of the soil.4 Which Crops Need Rotating? Crop rotation is often beneficial for all the reasons mentioned above, but you should note that it is only strictly essential for a number of specific crop families. Some plants can definitely cause or encounter issues when grown in one spot year in year out, while others will be perfectly happy remaining in one growing area as long as their needs are all taken care of. “Some crops, such as Asparagus and Rhubarb, stay in the same ground for a number of years rather than rotating as they are perennial rather than annual crops,” shares Colin Skelly, an RHS Master Horticulturist. “Soil care for perennial crops involves weeding (as the ground will not be turned) and mulching in late winter.” Identifying the families of plants which most benefit from crop rotation, and which can most suffer if grown in the same area year after year is important. Three key plant families to think about are: Solanaceae – potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, aubergines etc. Brassicaceae (Cabbage family) – cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and so on… Alliums (Onion family) – onions, garlic, leeks etc. Root crops like carrots, parsnips, beetroot etc. can also be more prone to problems if grown in one bed or area year after year – though are not quite as problematic as the three families mentioned above. Members in the tomato/potato family grown in the same location for multiple years are more likely to develop issues with fungal disease – blight for example. Cabbage family plants are hungry plants which will deplete nutrients such as soil nitrogen when grown in one spot.5 When crop rotation is not practised, these crops are also more likely to develop issues like root rot. Onions (as well as some root crops like carrots) are also more likely to succumb to disease if you grow them in the same place year in year out. Adding Nitrogen Through Rotation As well as thinking about the different families mentioned above, when developing a crop rotation scheme it is important also to think about crops which it is beneficial to move between your different growing areas. Legumes (peas and beans) are one of the most important pieces of the puzzle in a successful crop rotation scheme. These plants will not really suffer themselves if grown in one specific location over the years, but the benefits they bring mean that it is a good idea to move them around each year. Peas and beans (and other legumes) are nitrogen fixers.6 This means that they have symbiotic relationships with bacteria on their roots which are able to convert atmospheric nitrogen and make it available in the soil.7 Some of that nitrogen is used by the plants themselves, but some will remain in the soil and can be used by plants which follow them in rotation. Planning Your Growing When planning for crop rotation then, it is important to remember the key plant families, both those which need crop rotation to prevent problems, and the legumes which will benefit other plants more when moved around. Usually, gardeners will aim for either a three-year or four-year crop rotation plan which includes these key plant families. There is certainly some flexibility, and of course you can also grow a range of other plants to include in a crop rotation plan for annual food production, but the core of a plan will often look as follows: 3 Year Crop Rotation Example Year One: BED/AREA 1: POTATOES BED/AREA 2: LEGUMES, ROOTS & ONIONS BED/AREA 3: CABBAGE FAMILY PLANTS Year Two: BED/AREA 1: LEGUMES, ROOTS & ONIONS BED/AREA 2: CABBAGE FAMILY PLANTS BED/AREA 3: POTATOES Year Three: BED/AREA 1: CABBAGE FAMILY PLANTS BED/AREA 2: POTATOES BED/AREA 3: LEGUMES, ROOTS & ONIONS 4 Year Crop Rotation Example Year One: BED/AREA 1: LEGUMES BED/AREA 2: BRASSICAS BED/AREA 3: POTATOES BED/AREA 4: ONIONS / ROOT CROPS Year Two: BED/AREA 1: BRASSICAS BED/AREA 2: POTATOES BED/AREA 3: ONIONS / ROOT CROPS BED/AREA 4: LEGUMES Year Three: BED/AREA 1: POTATOES BED/AREA 2: ONIONS / ROOT CROPS BED/AREA 3: LEGUMES BED/AREA 4: BRASSICAS Year Four: BED/AREA 1: ONIONS / ROOT CROPS BED/AREA 2: LEGUMES BED/AREA 3: BRASSICAS BED/AREA 4: POTATOES Key Tips For Crop Rotation In both of the above schemes, you can see that certain types of crop will always follow others. There are benefits to the order of the crop rotation as well as just rotating the crops. It is often recommended to: Follow legumes with cabbage family crops, which really appreciate nitrogen. Follow potatoes with onions and root crops, since the potatoes help break up the soil creating good conditions for these crops to grow. However, there are few hard and fast rules and you can experiment to see which plant combinations and crop rotation plans work best in your garden. Combining Crop Rotation & Companion Planting One important thing to remember is that your beds should not only contain the main crops outlined in the crop rotation schemes above. Though it can be helpful to pare things back in this way to understand the principles of crop rotation, you should understand that growing companion plants alongside these key crops is another important strategy in keeping plants and soil healthy and improving your yields. Many people get confused about how to combine the idea of crop rotation with the idea of companion planting – but the two ideas can be combined in a range of effective ways. The key is to begin with the main plant families which require crop rotation, then to build up polycultures of diverse plants around those main plant families. For example, alongside potatoes you might grow additional nitrogen fixers, like peas. You might also grow lettuce and radishes in the gaps between potatoes before they need the space. Growing onions and carrots together is already an example of companion planting, and growing them together can help in pest control for both. Legume beds might also contain a number of other plants which benefit from nitrogen fixation. Leafy crops in summer may also benefit from the shade cast by taller peas and beans. Brassicas can appreciate the company of beetroots, and celery, and growing low-growing lettuce and other leafy greens can also help you make the most of your space. Onion family plants may also sometimes be good companions for brassicas, but make sure you think about crop rotation and amend plans accordingly if you wish to grow them together, so you do not have onions grown too frequently in the same areas. Year-Round Growing Another thing that can confuse people when creating crop rotation plans is how to work out plans for year-round growing. Ideally, no beds or growing areas in your garden should be left bare at any time. Even over the winter months, it is best for soil health to keep a living root in the soil and keep it covered. Especially in a polytunnel or other undercover growing area, you will be able to grow your own not just in summer, but all year round. With some careful planning, you can create plans which allow for crop rotation, companion planting and year-round cultivation. For example, overwintering broad beans or peas might be followed by brassicas in early summer. Overwintering brassicas might be followed by French beans, squash and sweetcorn. Alliums and roots grown over winter might be followed by tomatoes and companion plants. These are just a few examples and there are many ways to create successful crop rotation plans, even when you are using the growing areas year-round. Growing Gaps When growing year-round, it is important to think about how you can avoid any gaps in your planting schemes. You should not leave areas of bare soil when other plants are not going to be positioned right away. Where you will not be growing crops immediately, cover crops and green manures can be used in rotation plans. These protect the soil and are often chopped and dropped to maintain fertility in the areas in question. Cover crops and green manures will also allow you to protect all outdoor growing areas over the winter months. However, sometimes, you can strategically use gaps in your planting to your advantage, as Garden Writer Kim Stoddart shares: “Free planting is the method of gardening I have employed for a number of years now in the vegetable garden and it is a slight alternative to crop rotation. “It is also known as polyculture in permaculture circles. The basis is that I allow space between plants of the same family rather than planting in crop rotational blocks. “This makes it much harder for pests to find what they are looking for and for diseases to spread. “You can also grow on a lot of plants for longer than you would otherwise imagine which can help boost resilience massively. “For example, purple-sprouting broccoli and chard can actually grow on for a number of years if you just cut them right back when they start trying to flower.” The ideas behind crop rotation are clear and simple to understand – companion planting and year-round growing can add a little complexity. But with a little work, you should be able to create excellent plans for your garden, to keep it healthy and make the most of your space. References 1. Value of crop rotation in nitrogen management. (n.d.). Iowa State University. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/value-crop-rotation-nitrogen-management 2. Crop Rotation Monitoring. (2022, August 11). EOS Data Analytics. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://eos.com/industries/agriculture/crop-rotation/ 3. Managing Plant Diseases With Crop Rotation. (2022, February 9). SARE. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.sare.org/publications/crop-rotation-on-organic-farms/physical-and-biological-processes-in-crop-production/managing-plant-diseases-with-crop-rotation/ 4. Crop Rotations. (2020, December 15). Rodale Institute. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-farming-practices/crop-rotations/ 5. Nduwumuremyi, A., & Sylvestre, H. (2020, December 18). Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilizers on Soil Nutrients and Yield of Headed Cabbages. ResearchGate. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347463824_Effects_of_Organic_and_Mineral_Fertilizers_on_Soil_Nutrients_and_Yield_of_Headed_Cabbages_Brassica_orelacea 6. Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria. (n.d.). Tropical Permaculture. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/nitrogen-fixing-bacteria.html 7. Genetic and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Symbiotic Specificity in Legume-Rhizobium Interactions. (n.d.). Frontiers. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2018.00313/full
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Why It Might Not Be A Good Idea To Grow Potatoes From Store-Bought Ones
IN THIS GUIDE Why Grow From Store-Bought Potatoes? Why It’s Not Always A Good Idea Is It A Good Idea For You? Choosing Seed Potatoes How To Chit Potatoes Planting Store-Bought Potatoes References Growing your own potatoes can be a wonderful way to become more self-sufficient. But can you grow potatoes from store-bought potatoes? The answer is that yes, you can grow potatoes from store-bought potatoes – but a better question is perhaps whether doing so is a good idea. You might be attracted by the idea of planting store-bought potatoes rather than buying seed potatoes – but this may not always be the most sensible option, and you might not always achieve the best results. We’ll help you decide whether or not this is the best option for you, help you choose potato varieties, and explain how to prepare and plant them in your garden. Why Grow From Store-Bought Potatoes? Growing potatoes from store-bought potatoes can be tempting. It is a much more affordable option than buying special seed potatoes for the purpose. Store-bought potatoes are usually inexpensive, and you will often have to pay more for seed potatoes. Reducing Waste What is more, you don’t even necessarily have to plant the whole of a bought potato in the ground. You can also eat some of a potato and plant small scraps with ‘eyes’ on them once you are done. Using scraps to grow new food can be a good way to reduce waste and to get started with growing your own for less. If you successfully grow healthy tubers the first year, you can potentially save tubers from your own organically grown plants to plant the following year. Why It’s Not Always A Good Idea Late blight Unfortunately, while it may be tempting to grow from shop-bought potatoes, this is not always a good idea. The main reason is that store-bought potatoes are not certified seed potatoes, which means that they can introduce harmful potato diseases into your soil which will be difficult, or even near impossible, to get rid of once they arrive. Fungal Diseases Potatoes can be infected with a range of soil-borne fungal diseases such as wilt, black dot and – worst of all, potato blight, which can be a particular problem here in the UK. “Certified seed potatoes are disease-free, meaning that you are starting with a blank slate whereas you may import disease on certified potatoes,” shares Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “Viruses are a major cause of damage to potato crops and cannot be tackled by the home grower other than by avoiding them in the first place by buying certified stock. “Diseases can of course find their way onto the potatoes once they’re in the ground but starting from an assurance that you aren’t introducing them is a good way to go.” Tubers can rot in the ground before they even sprout, and the micro-organisms which cause the problems will remain in the soil and mean that you cannot grow potatoes or any other susceptible plants in this growing area for a number of years. Sprout Inhibitors In the past in the UK (and presently in North America and other jurisdictions) another reason why it is not a good idea to use store-bought potatoes is that potatoes for sale were (are) often treated with a sprout inhibitor called Chlorpropham.1 This has been banned in the EU and UK since 2019 and was prohibited for sale from January 2020.2 However, it is still used in North America. Chlorpropham will wash and wear off over time, and sometimes, bought potatoes would still sprout after a certain period, but this substance stays in the environment for a long time and may bioaccumulate. It has been detected in potatoes even after they are boiled.3 Therefore, if you live somewhere (outside of the UK) where a sprout-inhibitor is used, we would certainly not recommend choosing to grow from potatoes on which it was used. Is It A Good Idea For You? Whether or not you should grow potatoes from store-bought potatoes very much depends on your priorities, and on how much risk you are happy to take in your garden. First things first, think about where you have purchased your potatoes. Organic potatoes produced by local, sustainable farmers on a local farm will likely pose far less of a risk than those from a major supermarket store. If your budget is very tight, growing from store-bought potatoes may sometimes be a better choice than not growing at all. So while it does come with risk of diseases, it can still sometimes be worthwhile to take that risk. Utilising Containers If you do decide to grow from shop-bought potatoes or potato scraps, we would recommend growing in containers or grow bags. That way, at least you know that you will not be introducing diseases to your garden soil. The following year, providing that you have not encountered any issues, you could consider saving back a few of the tubers to plant in a larger garden area the following year, to save more money in your garden moving forwards. Just remember to practice crop rotation to ensure that you do not build up disease, and remember that you may still get better results if you buy in certified seed potatoes instead. Choosing Seed Potatoes If you would rather not take the risk, and can afford to do so, choosing and purchasing certified seed potatoes is certainly the best option. Remember to do your research and think about which potatoes you like to eat, and how you like to cook them. There are first early, second early and maincrop potatoes which are typically harvested at different times, and at different sizes. It is always best to make sure that you purchase through a trustworthy supplier, and to choose organic seed potatoes where possible. Seed potatoes sold in England and Wales must be registered under the Seed Potato Classification Scheme (SPCS) certified by DEFRA4, and those in Scotland under a separate SPCS, certified by SASA.5 These schemes ensure that the seed potatoes meet specified minimum health and quality standards. These seed potatoes must be healthy, true to variety and free from mixtures – guarantees which you will obviously not get if you plant random potatoes from the shops. How To Chit Potatoes Potatoes chitting in egg cartons While not strictly essential, it can in my opinion be a good idea to chit potatoes before you plant them in the ground or putting them in containers. Whether you are using store-bought or certified seed potatoes, this can allow you to verify that the tubers have sprouted with green shoots before you place them below the ground. Chitting potatoes begins early in the year, when you simply place the potatoes or certified seed potatoes on a cool yet bright windowsill to sprout green shoots from the small dimples known as eyes. You should do this around 6-8 weeks before you plan to plant out your potatoes. Planting Store-Bought Potatoes In spring, when the time comes to plant out your potatoes where you live, simply prepare your growing area or containers and carefully transfer your potatoes to the place where they are to grow. Just be careful not to knock off the shoots if you chitted them first. Put them into place with the shoots facing upwards, then gently cover them over with soil/ potting medium. For best results, you should consider adding some comfrey leaves or other organic material into the planting hole to provide fertility. Then simply water them into place. See our storage guidelines for tips on keeping potatoes ready to eat. References 1. University of Hertfordshire. (n.d.). Chlorpropham. Pesticide Properties DataBase. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en/Reports/153.htm 2. Chlorpropham (CIPC) banned by the EU. (n.d.). NFU. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.nfuonline.com/archive?treeid=119530 3. Sakaliene, O., Koskinen, W. C., Blazauskiene, G., & Petroviene, I. (2008). Level and fate of chlorpropham in potatoes during storage and processing. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B-Pesticides Food Contaminants and Agricultural Wastes, 44(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601230802519470 4. The Seed Potato Classification Scheme. (2022, October 12). GOV.UK. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-seed-potato-classification-scheme 5. Seed & Ware Potatoes | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture). (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.sasa.gov.uk/seed-ware-potatoes
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No Dig Gardening Explained For Beginners: Experts Share The Benefits And Their Advice
IN THIS GUIDE What Is No Dig Gardening? No Dig Benefits No Dig Garden Bed Types Transforming An Existing Garden Bed Maintaining A No Dig Garden References Learn all about no dig gardening, this eco-friendly and sustainable organic gardening method. As you read about organic gardening, you will no doubt come across the term ‘no dig gardening’ or ‘no till’ and may wonder what it means. No dig gardening is not complicated, but it does depart from some ‘traditional’ gardening lore. “Some people think it’s a lazy form of gardening, but the truth is you must put a lot of effort into making your own compost, sourcing compost and collecting mulches,” says Garden Blogger Jenny Thompson. “Try shifting and spreading over 3,000 litres of compost onto beds and I can assure you it’s not for the idle gardener!” While some traditionalists may baulk at this idea, it is now increasingly apparent that gardening in this way is the best way to maintain a healthy and productive organic garden. What Is No Dig Gardening? No dig gardening is a term that is largely self-explanatory. In a no dig garden, you do not dig or till to prepare the soil in your growing areas or to work in organic matter. Instead, you lay organic matter on top of the soil and you let nature do the work for you. The goal is to leave the soil as undisturbed as possible. “No dig gardening – how did I not have that earlier in my life?” says Kate Cotterill, Organic Gardener. “It liberates you completely. Once you get your plants off the ground, it means you spend a lot less time digging over your garden and weeding.” “There are also so many other benefits to it.” Since the soil in a no-dig garden is left largely undisturbed, the complex web of soil life is allowed to thrive.1 And that life, from the earthworms to the microscopic bacteria and fungi, will slowly break down the organic matter and incorporate it into the soil. “I first started dabbling with nodig back in 2014 after my gardens flooded,” shares the Climate Gardener Kim Stoddart. “I realised how this approach could help to build soil structure to help the ground cope with more water than dug-over soil. There are so many benefits as we now know.” In no dig gardening we: Don’t dig or till wherever possible. Take steps to avoid soil compaction. Keep the soil covered with mulches or living plants at all times, keeping a living root in the soil as frequently as we can. “I think once you understand even a little about soil biology, it’s hard to refute the principles of no-dig,” says Jenny. “With no dig, we practice minimal soil disturbance. This allows the organisms within the soil to flourish. “The web of life that exists within healthy soil is mind-blowing. One teaspoon of healthy soil can contain more microorganisms than there are people on the planet.” Understanding Organic Matter If you are new to gardening, you might not be familiar with the term organic matter. This is a term that it is vital to understand if you are trying to garden successfully in an organic, sustainable way. Organic matter is material containing carbon that derives from living things. In general terms, it is dead plant or animal matter, and animal waste.2 Soil organic matter is one component of a healthy, living soil. And gardeners add organic matter to improve the soil and add fertility. The types of organic matter added to soil might be brown organic matter: composts, manures and rotted dried leaves (leaf mould). They might be green organic matter – green leaves, vegetable scraps etc. Learning how to add more organic matter in your garden is always crucial to success. It might be helpful to think about the organic matter as “nature’s recycling”.3 Adding organic matter to the soil surface in your garden growing areas mimics the natural processes which take place in nature on a forest or woodland floor. The leaves fall, and begin to decay, and the complex web of soil life returns the nutrients they contain to the system. No dig gardening is about harnessing this natural process to create a closed-loop, natural system in your cultivated garden. “No dig works with nature, not against it and helps to make gardening more accessible for many people,” says Stephanie Hafferty, an Organic Gardener. No Dig Benefits Understanding why no dig gardening is a good idea involves understanding soil. Soil is far more than just ‘dirt’. Healthy soil is a living ecosystem, which we depend upon for almost all our gardening endeavours. It is made up of: Minerals Air Water Organic Matter Living Organisms No dig gardening is the best approach to keep these elements in balance, and the precious soil ecosystem functioning as it should. “All plants love it,” shares No-Dig Pioneer Charles Dowding. “An easy one for starting in springtime is potatoes or garlic (cloves) in October.” Remember, without the soil, we could not grow anything in our gardens. “No dig gardening protects mycorrhizae, other fungal networks and soil life (bacteria, nematodes etc) which creates excellent growing conditions for plants,” says Stephanie. “Digging destroys this vital ecosystem.” We rely on the soil for so much, so we should always be sure to take care of it. Environmental When we dig or till the soil, and when we leave it bare, we cause damage to this ecosystem. The soil can more easily lose its nutrients, be eroded by wind and rain and become compacted or overly saturated.4 When we disturb the soil, the beneficial organisms working away below the surface decrease, and the fertility of the soil slowly diminishes over time.5 We now know that the no-dig approach helps the microbiome in the soil, so your plants are, in turn, healthier,” says Kate. “This also means you can grow plants closer together, as the soil is richer in nutrients and retains water well, which is better for the environment.” Research from IPCC has confirmed that tilled or dug soil also becomes an emitter of carbon and greenhouse gases.6 Their work found that tilled soil produced 31% greater Global Warming Potential than non-tilled soil (on an area basis). So no dig gardening can also help you play a role in tackling our climate crisis. By keeping soil covered and avoiding disturbance and bare soil, a no dig gardening approach increases the amount of carbon stored in the soil in your garden – keeping it out of the atmosphere where it causes global warming. Increasing Yields What is more, no dig gardening can often be easier for the gardener too, since you will avoid the back-breaking work involved in digging garden beds manually. Gardeners and researchers are discovering that taking a no dig approach can increase yields and enhance species diversity over time.7 This is the most effective way to build new garden growing areas and to maintain existing beds and borders. No Dig Garden Bed Types If you would like to create a new growing area in your garden, there are several different ways to do so if you are taking a no dig approach. The most common options are: Lasagne Gardens Hugelkultur Straw Bale Gardens Lasagne Gardens A lasagne garden is a no dig bed which is, essentially, a type of composting. The idea is to layer organic matter on top of the soil. Since (just like in a composting system) you add different layers, the idea is called ‘lasagne gardening’. Just as you would build up the layers in the classic Italian dish, so too, in a lasagne garden, you layer up the natural ingredients to prepare your growing area. To make a lasagne garden you: Mark out the area for your new bed, adding bed edging if you wish to keep things neat. Remember that you can use a range of natural or reclaimed materials as bed edging. Make sure that you can easily reach all parts of the bed, so you will not step on and compact it. Layer untreated cardboard over the soil (or grass if you are creating the area over a lawn). Add a layer of carbon rich material (wood chips, dry leaves, straw, bracken etc.) over the cardboard. Aim for around 5cm in depth. Next, add a 5cm layer of nitrogen rich material (green leaves, manure, vegetable scraps etc.) Continue to layer carbon rich and nitrogen rich materials until your bed is at least 35cm deep (or the required height for the raised bed). Add a final layer of good quality compost, topsoil or loam into which you can plant. Water the area well, making sure that the layers are all moistened. Plant up your new raised bed. Mulch around the plants with a suitable organic mulch. Different plants will require different mulches, since different types of organic matter will have different properties and provide different nutrients. Hugelkultur Hugelkultur is another type of no dig raised bed. The word hugelkultur comes from the German for ‘mound culture’.8 A hugelkultur bed is a mounded bed which is built up in much the same way as a lasagne bed – with one key difference. Before the layers are added, as above, a central core of rotting wood is created. This core forms the skeleton of the new growing area, creating a hilled shape, usually at least 50cm and sometimes up to 1.5m or more high at the centre, rather than a flat-topped bed. The wood slowly decomposes and the mound will sink over time, but as it does so, it will retain plenty of moisture, and harbour plenty of beneficial life. Another benefit of hugelkultur is that it increases the growing area available. The mounded shape also provides different environmental conditions, so that a number of different plants with different needs can be grown in a smaller area. Plants that prefer sunnier conditions can be placed on the south or west side of the mound, and those which like less sun to the south or east. Moisture-loving plants will thrive near the base of the sides, while those with deeper roots, and/or more drought tolerance, go at the top. Once the central core is created, you should proceed to add the outer layers as above. You can then plant up the mound to stabilise the sloping sides right away. Straw Bale Gardens One other interesting idea to consider is straw bale gardening. As the name suggests – this involves growing plants in the tops of straw bales, rather than in the soil. Strawbales can sometimes be found free of charge from local farms as an agricultural byproduct, or (more commonly) purchased for a small price. The bales can simply be placed where you wish your new growing area to go. They will break down over time and can be contained with bed edging for a neater appearance. The bales should then be watered with a compost tea or other nitrogen-rich feed to begin the process of decomposition – and topped with a layer or with planting pockets of good quality compost into which plants can be placed. Experienced Horticulturist Dan Ori does offer a word of warning though: “Although straw can be a good growing medium it can take a lot of water to work well. “Both straw, hugelkultur, and lasagne beds with straw can encourage high slug and snail populations. “If you already have an abundance of slugs and a shortage of water, my recommendation would be to try a layering system, adding additional well-rotted garden compost on top after each harvest. “You will need plenty of compost with no-dig, so to save buying in too much, get composting quick!” Transforming An Existing Garden Bed Even if you do not want to create a new growing area, you can still get started with no dig gardening. Converting to no dig simply involves sheet mulching – laying organic matter over the soil surface to protect it and gradually improve it over time. Mulching “The best tip for no-dig gardening is just mulch, mulch and more mulch,” explains Jenny. “Ideally, lay a thick layer of homemade compost once a year, but I also use grass clippings, fallen leaves and even seaweed (rinsed first to wash excess salt off).” Any areas of bare soil should be covered – either with living plants or with organic mulches. Remember, mulches should be chosen with reference to the plants already growing in the area. Generally, the best time to add a mulch is in the spring, though mulches can be added at any time of the year. If you are sheet mulching around existing plants, there is one important thing to remember – keep the mulch away from the trunks or stems of the plants. Mulch piled around the base of plants can cause them to rot. Heavier mulches with woody material are best restricted to perennial shrubs and trees, since woody material will sequester nitrogen (one of the essential plant nutrients) as it breaks down. Though you can add woody material as part of a mixed mulch as long as there is also plenty of nitrogen-rich material to provide the additional nitrogen required. It is often a good idea to grow plants that provide you with materials for mulches. Many plants grow quickly and are good at accumulating certain specific nutrients. Plants that are good at gathering certain nutrients are called dynamic accumulators.9 These can be chopped and dropped as mulches around existing plants. But the most important resource to have in a no dig garden is a good quality compost and of course, it is much cheaper, easier and more eco-friendly if you make your own. Maintaining A No Dig Garden Once you have created a no dig gardening area, maintenance is all about keeping the soil covered with plants and mulches and building up new layers of organic matter over the area over time. Usually, mulches will be replenished each spring, just before the start of the main growing season – compost will often be added when switching out crops in rotation. Other mulches may also be added for specific purposes and at specific times. Placing a mulch of potassium-rich comfrey leaves around tomatoes when they begin to set fruit is one example. “Mulching is a resilient must and can help further boost soil health and lock in moisture into the ground to make it easier on plants and gardeners during a period of heat,” adds Kim. “You can use all sorts of materials you might already have to hand, such as compost, woodchips, leaf mold, grass clippings, compost, cardboard, wool, seaweed or even nibbled plant leaves – it all helps!” Weeding Weeding is much reduced in a no dig garden, since mulches suppress weed growth. And since the soil is not disturbed, fewer weed seeds are exposed to the light and germinate. But you may well still need to weed here and there in a no dig garden. Weeds are usually lightly hoed, or pulled by hand little and often. Planting Consistency Remember that it is always best to keep living plants in the soil as much as possible, as Kim explains: “I would recommend trying to use ground cover plants as much as you can to further protect soil from drying out. “Also consider what I call a free-planting approach, which basically means leaving a lot of space (about 6ft) between many plants of the same family to help reduce the risk of pests and airborne fungi, both of which are a major threat with climate change.” This means thinking about successional sowing throughout the growing season, and about placing cover crops or green manures in the ground over the winter months or during gaps in rotation. No dig gardening is a great choice for any organic garden. There is of course more to learn, but this beginner’s guide should help you get started in your garden. References 1. No Dig Gardening. (2023, February 16). Garden Organic. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/expert-advice/garden-management/soil/the-nodig-method 2. Funderburg, E. (2001, August). What Does Organic Matter Do In Soil? Noble Research Institute. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.noble.org/news/publications/ag-news-and-views/2001/august/what-does-organic-matter-do-in-soil/ 3. Nature’s nutrient cycle. (2019, September 30). European Environment Agency. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2019-content-list/infographics/agriculture/view 4. Begum, T. (2021, April 16). Soil degradation: the problems and how to fix them. Natural History Museum. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/soil-degradation.html 5. Gray, R. (n.d.). Why soil is disappearing from farms. BBC. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/why-soil-is-disappearing-from-farms/ 6. Mangalassery, S., Sjögersten, S., Sparkes, D. L., Sturrock, C. J., Craigon, J., & Mooney, S. J. (2015). To what extent can zero tillage lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from temperate soils? Scientific Reports, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep04586 7. Grosvenor, G. (2020, July 19). No-dig gardening and chaos planting yields many rows of surprises. Whitchurch Herald. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.whitchurchherald.co.uk/news/18590842.no-dig-gardening-chaos-planting-yields-many-rows-surprises/ 8. Henderson, J. (2022, December 16). Hügelkultur Gardening. EcoFarming Daily. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.ecofarmingdaily.com/eco-farming-index/hugelkultur-gardening/ 9. Kitsteiner, J. (2015, April 10). The Facts about Dynamic Accumulators. The Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.permaculturenews.org/2015/04/10/the-facts-about-dynamic-accumulators/
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