Tuesday, 7th May, 2022
The Day’s hand-picked ideas, tips to better grow Vegs, and meet people you should know.
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1
Good for You, and the Environment
"Beyond the plants you choose, you can also help the planet by the way you choose to fertilize and water your garden." — Since the pandemic, many more people have (re)turned to their garden for to better use that space and make the most of that investment, while also reducing food bills. I help you develop the skills you need to do just that, and hopefully you’ll pass it on to your children and friends too!
2
Food for thought
"It turns out you might be wasting money if you are buying organic food products from the discount retailer Walmart" — this actually applies to most supermarkets. Beyond the price you pay in hard cash, there is also something missing on the labels of the Vegs and fruits you buy: how nutritious are they? Just because it’s green leaves or red tomatoes it doesn’t mean they are giving you the nutrients you need: “the global toll of people affected by micronutrient deficiency is estimated to be even higher and probably exceeds two billion. Micronutrient deficiencies can exist in populations even where the food supply is adequate in terms of meeting energy requirements” (read more about it and what you can do to get more of those micronutrients)
3
Watering is a bit like brushing your teeth
"When it comes to watering a garden – how, when and how often you water plays a big role in your plant’s overall health. With proper watering, plants are able develop strong, deep and healthy roots. But without it, trouble can loom quickly." — Learn how to do it properly here! I have to confess: I don’t have much time and watering does take much time. So instead I combine other methods in my gardening with container gardening (with a twist so Vegs self-service whatever water they need) and growing Vegs with Smart Aquaponics Greenhouse which uses 90% less water and is does the watering itself too.
4
People you should know
"gardener, homesteader, author and video creator. Together with my husband, Mr J, we share our journey to self-sufficiency. Growing vegetables, fruit and herbs, as well as flower gardening, and living a more sustainable life" Byther Farm. — Liz and her husband run Byther Farm and are honest about what they try to do with their land and seek to produce as much of their own food as possible. And they share their progress on their blog, and book “Grounded”. And how not to get excited about what they grow?
5
Never a dill moment
A very English affair: "June is prime time for brilliant gardeners and barmily generous householders to throw open the gates to their gorgeous borders; home-made water features and adorable cats. It’s garden visiting season! Never mind the perfect show gardens of Chelsea, this is when you can find out how your neighbours tackle ground elder, and what return they get on their solar panels. Also, just how much early evening drinking is going on in British gardens. Every garden we visited on Sunday revolved around the nucleus of two chairs, table + BBQ console. " — This did make me smile, full of good observations! I may even have been involved in such discussions too.
+ Mad about Zucchinis: "Zucchini is easy to grow, flourishes in warm weather, and produces abundantly from early to late summer until frost kills the plant. Zucchini can be used in so many ways, including raw in salads, stir-fried, sautéed, stuffed, and shredded in baked goods." — Learn from Rachel how to best grow them with her very comprehensive guide (including growing vertically which is critical as those plants can take up quite a bit of space, in particular if you sow as many as I do (i.e too many). I love them!
+ Mad about Avocados: " Yep. And it's not sweet, either. It is creamily smooth and tart with a little tingle. (An MFK Fisher story does come to mind, though - about a man who ate his avocado packed neatly with powdered sugar...so it could be sweet. But I digress.) If you like avocados, you will lap this up. And if you have a bowl of chilled gazpacho or cucumber soup, dropping a scoopful of the avocado ice cream into the middle is life-altering." — Try resist not making this ice-cream! Keep in mind it’s not the most environmentally friendly fruit if you understand what is required to grow and ship them… (attempted growing avocados in England?)
6
Bottom of the compost pile
Composting efficiently” "Composting at home is a good way to recycle daily wastes into valuable fertilizer, whilst minimizing environmental impact. However, composting can be a headache and takes a long time if you’re not doing it in the right ways. Are there efficient ways to make your composting journey simpler and faster? The answer is YES! " — I have done all the mistakes, had the either too empty or too full bins; complained about the lack of space in my garden. But with a few of these methods, combined with vermi-composting and hot composting it’s super simple to produce all the compost you need.
+ Supplements for your bins "Comfrey, nettles and yarrow are herbs that are dynamic accumulators, plants capable of concentrating nutrients at much higher levels than the surrounding soil. When added to compost, these herbs break down, releasing their concentrated nutrients, helping initiate the composting process in a new compost pile, or restarting it in an existing pile that has slowed" — However you are doing your composting, your bins will benefit from those plants (or you could also make liquid teas from it!) - I am usually scavenging my garden for materials to compost and comfrey in particular produces masses of it quickly.
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Keep Growing-
Anthony - Veg Geek