Soil Health

Ths video with Dr Elaine Ingram discusses soil health, worth watching. let me know what you think in the comments section.

Bob

What to Compost.

What can you compost? The following information provides you with a list of items that can go into your compost pile.

From Your Garden:

Leaves (chopped - to speed their breakdown)

Grass (not wet)

Plants & Weeds (without ripe seeds)

Old potting soil

Soft plant stems

From Your Kitchen.

Coffee grounds and filters

Fruit scraps

Vegetable trimmings

Crushed eggshells

Teabags

Shredded paper

The following items should not be placed into the compost:

Dairy products including cheese

Meat, fish (including sauces) and bones

Plastics

Metals

Fats and oils

Pet waste

Remember that a successful gardener builds soil and compost enables you to do that work.

Permaculture: Ethics: Earthcare 2

A wise gardener grows soil. Growing and nurturing soil is part of Earthcare and one of the most important actions we can undertake.

"According to 2017 study by the University of Basel, the European Commission -- Joint Research Centre and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH, UK), almost 36 billion tons of soil is lost every year due to water, and deforestation and other changes in land use make the problem worse..."  source

A little reading.

No space to grow, then take an inventory of your food habits. How much food do you toss away? 

"Consumers also squander huge amounts. As much as 37% of animal products and potentially a fifth of fruit and vegetables may be wasted after being purchased, according to the FAO. Rich nations have higher levels of waste due to limited shelf life or poor consumer planning, while poorer countries typically grapple with climate and infrastructure issues."  source

Ecosystem restoration may well be the most effective method we have for combating climate change and for practising Earthcare. The next post will go into some detail on the why and how.

Gardening in the Face of the Climate Catastrophe: Part 1

The Climat Catastrophe is real. There has been considerable discussion about this. The deniers are dangerous but I cannot waste any time arguing with them. They are wrong. My focus is on what I can do and what others who garden can do.

Today is September 26, Fall has begun. My cosmos just began to bloom a week ago and are thriving. The tomato plants are healthy and while all the flowers are gone, the tomatoes are slowly turning red. On Monday the temperature was 26 celsius.  The normal temperature for this time of the year is 18.

The glass gem corn and the sunflowers are healthy and I will be harvesting the corn soon. The grex beans have been harvested.

This summer was wetter and cooler in June than last year. We had a long hot dry spell that ran from July into August, more intense than the year before. Many farmers will not have a crop to take to market or if they do, the yields are significantly smaller. this does not bode well for our future food supply.

I have been talking with long-term residents here and especially with those who garden. There is an increasing concern that the unpredictable weather makes it difficult to plan and plant. A few days back I produced a blog on seed germination and climate change,  Soil temperature is critical to plant development. You can read this post, here

So what can we, growers, do?  Stay connected to find out. Also, I'd love your suggestions on how gardeners can carry on gardening in the face of the Climate Catastrophe. Please use the comment sections to share your thoughts.

W

Microplastics Stunts Earthworm Growth

"The ocean isn't the only ecosystem threatened by microplastics.

A first-of-its-kind study published Wednesday in Environmental Science and Technology found that particles from the kind of plastic commonly used in bags and bottles stunt the growth of earthworms, a finding with major implications for soil health, The Independent reported."

source

The Climate Catastrophe, that is upon us, is not our only concern. Earthworms provide a number of services that help plants grow. Their tunnels allow air and water to reach plant roots. Their casings feed the plants. If worms are shrinking in size this may have serious consequences for plant growth. These consequences could include stunted or smaller plants and less developed roots for example.

If we are to build a resilient community that can help to mitigate the impact that the Climate Catastrophe is, and will increasingly continue, to have upon the plant we also must drastically reduce the use of plastics globally.