Thursday, 1st September, 2022
The Day’s hand-picked ideas, tips to better grow Vegs, and meet people you should know.
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1
It’s not just a pipe dream
"Presently the drip irrigation is the most efficient method of irrigation in the smart agriculture farming. This study has been conducted to determine the effect of drip irrigation over the other conventional methods on the growth and yield of tomato" — I’m a Geek and I do read research papers! This one caught my attention because it specifically compares the benefit of drip irrigation and the results are categoric: it saves 184% of water and water productivity results were 375x greater than other methods. Do read the full research if you have time - and if you haven’t got a drip irrigation yet, maybe start considering to set one up for next season!
2
Gardening at Alcatraz: a tough cell
"Alcatraz Island is famous for being a long-ago maximum security prison where Al Capone did time and three infamous prisoners escaped. But that is really only part of the story. The other part is that a resilient and flourishing historic garden thrives on the island in the middle of windy and foggy San Francisco Bay" — If you are in the SA Bay area you can also visit, but check out som of their many challenges: no fresh water source, not a lot of good soil on that piece of rock, salty winds. Yet they are able to create their own compost and develop a very fertile soil! See how they do it. And how you can too at home.
3
Remedy for when you are in truffle
"It’s all about these powerful healing plants that have been used for thousands of years to cure just about everything. They say this stuff works for autoimmune disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, digestive problems, brain problems, anxiety, cardiovascular and a whole bunch of other stuff. They even reversed multiple sclerosis… just with plants. Isn’t that crazy?" — Check out this series (9 episodes) (and trailer) that starts on 06th of September, it may give you ideas about what else to grow! (you could do that in a Smart Aquaponics Greenhouse)
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People you should know
"Garden Tea Co. is a family owned, farm based retailer of compost tea ingredients, organic worm castings, organic fertilizers and soil amendments. We began our farm/ business journey in 2011 with a passion for growing high quality, nutrient dense foods. We believe that healthy, vibrant, homegrown foods begin with healthy living soil and offer an array of products in support of holistic regenerative organic agriculture" Garden Tea Co. — We have many of our readers here from the US and I thought you should know their shop which all you need to grow more nutritious Vegs, and develop your soils with organic fertilisers and soil amendments and biological stimulants. It’s not the most exciting website but that’s the point: It gets you what you need, great quality and organic knowledge is clearly visible in what they provide in their shop.
5
Never a dill moment
Feeding Britain: Our Food Problems and How to Fix Them: "This book takes stock of the UK food system: where it comes from, what we eat, its impact, fragilities and strengths. It is a book on the politics of food. It argues that the Brexit vote will force us to review our food system. Such an opportunity is sorely needed. After a brief frenzy of concern following the financial shock of 2008, the UK government has slumped once more into a vague hope that the food system will keep going on as before. Food, they said, just required a burst of agri-technology and more exports to pay for our massive imports.
Feeding Britain argues that this and other approaches are short-sighted, against the public interest, and possibly even strategic folly. Setting a new course for UK food is no easy task but it is a process, this book urges, that needs to begin now." — I only recently found this excellent book by Tim Lang (Amazon). While you might not agree some of the political positions, you will see what is missing from th UK’s current food systems and strategy: quite simply, your own contributions to growing more of your food at home!
+ Kale Yeah! "Have more kale than you can possibly use? There's no need to let this cut-and-come-again superfood go to waste! " — If you are like me, I do get carried away with the number of Kale plants I grow each year… - To benefit from it longer throughout the year, learn these 5 different ways to preserve Kale!
+ Plus Signs: "Cities can have many benefits when designed well, including reducing carbon imprints. Another way cities can improve their environmental impact is by using “low-impact development” with regard to water management. Also called “green stormwater infrastructure,” it provides planners with a toolbox of practices and approaches to manage water during rain events and snowmelt." — While it works at City-level of planning, you can absolutely incorporate those “tools” in your home gardening and considering your front-drive! We are terrible at this in the UK in particular and I started to experience the effects of that last year when within 15min of heavy rain our street and house got flooded back and front (we live on top of a small hill…)
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Bottom of the compost pile
"What not to compost: While there are a few materials such as onion scraps, citrus peels, egg shells, and stale bread that are best added only in small amounts, some items should never be put in your compost bin. — while that is true in some cases, it’s not always the case - check out how you can compost more, faster with Hot Composting.
+ What Are Tiny White Worms In Soil And How To Remove Them? “Pest control is a crucial part of indoor plant care. Thus, you must know how to get rid of tiny white worms in pots and prohibit them from returning. Well, you might notice tiny white worms in the soil of your plant if you’ve just altered the potting mix or when exposed to heavy watering. These little white worms are thread-like, small creatures wiggling through heaps of the soil. These tiny white worms are either larvae of fungus gnats or pot worms. They damage plant roots and weaken soil organic materials." — there is much to learn about how to recognise these creatures and how to deal with it - only point I would urge you to explore is how to avoid using chemical insecticides. Maybe try some of these natural pest controls.
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Keep Growing-
Anthony - Veg Geek