Thursday, 12th May, 2022
The Day’s hand-picked ideas, tips to better grow Vegs, and meet people you should know.
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1
How to Keep Squirrels Out of the Garden
"Squirrels can be a huge problem in the garden. And as stone fruit season arrives, gardeners will need help protecting those crops if squirrels are nearby. Christy shares what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to squirrel management. We deliberately left out kill traps, because those are illegal in some states.” - My garden fences seem to be used as a motorway by grey squirrels so relevant for me! (I tend to add small pots in any containers to avoid triggering their temptation to dig it all out!
2
How to Create a Food Forest
"Finding the right plants for your food forest can be frustrating. What types of trees should be in your canopy layer? What N-fixing plant should you use? What types of shrubs will be suitable for your site? Use this classic approach to plant selection – choosing plants based on the specific purpose/function/niche in space they need to fulfil. For example, food production, nitrogen-fixation, pollinator attraction, pest control… canopy, shrub, or ground-cover layer. - Designing your garden for maximum production is a key skill you need to develop. Check it out!
3
How To Divide Perennials In Spring
"Dividing perennials is a great way to expand your garden for free and spring is the best time to divide perennials that bloom in late summer or fall. Learn how to do it with Laura”. - it’s a very cost effective way to garden too!
4
Take two houseplants and call me in the morning
"10 Psychological Benefits Of Plants And Gardening: there is no doubt the industrial revolution led to widespread urbanization. Workers moving from farms to cities were met with buildings and paved roads in place of nature. In modern times, large urban areas contain more concrete than trees and grass. In fact, other than water, we use more concrete than any other substance. Does living in an urbanized concrete world affect our mental health? The answer is yes.” - and it certainly works for me!
5
Never a dill moment
How to transplant Tomato Plants: "It seems every gardener has their own secrets for growing tomatoes. But when it comes to transplanting tomato seedlings into the garden, there are a few basic do’s and don’ts. Following these practices will ensure your tomato plants get off to a good start”.
+ How to Harden Off and Transplant Your Seedlings: "You’ve spent time, energy, and effort nurturing those veggie, herb, and flower starts—and now it’s time to introduce them to the great outdoors. But before you move your seedlings from your home or greenhouse into your garden—or, in gardening lingo, transplant them!—you’ll want to harden them off.”
+ How To Grow Chives At Home: "Growing chives is fun and very easy because they require minimal care. In this post, I’ll show you everything you need to know in order to have the best success. Having delicious chives growing year after year is much easier than beginner gardeners may think” - it smells fresh, tastes fresh, confuses pests, and requires next to no work, that’s enough reasons to grow some in every garden.
6
Bottom of the compost pile
"18 Cover Crops For Raised Beds: Are you looking to improve the health of your soil and the health of your garden ecosystem overall? Then cover crops may be the solution you’ve been searching for! Cover crops for raised beds are particularly useful. Raised beds can lose soil structure, becoming compact over time. They can also lose nutrients over time without any supplements such as added, organic matter like compost or the use of fertilizers - I hope you don’t use chemical fertilisers! -. There is an option that is even better and it is known as green manure or, in other words, cover crops!” - It takes only a little work to get cover crops and has big rewards so don’t skip it.
+ "Replacing 20 Percent of Beef with Mushroom Meat Can Cut Deforestation in Half by 2050: Shifting the world’s meat production from cattle to microbial fermentation can have extraordinary effects on the planet, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published today in the scientific journal Nature. PIK found that replacing 20 percent of traditionally produced beef with fungi-based meat produced using microbial fermentation results in a 50-percent reduction in deforestation by 2050, along with other environmental improvements. “The food system is at the root of a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with ruminant meat production being the single largest source,” the lead author of the study Florian Humpenöder said.” - That’s
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Anthony - Veg Geek