Build A Fence Around Your Garden

Fencing is one the best way to save your garden crops. As they say Prevention is always better than Cure. Building a fence can be a great way to start living organic. It is a great alternative for traps, scare devices or repellents.

Depending on the types of animals you want your garden to protect from the fencing size varies. For example a 2 feet high chicken wire might work good for smaller sized animals but it will definitely not going to work against large animals like cow, deer etc.

Fencing Material:

Chicken wire: This is by far the most used form of fencing. It is cheap and provide good enough barrier to keep the pests at bay.

A 3 feet high chicken wire can save your garden from most of the small and medium-sized animals. Buy a chicken wire which is at least 4-5 feet wide. Bend it into a L shape. Position it around the sight in such a way that at least one feet of that wire should remain under ground.

Putting an underground barrier can save your crops from burrowing animals. Sometimes, animals become too persuasive and adding an electrical fence becomes necessary.

Here are some suggestions which you can do to reduce the cost of fencing:

1. Use recycled material which you already have in your hand or look for some give away materials from some junk dealer. It will definitely keep the cost to a minimum.
2. Use PVC pipes in stead of metal tubes.
3. Wire fencing is cheaper but can result in a larger sum in case your area is very large. Some times it is sensible to fence individual plants which are susceptible to pest attack rather than going for the entire area. It can really save your cost.

There are several other ways to built a fence than just using Chicken wires. Here is a look at the various other options which you definitely can try:

Hedge: A living fence or hedge can be a good and cheap option. They grow naturally and would keep other unwanted pests from entering into the garden.

Wood fencing: It definitely adds a charm to the surroundings but may not be a good idea if you are concerned very much about burrowing animals. Best solution for this would be to use it with chicken wire.

Brick or stone fencing:The best part of this form of fencing is that once it has been set up, it requires minimal maintenance. If larger rocks can be easily and cheaply accessed in your area then a dry stone wall is possibly the best option. It is a high security fence so if you are planning to move out in near future, this might not be a good idea to invest in it.

Bamboo fences: If you have a cheap supply of bamboos this can work very easily. Bamboos are strong and also look good aesthetically if used in fencing.

Picket Fencing: It is the most Traditional form of fencing. Look good aesthetically but the cost of maintenance can be very high. You need to paint it regularly to retain its charm and usefulness.

There are some cool tool available in the market to help you build a beautiful fence. You can buy them by from amazon

What do you think about the article? Share your thoughts.

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The Making of a Soil Declaration for a city

For the last 8 Saturdays Bristol has been home to Soil Saturdays, curated by the Soil Sisters. It has seen many people come together to talk about soil and art and it has made me, amongst many others I am sure, aware how powerful art is as a medium to bring other issues to the fore in a safe and inclusive way. 

The joy of Soil Culture at Create for me has been the opening of a space for discussion around soil, it’s true importance in all of our lives and how it is so important for many of us across the city who make livings from or support soils and soil health and wellbeing in everything we do. My career of the last 20 or so years has been based around soil, my life based on the rich brown earth beneath our feet and to be able to meet and converse with people over that is something that is rare and beautiful.

The idea of a city creating a declaration for it’s own soils is at once powerful and brave. To do so says not only do we, as a group of individuals, care deeply about the soil in our city but we also care about food, people, education, agriculture, health and wellbeing, children, community and the city itself and it’s wealth and health. It says we care not just about today, but about a future for our forebears where they can have access to healthy food, outdoor space and recreation land in a city that is becoming more and more intensely populated. It speaks of a wish to create the most resilient city we can, going into a future that is unknown but is certain to be different from the now. 

Many have questioned why we might feel the need to create a declaration for soil, and some have asked why we might think it necessary. My answer is always that as a city we need good housing and transport links, excellent schools and services for all communities across the city, as well as a plan to feed all those people and to keep our local economy thriving. Creating a declaration for our city’s soil creates an opportunity to ensure that food growing and production is factored into the future planning of the city and creates a future of more certain health and wealth.

In order to create this declaration there was a hope that many people from many walks of life within the city would come together to work co-productively to create this document. This type of gathering is rare, but we were fortunate in our wishes and there were a whole mix of people, ranging across city council strategic directors to members, food policy council members, permaculture and growing professionals, members of nationally important organisations and people who are interested and care about the future of food and access to land in our city. At one, very powerful moment, there was a table working together that was made up of a city strategic planner, a university professor and soil activists from Rising Up who spent much time protesting around Bristol’s Blue Finger in February and March this year. To create a space where that is possible is remarkable and to be a part of something so powerful makes the whole event a day to remember.

The Soil Declaration itself is still being brought together by the facilitators of the day but what we came up with was a series of statements around soil’s importance in the city and its hinterlands that focussed on beliefs and actions to be taken around those beliefs. Having openly talked about this on social media it is clear that not only is Bristol the first city to embark on such an important piece of work, but that it is possible, and likely that others will follow suit.

For Bristol it is vital to protect land that is already being put at risk by development and to ensure that various things that have happened on our most precious soils, are stopped from happening again. Our Blue Finger of rich and fertile best and most versatile soil, that manages crops in all extremes, needs protection as does all BMV soil countrywide. By creating this Soil Declaration, Bristol is putting itself, in a citizen led movement, at the forefront of this enormous change in the way we look at our precious resources, and that is a hugely powerful and brave move. It should be applauded.

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G F A Advanced System Ltd

  

CCRES AQUAPONICS 

promotes

 G.F.A Advanced System Ltd.

Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms: fish, molluscs, crustaceans, aquatic plants, crocodiles, alligators, turtles, and amphibians. Farming implies some form of intervention in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding, protection from predators, etc. Farming also implies individual or corporate ownership of the stock being cultivated.

For statistical purposes, aquatic organisms which are harvested by an individual or corporate body which has owned them throughout their rearing period contribute to aquaculture, while aquatic organisms which are exploitable by the public as a common property resource, with or without appropriate licences, are the harvest of capture fisheries.

 

Grow Fish Anywhere

G.F.A Advanced System Ltd. has developed and implemented a unique patented fully closed, zero discharge intensive aquaculture system that is suitable both for fresh and sea water fish. The system is based on an extensive research done by Prof. Jaap Van Rijnof the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The system prevents environmental pollution, and can operate in any climate regardless of the availability of water resource or proximity to the sea. The system has been tested and proven on a scientific basis and is now operated commercially.

Unique Aquaculture Technology

GFA unique system overcomes several limiting factors that restrain the output and effectiveness of fish farmers.


The accumulation of inorganic nitrogen and organic waste products in intensive fish culture systems is one of the major limiting factors preventing further intensification. Inorganic nitrogen (especially ammonia and nitrite) is toxic to fish and accumulates in the pond water through excretion of ammonia by the fish and by breakdown of organic solids. Most of the treatment systems used in todays aquaculture facilities are designed to facilitate the growth of nitrifying bacteria which convert ammonia to nitrate. A drawback of the ammonia removal by means of nitrification is the subsequent increase in nitrate in the culture system. High nitrate concentrations ought to be prevented since, at high concentrations, nitrate has a toxic effect of fish and might be converted to nitrite with an even higher toxicity. Daily flushing the ponds at rates of up to 25% of the total system volume is generally practiced to avoid nitrate build up.
However, such a practice often causes considerable environmental impact and is prohibited in many countries due to environmental and public health considerations. With respect to organic waste products, most aquaculture facilities are designed to mechanically remove the organic waste from the culture tank. Often, the concentrated organic waste is discharged from these facilities without post-treatment and this practice together with the discharge of nitrate-rich effluents is considered a major limitation in the development of intensive fish culture systems.
Due to the need for daily water exchange, existing intensive fish culture systems are situated in areas with an ample clean water supply. Thus, for economical reasons concerned with water supply and discharge, culture systems for marine fish (including recirculating systems) are exclusively situated in the vicinity of the sea. Marine fish farming, whether practiced in seacages or in land-based farms, is often subject to intensive public debate as the farms discharge nutrient-rich effluents in coastal waters of often heavily populated areas. Sustainable farming of marine fish is therefore a major challenge in todays aquaculture development.


Our system developed by Prof. van Rijn and G.F.A Advanced Systems is a zero-discharge system suitable for the culture of freshwater as well as marine edible and ornamental fish. No water exchange takes place and water addition is limited to compensate for evaporation losses only. The system reduces inorganic nitrogen and organic wastes from pond water by means of the induction of several microbial processes among which: (1) fermentation: the conversion of complex organic waste compound to low molecular weight organic compounds, (2) nitrification: the conversion of ammonia to nitrate and (3) denitrification: the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas and the conversion of low molecular weight organic compounds to carbon dioxide.


For more information on Denitrification


Key Advantages:
• High output- Avg. density of 70 - 100 kg of fish per m³ of water
• Maximum freshness- Within a day from farm to plate
• Zero discharge- No environmental pollution and Bio-Secure
• Produces premium fish- No antibiotics, mercury and lead free fish
• Both saltwater and fresh water
• Grow Fish Anywhere (G.F.A) - Can operate in any climate regardless of the availability of a water resource or proximity to the sea
• Non native - enable the growth of non native fish in any region

Sustainability

At GFA, our sustainability vision is focused on water conservation and energy savings technologies for the local market. We believe that the future of our food consumption will belong to environmentally friendly and sustainable production driven by economic sense for high quality healthy product.

The main aspect of the GFA systems is its Water Conservation and Pollution preventing. Our production system allows the production of marine fish species in 100% recycled water systems. 1 kg of grain needs 1,000 liters of water to grow to maturity. Our unique system enables us to produce 1 Kg protain (within the fish) in less than 10 liters loss due to evaporation and do not discharge any waste water or pollution in the process.

Another key aspect is Feed Practices. GFA systems that grow the fish in land based tanks, enable the improvement of feed usage. Our system allows, in comparison to sea cages (nets) and open pools, to better managment of the Food Conversion Ratio (FCR). Less food for each Kg of production means lower production costs and a real help for protecting our environment.

Contact  G.F.A Advanced System Ltd.

Feel free to contact on any question

Haofe 1, Kadima
P.O.Box 5030
Israel
T/F: 972.97406761
Mail: Info@gfa-sys.com



CCRES AQUAPONICS

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Something to warm the cockles

A peacock at Rousham strutting his stuff in the sunshine.

I know. Its freezing. You cant get a fork into the frozen ground. Lots of plants have gone all flaccid in the cold. And we are due snow over the weekend. But if the urge to garden is there you can still sow broad beans, peas and onion seed in trays in doors. You can get chilli seeds planted and early tomatoes as long as you have somewhere to put them once they need potting on that is covered. You can trawl the seed catalogues or order dahlias from The National Dahlia Collection! And here are some pictures I took in the heat of last summer to cheer you  up and warm you.

An unidentified Dahlia at Oxford Botanical Gardens

An unidentified Salvia at Oxford Botanics

And if that doesnt help let me suggest some more ideas to tickle your horticultural tastebuds!! There is the glasshouse at RHS Wisley to visit which at the moment will be full of exotic butterflies-an amazing spectacle but beware as it will be busy. Kew Gardens will be opening their annual Orchid exhibition soon in the Princess of Wales Conservatory which is always worth a visit.

Echinacea in the new Rose Garden at RHS Wisley designed by the wonderful Robert Myers for whom I have grown plants in the not so distant past!

The Annual Borders at Wisley where the Ricinus must have reached 12 feet tall.

And remember dear gardening folk, by mid February the daylight hours will have reached more than 10 a day and your garden will be springing into action. Buds will be bursting, leaves will be appearing and the world will start to turn from winter brown to spring green one more. Your garden will be screaming for you to jump into action, secateurs at the ready so use this cold snap to prepare. Sharpen your secateurs, and your spade if you see fit, sort out your seeds, and clean your seedtrays and pots ready for the day when you hear your garden screaming for attention.

So hears to the season ahead!!

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Growing Bamboo Plants How to create a bamboo garden in your backyard

Bamboo is a giant grass. The best part of growing a Bamboo plant is that it grows very fast and in every spring you should expect to see a number of branches keep emerging. In this article we will share some information about growing Bamboo plants.

Though they are happiest in slightly acidic and loamy soil, Bamboo is one of the plants which will grow in almost any soil type. Just make sure that it has a good drainage capacity and you will have a lashing bamboo garden in a very short time.  To increase the drainage capacity you can add some soil less media with your soil.

While planting, it is important to protect the bamboo plant from very hot sun especially if your plant is very small in size. Best time to plant them is in the springs. Newly planted bamboos required frequent watering. Use organic mulch to cover the area. Mulching will help in water retention, weed protection and being of organic materials it will enrich the soil. Space them not less than 5 feet if you plan to form it dense. For some species you may require to give much more space. In case you are planning to plant a taller one, use some support to hold the plant. Sometimes strong wind can damage or even uproot the plant; so be careful.

Though in most of the cases bamboo plants take nutrients from the soil itself it is better to provide some fertilizers. Use compost for fertilization but focus on the ingredients which are more enriched with nitrogen (N). If you want to know more about the composting ingredients check out our earlier article.

It generally takes 5 to 6 years for a bamboo plant to mature. You can really give your desired shape by little bit of pruning. Cut just above the node. Depending on the size of the branch you want to prune use a chainsaw or a simple knife. There is very little chance that you can damage the plant by pruning. So don’t be hesitant.

Some times people feel very concerned about yellowing or loss of leaves of their bamboo plant; but it is a common phenomena and the degree varies from species to species. They are evergreen plant and generally shed their leaves to acquire new ones.

A Bamboo plant can also be grown in containers. We will discuss that in some other article.


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Basics of A Rain Garden

Rain garden (it should not be confused with Gardening in the Rain) is an interesting concept. It not only increases your gardening beauty but also helps in water preservation. Here in this article I want to give you an brief idea about this concept.

What is a rain garden?

Rain garden refers to a garden which takes the advantage of the water from the rainfall in growing plants. The garden is designed to withstand a great level of moisture and concentration of nutrients. It gave the run off water the opportunity to slow down as it go downhill and thus reduces its erosive power.

Rain garden looks as like any other garden from outside but the speciality lies in the fact that it gets its water from the runoff and what happen after the water enters the garden.

The rain garden is a shallow depression in your backyard with absorbent yet free draining soil and it is planted with vegetation. It acts as a personal water quality system as it filters the waste water of the roof and other hard surfaces and recharges it.

Why should I plant a rain garden?

The main purpose of having this is to receive the run off water from hard surfaces like roof, sidewalk etc. By having a rain garden you will do you little bit to preserve this invaluable natural resource called water.

It increase the scenic beauty of the garden and protect streams and lakes nearby from pollutants and also help reducing flood.

It holds water for quite some time and thus provides a natural habitat for Birds, Butterflies and many other beneficial insects.

It also helps in reducing your water needs by recycling the waste water. So you would have lesser municipality water requirements.

How to build a rain garden?

Building a rain garden is very easy and is not at all expensive.

The first thing to do is to choose a spot to prepare the garden. It can be near the house if you only want to collect roof runoff or can be a little further in case lawn water is also in your plan.

Just keep this in mind that it should not be near a big tree or very near of the foundation of the house or it can damage them.

Next you need to find the are that will drain the water to your rain garden. The larger the area more the water will come to the garden. Ideal size of the garden can be from 100 sq ft to 250 sq ft depending on the total area. It should not be deeper than 6 to 8 inches.

While digging the garden you need to make a berm (a low wall) to prevent the water going downhill. Dig couple of inches more than the actual size of the garden. Add 2 inch thick compost for the nourishment of the plants.

Now come the most interesting part THE PLANTING. First make a rough plan of the actual garden in terms of the plants you want to grow and their positions in the garden.

Choose the plants carefully considering their height flowering time and composite texture of the garden. Choosing different blooming time will ensure a longer flowering season for the garden.

Use one or two year old plants with well established root system. Until the rain starts you need to give them much needed water for their survival. Use native plants to reduce cost and increase the chances of survival.

Have any suggestion? Please bring it our notice. Use the comment box below.

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A Miracle grow called Organic Potting Soil The best soilless potting Mix

Potting mix or potting soil refers to the media people use to grow vegetables, plants etc in containers. It is generally used as an substitute to soil for growing plants.

What are the components: 

The life of the potted plant depends on a large extent to the quality of its potting soil. So choosing right kind of potting mix is essential. There are various ingredients which are generally used as potting soil. To prepare the best potting soil you need to know the ingredients well. Here are some of the popular ones:

Coconut coir: It is generally marketed in the form of compressed bales. Prior to using it you need to add some water.It is made of coconut husk. More on this in this article.

Peat moss: It used to be the most common type of potting soil but due to problems like environmental issues now-a-days its use got reduced a bit. There can be different types of peat moss, the most common is sphagnum peat. Peat moss is not very good for re wetting. More on peat moss is here.

Soil: Now a days most people avoid this media to prepare any potting mix. Though it has more inbuilt organic nutrients than most of other media, the problem is endless. Using soil can increase the total weight of the mix, and make it prone to water logging. Also normal soil contains weed seeds and pathogens which need to be removed first.

Vermiculite: It is a very efficient product for using in smaller containers. It is prepared by treating mica. Vermiculite is very light in weight and has a very good water absorption capability. More on vermiculite is here in this article.

Perlite: it is basically volcanic ash. Finer the grain larger its capacity to hold the water. It is neutral to slightly alkaline in nature and is a good way to reduce acidity of the potting mix. Perlite is dangerous to handle as its dust is highly irritating to lungs. Use proper precaution before handling . Interested in Perlite? Find out more in this article.

Sand: It is generally used to increase the porosity of the mix. It also increases the weight of the mix. It is a great ingredient in case you are planning to grow cactus and other succulents.

Wood chips: Sometimes wood chips, pine bark etc are also used as ingredient to potting mix.

Characteristics of a good potting soil:

1. good porosity: the best potting soil general has AFP or air filled porosity range between 10 to 20.
   

   
2. Fast absorption of water: It should absorb water pretty fast.
3. light weight: Potting mix is used for planting in containers. So it should be light weight so that the shifting of pots can be done very easily. For this purpose in most cases people use soilless potting mix.
4. You should select the ingredients which are readily available to you and are not very expensive.
5. Potting mix needs to be weed and Pest free. In most of the cases it is sterilized. It should also not contain any toxic substances or extra nutrients or salts.
6. The ingredients should be such that you can easily store them. For example you can store coconut coir in bales form easily for a few years.

There are various types of potting mix available in the market. Some of these are:

Potting mix for every plant: This type of organic potting soil can go with most of the plants and vegetables. The pH of the mixture is slightly acidic to neutral. Mix coconut coir with perlite or vermiculite in the ratio of 3:1 for this.

Acidic potting mix: These type of mix is generally for the plants which love acidic medium. Ideal mixture would be to add organic matter such as peat moss and perlite or vermiculite in 4:1 ratio.

Cactus friendly mix: Cactus and other succulents require very good drainage. Due to this reason the potting mix needs to be with extra drainage facility. Add a little bit of sand along with coconut coir and perlite to make a proper mix.

Seed starters mix: For seed starters add coconut coir and perlite or vermiculite in 2:1 ratio. Many people prefer peat moss in place of coir. In case of peat moss the ratio would be much lower.

What is your experience with potting mix? Would you like to share some of your ideal mixes? Feel free to use the comment box below:

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BrightFarms has a really cool business model

I recently found out about a New York City based company called BrightFarms that has a really cool, unique business model.  They "finance, design, build and operate greenhouse farms at or near supermarkets."  So basically, theyre creating hyper-local food sources for various supermarkets.

Theyre working with McCaffreys Supermarket in Yardley, PA, which is only about 20 minutes from my house.  I drive by the greenhouses on the way to work every morning.  This is pretty darn exciting to see something like this happening in my area.  Im planning on moving to north New Jersey, and then to NYC in the next year or two, and Id love to try to work with BrightFarms.  Theyre doing great things!

Heres a TED talk from Paul Lightfoot, BrightFarms CEO.

Can you imagine supermarkets across the country with greenhouses on the roofs?  How cool would that be?

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IBC Aquaponics Update

The IBC Aquaponic system in Delaware is still cycling.  Its had some pH swings, too high, then too low.  When it was high, I added some HCl to lower it a bit.  When it was low, I drained about 1/4 tank and added hose water which is high pH.  Green algae still a problem.  I cleaned algae from grow bed by waiting until the Bell siphon kicked on, shutting off the pump, and waiting until the water all drained from the grow bed.  Then I just wiped out the algae.  No sign of the two Koi fish added before cycling.  :(  Im sure theyre dead.  Well, now that Ive killed some fish, I guess Im a real aquapon.  :-/

When I last checked on the system on September 1st, the nutrients looked like this:

Seedlings are growing, and Im planning on adding them when they get a little bigger.

My dad has started constructing a PVC frame for a small greenhouse.  Were going to try to use insulation, water heaters, and maybe a small space heater to keep the system running through the winter.  Well see how it works out!

The bell siphon had stopped working for a few days.  It seemed like the grow bed wasnt filling up quick enough to kick on the siphon.  We took apart the pump and cleaned the filter, and it pumped water much faster, fixing the siphon issue.

Below are a couple sketches of my plans for the system.  I was originally thinking of adding a solids filter that would sit above both grow beds, but now Im thinking that if I add a sump tank to grow duckweed, I can add a radial flow solids filter, and a solids lifting overflow to the sytem, which might help keep the system clean, especially the pump.

Old Plan

New Plan

Were deciding between a 90 degree roof, or a rounded roof.  I think the 90 degree roof will help keep snow off the top of the greenhouse, which is my major concern.

We just have to get the greenhouse up before it gets cold.  My dads having almost as much fun with this project as I am!

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How to Make a garden Pollinator friendly

In this article I will talk about “how can you make your garden much more pollinator friendly” and thus improve  efficiency in yielding crops.


So lets start with:

What is pollination and who are the pollinators?

Pollination is a process of moving pollens from one flower to another flower of the same species and thus producing fertile seeds. It is a compulsory process for
flowering plants.
The pollinators who help in pollination can be inanimate like wind, water or it can be living species like Bees, Butterflies, Wasp or smaller birds (like Hummingbird).

Why they need our help?

A pollinator like bee feeds on the pollen from flowering plants and in turn pollinate it to grow fruits. These fruits are not only consumed by humans but also by various species living in this planet. They are vital to the ecosystem and their are hardly any alternative available to humans to pollinate such a wide range of flowering plants.
Several species of bees and butterflies have lost their habitat due to excessive deforestation and use of pesticides. We can at least do a bit from our side to increase their population or it will hurt ourselves in the long run.

How can we help them? 

Here are some of steps you can take to make a Garden much more Pollinator friendly:

1. Plant native plants: Pollinators are most comfortable with native plants. Most of them have a particular choice of plant for their feeding. A foreign plant might not provide the pollinator their required pollen. Plant different varieties of plants so you would get a diverse mix of different pollinators.

Here are some Plant preference for different pollinators:
a. Bees: They prefer blue, yellow and purple coloured flowers with sweet fragrances. Ensure your garden have enough native plants of these features; you dont wanna miss “The most active pollinators”, do you?
b.Butterflies: Though they normally feed on any nectar rich flower; their preference is always platform shaped sunflowers. Keep them in your garden and you will never miss those beautiful creatures.
c. Moths: Plants that are white in colour and have strong sweet smell are most preferred by moths.
d. Others: There may be other types of pollinators in your locality. Study their habitat and behaviour and try to match these in your garden.

2. Plant quite a few plants together for creating a better attraction to the pollinators: it will increase their foraging efficiency.

3. Plant in such a way so that you get blooming flowers through out the year. It would give the pollinators enough motivation to come to your garden though out the year and not in a particular season.

4. Provide nesting opportunity: There can be different types of pollinators in your garden so their needs for building nests would be different. Keep small piles of branches, wooden logs etc for bees and wasps to build their nests. Plant some of the plants which are conducive for butterflies to lay eggs.

5. Stop using pesticides all together you definitely dont want to kill your visitors after inviting them to your garden.

6. Have patience: It takes time for plants to grow and bear flowers. Pollinators will eventually find your garden. It might take some time for them to locate your garden in case it is far from their nests. So have patience.

7. Help others to create pollinator friendly gardens: Share information about pollinator friendly gardens. Help others around your locality to build such garden. It will attract pollinators to their gardens as well as yours.


Use these information and other valuable resource available on internet to educate yourself and apply the knowledge in your garden.



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A tribute to the people of Japan

I found this dedication on PatioPatch blog via hurtling towards 60 and beyond. It says all I need to say.

Dedication: To the people of Japan whose many plants grace our own gardens and who have shown us how to create beautiful spaces with a natural and stark simplicity. The quiet dignity and stoicism they have displayed in the face of their country’s utter devastation is an example to us all.


Feel free to do the same. Thank you Laura at Patiopatch.

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Soil pH A basic Idea

In some of my earlier articles I have mentioned about pH and the ideal pH for a particular plant. But many starters are not aware of this technicality. So I decided to demystify the jargon in this article.

Soil pH is the measure of how acidic or how alkaline your soil is. It is actually to measure the concentration Hydrogen ions in the solution. It is measured in a scale of 0 to 14. Where 0 being the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline and 7 stands for neutral. To give you an example lemon juice can be of the range of 2 to 3 signifies very acidic where as baking soda can be of a pH of 8 to 9 which means it is very alkaline. The fresh clean drinking water is of pH 7.

This pH is calculated on the logarithm scale so a difference between one point is equal to 10 times acidity. i.e, the pH of 6 is 10 times more acidic than pH 7 and 10 times less acidic than pH 5.

Now you must be wandering about why pH is so important to your plant? Lets see why. The pH of the soil has a very big role in plant growth and its survival. Though it is not a nutrient, it controls the availability of the nutrients to the plant. So it does not matter how much nutrient you put into the soil, if it can not get absorbed by the plant it is of no use. For example a soil pH of 6 or more can inhibit the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium etc. where as a soil pH of 7.5 or more can reduce the amount of Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese. A soil pH of less than 4 can be full of toxic amount of Aluminum or Manganese.

Now the good news. The soil pH is not fixed. You can change it to your plant’s liking. The soil pH is dependent on your local climate. You can get the idea by looking at the plants in your locality. Generally it is found that in high rainfall areas the soil pH is acidic. Plant like blueberries flourish in these areas. Where as typically low rain fall areas in the world is generally contains alkaline soil. Plants like olive or pomegranate do well in those areas.

It is best to test your soil pH before you start planting. You can get the required instruments in your local garden shops. You can also contact any professional to do it for you.

If your soil is too acidic and you want to reduce the acidity and increase the pH, agricultural lime or dolomite can be a good option to be added with the soil. Generally agricultural lime is cheaper than dolomite. In case your soil is deprived of magnesium then add dolomite otherwise lime would be fine.

In case your soil is far more alkaline and you want to decrease the pH, add peat moss or compost. Adding these organic material can definitely beneficial than adding ammonium sulfate or other inorganic sulfates.

I hope this clears the doubts surrounding the pH and its effect. Do post your comments.

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A Bridge Too Far

There is no doubt that the Garden Bridge is causing a lot of discussion across all the social media channels and in the press and that there are a lot of people who believe either that it is a wonderfull thing and equally many who disagree.
When I first heard about it I was thrilled too. Mooted as Londons equivalent of New Yorks High Line it sounded like a really innovative and exciting project that could change the way green space is used in London and be an example to other cities both in the UK and worldwide.
Cities are booming, and by 2050 its estimated that 70% of the UK population will live in an urban area. All around the country cities are addressing how they will manage their green spaces. Visiting Sheffield recently I was lucky enough to visit 2 extraordinarily inspiring projects, The Green Estate and Heeley Park, both of which made me really think about how good design and support for areas that historically have struggled in various ways, is vital in the way we tranform inner city green spaces. These are projects that have changed lives and seen areas with historic problems change themselves through enterprise brought about through good use of the land. I myself am currently working on an inner city project in Bristols Bearpit roundabout, which is a sunken space in the centre of the city that historically has problems with anti social behaviour, to green the space in a way that will bring an oasis of tranquility to an area that will also be a central hub with food businesses  and a vibrant market as well as lots of thought provoking urban art, bringing an unloved and fairly frightening place back into a space that encourages it to be used by all.
These examples, and there are many more, of cutting edge design mixed with the importance of social outcomes are vital if we are to see our cities prosper and the citizens living in them lead healthy lives. Green space is vital for all and it is those that are most vulnerable and for whom getting out into anything that is at all nature like, who often find accessing it the most difficult. For horticulture within cities to be taken seriously, and city councils to see the importance of this in areas of socio economic deprivation and indeed invest in it, any project taking place in the public sphere must have some need for a good social outcome, and for it to effect positive change within the community it is being placed.
At this point I also think its worth talking a little about New Yorks High Line, which began as a project that came about through a group of people, now The Friends of the High Line, coming together and finding the space, getting the necessary permissions and bringing the project to fruition. The friends of the High Line are still very much involved in the project and its worth looking at their website to seee the story of the project as well as the history of the space itself. Their website can be found at www.thehighline.org.
There is no doubt that cities and the way urban greening is being addressed is changing and so I really thought the idea of a new bridge that could be accessed by all and was green in all conotations of the word was wonderful, until I started to hear concerns. The construction of the bridge will mean an area of green space along with 30 mature trees will be lost, at a time when the tree canopy of cities is being looked at and all cities are being encouraged to increase them. Mature trees support a diverse cross section of wildlife and planting new trees nearly doesnt mean that wildlife will remain in the area. The area of planting is apparently only going to be the size of half a football pitch, which makes me wonder what the rest will be used for, and it wont be open to all, 24/7, but be on a timed ticket as it is expected to be so oversubscribed. Apparently this ticket will be free but I wonder who will pay the admin cost? And it is questionable that cyclists will have access to it, or that it will even be used as a bridge in the sense that it will enable people to cross the water from one side to the other as quickly as if the river wasnt there. It will also be closed one day per month for private functions.
However my biggest problem is the fact that £60 million of public money is set to be used for this and it appears that public consultation has been at a minimum. Effectively this is a vanity project, being put into a space where already there are questions over its suitability, that is not there for the people of London or the local area, but for tourists to visit. This is nothing to do with good urban planning or biodiversity, but all about bringing in the tourist dollar. And we are spending public money to do this whilst we have people regularly accessing food banks, more children accessing free school meals than ever before and are still set to see further cuts in public funding going into the future.
With some of Londons inner city boroughs being the most deprived areas of the UK, I question how this is acceptable. Half of the money is from Transport for London and I am quite convinced that £30million could go towards greening stations if it is money allocated to that, making them safer, kinder spaces.
So here is my main question. What are this projects social outcomes? How is it commited to the community in which it will sit? Where is the public consultation that we should all be able to access?
If in Bristol, when we embark on a new project we have to knock on neighbouring doors, ensure we have a questionnaire that is acceptable for that area and be positive that we can answer any questions with a positive spin, as well as then going through a thorough council assessment with their environmental/allotment/park and gardens departments, what has been the relevant consultation undertaken for this?
At this point I would like to say its not too late to change all these things. The building of the bridge and the planting and landscaping could be undertaken by local people, giving them new skills, introducing them to horticulture and construction and giving them a sense of ownership. It would still be a beautifully designed space, but one that had given local people a helping hand. It can be maintained by volunteers from the local community who would talk about it with visitors as only someone can who is deeply and emotionally at one with a garden project. It could become inclusive.
I finish with a horrifying statistic. The projected cost of the bridge, in all, is approx £175million. If each of Londons 32 boroughs were to share that money between them it would equate to the possibilty of there being 53 community projects in each borough, each with £100,000 to spend.
Now that would have seriously good social outcomes.....

 Both of these photos are of Sheffields Green Estate where they have taken parkland and unloved green spaces and encouraged community enterprise through learning. This place goes beyond the extraordinary and should be held up as an example of what cutting edge urban greening and design can do to change communities.

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Finally an Update!

It’s been quite a while since my last update, and I’ve had a lot of developments, so here we go!

The AquaFarm from Back to the Roots had been making a decent amount of noise as the air pump rattles against the plastic container.  I tried to adjust the foam insulation pad, but it was difficult to keep the thing quiet.  I was away from my apartment during my trip to Burning Man, so I moved the betta into a different tank and had a friend take care of him for me.  The wheatgrass grew well, but the basil and other herb didn’t grow very well.  Right now the system is empty, and I’m planning on starting it up again in the next few weeks.

The 105 gallon system at my friend’s apartment is still slowly moving forward.  My friend is taking a trip to Nepal, so his room got a new owner.  My buddy Saqib is going to look after the aquaponics system from now on, and I’m glad that he’s excited about it.  The seed plugs (coco coir, I think) started developing a white mold, so I broke off the plugs and planted the seedlings directly into my grow media.  I also installed a drain plug into my bell siphon to keep rocks from messing up the drainage cycle.  Pogo had bought 6 full grown tilapia for the fish tank before I left for Burning Man, but only one is still living.  I would have preferred to start with fingerlings, but one large tilapia will do fine for now.  His name is Hercules.  I think Saqib and I are on the same page, and want to eat Hercules and fill the tank with smaller, decorative fish.  I also want to cover the sides of the system’s frame with cloth to keep sunlight out of the filter and fish tank.  Some algae grew inside the filter, that I need to clean out, so hopefully the lack of sunlight will fix that in the future.  The pH seems to be slowly, but consistently dropping, so I’ve had to add pH up a few times.  I’m not sure what’s causing the pH drop, yet.  We’re working out the little kinks in the system, so I’m excited to see how it works out.  I’ll update when we have some new developments!

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A Positive Revolution

There has been much talk recently of the gardening world becoming stagnant, dreary and dull. Of the need for a call to arms, a messiah, as discussed by Lucy Masters in her thinkinGardens piece http://thinkingardens.co.uk/articles/gardening-in-the-wilderness-do-we-need-a-revolution-in-the-garden-by-lucy-masters/. There is fear that garden writing in book form is struggling with Mr Hessayon announcing his probable retirement at the Garden Media Guild Awards, claiming that the internet would be the end of the garden D.I.Y book, and there is the constant fear that with so few young people coming into the horticultural industry as a serious career choice, that soon we will have no trained plantsmen or scientists to carry on the tradition that is horticulture in the U.K.
All this got me thinking. Thinking very seriously about the world that I am immensely proud to be a part of. An industry that is full of people who work ridiculously hard, in all weathers, to keep the British tradition of horticulture alive. These people are all full of passion and excitement for what they do, excited by new plants they have bred, new nutrient sources they are working on or new gardens they are designing and creating, and it is that passion that keeps them forging forwards in times of hardship.
It is very interesting when talking to people about gardening, just what an emotive subject it is, and why it is that emotive. For many, professional or amateur(and I use amateur very loosely as there are some incredible gardens out there that are not made by professionals but are just as great, if not better than a garden designed by a professional)gardening is their reason for being. Watching the progression of the seasons, planting a seed and watching it grow, creating a wonderful space grow, bloom and die back again in readiness for the following season, brings an awareness of time and seasonality that many struggle to see in their busy 21st century lives. Growing food, allotments and the whole Growing Your Own movement, pulls people back and slows them down. Planting a seed in February and waiting until Christmas for a harvest, as with sprouts, is a real shock for an new allotment holder who is used to just going out and buying what he wants, but it is also a huge learning experience that can be quite humbling. People garden, work with plants, grow or whatever term you want to use, because it is a basic need for them, rather than a choice, and we in the industry are just lucky enough to call our passion our job!
So is there a crisis in gardening? Yes of course there is. D.I.Y stores bringing stock in cheaply from abroad are forcing our nurserymen and women to really struggle and there is a lack of horticultural training available to younsters entering the industry. There is not a single straight botany course left in a U.K university and Garden History courses have all gone too, despite the huge wealth that British planthunters have brought to the table since the 18th century. Our industry has no subsidies unlike some European countries and the Garden Centre chains are all about profit rather than about plants.
But, instead of looking for the negative, lets concentrate on the positive. The age of the D.I.Y gardening book may be over but embrace the knowledge that is available on the internet. There are inspirational blogs out there as well as great videos and films on You Tube and gardening apps that mean with a smart phone you have a huge wealth of knowledge in your pocket, for whenever you need it. There is an amazing Twitter community of gardeners, constantly talking about what is going right and wrong for them and learning from each other, as well as some incredible Facebook groups where people are constantly posting about their achievements as well as the occassional failure.
But also, people are out there, doing it, every day, come rain or shine. Community gardens are popping up all over our cities driven by their communitys need to garden, guerilla gardening is seen as a real positive and groups such as Incredible Edible Todmorden are spreading and reaching a neighbourhood near you! Schools are starting to see the need for gardening and it will soon, if it isnt already, be a part of the national curriculum. The RHS Britain in Bloom and similar campaigns, continue to inspire people to look after and care for the green spaces in their areas and although they are scorned by some, they give people the power to garden and grow. Gardening professionals continue to be busy and the small nurseries continue with their struggle to survive by creating mail order options and ensuring their plants are of such great quality who could refuse them garden space?
So heres a thought. If there is to be a call to arms, let it be from all of us, from anyone who gardens and for whatever reason, to be positive, upbeat and excited about what we do. Lets offer true inspiration, share knowledge, give advice but  most of all get out there and do it and shout out loud about it. Lets make 2014 the year the Gardening Community shouted with one voice and made itself be heard.

Winter colour at RHS Wisley

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A basic Idea about Peat Moss

After discussing on various soil-less growth media in brief in my earlier blog, I have planned to share some more information on the individual media. This is the first issue where I shared some information on one of the most controversial and popular soil-less growing media, Peat Moss. Hope you will like it.

Peat Moss refers to decomposed and dead remain of many components such as mosses, sedges and shrubs etc. But the most common part is Sphagnum Moss. The moss typically grows on top of the bog (deep and wet marshes)and the peat is produced underneath. Ideal condition for formation of peat is wetland where flows of oxygen is not abundant due to the obstruction caused by flood and thus causing slow rate of decomposition. When plant material is inhibited from decaying fully(due to lack of oxygen and presence of acidic medium) then it accumulate as peat. Cool climates are the places where it can be found in plenty. 

Country such as Canada, Northern Europe, Scandinavia, New Zealand are biggest source of Peat Moss.

On the basis of decomposition state Peat moss can be of three types:

Fibric peat moss: It is the least decomposed one among the three types and contains fibers in intact condition.

Hemic peat moss: It is much more decomposed than the Fibric one but not as much as Sapric type.

Sapric peat moss: This is the most decomposed form.

The usage of Peat moss can be plenty, but here I will only focus on its use in agriculture and gardening.

The use of peat moss in gardening and agriculture has became very popular due to its water retaining ability(can hold up to 20times of its weight) and rich nutrient content. You can mix peat moss with soil it will retain the moisture in dry condition and also its proper drainage capacity prevents the excess water from killing the roots.

Peat can also store nutrients although peat by itself is not fertile. Due to this reason it can also used as fertilizer to the soil.

Peat moss is typically very acidic and can be toxic to plant roots. It is recommended to use by mixing with different other media(with soil or go soil-less ). Before adding it to soil make sure you do the soil pH testing. If the surrounding soil is already high in acid content you should not add peat moss as it will hurt the plant very badly.

Apart from Agricultural and Gardening purpose peat moss are also used in different purposes such as source of fuel(in some countries), water filtration, in preservation, balenotherapy etc.

Controversies:

The popularity of peat has also caused some controversy when it comes to resourcing. Though sphagnum grows in many places, it usually accumulates very slowly, at the rate of about a millimeter per year. But its extraction rate far exceeded its re-growth rate. There are some ongoing debate about whether it should be consider as a “fossil fuel” or “renewable fuel”. Though some of the agencies are considering it as a “Slow-renewable fuel”.

 When the demand outpaces the natural production, there is a danger of over-farming. It also lead to a ultimate destruction of bog habitat that support a number of birds, small mammals, insects and microbial habitat.

A last word of caution if you want to use peat moss, or using it regularly take protective measures such as wearing face-masks and gloves. Like every other plant in the moss family, Sphagnum also contains spores, inhaling which can be dangerous. In some cases peat moss contains some harmful bacteria which can cause skin irritation and can cause deceases in case it enters into the bloodstream.

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