Pest Control UK 39 by Garden Culture Magazine

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CONTENTS

HOW PLANTS PRODUCE THEIR OWN

PEST CONTROL

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

THE GREAT DIVIDE 48

BY JESSE SINGER

LOCAL GROWERS

Critters Be Gone!

3000 BC

In Egypt, they u rodent pests in

2500 BC Chemical Pesticid

The first use of chemical pesticides dates back to 2 BC when the Sumerians used sulphur compound control insects and mites.

The History of

I N T H IS ISSU E O F GA R D EN C U LT U R E :

Pest Control

A pest is defined as “a destructive insect or another animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.” Agriculture and pest control go hand-in-hand and always have. However, the mechanisms of critter control have changed over time as various cultural, biological and chemical methods have been

56 Reset This!

11 Foreword

employed. Be warned that newer isn’t always better, and sometimes, it has taken years to recognise

1200 BC Botanical Insecticides The Chinese use botanical insecticides as a fungicide and to treat seeds.

what effects specific techniques are having on us and our environment. Take a walk through this timeline and see where we have come from and where we are today in this battle to control pests.

12 Author Spotlight

62 The Identification And Prevention Of Blight

15 Product Spotlights

68 Medicinal Wild Mushrooms

22 Science Corner - The Abominable Snowman

72 SOS! Preventing and Controlling Whitefly Infestations

950 BC

Burning Another cultural control method, burning, is noted by Homer as a way to control locusts.

26 Fashion-Forward “Leather”

79 The Great Divide

28 Critters Be Gone! The History of Pest Control

82 Fighting Pests, Diseases, and Improving Soil Health with Vermicast

36 Garden Trends:Table Gardening Is So Hip! 40 Agricultural Threefolding & Building a Cooperative Grocery Store in a Food Desert

93 Why IPM is the Secret Solution to Your Gardening Success 97 Local Growers

48 How Plants Produce Their Own Pest Control

100 Going Camouflage To Avoid Harvest?

52 Growing Clove, Nutmeg, and Star Anise

104 5 Cool Ways 7

silica in-plants

FOREWORD & CREDITS

FOREWORD

Welcome to another great edition of Garden Culture!

t doesn’t matter if this is your first outdoor vegetable garden, indoor grow, or if you manage a giant commercial facility; bugs and plant diseases can be equally devastating

and challenging to treat.

This edition is packed with articles to help you stay bug and diseasefree. In Why IPM is the Secret Solution to Your Gardening Success, Colin Bell explains what integrated pest management is and why he thinks it is so crucial. I couldn’t agree more with him, and I believe it is the future in agricultural and home pest control. In How Plants Produce Their Own Pest Control, Dr Callie Seaman exposes the tip of the iceberg as we learn more about how plants defend themselves. Of course, plants can only be healthy if we take care of them and their environment. There are several unpredictable factors outdoors. However, we have far more control indoors. A healthy garden is your first defence. Soil amenders like worm castings can have a considerable impact on your plants. In Fighting Pests, Diseases, and Improving Soil Health with Vermicast, Anne Gibson digs deep into the subject. The year 2020 brought so many issues facing our planet to light. So much has changed in such a short time. What will happen when things have truly “re-opened”? Everest Fernandez gives us a lot to think about as he questions freedom and the sincerity of billionaires in Reset This! One thing is for sure: gardening is a source of immense pleasure,

CREDITS SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Albert Mondor, Anne Gibson, Caroline Rivard, Catherine Sherriffs, Colin Bell, Cosmic Knot, Dr Callie Seaman, Evan Folds, Everest Fernandez, Jesse Singer, Kyle Ladenburger, Rich Hamilton, and Stephen Brookes. PRESIDENT Eric Coulombe eric@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-233-1539 E XECU T I V E ED I TO R Celia Sayers celia@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-1539 ED I TO R Catherine Sherriffs cat@gardenculturemagazine.com DESIGN Job Hugenholtz job@gardenculturemagazine.com D I G I TA L & SO CI A L M A R K E T I N G CO O R D I N ATO R Serena Sayers serena@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-0062 ADVERTISING ads@gardenculturemagazine.com PUBLISHER 325 Media INC 44 Hyde Rd., Mille-Isles QC, Canada J0R 1A0 GardenCultureMagazine.com ISSN 2562-3540 (Print) ISSN 2562-3559 (Online) Garden Culture is published six times a year, both in print and online.

especially when you can avoid bugs and disease!

Eric 3

@GardenCulture

@GardenCultureMagazine

@Garden_Culture

D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • Maxigrow • HydroGarden • Nutriculture • Highlight Horticultur e

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from 325 Media Inc.

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

I love the idea of standing back and letting nature do what it does naturally. We don’t always need to butt-in

Author Spotlight

Jesse Singer

ave you met Jesse Singer? He’s another one of Garden Culture Magazine’s awesome contributors, and we’re happy to have him

on board. Over the span of his writing career, Jesse has covered a broad range of topics, but he’s digging into the world of growing for us most recently. We did a little digging ourselves to get to know him better.

Is your ultimate ‘dream’ garden indoors or outdoors, and what’s growing in it? Definitely outdoors, and it’s filled with fruits and vegetables. I love the idea of being able to walk out to the garden and harvest some, or all, of my dinner. I would even love to have a few chickens and grab a couple of fresh eggs every morning.

What is on your playlist right now? Like my love of food, my love of music is quite varied as well. Looking at my playlist over the past few days, I’ve been spending some quality time in the 60s and 70s with Bob Dylan, The Band, CSN, and Elton John. I spent the 90s and early 2000s with Missy Elliot, Common and Oasis.

You’ve covered many different topics for Garden Culture in the magazine and on the blog. What’s been your favourite so far? I think it’s probably the concept of the “no work” garden, and not just because I can be a little lazy at times. But I love the idea of standing back and letting nature do what it does naturally. We don’t always need to butt-in. Sometimes less really is more! (You can f ind that blog and others by Jesse at GCMag.co)

Where in the world would you like to travel to next? I love Europe. Some of my favourite cities in the world include Ljubljana, Paris, Amsterdam and Rome. But I would probably star t with a few new ones, including Vienna, Barcelona and Dublin. A road trip adventure through Eastern Canada has been on my travel bucket list for years as well. 3

What is your favourite food? I love food, so picking a favourite doesn’t feel fair to all the amazing food out there. But a bowl of fresh, homemade pasta is pure joy, as is a serving of beautiful, fresh tar tar and sushi. 12

Are you interested in writing for Garden Culture Magazine? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email introducing yourself with a sample of your work. editor@gardenculturemagazine.com

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CANNA CALMAG AGENT Understanding the inconsistencies in your water quality can make all the difference in achieving a successful harvest. Make sure you check your water and, if needed, correct its mineral balance using CANNA CALMAG AGENT’s highly concentrated solution of calcium and magnesium at the ideal 3:1 ratio. You’ll be able to create the perfect start point to then apply your CANNA TERRA or COCO base nutrients to get the most out of your grow. Find out how to check your water quality and how best to treat it on CANNA’s dedicated water testing page at canna-uk.com. Alternatively, contact your local store, which may be able to provide a more localised insight for your area.

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GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

BY STEPHEN BROOKES, NPK

Powdery Mildew

POWDERY MILDEW

Science Corner

This article of Science Corner looks at the plague of the abominable snowman, or more specifically, the all too common curse of powdery mildew. What is it, and why do plants get this disease? Why is it so challenging to eradicate, and what are the steps growers need to take once it develops? Let’s have a look.

What is Powdery Mildew? Powder y mildew is a biotrophic fungus that uses living plant cells as a food source. It travels through the air as spores, which germinate on the leaf surface and produce tubes. These tubes expand over the leaf cell and feed on its nutrients. They pierce the epidermal layer of the cells using small structures called haustoria.

If you spot powdery mildew, do not start any significant plant-handling work For the most part, powdery mildew remains on the plant surface; the visible part of the disease infects other plants. As the fungus extracts nutrients from the leaf, it forms structures called conidiophores, which produce conidia. Conidia travel and infect the other plants in the garden.

The spread can be due to plants being too close together or the gardener touching infected leaves and then working on healthy plants

Now you know the scientific names for this pain-in-the-bum problem, but unfortunately, it won’t help you get rid of it any quicker.

The Spread The conidia move through air movement and touch when indoors. The spread can be due to plants being too close together or the gardener touching infected leaves and then working on healthy plants. Common indoor grower knowledge is that high humidity and low air movement are the conditions that allow for powdery mildew. However, there are some nuances to this commonly held belief. Powdery mildew is not resistant to water, so outdoors, the rain does a good job keeping the disease at bay. The spores pop when they are in contact with water for a few hours. The conidia don’t need water or nutrients to germinate, but rather, stable temperatures of 20-24°C. Low air movement, high humidity, and the aforementioned ideal temperatures cause powdery mildew. However, while high humidity increases the germination rate, it also inhibits spore production, so moisture may not have as big an impact as you might think. It is critical to be careful of the constant and continuous handling of infected and healthy plants. If you spot powdery mildew, do not start any significant planthandling work.

Another possible cause of spread? If a grower takes cuttings from an infected plant with no visible symptoms, the cuttings will still have the powdery mildew mould. Of course, young cuttings need low air movement with high humidity to do well, and therefore, the plant battles the disease from day one.

Why Plants Develop Powdery Mildew Powdery mildew isn’t something the grower creates; it’s something that is allowed to happen. The same is true for most fungal and bacterial infections. Bacteria, viruses, and diseases are everywhere at all times. They are merely waiting for the perfect environment to flourish. When minimal to no air movement and high relative humidity present themselves, powdery mildew has the ideal conditions to germinate. As it grows, most people will notice white speckling on the leaves, similar in appearance to a dusting of white flour. The grower often touches the leaves and then inspects other plants, and is usually where the spread happens.

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POWDERY MILDEW

Science Corner

In a worst-case scenario where powdery mildew covers more than 50% of a leaf, strip it from the plant and immediately dispose of it

Preventing and Eradicating Powdery Mildew Avoid the ideal conditions for germination! Swings in temperature can lead to moisture build-up, and plants will hit the dew point during lights-off. Try to keep plants wellspaced so the air movement can wick away excess moisture, making it more challenging for powdery mildew to spread.

UV lights are probably the best method of killing powdery mildew and preventing repeat infections of any diseases

Do not excessively foliar feed during the lights-off period. Be sure to do so before lights-off or an hour before lights-on. Adding extra fans will help keep the air well-circulated in the grow room. A silica supplement will strengthen the plant’s cell walls, which will also help prevent powdery mildew. Be sure to also have adequate calcium in the feed solution, which also helps build plant cell strength. Do not add extra nitrogen; it can promote the production rate of powdery mildew. The use of ultraviolet lights makes it impossible for mould and viruses to take hold. The high radiation destroys the mould cells and ensures anything left cannot replicate. UV lights are probably the best method of killing powdery mildew and preventing repeat infections of any diseases. They are also an excellent option for organic growers who don’t want to use chemical solutions.

Life Goes On

It’s not the end of the world if powdery mildew makes an appearance in the garden, as you can efficiently resolve the issue. The best advice I can offer is always to keep your environment in check; prevention is still easier than a cure. In a worst-case scenario where powdery mildew covers more than 50% of a leaf, strip it from the plant and immediately dispose of it. Take special care not to transmit this powder to other plants and keep movement to a minimum. 3

BIO Stephen Brookes is a hydroponics aficionado and loves to apply the scientific method to his articles. He has been the manager of NPK Technology for 10 years, and produces and hosts the world’s number one hydroponics podcast, NPK Live. Stephen is also owner of NPK Media, a 360 media content production agency. He likes to read and enjoys mountaineering in his spare time. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know.

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

Fashion-Forward “Leather” Made With Cactus

rom purses, wallets, and jackets to furniture and car interiors, the global leather industry kills over a billion animals every year. The environmental impact is significant; beyond the enormous amount of water it takes to raise the animals killed for their skins, the chemicals used to create leather products are harmful and also

cause the final product to be non-biodegradable. More of a fan of vegan leather products? While they aren’t made with animal hides, they contain plastic, which doesn’t help Mother Nature’s plight. Two entrepreneurs are looking to give the industry an eco-friendly overhaul. Adrián López Velarde and Mar te Cázarez are at the helm of Adriano Di Mar ti, a company that has created a faux leather fabric using cactus leaves. credit: DESSERTO

Cactus is hard, thick, and pointy, which doesn’t exactly scream comfor t. But when processed, the plant’s leaves end up feeling like leather. This new material offers many perks, including the fact that cactus grows in the deser t with very little water! The company uses natural dyes in the fabrication process, and the final product has a lifespan of up to ten years while also being par tially biodegradable. At the same price as real leather products, Adriano Di Mar ti has created cactus bags, shoes, clothing, and car seats. 3

credit: www.mexicanochingon.com/

Sources: • India Times: Two Guys Create “Leather” From Cactus, Will Save 1 Billion Animals Killed For Fashion bit.ly/3hHNpPA

Adrián López Velarde and Mar te Cázarez

coming soon Distributed by Global Air Supplies

BY JESSE SINGER

Critters Be Gone! The History of

Pest Control A pest is defined as “a destructive insect or another animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.” Agriculture and pest control go hand-in-hand and always have. However, the mechanisms of critter control have changed over time as various cultural, biological and chemical methods have been employed. Be warned that newer isn’t always better, and sometimes, it has taken years to recognise what effects specific techniques are having on us and our environment. Take a walk through this timeline and see where we have come from and where we are today in this battle to control pests.

HISTORY OF PEST CONTROL

3000 BC CATS In Egypt, they used cats to control rodent pests in grain stores.

2500 BC Chemical Pesticides The first use of chemical pesticides dates back to 2500 BC when the Sumerians used sulphur compounds to control insects and mites.

Around this time, we see the first documentation of cultural control methods, such as the Chinese manipulating planting dates to control pests.

1500 BC Planting Dates

1200 BC Botanical Insecticides The Chinese use botanical insecticides as a fungicide and to treat seeds.

950 BC

Burning Another cultural control method, burning, is noted by Homer as a way to control locusts.

Amurca

470 BC

Democritus controls a blight outbreak by sprinkling amurca on plants (the liquid waste left over from olive oil production).

304 BC

Biological Controls

Although the term “biological control” wasn’t coined until the 1900s, China recorded the first use of such methods in 304 BC. Chinese farmers introduced colonies of predatory ants into their citrus groves to control pests such as caterpillars and beetles.

Marcus Pollio Roman architect Marcus Pollio constructs the first rat-proof granary.

400 AD

Ko Hung To control pests, Chinese alchemist Ko Hung recommends applying arsenic to rice paddies’ roots when transplanting them.

13 BC Ferrets In Europe, they domesticate ferrets and use them to catch mice.

500 AD Kitāb al-filā-hah

Kitāb al-filā-ḥah is a classic agriculture book written by the agriculturalist Ibn Al-Awam. The book covers hundreds of plants and trees, discussions on soils and manure, and provides lots of information on managing pests.

1100-1200

Cutworms Excommunicated 1476 30

After the Roman Empire’s fall, European pest control methods started to rely less on any actual science and more on religion and superstition. For example, in 1476 in Bern, Switzerland, cutworms were taken to court. They were found guilty, excommunicated by the archbishop and banished.

HISTORY OF PEST CONTROL

The 1800s

Pest Control Books

Spray It 1880

In the early 1800s, we started to see the first books devoted entirely to the subject of pest control.

The year 1880 saw the production of the first commercial pesticide spraying machine.

1919 Harry Scott Smith Harry Scott Smith was an entomologist at the University of California, Riverside. Smith coined the term “biological control” in a 1919 article he wrote for the Journal of Economic Entomology, “On some phases of insect control by the biological method.”

1929

Crop Dusting 1921

Medfly Eradication in Florida

The first instance of aerial crop dusting occurred In Ohio on August 3rd, 1921. Lt. John A. Macready, in a modified Curtiss JN-6 “Super Jenny”, spread lead arsenate dust over catalpa trees to kill sphinx moth larvae.

After a nursery inspector near Orlando discovered Mediterranean Fruit Fly maggots and larvae, a full-scale eradication effort was initiated. This massive program involved the destruction of host plants, quarantines, and even checkpoints along Florida highways. The program cost about $7.5 million, and in 1930, the Mediterranean Fruit Fly was declared gone, marking the first-ever area-wide eradication of an insect pest. The state remained free of medflies for the next 25 years.

1939 Paul Hermann Müller DDT was first synthesised in 1874. However, in 1939, Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller discovered the chemical compound’s insecticidal properties.

Nobel Prize 1948 In 1948, Paul Hermann Müller was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for his discovery of the high efficiency of DDT as a contact poison against several arthropods.”

1952 “Integrated Control” credit: University of Cambridge

A.E. Michelbacher and O. G. Bacon at UC Berkeley use the term “integrated control” in their paper to describe the integration of insecticides and biological control in California walnut orchards.

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HISTORY OF PEST CONTROL

1955 Malaria

The World Health Organisation begins a programme designed to eliminate malaria in many countries using DDT to control the mosquito population. The results are initially quite positive.

However, they failed to sustain the program, leading to an increased mosquito tolerance to DDT and a resurgence of the disease in many locations. They even saw an increase in transmission rates in some areas. In the end, the programme only succeeded in areas of “high socio-economic status, well-organised healthcare systems, and relatively less intensive or seasonal malaria transmission”.

The Integrated Control Concept Four California entomologists, V.M. Stern, R.F. Smith, R. van den Bosch and K.S. Hagen published a paper outlining the Integrated Control Concept, which is the foundation of today’s Integrated Pest Management. In their article, ICC was defined as “Applied pest control that combines and integrates biological and chemical control. Chemical control is used as necessary and in a manner that is least disruptive to biological control.”

1959

1962 Silent Spring Rachel Carson was an American marine biologist, conservationist and author. Her book Silent Spring is considered a significant catalyst in helping to launch the environmental movement. The book came out in opposition to DDT and led to an enormous public outcry about its use.

Integrated Pest The 1970s Management

The concept of Integrated Pest Management in agriculture picks up steam in the 1970s as more information emerges as to the negative side-effects of the overuse of pesticides. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) defines Integrated Pest Management as, “the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimise risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasises the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms.”

1972 IPM in the USA IPM is formed into a National policy in the United States. In February of 1972, President Nixon told all federal agencies to do what was needed to advance IPM in all relevant sectors.

DDT Ban in the United States DDT Is finally banned for agricultural use in the United States. In no small part, the ban is due to the public outcry that came with the release of Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, ten years earlier.

More Countries 1986 Adopt IPM Germany, Indonesia and the Philippines all adopt Integrated Pest Management as official policy.

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HISTORY OF PEST CONTROL

Food Quality Protection Act

Passed in the United States in 1996, the FQPA announced specific guidelines for how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would manage the use of pesticides. It demanded a health-based standard for their use in foods, especially those consumed by children and infants. Among other things, it also incentivised the creation of safer pesticides.

1996

1997 World Food Prize

Dr Perry L. Adkisson and Dr Ray F. Smith are awarded the World Food Prize. Adkisson and Smith “were among the first to note the harmful environmental and economic effects of indiscriminate synthetic chemical pesticide use. Dedicated to finding practical alternative approaches to pest control, they worked both independently and in tandem to demonstrate and popularise Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes.”

To push Integrated Pest Management, scientists put out a challenge to 950 farmers in Vietnam. The farmers each grew rice on two plots. They did as they always did on one plot, using fertiliser and spraying pesticides as much and as often as they wanted. On the other field, they used fewer seeds, less fertiliser and were not allowed to use pesticides until 40 days after planting. The results were significant, with yields from the IPM plot being as good or better than the traditional one. And with the costs being lower, it meant 8-10% more income for the farmers. The success of this experiment led to the creation of the “Three Reductions, Three Gains” campaign.” Posters and TV Commercials all pushed the idea that cutting the use of seed, fertiliser, and pesticide would boost yield, quality and income.

2001 “Three Reductions, Three Gains”

Worldwide DDT Ban 2004 2013 Sterilisation

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was a global treaty that articulated a worldwide ban on the agricultural use of DDT. The treaty was signed and ratified in 2001 and went into effect in 2004.

New York tests sterilisation traps in three subway stations and the terminal at Grand Central. Rather than kill the rats, the bait causes reproductive difficulties in the rodents (the females lose eggs and the males have testicular issues). The bait isn’t poison and causes no harm to humans or the environment. The study found that about half the rats took the bait, and after the three month test period, the rat population in those areas had been reduced by 43%.

To protect the bee population, the European Union agrees to ban neonicotinoid insecticides’ outdoor use (clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam). However, there is a clause in the EU ban that allows countries to grant short-term permission to use the insecticides for “emergency use.” In the years since the ban was put in place, many countries in the union have been granting “emergency use” without any real evidence of an “emergency.”

2018 EU Tries to Protect Bees

Sources: • The History of Integrated Pest Management: bit.ly/3agjdsC • NSP - Integrated Pest Management (FAO): bit.ly/2Z8zqKa • The History of Pest Management: bit.ly/3tQuOGB • The History of Pest Control: A Basic Timeline (Western Exterminator Company): bit.ly/3tVLDjl • Rachel Carson (Wikipedia): bit.ly/3rIuXda • Ibn al-ʿAwwām Biography (Britannica): bit.ly/3jKCQfA • History of Pest Control (Omaha Pest Control): bit.ly/3pacQLG • Do You “IPM”? (Quality and Assurance & Food Safety): bit.ly/3qi5yXt • The Industry’s History (National Agricultural Aviation Association): agaviation.org/industryhistory • Aerial Application (Wikipedia): bit.ly/2LNPa28 • DDT (Wikipedia): bit.ly/3tUNvsE • Persistent organic pollutants: Stockholm Convention: bit.ly/2ZdWgjn

• • • • • • • • •

Walnut Insect and Spider-Mite Control in Northern California (A. E. Michelbacher, O. G. Bacon, Journal of Economic Entomology): bit.ly/3rONRzq Fifty years of the integrated control concept: moving the model and implementation forward in Arizona (NCBI) bit.ly/3jH8v1z Food Quality Protection Act (USDA): bit.ly/3aVt1r8 Food Quality Protection Act (Wikipedia): bit.ly/3rFQUtA 1997: Adkisson and Smith (World Food Prize Foundation): bit.ly/3acVxoW The Saga of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Part I: 1929-1950 (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services): bit.ly/3af4tdJ CTA To Put Rats on Birth Control (The Chicago Tribune) bit.ly/3aSVDRG Loophole keeps bee-killing pesticides in widespread use, two years after EU ban (Unearthed): bit.ly/2MZXIDE History of IPM (Museum Pests) museumpests.net/history-of-ipm

BIO

Jesse grew up obsessed with movies and so it only makes sense that he graduated from McGill University with a degree in Political Science. He then put that degree to good use with a job at a video store. After that, he spent months backpacking around Europe - a continent that he has been back to visit many times since. Jesse is super curious and loves to learn and explore new subjects. For the last 15+ years, he has been writing online for a number of different sites and publications covering everything from film and television to website reviews, dating and culture, history, news, and sports. He’s worn many hats - which is ironic because he actually loves wearing hats and he has many different ones.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ALBERT MONDOR,

credit: Plenty

HORTICULTURIST AND BIOLOGIST

GARDEN TRENDS:

Table Gardening IS SO

HIP!

TABLE GARDENING

n Nor th America, about 85% of people live in urban areas. Since many of them are in condos or apar tments without any land access, they have to

be creative when growing plants and vegetables. Urban gardeners often have to grow in pots and containers,

Urban gardeners often have to grow in pots and containers, on walls, roofs and sometimes even on tables!

on walls, roofs and sometimes even on tables!

credit: Albert Mondor

A new horticultural trend called table gardening allows the cultivation of plants in urban settings when it is impossible to do so in the ground. Table gardening also allows gardeners with disabilities who use wheelchairs or those who cannot bend or kneel to enjoy the pleasure of gardening and harvesting fresh herbs and vegetables. Table gardening has the virtue of making urban agriculture more accessible to a large number of people.

When growing edible plants, tables with deep bins are necessary. A table garden can consist of potted plants you want to show off.

Beyond the purely practical aspect of table gardening, it is also possible to create a small tabletop arrangement just for its beauty (beauty has a purpose, too). This summer, you can give new life to an old table by transforming it into a garden. Use the table sitting in the garage or the one you found on the street and transform it into a work of art!

Placement and Design

When placed near the entrance to your house, a table garden serves as a welcome sign. It can also be a focal point in the corner of your garden. You can use only potted plants and hide the containers with moss or stones, or you can ditch the pots and install ledges on the borders of the table to retain the soil.

If you want to harvest an abundance of vegetables, place your table in a sunny location, far from mature trees. Although some edible plants such as Swiss chard, carrot, spinach, mint and parsley tolerate some shade, most veggies require at least six hours of sunlight per day for good growth and high yields.

You can plant anything on a table: annuals, long-flowering perennials, aromatic herbs, vegetables, cacti and succulents, tropical plants, or bonsai. The sky’s the limit! Personalise your table garden by incorporating decorative elements such as lanterns, seashells, conifer cones, stones, travel souvenirs, a birdhouse or a bug hotel.

When building a new gardening table, use a durable, rot-resistant material such as composite wood, stone or steel plates. Tables made of straw bales, woven tree branches, old concrete blocks, or reclaimed steel will undoubtedly give a lot of charm and originality to your vegetable garden while significantly reducing its construction costs.

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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TABLE GARDENING

Use the table sitting in the garage or the one you found on the street and transform it into a work of art!

Penjings lend themselves wonderfully to the creation of table gardens.

There aren’t any precise rules as to the dimensions that a garden table should have. However, for vegetables to root deeply and have maximum production, you need a table with walls at least 40 to 45 cm (16 to 18 inches) high. As for its width, it should not be more than 90 cm (3 ft). Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to access the table’s centre for weeding, watering and harvesting.

Deep, Rich Soil Although wood is very available, inexpensive, and is easy to work with, the fact remains that it rots quickly when in contact with soil. If you still want to use this material to build your table, opt for eastern or western cedar (Thuya). Farmers have long used this species of wood to make fence posts. Be sure to cover the inner part walls and bottom with extruded polystyrene or a thick geotextile membrane. Torrefied wood is also a good choice since it has a reputation for being rot-resistant. You can even burn the wood surface with a torch. This ancestral Japanese technique called Shou sugi ban prevents the degradation of wood through microorganisms.

When you grow plants directly on a table (not in pots placed on a table), it is essential to plant them in a rich, light potting soil with excellent water and nutrient retention capacity. A potting mix made up of equal parts compost, sphagnum peat moss and perlite - such as organic Pro-Mix for vegetable gardens and herbs - gives excellent results. Make sure that you drill a few holes at the bottom of your table to allow the soil to drain. If you are growing vegetables, give your eggplant, cucumber, pepper and tomato plants (about 100 ml per plant) a granular fertiliser rich in nitrogen and potassium - formulation 5-3-8 - when planting them. 3

credit: Albert Mondor

Furniture other than tables can be used to make very original above-ground arrangements.

It’s tea time! Alice and the Mad Hatter will arrive soon!

BIO Passionate about environmental horticulture, urban agriculture and extreme landscape design, Albert Mondor has practised his craft for over 30 years and created numerous gardens in North America. In addition to teaching courses and lecturing at conferences across Canada, his weekly gardening column has appeared in the Journal de Montréal and the Journal de Québec since 1999. In April 2018, Albert Mondor published Le nouveau potager, his tenth horticultural book. He is a regular guest and contributor to radio and television programmes and his hosting The Trendy Gardener spots broadcasted on Météo Média and online. You can also read his blog called Extreme Horticulture at albertmondor.com. Follow Albert on Facebook: fb.com/albert.mondor

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

BY EVAN FOLDS

AGRICULTURAL THREEFOLDING

Our mission is to ensure food security by ending the food desert, generate resilience in our neighbourhoods, and enhance the local economy through equity and ownership

n a big broad stroke, we live in a world defined by culture, rights, and economy. These domains of social activity generate the landscape for our humanity.The conscious dynamic between these realms, combined with the relative autonomy and authority that they hold, leads to the potential for a healthy society and world.

Agricultural Threefolding Rudolf Steiner first developed the concept of social threefolding in 1915 in response to the first World War. It represents a profound and straightforward way to apply systems-thinking to our social order that we can trace throughout our lived experience. For instance, when church (culture) is not separated from state (rights), society gets sick. Same with the collusion of corporations (economy) with the government (rights) seen in corporatism.

For instance, when church (culture) is not separated from state (rights), society gets sick. Same with the collusion of corporations (economy) with the government (rights) seen in corporatism

The threefolding phenomenon is also alive in agriculture. Suppose we define agriculture as more than just growing crops and as a symbiotic relationship between food, farming, and human health. In that case, we open up the unlimited potential to fix the significant challenges that we face - hunger, poverty, climate change, health care, and beyond.

The Northside Food Co-op

A Community-Based Approach A cooperative business, or co-op, is, effectively, a for-profit organisation with a non-profit mentality. This means that it is essentially a breakeven enterprise, where all of the profits generated are returned to owners as dividends or invested back into the community. It also means that, rather than corporate interests, community members plan and operate all business aspects.

Food co-ops bring massive residual benefit to the community. Primary among them is that cooperative business is democracy and equity in action, which inspires the type of community activism required to bring attention to forgotten communities in ways that a typical grocery chain cannot. In other words, cooperative business challenges and flexes the exact muscle we need to strengthen in society to produce meaningful change - people showing up for ourselves in shared values to solve common problems.

Seeking resonance in the spheres of food, farming, and human health is the basis for my work as a consultant. A focus on agricultural threefolding has drawn me to all sorts of impactful projects. One of the more interesting ones is an engagement as the Project Manager for the Northside Food Co-op (NorthsideFoodCoop.com). The Northside Food Co-op is a community-owned cooperative grocery store being planned for a generational food desert in the historically underserved and minority-based Northside community in downtown Wilmington, NC. Our mission is to ensure food security by ending the food desert, generate resilience in our neighbourhoods, and enhance the local economy through equity and ownership. The project strikes the heart of the interface between what we eat, how we grow food, and public health. The cooperative business component overlays a spirit and expectation of personal agency or the concept that our ideas impact the world, which is a very effective tool for organising an underserved community.

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

AGRICULTURAL THREEFOLDING

A cooperative business, or co-op, is, effectively, a for-profit organisation with a non-profit mentality

The Benefits of Food Co-ops Food co-ops deliver benefits over and above those of traditional entrepreneurial-based grocery stores. The study, Healthy Foods Healthy Communities: The Social and Economic Impacts of Food Co-ops, commissioned by National Co+op Grocers (NCG), quantifies these benefits: •

•

• •

On November 10th, 1898, the Northside community was the site of the only successful coup d’état in the history of the United States

For every dollar spent at a food co-op, $0.38 is reinvested in the local economy compared to $0.24 at conventional grocers. Traditional grocers work with an average of 65 local farmers and food producers; food co-ops work with an average of 157. Locally-sourced products make up an average of 20% of co-op sales compared to 6% at traditional stores. For every $1,000 a shopper spends at their local food coop, $1,604 in economic activity is generated in their local economy—$239 more than if they had spent that same $1,000 at a conventional grocer.

The Challenges Localised ownership results in significant socioeconomic benefit and begins to lay a real and psychological pathway towards community wealth. But when it comes to the grocery business and the society and economy that we live in, food co-ops also present some serious challenges. For instance, hardly anyone knows what a cooperative business is, to begin with, so a serious effort to educate the public is required before the grocery store can be built. On top of that, because the project lacks the typical entrepreneurial profit incentive, it takes a massive coordinated effort to activate the community and come together to ensure the business’s success. Once the store is in operation, grocery margins are famously low, so the community’s connection remains a critical factor over time.

Then, of course, there is the challenge of fundraising. Ownership sales fund the beginning stages of the project. Our model offers a one-time payment of $100 to be an owner of a patron share, which under North Carolina law can only be sold to North Carolina residents. We also have a PayIt-Forward sponsorship programme where people can donate $90 to help support $10 ownerships for Northside residents who may need financial assistance. Longer-term fundraising is accomplished by a combination of banks and community capital campaigns. A cooperative business is an exercise in the literal expression of democracy. The organisation is run by the premise of “one person, one share, one vote”, which means that no single person can own more of the business than any other person. In other words, the business is owned by and benefits the people who use it – the community members. The Northside Food Co-op is much more than a grocery store project. It is an effort to elevate a disenfranchised community through food. It is a powerful community-catalyst and a place we can call our own. Not only is a grocery co-op one of the more potent ways to engage the realm of agricultural threefolding, but the Northside community has stories to tell.

A Sad History The Northside was the epicentre of one of the most egregious racism displays ever recorded in human history. On November 10th, 1898, the Northside community was the site of the only successful coup d’état in the history of the United States. The insurrection was racially motivated and began with targeting a black-owned newspaper run by a man named Alexander Manly and culminated in the obliteration of a thriving interracial community in Wilmington that included numerous minority politicians and black-owned businesses.

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

AGRICULTURAL THREEFOLDING

Our city carries the wounds of these events to this day. The book Wilmington’s Lie and the documentary Wilmington on Fire chronicle the sad history. The coup resulted in deep-seated racial disparity that can only be healed by conscious and focused atonement, and it is in this spirit that the Northside Food Co-op was born.

Agriculture has always brought us together. By focusing on food, farming, and human health, we can bring solutions that bridge the growing gaps in society

The railroad employers dominated the Northside economy until they left the area in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, the last grocery store left the downtown area leaving the Northside a shell of its thriving past signalled by empty storefronts and rundown buildings. The Northside residents who remain comprise over 70% minorities, with more than 65% of residents African American. The annual income of Northside residents is close to 50% below our county’s median yearly income, and almost 20% of households do not have access to a vehicle. Unfortunately, this is the story of inner-city USA. For 30+ years, the Northside community has asked for a grocery store. In 1996, a citizen group pooled money from Northside residents to build a grocery store but ultimately failed to do so. Later, in 2003, the City of Wilmington set the goal that a grocery store be built on the Northside by 2005. This effort also never materialised, and today a food desert remains.

Defining Food Deserts The USDA defines a food desert as “urban neighbourhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food.” Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores,

food desert communities have very little fresh food access. They are typically served by fast-food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options.

Quality food is the foundation for healthy communities. Ultimately, a communities resilience and ability to thrive begins with nourishment, and on this front, we have a lot of work to do. More than 70% of the average diet is processed in America, and only 10% of Americans eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. In food deserts, these numbers are even worse. We experience the reality of our compromised diets in the epidemic of chronic disease that threatens the foundations of our civilisation.

The success of the Northside Food Co-op will be a direct metric of community support. It is a massive effort, but we must bring our will into action and muster the courage to seek new ways of doing things if we are to find real solutions to our problems. Agriculture has always brought us together. By focusing on food, farming, and human health, we can bring solutions that bridge the growing gaps in society. We need coopetition, not competition. Compassion and action, not cynicism. People power, not profit at all costs. If we are to reach our human potential, we must challenge ourselves to show up for ourselves. We can do all of this with a food co-op. 3

Bio

Evan Folds is a regenerative agricultural consultant with a background across every facet of the farming and gardening spectrum. He has founded and operated many businesses over the years - including a retail hydroponics store he operated for over 14 years, a wholesale company that formulated beyond organic products and vortex-style compost tea brewers, an organic lawn care company, and a commercial organic wheatgrass growing operation. He now works as a consultant in his new project Be Agriculture where he helps new and seasoned growers take their agronomy to the next level.What we think, we grow! Contact Evan at www.BeAgriculture.com or on Facebook and Instagram @beagriculture GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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PEST CONTROL

BY DR CALLIE SEAMAN

lants are robust and adaptable organisms capable of producing a chemical arsenal of compounds to defend themselves, all the more impressive when considering the limited supply of chemicals they have to work with. Stress is the application of pressure on a system that prevents it from running at an

optimal level, upsetting its balance and cellular homeostasis. Plant stress is divided into abiotic stress, resulting from non-living factors, and biotic stress, exer ted by living organisms - commonly called pests. In this ar ticle, we’ll be examining the latter, especially the role that terpenes play in a plant’s battle to balance its resources in the shor t time it has to mature and fruit. Of course, it’s not a fight plants always win. We’ll also look at the role terpenes play in the essential practical applications for humanity.

Pests Stress Plants Plant stress is divided into abiotic stress, resulting from non-living factors, and biotic stress, exerted by living organisms commonly called pests

Some insects, including thrip, whitefly, and spider mites will feed on the sugar-rich sap in the leaf, destroying it from the inside out. At infestation levels, they can be devastating to a crop. This damage also opens the door to further infection from microbes; the main culprits are pathogenic fungi and viruses, nematodes, bacteria, protozoa, and arthropods. Stress exerted by any of these sources can result in irreversible damage to plant cells.

Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentali, (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Terpenes are the largest group of secondary metabolites.

Chemical Warfare

Secondary metabolites are compounds within an organism that do not directly play a role in its normal growth, development, or reproduction. Instead, they enhance the chances of survival. Plants produce them in response to stress as well as to aid in symbiotic relationships with neighbouring organisms. Secondary metabolites form a large category of compounds, with the hundreds of thousands identified to date likely representing a fraction of those in existence. Phytoalexins are a type of secondary metabolite, a large group of broad-spectrum antibiotics with low-molecular weight. These include terpenoids and flavonoids, along with other compounds such as stilbenes. This important form of pest control relies on releasing chemicals being triggered by an elicitor (cells from the pathogen) binding to the plant’s cell wall. It prompts a cascade of signals, which eventually stimulate the transcription of genes to synthesise the appropriate phytoalexins or other defence molecules.

CREDIT: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

Humans, cattle, and grazing herbivores are all pests from a plant’s perspective, and plants have evolved to protect themselves in several resourceful ways. Anyone who has been stung by a nettle understands the plant’s defence mechanism, while cattle will be familiar with the repellent flavour of many of the things they eat. But, of course, any gardener knows that insects and microbial life pose a far greater threat to plants.

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PEST CONTROL

Terpenes Terpenes are the largest group of secondary metabolites. These volatile compounds produce the distinctive aroma of many plants, including pine trees, lavender, and rosemary. While their smell is often pleasant from a human perspective and to many pollinators, they also serve as an antimicrobial and anti-herbivory defence mechanism.

The multifunctional solutions plants utilise from the relatively small pool of chemicals they have to work is nothing short of genius – they’re currently far better chemists than we are!

Glandular trichomes, the small hairs on the surface of plants, are the primary delivery system for terpenes. When plants are attacked or wounded, the glandular trichomes are broken and release their contents. In heavy rain, trichomes are also washed from the leaves into the ground, where they suppress the growth of competing plants. While a plant’s ability to produce so many compounds is impressive, the fact that these compounds can interact with one another to produce entirely independent outcomes is all the more so. What they can do in the human body is equally exceptional.

Human Application Humans have utilised plants for their scents and flavours for time untold, but modern science has opened the door to their vast potential for medical applications. Where once lavender kept your clothes smelling fresh and rosemary masked the taste of high meat, today, plant extracts – more specifically terpenes – are being used in the treatment of severe epilepsy. With the ending of the prohibition of cannabis, not only has a vast amount of research been undertaken into the pharmaceutical applications of terpenes and other secondary metabolites within cannabis, but their use in treatment already shows incredibly positive outcomes for seriously debilitating conditions.

Finding Balance In scientific terms, it’s only recently that modern methods have allowed us to view plants from a detailed microscopic perspective. As a result, our perception of what qualifies as a pest is changing rapidly, especially as we learn more about the deep complexity of the interdependent relationships between plants and the organisms that survive alongside them. For example, microbes are by no means entirely harmful, with research on symbiotic microbes showing a positive effect on plant size when applied to the roots. Endophytes, microbes that are more commonly fungus or bacteria, live between plants’ cells and have been proven to modulate and mimic secondary metabolites produced by the host plant. These discoveries’ practical applications are already changing the way we operate, with the human use of pesticides proving far more damaging than we ever envisaged. By understanding the defensive mechanisms plants use, we can better facilitate their own ability to fight off pests. This can be as simple as ensuring they have all the nutrients and optimal environmental factors necessary to ramp up their natural defences. Growing them

alongside companion plants and using biological control methods, like predatory insects such as ladybirds, replaces man-made pesticides. Similarly, plants’ fascinating defence mechanisms have financial benefits; controlled exposure to pests increases the production of secondary metabolites, skewing the received wisdom that a profitable crop is one vast monoculture free of pests or any other ‘contaminants’. The multifunctional solutions plants utilise from the relatively small pool of chemicals they have to work is nothing short of genius – they’re currently far better chemists than we are! Learning from them gives us a shortcut through the millennia of evolution that brought them to where they are today, better equipping humanity to face that very same battle for survival. 3

Dr Callie Seaman is a leading expert of the UK hydroponic industry and became passionate about medicinal cannabis when she was diagnosed with epilepsy over 20 years ago. After obtaining a Biomedical Sciences degree at Sheffield Hallam University, she completed a PhD titled “Investigating Nutrient Solutions for Hydroponic Growth of Plants”. During her PhD, she became a founding director of Aqua Laboratories Ltd – a formulator and producer of specialist hydroponic nutrients. In October 2018, Callie became a non-executive director of a home office licenced medicinal cannabis facility within the UK. She consults with a wide range of other licensed producers worldwide as they look to set up their facilities.With numerous scientific articles, book chapters and peer-reviewed papers to her name, Callie is an experienced professional in the field of medicinal cannabis, cultivation and fertiliser science. Instagram: @dr.callieseaman Facebook: @DrCallieSeaman Twitter: @dr_CallieSeaman LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-callieseaman/ Website: aqualabs-uk.com and cbdhempire.co.uk

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

Growing Clove, Nutmeg, and Star Anise GARDENING CHALLENGE

re you looking to up your gardening game in 2021? The global pandemic has sparked a massive resurgence in the number of people growing food at home, and spices are no exception! Beyond being tasty and pretty to look at, herbs and spices are also excellent for suppor ting health. While it’s generally relatively easy to grow

spices at home, there are a few that might offer a challenge to even the most experienced gardeners out there: clove, nutmeg, and star anise. Unlike many other spices, these three aren’t well-suited to container growing. If you live in the tropics or have a warm greenhouse or conser vatory, they’re wor th a try! The following tips and tricks are from Grow Your Own Spices, by Tasha Greer.

Cloves Star t cloves from freshly har vest seeds and cuttings and grow them in tree-sized pots with high quality growing medium and plenty of organic matter. Remember; patience is a vir tue! Fruit production only begins in about six years but can take 15 years or longer to reach full production. If you want maximum yield, you’ll need to transplant out of the pot and into the ground or a raised bed after a few years. Insect cross-pollination is essential, so take clove plants outdoors during flowering.

Clove tree with blooming flowers, fresh green leaves and red raw buds

Nutmeg Nutmeg is a large tree and thrives in temperatures 75°F (24°C) and warmer. Fruits form on female plants but a male pollinizer is required for spice production. This spice is tricky to grow because plant sex can’t be distinguished until the tree flowers when it’s around 8-years-old. It’s recommended to star t with male or female plants propagated by cloning, layering, or cutting to ensure pollination. Expect full production when the tree hits 25 years of age. Fully ripe and split nutmeg seed Fully ripe and split nutmeg seed

Star Anise Star Anise is relatively easy to star t from seed. However, seeds are difficult to find and are only viable for a shor t time after har vesting. If your seed sowing is successful, expect a beautiful tree or shrub with star-shaped fruits and nicely-scented flowers. Har vest the fruits when they’re plump and green and dry them whole. The entire fruit can be used as a spice. Do not confuse star anise with Japanese star anise or Florida star anise, which are similar in appearance and fragrance but are potentially toxic. 3 Star anise 52

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BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

My freedom is strictly my business, not yours

RESET THIS

Everest wades in on “The Great Reset”

“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear”

Are you serious about freedom? “Sure, I’m serious,” you might respond, “I don’t take it for granted!” You may even asser t with an earnest but deeply misguided patriotism that you’re lucky enough to live in a “free countr y” and, by that same token, imply that your “freedom” has been state-issued or accredited to you by way of some official

A u n g Sa n Su u K y i

document, statute or treaty. But I sincerely hope not.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt pointed out once, true freedom doesn’t come under the category of “grantable things”.

I would like you to pry your mind open to the genuine possibility that you don’t yet know what true freedom is

“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”

Fra n k l i n D . R oo seve lt

So, be very suspicious, indeed, whenever anybody tries to assure you that freedom is just around the corner or that they have an amazing “freedom-gaining plan” for you. My freedom is strictly my business, not yours.

“Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything we do.”

Imagine you shook hands with a new acquaintance in the foyer of some random hotel (back in 2019), and he or she pointed out, without being prompted to do so, that they pride themselves on being an honest, straight-shooter in all their business dealings. If you’re anything like me, you’d immediately smell a rat. Why bother stating that which should be tacitly plain and obvious? The above quote has been taken from the World Economic Forum’s online mission statement. I would like you to pry your mind open to the genuine possibility that you don’t yet know what true freedom is. Alas, I am unable to spell it out. If you’ve tasted mango, you know its flavour. If you haven’t, too bad. I can mumble something about it being somewhere between a peach and an orange, but my words are no substitute for the reality of warm mango juice running down your chin. A more achievable goal here is for me to underline that which freedom is not, so at least you can recognise the ersatz, Gucci Belt, bullshit “McFreedom” when you’re offered it, and you don’t unwittingly buy into any counterfeit concepts. (Hey, what would you do without me?)

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RESET THIS

“You will own nothing. And you will be happy.”

The world’s wealthiest people are now suddenly concerned with “saving the planet” and “working collectively” to make a better and braver new world for us all

This is another Davos statement that should be viewed through the most sceptical of lenses. This is the publicly stated vision of the future—the year 2030 to be precise— issued by members of the World Economic Forum—an unelected cabal of business leaders and politicians—who want to prepare us for a “Great Reset”.

Well, look at that! The world’s wealthiest people are now suddenly concerned with “saving the planet” and “working collectively” to make a better and braver new world for us all. Funny how the idea of “collective ownership” has come to the fore only after a tiny fraction of the population have successfully claimed everything on the Monopoly board! “Right, that was fun, time to pack that game away!”

At the time of writing, search for the words “Great Reset” on YouTube and, despite the wide-ranging discussions on the topic (and no matter which country I set my VPN to), the first four results appear to have been curated from the same source: The World Economic Forum. The top result, “What is the Great Reset? | Davos Agenda 2021”, attempts to lay it out for us. It’s time to reset the global economy for the good of the planet. “The pandemic has changed the world! (…) but now we have a collective oppor tunity to rebuild the economy (...) Now Mother Nature needs a bail-out!”

They want to abolish that icky sticky, debtbased “cash money” and replace it with alldigital, state-backed cryptocurrency so every transaction can be monitored, forever

Dig a little deeper, and the true extent of the Davos agenda begins to emerge. The billionaires are pushing for all-encompassing technological control over society. They want to abolish that icky sticky, debt-based “cash money” and replace it with all-digital, state-backed cryptocurrency (Central Bank Digital Currencies or CBDCs) so every transaction can be monitored, forever. They want everyone issued with digital “health passports” so that we can all “travel safely” again—providing we submit to experimental gene-manipulating treatments. Otherwise, you’ll be barred from airports, museums and shopping centres.

59 59

RESET THIS

If you have no land, what choice do you have but to eat whatever food is made available via those who control all means of food production? You are not free; you are a laboratory guinea pig

Of course, we’ll all need international personal identification numbers, so we’re told, to enable easy peer-to-peer transactions underpinned by a global 5G network. We will all own nothing and be happy—everything we need, from proper ty and transpor t to clothes and furniture, will be rentable and delivered by drone. There’s a massive problem with all of this, however. Owning nothing may sound right on in a yoga-instructor sor t of way, but it puts us all in a highly precarious political situation. “Collective ownership” is a dangerous and destructive myth. Somebody, or some entity, always owns your home and the land, greenhouse or ver tical farm where your food is grown. Somebody owns the water treatment plant and the pipes that carry it to your faucet. What happens if you say or do something disagreeable to that cer tain someone or something? You own nothing. You have no power. You have no say.

Ironic, as it may sound, our consciousness of freedom begins when we realise just how much we’re missing it. Now please, get down to your gardens and dig as if your life depends on it. 3

“To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

While these big ideas are being presented in terms of kindness, ecology, and working towards the “greater good”, history tells us that it is far more probable that we are not moving towards a kinder, fairer and more inclusive planet. Instead, we are sleepwalking into a totalitarian, global surveillance superstate. If you are dependent on a greater power for everything, then you are cer tainly not free. You are a serf. If your ability to buy and sell is dependent on carrying a unique digital identifier and using a centrally-controlled digital currency, you are not free; you’re an economic slave. If you have no land, what choice do you have but to eat whatever food is made available via those who control all means of food production? You are not free; you are a laboratory guinea pig. The path to freedom? The good news is that you’re already stood both at the point of origin and the destination of this journey. We are free when we stop asking to be free. We are free when we realise that the future is ours to write, when we stop manifesting inferiority in our reactions and responses, and when we stop playing the victim. We are free when we laugh in the face of a bald, fat billionaire presuming to tell us how things will be, what we will own and how we will feel about it. We are free when we face our mor tality and embrace the miracle of our existence—both individually and collectively.

N e l so n Ma ndela

Bio

Everest Fernandez is a well-respected industry educator, veteran hydroponic grower and grow light enthusiast, based in France. He works primarily as a marketing and cultivation consultant and was the founding editor of Urban Garden Magazine in the UK, US and Canada. He also writes and researches for the popular hobby horticulturalist YouTube channel, Just4Growers.

61 61

BY KYLE L. LADENBURGER

Tricks Of The Trade

Identifying And Preventing

Tomato Blight

BLIGHT

t the end of every growing season, I like to review my garden to determine what was successful and what needs improvement the next time around. No stone is left unturned, from plant spacing and placement to which cultivars performed the best or how well specific growing techniques worked.

This year, while taking notes on their gardens, several friends of mine expressed frustration after struggling with the dreaded tomato blight. After having the same issues years ago, it occurred to me that many hobby gardeners are not only unfamiliar with what tomato blight is, but they are also unaware of how easily we can avoid it.

What Is Blight? Blight is a fungal disease that primarily affects tomatoes and other plants in the nightshade family, such as eggplant and potatoes. Blight is not caused by one single fungus, but instead, three main types can strike at different times in the season.

Blight is not caused by one single fungus, but instead, three main types can strike at different times in the season

The severity of infection from blight-causing fungi can range from an annoying nuisance to complete plant failure. However, all can be avoided, or at least mitigated, by adopting specific gardening techniques and practices. All types of blight infection spread the same as any other fungal disease: by the movement of spores through air and moisture.

Leaf Spot Blight Three main fungal strains cause common tomato blight, and they range in severity. The most common blight and also least likely to ruin fruit production is called Septoria, also referred to as leaf spot blight. This strain is caused by the spores of the fungus Septoria lycopersici, and as the common name suggests, is typically identified by the spots it creates on the leaves of the plant. Small, uniform, circular spots that are generally dark around the edges and grey in the centre begin to form on lower leaves first, and then travel through moisture up to the rest of the plant. In most cases, the infection spreads so relentlessly on a leaf that it will destroy cellular function and lead to its death. The good news, however, is that Septoria blight rarely causes much harm to fruit and flower production, so yields and fruit quality remain relatively unaffected.

All types of blight infection spread the same as any other fungal disease: by the movement of spores through air and moisture

Septoria lycopersici spots on tomato leaf Once Septoria blight is visible on an infected leaf, it is imperative to remove and destroy it by either burning it or placing it in the trash to prevent the spores from spreading to other parts of the plant. Do not compost the cut leaf stalk or leave it on the garden floor. Septoria, as well as the other common blight species, can overwinter in composts and soils, and under the right conditions, can quickly come back to infect other plants in future growing seasons. Septoria thrives in periods of high relative humidity and semiwarm weather ranging from 60°F-80°F (15.5°C-26.6°C). Septoria usually occurs earlier in the season when wet weather offers the ideal environment for its development and subsequent spread.

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BLIGHT

In most cases, the infection spreads so relentlessly on a leaf that it will destroy cellular function and lead to its death

Early Blight

Late Blight

Early blight is another relatively common and potentially destructive form of blight caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. This form generally affects older plants and tends to strike around the first and second fruit sets. In many regions, early blight is most prevalent around mid-season, when temperatures average between 80°F-90°F (26°C-32°C) and humidity levels are high. This fungal infection thrives in the warm and moist weather of summer and can spread through a plant quickly.

The final form of tomato blight to discuss is by far the most destructive, but thankfully, the least common to occur. Late blight is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans. This is the same infection that caused the infamous Irish Potato Famine in 1845 when blight destroyed more than half the potato harvests, and one million people died of starvation and disease. This type of blight is a real crop killer, and once it is detected on a plant, it almost always results in the plant’s demise.

Similar to Septoria, early blight typically first infects the lower branches and leaves where contact with the wet soil is more common. The disease appears as dark, non-uniform spots that spread over the leaf. As the infection progresses, the leaves will turn yellow and eventually die as the condition makes its way up the stem to the ripening fruits. Once the infection reaches the fruit, there is not much hope of saving them. Early blight will appear as black spots that resemble bruising and then transforms into a rotten spot as it progresses. Eventually, it will damage the fruits so severely that they fall from the plant and are inedible.

Just like the other forms, late blight usually infects the lower branches and leaves first. Brownish-grey water-soaked spots begin to form and widen, turning black and destroying the entire leaf in just a few days. The infection rapidly spreads vertically through the plant, and once it reaches the fruits, it’s game over. The fruits will develop large black spots that rot so fast the plant doesn’t even have a chance.

credit: NC State Extension Publications NC State University

credit: WisContext

The spores from early blight can also live on plant debris and in the soil for at least a year, so remove any infected parts and burn or place them in the trash. Again, do not compost them! Keeping the ground free of weeds and debris will also minimise the spread of disease.

Once late blight is spotted, remove the entire plant right away; not just the individually affected leaves and stems. Even though it may appear to be localised in a branch or two, the odds are it has already spread. As with the other forms of blight, infected plant matter should be burned or placed in the trash.

Late blight Early blight GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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BLIGHT

The infection rapidly spreads vertically through the plant, and once it reaches the fruits, it’s game over

Plants that are well-fed and healthy will have a lot more vigour and natural resistance to disease As the name implies, late blight occurs later in the season when temperatures average between 65°F-75°F (18°C-23°C) with frequent rainy weather and colder nights. Late blight hits so hard and late in the season, which is why it can be so devastating to a harvest when there is no chance for replanting.

The timing of watering is also essential. When possible, avoid doing so in the evening, so if the plants do get wet, they have time to dry before the sun goes down. Do not enter the garden to work until it has completely dried, because our bodies can help spread the spores if we come into contact with them.

Treating Blight

Keep the garden space as clean and as open as possible. Removing any weeds and discarded plant debris will limit the number of places fungal spores can inhabit. Space plants well enough apart to allow for adequate airflow, so moisture doesn’t have time to fester and cause issues. Proper spacing also helps prevent powdery mildew from forming. If your garden has had problems with blight for a season or more, it is a good idea to do preventative sprays of a fungicide.

There are treatments available on the market to help battle all forms of blight, but they are tough to control and nearly impossible to eradicate. Once a plant is infected, it will remain so in some capacity for the remainder of the season and can infect other plants nearby. Blight-centric fungicides are sold in garden centres, and they range from non-organic chemicals to those approved for organic crop production. The most effective products are the ones that contain zinc or copper, both of which have anti-fungal properties. You can make a homemade treatment with baking soda, water, and dish soap. This brew isn’t strong enough to kill a massive blight infection, but it can slow it down enough so there is still some fruit to harvest.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure Many of us are familiar with this adage, and it couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to the topic of blight, which is much easier to avoid than it is to fight. An excellent first step is to select plants that are more resistant to blight. Since blight-causing fungal spores travel primarily through moisture and water droplets, one of the most critical aspects of prevention is adapting proper watering techniques. Blight arrives in the soil first, so during watering, focus attention on not letting the water splash up from the earth onto the lower branches. Using dripline irrigation or a soaker hose is a great way to eliminate upward splashing.

A well-rounded fertility programme is critical to preventing blight. Plants that are well-fed and healthy will have a lot more vigour and natural resistance to disease. When a plant is underfertilised, it is a sitting duck that is much more susceptible to insects and infections. Ensuring that plants are in top-notch condition helps even the playing field and gives them a much better chance of fighting unwanted intruders. When you are mindful and tactical with every aspect of the garden, you can avoid so many common problems. It just takes some time, effort, and thoughtfulness. In the upcoming gardening season, be careful and be deliberate with your garden; together, we can say goodnight to blight. 3

BIO

Kyle L. Ladenburger is a freelance garden writer who has worked in the gardening/hydroponics industry for over a decade. As an avid indoor and outdoor gardener, he is well-versed in nearly all types of growing methods, with an overall focus on sustainability and maintaining healthy soils. He holds a strong conviction that growing one’s own food is a powerful way to change our lives and our world for the better.

BY CAROLINE RIVARD

Nature’s Treasure Chest of

Wild

l a n i c i d Me s m o o r h s Mu

MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

ycophobia is defined as a fear of mushrooms. For many people, the idea of harvesting wild mushrooms can create feelings of anxiety.

With so much unknown about the wild fungus, it’s easy to assume that all mushrooms are poisonous and dangerous,

Over the last several years, enthusiastic mycologists have been spreading the good word about wild mushrooms

but that is certainly not the case.

Over the last several years, enthusiastic mycologists have been spreading the good word about wild mushrooms. Incredible books and documentaries have been released, and wild mushrooms are now widely marketed as tasty delicacies suitable for sophisticated palettes.

Research is Crucial Of course, the world of mycology can be very intimidating, especially considering so many mushrooms are similar in appearance. How can you tell the difference between one that is edible and one that is toxic? We cannot consume any mushroom we have not correctly identified; doing so can be the difference between ending up in the hospital and enjoying an excellent meal or powerful medicine. For this reason, it is always recommended to do a lot of research before eating wild mushrooms. My advice is to go out on mushroom identification walks with passionate and experienced foragers who know what they are doing.

Reishi, Ganoderma tsugae Ganoderma tsugae is a reishi that hails from North America. This kidney-shaped conk is easy to recognise with its vibrant, glossy colours of red, orange-yellow, and white. It grows almost exclusively on dead or dying Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) trees. Also called the hemlock varnish shelf mushroom, it shares the same medicinal properties as its cousin from Asia, Ganoderma lucidum, the mushroom of immortality. Highly valued in folk medicine, these mushrooms have been consumed for thousands of years for their many health benefits. They are packed with minerals such as phosphorus, silica, sulfur, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and are also said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties. It will help heal wounds and is a powerful antioxidant. Reishi is not worthy of your dinner plate with its tough exterior, but take advantage of its medicinal values in its powder form in a slightly bitter tea or an alcohol-based tincture.

I Spy Thankfully, some mushrooms are unique and impossible to be mistaken for something toxic. The best part? A majority of these are medicinal mushrooms! Wild mushrooms that grow on trees (dead or alive) are often easier to identify. With their specific shapes, textures, and colours, they are distinct and easy to spot. To get you started on your foraging journey, here are some of my favourites.

Chaga, Inonotus obliquus Found almost exclusively on birch trees (Betula spp), chaga is easy to identify as it produces very hard textured, charcoal-black conks. The inner part of the mushroom ranges from dark to golden-brown. The entire Chaga mushroom is used as a medicine, but it is too hard to be eaten. They can be steeped as a delicious-tasting tea. Some people make chaga chai tea with a combination of spices, honey, and almond milk.

Chaga, Inonotus obliquus Ganoderma tsugae

Chaga has been used in folk medicine in Russia for centuries and is recognised for its healing capabilities. Despite the lack of scientific evidence, chaga is widely known to be anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic. It also helps lower cholesterol and is even able to fight off tumours. A high oxalate content means chaga should not be taken by anyone prone to kidney stones or kidney disease. This marvellous mushroom takes years to reach maturity in the wild, so please forage responsibly.

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MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

We cannot consume any mushroom we have not properly identified; doing so can be the difference between ending up in the hospital and enjoying an excellent meal or powerful medicine Turkey Tail mushroom, Trametes versicolor If you’ve ever seen a fantail of wild turkey feathers, then you’ll understand how this small polypore mushroom got its name. Trametes versicolor is a common mushroom and very easy to find growing in colonies on decaying wood and stumps. Turkey Tail mushrooms have long been used in Chinese and Japanese medicine to treat pulmonary diseases and cancer. These mushrooms contain polysaccharopeptide (PSP) and polysaccharide-K (PSK) compounds, which have been used as chemoimmunotherapy agents in cancer treatments in Asia for over 30 years. Turkey Tail mushrooms contain antibiotic, antifungal, antioxidant, and antiviral properties; they also have prebiotic capabilities, regulating the balance of bacteria in the gut microbiome. After harvesting, they are dried and used as a decoction or medicinal tincture.

Bear’s head tooth mushroom, Hericium americanum Finally, something you can eat! This impressive mushroom belongs to the tooth fungus group, which also boasts the lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) as a member. Native to North America, Europe, and Asia, bear’s head is easily identified through its long, white spines (it turns brown when past its prime). You can find this mushroom growing on rotting or living hardwoods, such as beech, birch, and oak trees.

The fruit bodies can be harvested and used as food when fresh and must be cooked before being consumed. They have a mild, sweet, and fragrant seafood-like taste similar to crab. You can often buy these mushrooms at a farmer’s market and some grocery stores, so foraging is not your only option if you aren’t comfortable with the identification process. On top of being delicious, bear’s head tooth mushrooms Turkey Tail contain vitamin D, fibre, iron, several mushrooms have antioxidants, and protein.

long been used in Chinese and Japanese medicine to treat pulmonary diseases and cancer

North American tribes used the dried and powdered bear’s head mushroom to stop bleeding wounds and cuts. Some research shows that Hericium americanum has anti-tumour and immune-modulating properties, is antidiabetic, helps lower cholesterol, and protect nerves from damage. Bears tooth is also known to be anti-microbial, antioxidant, and antiageing.

Disclaimer: Mushrooms are great allies and additions to your health regiment. However, like any medicinal plant, you must be 100% certain of what you are foraging and consuming. Do your research, speak to a mycologist, and ask your health practitioner if wild mushrooms are safe for you to use. Happy foraging! 3

Sources: Foraging Wild Teas: Eastern Hemlock (joshfecteau.com) bit.ly/2NfFRs3

Turkey Tail mushroom, Trametes versicolor Bear’s head tooth mushroom, Hericium americanum

A therapist and healer for over 15 years, Caroline’s passion for medicinal plants only began after leaving the city for the quiet country life in Quebec, Canada. Eager to learn, she’s never looked back, using forests and wildflower fields as her classroom ever since. In a time where reconnecting with plants and nature is badly needed, she spreads her love for herbalism by holding teaching workshops about the powers of medicinal herbs and natural remedies.

Bio

BY RICH HAMILTON

Preventing and Controlling Whitefly Infestations

A typical garden pest, whitefly reproduce rapidly and are incredibly destructive if left untreated

WHITEFLY INFESTATIONS

hether growing indoors or outdoors, likely, you’ve already encountered the whitefly. A typical garden pest, whitefly reproduce rapidly and are incredibly destructive if left untreated. However, with the following tips and tricks, a whitefly infestation can be quickly controlled, and perhaps even avoided altogether!

Consistency and routine are critical! What are Whiteflies? Whiteflies are moth-like bugs. Around 2mm in size and oval in shape, whiteflies are coated in a powdery wax, which protects them and gives them their colour. The pest can fly, giving it easy access to plants and a variety of growing environments.

The female adult whitefly will lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime, mainly on the underside of leaves—the eggs hatch between seven and ten days later

Whiteflies aren’t picky and are found on many different plants in the house and greenhouse. They survive by sucking the sap from the leaves and begin doing so from the moment the larvae hatch. Unfortunately, whiteflies can cause a lot of damage before you even realise you have a problem.

Lifecycle and Reproduction The female adult whitefly will lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime, mainly on the underside of leaves—the eggs hatch between seven and ten days later. Eggs are deposited in a circular pattern and are pale yellow at first, turning brown just before they hatch. Whitefly larvae mature in two to four weeks, and adults live for up to six weeks after that. The reproduction rate depends on temperature, with the ultimate conditions being between 80-90°F (27-33°C).

Signs of Infestation Whiteflies and their eggs may appear on the plant as clusters of tiny white specks, and while they like the underside of leaves, they can be found anywhere on the plant. The garden pest prefers to suck the sap from new growth, so check newly sprouted leaves regularly in addition to the stem and more mature leaves. Whiteflies produce honeydew, a sticky residue that will appear on infested plants. An infestation will cause leaves to appear mottled, spotty, limp, and lifeless. In time, leaves will turn pale or yellow and fall off, and the plant may eventually die. Whiteflies are easily disturbed, so if you gently shake the plant, they will fly away and then settle once again.

Plant Impact As whiteflies suck the sap, the plant’s health and vitality will suffer. The sticky residue the pest secretes often leads to fungal diseases such as sooty moulds. Whiteflies are also known to carry and spread a variety of viral infections, leading to the plants’ demise even after eradicating the bugs themselves. That’s why it is is so critical to act fast when you spot an infestation.

How To Cure An Infestation Insecticidal sprays are useful but will only kill the eggs and nymphs. Use this first and then use another method to kill the adults. Make homemade insecticidal soap or buy a premixed organic one. For a homemade solution, mix one teaspoon of mild liquid soap with one litre of water and spray onto the plant, concentrating on the underside of the leaves.

Cabbage Whitefly (Aleyrodes proletella) and green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)

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WHITEFLY INFESTATIONS

favour warmer conditions for Killing adult whiteflies is much Whiteflies are also known to flies reproduction. It’s also an excelmore difficult, as they fly lent idea to introduce beneficial around and lay eggs on othcarry and spread a variety insects into the growing environer plants. For this reason, glue of viral infections, leading ment. Whitefly predators include boards are a useful tool. The ladybugs, spiders, and dragonflies, sticky, yellow pads can be hung to the plants’ demise even amongst others. in close vicinity to the plant to after eradicating the bugs catch and monitor pest levels. Neem oil can be applied to the The board’s yellow hue gives themselves plant’s leaves, acting as a protecthe appearance of new plant fotive barrier between pest and liage to attract whiteflies, who plant leaf. The oil prevents the whitefly from penetrating eventually become stuck in the glue, unable to move. the leaf surface and sucking the sap, while also coating their soft bodies and killing them before laying eggs. Another tip is to shake the plant to dislodge the flies and suck them out of the air with a vacuum hose. This method The best advice for dealing with whiteflies, or any pest for can dramatically reduce numbers, making it easier to deal that matter, is to be persistent with prevention and control with the remaining population. measures until you are 100% sure that all traces of the critters are gone. Consistency and routine are critical! 3

How To Prevent An Infestation

Reduce the risk of bringing whiteflies into your growing environment by inspecting all new plants. Ideally, isolate and monitor new additions for a few days. Afterwards, check all plants regularly for any signs of infestation. If growing in an indoor environment, use a filtering sheet over any intake filters. This trick prevents garden pests from hitching a ride through the ventilation system. Keep the grow room temperature under 80°F (27°C), as white-

BIO

An industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in a variety of roles, Rich is currently a business development manager for a large UK hydroponics distributor. The author of the Growers Guide book series, Rich also writes on all aspects of indoor gardening. He is also an independent industry consultant, working closely with hydroponic businesses worldwide.

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THE GREAT DIVIDE

BY COSMIC KNOT

The Great T

here is an ever-increasing separation between Mother Nature and where many of us focus our minds. In this technocratic world, we seem to rely on the internet to fulfil daily needs

and tasks. From news and education to social interaction, we have it all at the click of a button. The void of the electronic abyss is growing larger ever y day. There is much to be gained with the new technologies of the day, but at what cost?

As the last of the ancient forests lose their battles against humankind, there is an urgent need to refocus on what is real. As a species, we are smar t; we don’t have to rely on ar tificial intelligence. And yet, we have lost touch with our roots. It is time to turn back to nature and focus on reality.

As a species, we are smart; we don’t have to rely on artificial intelligence. And yet, we have lost touch with our roots

A better understanding of Mother Nature will only bring positive revelations and lead to a brighter future. Now, more than ever, the news is flooded with a never-ending stream of mellow dramas that have no actual effect on our lives. Social media has imploded into a pit of a non-factual divide that creates tension in an otherwise peaceful place. Content can be changed and rearranged, and our news feeds are so catered to our direct interests that no one can distinguish what is real anymore. This could be a reason for grief or a surge of motivation to stand up, turn off, and dig into creating a garden to connect with nature. oak tree has thousands of acorns, and if nature takes its natural course, Just as technology grows every day, we can also help those thousands of acorns will become Mother Nature grow. From a single potted houseplant millions as they too grow into acornto a lush forest, the impact that can be made by every producing trees. one of us is untold. Most think a seed only produces a single plant, but in reality, a seed is a blueprint for Nature is designed to be self-sustainable the future. A seed is a building block for the endless and regenerative. Technology is designed to possibilities abound throughout nature and is more be a never-ending void that needs continuous powerful than anything else we know. How many attention. It’s no wonder many have fallen into oak trees can a single acorn produce? There is no the trap and the constant pull technology can have limit until acted upon by an alternate source. One on humanity. Where does Mother Nature fit in? 79

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THE GREAT DIVIDE

The Great From a single potted houseplant to a lush forest, the impact that can be made by every one of us is untold

In the last few centuries, we have wiped out over half of the Ear th’s species, and technology is par tly to blame. In the origins of human society, we were given the world in perfect working form. As humankind lost the ability to reason, we began to destroy the very thing that gave us life in the first place. We did this all in the name of progress and continue to do it every day. How has that affected the natural workings of our planet and our ability to function as normal individuals? If a car was driving down the highway and people riding in the vehicle began to pull it apar t without knowing how it works or regard for the outcome, it is safe to assume it wouldn’t end well. This is what we are doing to our planet. We need to realise this and change our ways to begin the healing process for Mother Ear th. Only when we change our minds can we create change in this world. Change begins with a single seed, whether a seed of an idea or an actual seed. Every time we choose to turn off from vir tual reality and go back to the Ear th with love and kindness in our hear ts, it strengthens our bond. There could never be a better time, for all we have is this moment. We can replant the forests and abolish hunger. We can do it with ease if we open our Change begins with a eyes to the never-ending single seed, whether a possibilities abound in seed of an idea or an nature. We need to get out of the web and back onto actual seed the ground to plant our gardens. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that Mother Nature is in charge. Sustainability is the only sensible approach to our future. We can achieve a sustainable future by understanding our relationship with nature and how big of an impact we truly have as individuals. Technology gives us the illusion that it connects us all, yet we are all extremely interconnected in the macrocosm of Mother Nature. Let’s turn back to her and get back to the garden! 3

BIO

Tom Wall: Professional Musician, Writer and Gardening Consultant. Cosmic Knot/Therapeutic Horticulture Consultations Growing up on a deer farm located on 79 acres of land along the banks of one of Lake Michigan’s tributaries, Tom grew a love for nature and all the beauties it could hold. Through that passion, Tom has channeled his influences into educating the community on sustainable agriculture, becoming an activist, writing for magazines and creating music tuned to nature in his band, Cosmic Knot.

Follow Tom and all of his passions: facebook.com/tom.wall.946 instagram.com/cosmicknotmusic/ artistecard.com/cosmicknot

BY ANNE GIBSON

Fighting Pests, Diseases, and Improving Soil Health with

Vermicast

VERMICAST

Of all animals, few have contributed so much to the development of the world, as we know it, as earthworms.

-Charles Darwin

ver a decade ago, I studied sustainable agriculture practices and discovered a vital puzzle piece for building healthy soils. I learned what every gardener and farmer should aim for – the holy grail of achieving optimum soil health is the presence of 25 worms or more per square shovelful of soil. This equates to 30kg of

earthworm castings per square metre each year. That’s a massive quantity of free fertiliser!

Since that eye-opening discovery, I’ve nurtured worms and my invisible soil workforce to grow a healthy, sustainable garden teeming with bio-life. Both composting and earthworm species have an unrivalled ability to turn green ‘waste’ into valuable products, sequester carbon in their humus-rich castings, significantly improve soil quality, plant health and yields. As far back as 1881, Charles Darwin recognised their value: “Of all animals, few have contributed so much to the development of the world, as we know it, as earthworms.”

Vermicast vs Vermicompost ‘Vermicomposting’ is the process of worms converting biodegradable organic matter and inorganic soil materials into ‘vermicast,’ worm manure or worm castings. ‘Vermicompost’ is the term for live worm castings containing worm eggs and a percentage of undigested worm food. ‘Vermicast’ is pure worm excreta, so all food has been consumed and converted into nutrient-rich humus.

your soil. The worm castings have a neutral pH with a moisture content between 32% and 66%. If you want to speed up humus levels in your soil, earthworms decompose and produce humus four times faster than conventional composting methods. This is one of the reasons I employ multiple worm farms in my garden rather than compost bins. No heavy lifting!

Advantages of Vermicast Nutrient availability In his book, Harnessing the Earthworm, Dr Thomas J. Barrett defines earthworm manure as “humus, a crumbly, finely-conditioned topsoil, richly endowed with all the elements of plant nutrition in water-soluble form” and the key to building fertility with structurally stable soil aggregates. Nutrients that would otherwise be locked up and remain unavailable are released, so they are accessible to plants via the castings. The humic acid component of worm castings provides binding sites for elements such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and sulphur so they can be released on demand when required by plants (Holcombe and Longfellow, 1995).

Aristotle insightfully once said, “Earthworms are the intestines of the soil.” He must have known a thing or two because worms indeed convert unavailable minerals into bioavailable nutrient minerals as the organic matter and soil particles travel through their intestines. The result is a flood of fertility immediately available to plants. I’ve seen the difference this can make. The container gardens and beds where I have worm farms have the healthiest, pest-resistant and most productive plants in my garden.

Fertiliser Factories Worms have a gizzard where they grind food to a fine consistency with the aid of enzymes and microbes in their gut, producing fine mucus-coated granular aggregates or castings. Earthworms are small, weighing on average 0.5g – 0.6g. They can eat the equivalent of their body weight and turn around 40-60% of their organic material diet into worm manure every day. Castings contain millions of soil microorganisms from the worm’s gut and help to inoculate these unique species in

VERMICAST

the holy grail of achieving optimum soil health is the presence of 25 worms or more per square shovelful of soil

Humic acid stimulates root growth, aids plant resilience to stress and assists with the uptake of fertilisers in the soil. As vermicast is water-soluble, plants can quickly and easily absorb essential macronutrients and trace elements without any risk of burning delicate plants. David Murphy, author of Organic Gardening with Worms, explains that “trace elements are attracted to vermicast and readily bond to it in the same way that opposite poles of a magnet attract each other. Plants have a stronger pull than the vermicast and can therefore draw the trace elements away from the vermicast and into their roots.”

Worm castings function as timerelease nutrient capsules

Worm castings function as time-release nutrient capsules. Analyses found they contain seven times more phosphorus, ten times more potassium, five times more nitrogen, three times more exchangeable magnesium and 1.5 times more calcium than surrounding soil (de Vleeschauwer and Lal, 1981; Brady and Weil, 1999; Delahaut and Koval, 2002). They are also rich in iron and sulphur. Importantly, worm castings act as a pH buffer for plants growing in acidic or alkaline soils where nutrients would otherwise be locked Wormwood up, making these elements more accessible and minimising potential nutrient deficiencies.

Free fertilisers Worms produce two perfectly balanced fertilisers that condition the soil and feed plants: Vermicast, the solid fertiliser and nature’s soil builder; and. Vermi-leachate or aqueous vermicompost extract is the liquid also known as “worm tea.”

Dr Norman Aroncon, PhD, University of Hawaii-Hilo, describes worm castings as “stabilised organic matter that is produced by the interaction of worms and microorganisms under controlled conditions.” Earthworms truck minerals through an underground highway of tunnels deep in the soil and deliver them to the root zone, where plants pick up this load and absorb the soluble nutrients for healthy growth. These burrow roadways are lined with mucus that stimulates soil biota. This network of channels creates an underground reservoir of nutrients and moisture. Earthworms also deposit calcium carbonate via their castings, effectively liming the soil. They fertilise in the root zone so plants can self-serve nutrients as needed. Studies, including Arancon, (2004), found that maximum benefit from vermicompost is obtained when it constitutes between 10 and 40% of the growing medium. Higher levels have no further advantage and may decrease plant growth or yields. You can have too much of a good thing! Research studies confirm the application of diluted worm tea can both enhance plant growth and aid disease suppression. A May 2006 study, ‘Effects of vermicompost teas on plant growth and disease’ found teas produced by standing one litre of vermicompost in four litres of oxygenated water for 24 hours are “much more stable and effective” than non-aerated teas. Aerated vermicompost tea (ACT) dilutions (0.5% - 10%) significantly increased tomato plant germination and growth compared with controls. All ACT dilutions (4-40%) applied to tomato plants infected with Verticillium wilt resulted in significant disease suppression.

Make worm tea by adding vermicompost to water in a ratio of solids to water ranging from 1:3 to 1:200. Apply the tea as a liquid fertiliser to the soil, compost activator or foliar spray.

GARDEN VERMICAST WEEDS

If you want to speed up humus levels in your soil, earthworms decompose and produce humus four times faster than conventional composting methods

Healthier plants and higher yields Extensive testing performed by Ohio State, Cornell University, UC Davis found solid worm castings contribute to improved flower size, bloom quality, biomass quantity of flowers, and colour. Test results on fruits and vegetables resulted in 57%-200% improved yields and enhanced taste and appearance. Various studies confirm vermicast plays a beneficial role in stimulating seed germination, shoot and root development, and vegetative growth. Seedlings have increased leaf area and root branching, so definitely worth using when seed raising.

Beneficial microbes Vermicast inoculates the soil with beneficial bacteria that act as a gateway between the soil and plant roots. Compared to parent soil, worm castings contain up to 1,000 times more beneficial bacteria after passing through the worm’s gut. Earthworms use microorganisms in their digestive system in conjunction with enzymes to process food before excreting it as a microbially-rich fertiliser. In this way, worms turn dead dirt into living soil. Pathogenic bacteria die in the worm’s gut, helping protect plants from pathogens. So, the more worms in your soil, the greater the beneficial microbe populations that have a symbiotic relationship feeding and protecting your plants.

Plant growth hormones Microbial flora in worm castings plays a critical role in releasing plant growth regulators like gibberellins, cytokinins and auxins (Tomati et al., 1983). Studies have shown seedlings grown with vermicast in the potting media exhibited faster growth and higher nitrogen availability. What’s particularly interesting for all growers is that many research studies have found vermicast stimulates ongoing plant growth even when the plants are already getting optimal nutrition.

Harvesting vermicast from my worm farm

Plant protection from pests and diseases When liquid vermicast leachate is applied as a foliar spray, it provides natural resistance to certain plant diseases without the need for chemical alternatives. Vermicast was applied to various fruits and vegetables and fruits being attacked by common diseases in field trials. Researchers found the disease-causing microorganisms were significantly suppressed by the large populations of beneficial microbes in the vermicast that function as biocontrol agents through their competitive and antagonistic activities. They helped protect the plants and repel fungal infection by outcompeting the pathogens for available resources and blocked their access to plant roots by occupying all the general sites. Castings also boost pest-resistant enzyme production in plants, increasing resistance to insect attack and help fight soil-borne plant diseases like root rot. A 2004 study (Edwards and Arancon) trialling the addition of 20% and 40% vermicompost to growing media for a variety of vegetables reported statistically significant reductions in arthropod (aphid, mealybug, spider mite) numbers and subsequent decreases in plant damage compared to the control. In field trials, researchers also observed statistically significant suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes and drastic reduction of spider mites and aphids with the application of worm tea. These results are especially encouraging for home gardeners.

Pathogenic bacteria die in the worm’s gut, helping protect plants from pathogens

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VERMICAST

Container garden with inbuilt worm farm in the centre with healthy edibles in my garden

Castings also boost pest-resistant enzyme production in plants, increasing resistance to insect attack and help fight soil-borne plant diseases like root rot Soil stability and structure Worm castings improve soil crumb structure, boost oxygen availability and reduce compaction and erosion. Worms aerate the soil through their burrowing and tunnelling activities, creating pathways for oxygen to enter and air pockets for plant roots to access. They provide an oxygenated environment for microorganism populations to live while insulating plant roots from temperature extremes. Vermicast stabilises soil moisture levels, helping minimise plant stress from drought by increasing water infiltration and water-holding capacity. Castings retain two to three times more water than their weight in soil. Wormpopulated soil can hold over six times more water than similar soil without worms, without getting waterlogged. A money-saving benefit, particularly in dry climates. Whether you use above-ground worm farms or in-ground systems, encouraging earthworms as productive ploughers and harnessing their products is likely one of the most valuable and economical ways to create healthy soil and plants. 3

Above: worm farm products liquid leachate and castings

BIO

Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener, is an author, speaker and urban garden community educator on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia. Anne is passionate about inspiring people to improve health and wellbeing, by growing nutrient-dense food gardens in creative containers and small spaces. Anne regularly presents workshops, speaks at sustainable living events, coaches private clients and teaches community education classes about organic gardening and ways to live sustainably. She has authored several eBooks and gardening guides. Anne shares organic gardening tips and tutorials to save time, money and energy on her popular website - TheMicroGardener.com.

Sources: • Agricultural Sciences Vol.3 No.7, 2012, Article ID:24396. Vermicompost, the story of organic gold: A review • Journal of Applied Horticulture, 16(2): 112-116, 2014. Effect of storage on some physical and chemical characteristics of vermicast. • Journal of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology. 13. 36-43, 2015. Nutrient Analysis of Three Earthworm CastTypes collected from Ikenne, Ogun State • Davley Organics. Vermicast explained, beyond a simple element analysis •hilo.hawaii.edu/faculty/arancon/

ALL PHASE Craft Powder Base Nutrient & Additives VEG+BLOOM features 3 revolutionary one-part base powder nutrients and 2 additives in the UK. Catering to soft or hard water EC’s. We’ve also extensively researched in-house which mediums work best with our formulas. Our ingredients are locally sourced, refined and always batch tested for quality assurance to ensure consistency. Our all-phase one-part base powder formula was fabricated so that you could simply use your local water source as long as it fell between 0.0-0.7 EC. No other company offers this as they always recommend using RO water, which can be costly.

Base Nutrients: RO/SOFT is our most universal and popular one-part base nutrient. A hybrid of synthetics and organics; a pH stable formula for those who have small or large containers and a start water of 0.0-0.3 EC. It is completely soluble in RO water and built for coco, rockwool, or soil. TAP/HARD is a revolutionary pH stable formula for farms that have hard water 0.3-0.7 EC. No other company offers this as “water chemistry” is difficult to educate. With TAP/HARD you can potentially skip the costly RO water filter system and also save on the cost of water. Due to a higher pH in hard tap water, this formula is buffered appropriately so the use of large amounts of pH down can be avoided. Best used in coco and rockwool. DIRTY is a comprehensive formula for those who have a start water of 0.0-0.7 EC and are growing in soil or peat based mediums indoor or outdoor. Enhanced with humics, fulvics, crab meal extract and compost tea powder, this base was intended to provide the benefits of both synethetic and organic additives giving you extra bag appeal.

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Additives: PUSH is our foliar spray additive used during vegetative growth that includes bio available calcium, silica, plant stimulants and kelp. The plant hormones allow for cells to divide faster, reducing your overall veg cycle, while increasing cell wall strength and vigor. SHINE is our best product, a flowering bloom additive formulated with phosphites and organics such as compost tea powder for enhanced terpene and resin production. SHINE can be used not only in conjunction with our full nutrient line but can also be used with other base nutrient lines. Distributed in the UK by:

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INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

BY COLIN BELL PhD.

Instead of using one product with limited results, IPM practices rotate multiple products with different modes of action across the plant lifecycle

WHY IPM IS THE SECRET SOLUTION TO YOUR GARDENING SUCCESS W

hat if someone told you that the more you use most insecticides – the less they work to eliminate plant pests? Unfor tunately, this is an inconvenient truth for all cultivators. Have you ever seen mites on your plants, found the strongest chemical insecticide you could

buy behind the shelf, used it with some early success – only to find that the mites ultimately come back stronger than EVER? Over time, no matter how often you spray your plants, the mites will become resistant to that insecticide, and they will not die! What can you do? Well, there is a solution. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a practice that allows cultivators to keep pests away from plants reliably and consistently.

What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)? IPM is a practice that encourages the use of several different plant protection products in a rotation schedule, which will successfully KEEP PESTS OFF YOUR PLANTS FROM SEEDLING THROUGH HARVEST.

Over time, no matter how often you spray your plants, the mites will become resistant to that insecticide, and they will not die!

A good IPM strategy focuses on a variety of methods throughout your plants’ life cycles: • Planting: Choosing a disease-resistant strain of your crop can help right from the start. • Preemptive Forecasting: whether you are growing indoors or outdoors, monitor the climate conditions to determine if a pest outbreak might occur. For example, humidity levels are strongly correlated with mould and mildew outbreaks. • Mechanical/Physical Controls: These controls include using the right environment, humidity, temperature, nutrition, and irrigation. • Cleaning Controls: Quarantining new plants or clones, using clean tools and correct irrigation strategies and/or crosscontaminating your garden with outside influences. • Biological Controls: Introducing natural predators for your pests. • Chemical Controls: Good IPM strategies can use chemical solutions along with natural solutions. The best plans are balanced approaches that use chemical controls only as needed and rely on more naturally-based products that reduce any regulatory risk posed using synthetic chemical products. • Monitoring: Always Be Checking your plants for pest presence signs; the simple ABC’s for IPM success!

@greatwhitemyco

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

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Fo re ca

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A good IPM strategy focuses on a variety of methods throughout your plants’ life cycles

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Short answer: IPM works. IPM helps with consistent long-term pest prevention. Implementing and using a strong IPM strategy by rotating plant protection solutions can eliminate pest pressure. Instead of using one product with limited results, IPM practices rotate multiple products with different modes of action across the plant lifecycle. IPM is a sure way to eliminate pests because they cannot build up a resistance to any one product.

C ing an

• • •

Mechanical/Physical controls

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Why implement an IPM strategy?

IPM Biological Control:

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Monitoring

How to get IPM to Work for You Every IPM strategy is unique. Commercial cultivation facility success is dependent on a strong IPM strategy. To make an IPM plan, here are a few easy steps: •

Know your pest. Be sure you know what you are up against. Keep an eye out for most common problems in your area (disease or insect).

•

Monitor your plants. Always Be Checking your plants. Be sure to keep a record of what you observe. Set a threshold.

•

Have a plan. IPM is a preventative strategy. Knowing what you may need before you need it and proactively putting a plan in place is essential in creating a strong IPM strategy. The key to your system is to be sure you rotate different modes of action.

•

Act! If pests start appearing, take immediate action! Use your IPM rotation as planned. You will rid pests while avoiding risking their return!

What is a Mode of Action? • • • • •

•

A mode of action is the way a particular product works to prevent and/or kill pests. For example, one mode of action could be trapping an insect using a sticky trap. Another mode of action could repel pests using certain fragrances or chemical signalling to drive pests away. Additionally, a mode of action could inhibit insect respiration (breathing) or cell wall structures to kill insects altogether. Cultivators should use different products in their rotation with varying modes of action, affecting different insect and pest biological systems. This is the key to a successful IPM strategy. The fundamental concept in IPM strategy is preventing pests from building up tolerances or immunities to any one single product.

The fundamental concept in IPM strategy is preventing pests from building up tolerances or immunities to any one single product

IPM; a safer, more effective method to handle your pest problems. Keep reading to learn more about how easy and effective a good IPM strategy can be for your operation. 3

BIO Colin Bell is the co-founder, co-inventor and Chief Growth Officer at Mammoth Microbes. Colin is passionate about science,

and received his PhD. in Biological Sciences, specialising in soil microbial ecology and plant-microbe interactions. He left his academic position at Colorado State University in March 2015 to launch Mammoth Microbes. When he’s not travelling the world interacting with and learning from cultivators, there is nothing Colin enjoys more than teaching and working with the team at Mammoth Microbes. You can find Colin on Instagram: @colinwbell

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The Plant Room Studio

The Plant Room is a collaborative botanical studio and shop selling plants and ceramics. However, it’s far from your typical plant shop. Their work is inspired by the positive benefits of introducing plants into urban spaces. Zosia Berkieta-Lewis, the founder and primary force behind its success, is a true master of her craft. Taking cues from biophilia - the inherent need to be in nature - has brought her wide recognition through an exhibition at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as well as project collaborations with the British Library, Harvey Nichols and the London Design Festival. The Plant Room’s design and creative work aim to illustrate the connection between humans and nature, wellbeing and creativity. The project has evolved over six years, highlighting a real appreciation for beautiful indoor plants – a topic more important now than ever before. Zosia’s life was always full of plants; she grew up watching her mother nurture the garden, soaking up the appreciation for the natural beauty around us. Her recent work with florals uncovered a yearning to use more homegrown plants for art and drying. She’s been involved in reducing waste from the floral industry by buying, drying and repurposing blooms otherwise destined for the bin and is looking to expand into several growing sites. In her own words, “with indoor gardening, there’s a satisfaction that comes from minute tasks. There’s no heavy digging, and it’s a more thoughtful process. A rhythm emerges of tending, watering and propagating.” Learn more: theplantroom.co @theplantroom + @studioterraflora @_theplantroom

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Aquaponics Lab

Learn more: aquaponicslab.org facebook.com/aquaponicslab @aquaponicslab @aquaponicslab

Credit: Aquaponics Lab

The Aquaponics Lab is a group of small scale producers and backyard farmers developing and adapting simple technology to make their growing less time consuming and more productive. Proudly supporting open-source technologies and the user’s “Right to Repair”, they use and test their own farms’ technologies. With a background in high-tech aquaponic and hydroponic solutions, the group now covers more general farming aspects such as seeding technologies. One of their members, Mike Ratcliffe of Nuffield Farming researched technology use on farms worldwide, and it became clear that many low-tech solutions were being overlooked. More straightforward tools could make a considerable impact. Their farming “tools” are fabricated using 3D printing, CNC, laser cutting alongside open software and hardware that each grower can customise to fulfil their needs. The organisation uses the income from their commercial activities to fund further developments in open-source farming technologies that impact the triple bottom line of sustainability. All the designs incorporate materials and components available worldwide, to ensure they are affordable, replicable and serviceable at most locations. Their website offers in-depth resources and infographics for urban farmers interested in aquaponics.

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Offshoots Permaculture Project

Reconnecting with nature and developing health and well-being while working alongside specialists is something many people would like to do these days. Offshoots Community Garden, an enclosed acre tucked away in the historic walled garden of Towneley Hall in Burnley, is just the place! As well as being a hub for volunteering and community sessions, it is also an educational site with a focus on environmental sustainability. The site is the proud owner of Walter Segal cabin – an ecologically sound, simple timber-frame system with a growing roof heated by a wood burner using sustainable, local wood processed on-site. Learn about gardening for bees to improve pollination and play a part in making local honey thanks to the East Lancashire Beekeepers Association who keep their hives there. There is a kiln for charcoal making, wildlife pond with reed bed, and a forest garden. If woodwork skills are something you desire, you can join sessions on basic carpentry, joinery and green woodwork (once the world goes back to normal). Learn traditional skills and use hand tools with offcuts of fresh wood from Towneley Park, where the project is based. Benefit from planting and growing organic, seasonal, local food and find out how to do this at home so you can have a cheaper, healthier diet. The goal is to reach and engage with people of all backgrounds in Burnley and the surrounding areas to encourage sustainable and resilient lifestyles. Learn more: bit.ly/3rVtZKL facebook.com/OffshootsPP

Carmarthenshire, Welsh County

Credit: Offshoots Permaculture Project

in the UK

The Incredible Edible movement has ballooned to over 1,000 groups worldwide, and IE Carmarthenshire is an inspiring one. Marie Turke, the co-founder and director of the group, has adopted another core message of Incredible Edible Todmorden – spreading kindness. All IE groups grow food to share so that anyone may benefit from it. Last year, IE Carmarthenshire took it one step further and addressed food poverty issues highlighted by the pandemic. They stepped in to take care of the Back2Basics Community Garden in Llanelli after the first lockdown. Marie and five volunteers planted, watered and produced an unbelievable amount of food during the growing season. Together with some of the supermarkets’ surplus food, this produce was shared amongst the local community as part of Incredible Food Share. The group hosted bread-making and sustainable craft courses and helped other organisations start or rejuvenate old gardening projects while keeping community spirits high. Sharing food, supporting the vulnerable and showing people how to grow has made a real difference. IEC’s social media following has seen a spike in response to their provision of much needed online advice for first-time growers. In 2017, Incredible Edible Carmarthenshire were the winners of a Renew Wales’ Community Engagement and Collaboration Award’, and the events of 2020 have proven once again that it was well-deserved. 3

Credit: Incredible Edible Carmarthenshire

Incredible Edible Carmarthenshire CIC

Learn more: facebook.com/groups/224874001178723 @iecarms

GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

Going Camouflage To Avoid Harvest? We already know plants are capable of incredible things, but changing their appearance to avoid extinction? Researchers believe Fritillaria delavayi, a plant commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, has transformed into camouflage colours to avoid being seen by the humans who harvest it. The plant grows on rocky terrain in China’s Hengduan Mountains. The dried bulbs effectively treat hear t and lung problems, and despite being around for more than 2,000 years, demand for the powder made from Fritillaria is still sky high! A kilogram costs $480 and involves the har vest of 3,500 individual plants.

Sources: •

Smithsonian Magazine: Medicinal Plant May Have Evolved Camouf lage to Evade Humans (Alex Fox). bit.ly/2ML5QY9

credit: colombia.inaturalist.org

While Fritillaria delavayi used to feature green sprigs and was easy to spot in the rocks, scientists are noticing the plant now grows in tones of muted grey and brown, especially in areas where it is most heavily har vested. The study suggests humans directly impact the evolution of other organisms, and, of course, that those hoping to cash in on the prized plant will have to look much harder!

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GREEN ADVICE

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

TO KEEP PESTS OUT OF THE GARDEN This issue is packed with information about common and not-so-common garden pests along with some useful tips on how to avoid or control them. Our in-depth articles will help you zero in on specific bugs and eradication methods, but we want you to be fully-armed this growing season. Here’s our list of 5 Cool Ways To Keep Pest Out of the Garden without the use of any chemical pesticides! For more tips on creating a thriving organic garden, be sure to check out Practical Organic Gardening:The No-Nonsense Guide to Growing Naturally, by Mark Highland.

Sacrificial Plants

Trap cropping is an excellent way to use what nature has given us to protect the garden. Beyond deterring pests and predators of all sizes, planting sacrificial rows along the garden’s edges also looks nice and attracts essential pollinators! The idea here is to distract natural predators from the crops you want to enjoy yourself. For example, planting marigolds will keep slugs away from lettuce crops. Marigolds also repel aphids and whiteflies and deter bigger pests such as rabbits and deer. Dill attracts wasps and hoverflies, who both enjoy eating aphids. Nasturtiums work overtime by looking gorgeous and inhibiting slugs, snails, and aphids. Grapevine distracts Japanese beetles from your more beloved plants. The list is endless! Consider the plants you are growing; a little bit of research will pair them with other plants to keep them safe.

Beneficial Bugs

You’ll come across some critters in the garden that should be left to do their work; just back away slowly and be grateful they’re present. Green lacewings and soldier beetles, for example, will eat most soft-bodied insects, including mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies. Lady beetles lay their eggs in colonies of aphids; babies get to work as soon as they hatch. Pirate bugs will eat small caterpillars, insect eggs, and more. Plant flowers and herbs that will attract these beneficial bugs to your growing space. For example, cosmos and coreopsis will lure the lady beetles into your veggie patch. Growing in a greenhouse environment? No problem. Boxes of various beneficial insects can also easily be purchased for release into an indoor garden.

Soldier beetle

Lady beetle

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GREEN ADVICE

TO KEEP PESTS OUT OF THE GARDEN

Netting

Got a blueberry or raspberry bush growing that never seems to produce fruit? Maybe it does, only the birds get to it before you do. Netting is another excellent way to make sure the fruits of your labour end up in your belly and not the stomach of an unwanted critter. Extremely lightweight and almost invisible, netting comes in many different mesh sizes, so be sure to select one that will best protect the plant and its fruit. Of course, a sturdier net is also perfect for any gardener who has an issue with deer in their yards. Be sure to choose a “fence” that is at least 8-feet tall; the deer won’t be able to jump it and hate the element of surprise. Simply bouncing their noses off the net will be enough to send them running in the opposite direction.

Collars

credit: Hobby Farms

If you’ve ever seen the damage a cutworm can do to a precious garden plant, then you know you need a way to keep them far away from your crops. The Farmer’s Almanac says cutworms can kill a plant in almost no time at all by feeding on the roots and their foliage. Aptly named, cutworms will eat the stem of a plant and cut it from the roots below the soil. How can one control such a beastly bug? Very inexpensively. Take an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll and fit it around the base of a young plant. Bury the very bottom of the collar; only about 2 or 3 inches are needed above ground to prevent cutworms from ruining your life (Er... we mean, your plant’s life).

Yellow Sticky Traps

Infestations of insects like aphids and whiteflies can happen fast; really fast.The experts agree; the best kind of pest control is prevention. Hanging yellow sticky traps from the tops of your plants or throughout the garden and greenhouse will let you know as soon as you have a problem. Inexpensive to buy and found just about everywhere, these sticky pads will help trap many flying plant insects, including thrips, fungus gnats, leaf miners, and more, which are attracted to the yellow colour. As soon as you see you’ve got a pest issue, you can get to work and control them before the problem spirals out of control. 3

Sources: • • 106 106

Practical Organic Gardening:The No-Nonsense Guide to Growing Naturally, by Mark Highland (Cool Springs Press). The Old Farmer’s Almanac: How To Identify And Get Rid Of Cutworms almanac.com/pest/cutworms

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