The Gift of Gardening Mistakes - UK56 by Garden Culture Magazine

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CONTENTS

MARKETpLACE

NOT-SO-SECRET HARVESTING HOLOBIONTS THE LIFE OF PLANTS 46

LOCAL GROWERS

AGRIVOLTAICS: HARVESTING THE SUN TO GROW IN THE SHADE

INCREDIBLE EDIBLES:

I N THIS ISSU E O F

URBAN GROWING WITH A TWIST

11 Foreword

52 Many Problems, Common Solutions

12 Author Spotlight

58 Taking a Page From the Past With Heritage Vegetables

14 Marketplace

60 Local Food in the North: Growing Vegetables in the Winter

18 Editor’s Pick

66 Best of the Blog

20 Confessions of a UK Hydro Shop

68 Seeds of Success

22 Trending Now

70 Gardening For Flood Protection

26 Failures, Learned Wisdom, and Becoming a Better Grower

74 Notes From A Dirty Old Gardener:The Nutrient Space Race

28 Taking Nature’s Lead With Slow Gardening

76 Harvesting Holobionts

32 Gardening Mistakes Are a Gift to Your Future

82 Navigating the Risks of PFAS in Your Garden

36 What We Make Of It

88 Incredible Edibles: Urban Growing With A Twist

38 Common Insect Pests, Symptoms and Solutions

92 Local Growers

44 The Not-So-Secret Life of Plants

96 5 Cool Ways to Identify, Prevent, and Solve Problems in Your Garden

GA R D EN C U LT U R E :

46 Agrivoltaics: Harvesting The Sun To Grow In The Shade 7

FOREWORD & CREDITS

CREDITS

FOREWORD

f there is a gardening subject I am familiar with, it’s learning from my mistakes. I have been gardening indoors for the past 20 years. I have read many books, articles, blogs,

and magazines and watched or listened to countless YouTube videos, movies, and podcasts. Still, I am far from knowing it all. As many colleagues have stated, the more I learn, the less I know. Don’t get me wrong, I have learned so much and have a good handle on my work -- until something goes wrong. Like people, all plants are different, even within the same family. Once you master the basic principles of indoor gardening, that is often where the real learning begins. Having a “green thumb” means you can listen to and understand what a plant needs just by looking at it. But what that plant is trying to tell you may not always be clear, or with some varieties, you don’t speak their language and can’t figure it out. When asked to write about some of the most common problems and solutions they have encountered over the years, Dr. Av Singh and Dr. Colin Bell wrote similar articles. What they both discovered about themselves was that what they thought they knew about growing was not so straightforward, and their experiences with the plants themselves have taught them as much as their PhDs have. Learning from our mistakes and correcting our approaches and actions to become happier or better humans is one of the fundamentals of personal evolution. It equally applies to becoming a better gardener. Everest Fernandez says it perfectly in his article “Gardening Mistakes Are a Gift to Your Future.” This edition also features many tips for identifying problems and avoiding common growing mistakes, along with some inspiring ideas for your next garden ventures. Plants, like children, are not something we control but need to nurture and learn from. Adopting this ideology is the best way to improve your gardening game. Happy Growing, Eric 3

SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Anne Gibson, Av Singh, Catherine Sherriffs, Colin Bell, Cosmic Knot, Everest Fernandez, Jennifer Cole, Judy Nauseef, Keaton Haines, Marci Babineau, Regi Oneton, Xavi Kief and the crew at Slims Place. 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 social@gardenculturemagazine.com 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.

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

Author Spotlight

Everest Fernandez

verest Fernandez has been filling our pages with relatable tales about growing and excellent advice to help our readers reach the next level in their gardening game. In this edition, he tells us about some of the worst mistakes he’s ever made in his indoor garden. As he points out in his article, mistakes have made him better at growing, so

we should embrace our fumbles, learn from them, and grow better plants. We thank him for being so candid for our benefit!

In this edition, you write about some of your growing mistakes. Is there one in particular that keeps you up at night? Oh, more confessions of a gardening glutton for punishment? Well, the one that haunts me is when I mindlessly combined Grow A and Grow B nutrient liquid concentrate in the same jug! It wasn’t a rush job; my head was in another galaxy. Realising this monumental gaffe a few hours later almost caused me to burp up sick. Sharing this agony with you is my penance. Happy now?

We’ve heard a lot about your failures in this edition. We don’t want you to feel bad, so tell us about one of your greatest growing success stories. Remembering triumphs is harder than recalling failures! After our first ill-fated grow light saga, we cobbled together some AquaTrays and Rockwool slabs (let’s say they were ‘found’) and another ‘refurbished’ grow light—1000W HPS this time. In a basement, with plants growing too tall due to remaining in a vegetative photoperiod for too long, my friend was on the brink of giving up. But, a eureka moment struck – we used string and weights to bend the tall plants towards the floor, creating a makeshift ‘scrog’. The result? A lush canopy of blooms a few weeks later. That yield set a high bar we chased for years, proving sometimes, even naivety and incompetence can breed success!

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Remembering triumphs is harder than recalling failures!

Check out the Everest Fernandez channel on YouTube for deep dives into everything indoor gardening and hydroponics related. tinyurl.com/everestfernandez

To all the green thumbs in training: light is your friend, but don’t go overboard. You have to balance it with proper feeding and environmental control. How would you encourage novice growers to keep going despite their mistakes? To all the green thumbs in training: light is your friend, but don’t go overboard. You have to balance it with proper feeding and environmental control. Keep your nutrient concentration on the lower side (2.0 mS or under), and be generous with container size. Fill with a soilless medium, such as a trusty 70/30 coco/perlite blend, and always irrigate until you get a decent run-off. It’s disheartening when crops fall short of dreams, I get it. Plant new seeds in a propagation tent if you need to motivate yourself to grow again. Young seedlings will inspire you to clean the grow room from head to toe from the last disaster. The fresh start will rekindle your passion!

You’ve lived in and travelled to a lot of different places. Where in the world would you like to visit next? India, without a doubt. It’s a world of its own, brimming with vibrant culture, colours, and spice gardens I can’t wait to explore. Name a few foods that you can’t live without. Chilli, onion, ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, and tomato. No prizes for guessing the main course: anything spicy and broadly Asian, please! My travels and taste buds are in a committed relationship with bold, fiery flavours and, just like my root zones in the early ‘90s, plenty of salt. 3

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 13

EDITOR’S PICK Creating the Ideal Indoor Grow Environment with Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

reating the perfect growing environment is vital for indoor gardening enthusiasts seeking optimal results.The right equipment, specifically humidifiers and dehumidifiers, plays a pivotal role. I have been growing indoors in Quebec, Canada, for over 20 years. It was not until I started using monitoring equipment that I knew

exactly what was happening in my grow room and that I could do much better.

Optimal Humidity Levels Humidity levels are critical in indoor cultivation, influencing plant growth, development, and overall health. Different plant life stages require specific humidity ranges; maintaining these levels is essential for good yields and fewer problems. Humidity levels often depend on where you live, the time of the year, and even the time of the day your lights are on. When it dips to -20 °C in the winter, the humidity in my room goes as low as 30% (sometimes even lower) and quickly jumps into the 70s when the lights switch off. In the summer months, it can be hard to keep the humidity under 60 when the lights are on; levels jump to almost 90 when the light turns off.

Dehumidifiers On the flip side, excessive humidity can create a breeding ground for various problems within a grow room, especially with significant shifts between day and night levels. Mould and mildew thrive in damp conditions, seriously threatening plant and human health. My little Anden 70 dehumidifier is indispensable in regulating moisture levels. By removing excess humidity from the air, I can prevent the onset of mould and mildew, safeguarding the crop from potential disasters. Maintaining the proper humidity levels discourages the proliferation of some pests, contributing to a healthier and more productive growing environment. It also comes in handy when drying my herbs and flowers and wanting to keep that perfect 55-60% humidity.

Anden 70 dehumidifier

Balancing Act:The Role of Humidifiers Maintaining adequate humidity levels is essential, especially during the early stages of plant development. I use an ultrasonic fogger with a 6-litre-per-hour capacity. During those cold winter months, it goes through 20-30 litres a day to keep my small room (140 sq. feet/ 1120 cubic feet) at 60% humidity. I was amazed at the amount of water needed to keep those levels. Too dry can create the perfect breeding ground for spider mites, a problem I used to battle. When used in tandem, humidifiers and dehumidifiers create an environment where plants can reach their full potential. As technology advances, growers have access to increasingly sophisticated tools, empowering them to master the art of indoor cultivation. 3

Washed & Buffered Cocos A substrate of 100% washed and buffered coco fibre containing no fertilisers guarantees an incredibly low electrical conductivity (EC). This substrate offers all the benefits of growing in the high-quality Atami Cocos. The absence of fertiliser allows you to apply the chosen nutrition right from the start of growth. For this reason, Washed & Buffered Cocos is also ideal for seedlings and cuttings. Experience the versatility of Washed & Buffered Cocos yourself. Visit ATAMI.com to find out more.

Maxibright Varidrive 720W LED The Maxibright Varidrive 720W LED is a foldable LED fixture with an impressive total output of 1870 μmol/s of full-spectrum light, delivered uniformly over a 1.5 x 1.5m area via an array of high-quality diodes. Additional red light makes this fixture perfect for flowering as well as the vegetative stage of growth. Powered by the Maxibright Varidrive 600W variable power pack, it allows you to dim the LED and mount your power pack directly to the unit or connect remotely to help regulate temperatures in your grow room.

Manufactured and distributed exclusively by Highlight Horticulture. Contact your local grow store for more details.

Dirt Bag Grey New fabric grow bags exclusively available from Highlight Horticulture. Round fabric, non-woven, breathable plant pots continue the tradition of promoting healthier, air-pruned, efficient root systems. Made with 100% recycled plastic, they’re tough and eco-friendly. These pots are easy to wash and reuse and are perfect for gardeners who appreciate quality and sustainability. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, these grow bags help your plants grow to their full potential, combining durability with great value. Available in various sizes and designed to integrate effortlessly with popular grow systems like Mega Pots.

HY-GEN NUTRIENTS TRUSTED BY SERIOUS GROWERS FOR 30 YEARS HY-GEN’s commitment to customers and the industry is a testament to its 30-year milestone.The story began in Australia in 1994 when its chemist and founder’s love of science and passion for growing launched a product range. The unique and easy-to-use formulations are available around the globe in Australia, the UK, Europe,Thailand, and now the US. Check out the full range: HY-GENnutrients.com

Available exclusively from Highlight Horticulture. Contact your local grow store today.

BudBox PRO White Titan 1 plus-HL Grow Tent 200x300x220cm

Maxibright DAYLIGHT 480W LED The DAYLIGHT 480W LED is an ideal replacement for traditional 600W HPS systems, offering efficiency and superior performance. With an output of 1104 μmol/s and full-spectrum coverage, it’s perfect for 1.2 x 1.2m areas. Its fan-less design ensures silent operation, while the IP65 ingress protection guarantees durability. This 2.3 version, featuring Osram and Lumileds chips, provides uniform light distribution and a remote dimmer for flexible power control.With a 50,000hour lifespan and a four-year warranty, you’re investing in reliable, eco-friendly growing technology. Manufactured and distributed exclusively by Highlight Horticulture. Visit GrowWithDaylight.co.uk or contact your local store for details.

From the UK’s #1 for six consecutive years, the PRO White Titan 1 plusHL is available in White or Mylar.There are eight doors, 20 port options in four sizes, four micro-mesh screened passive vents, a night vision window, and a 25mm powder-coated, tempered steel frame with metal push/click fittings. Double cuff vents and 20% oversized for acoustic ducting. Uplift irrigation bar for gravity-fed water and nutrient systems. Silicone pads for roof bars to reduce vibrations. Main door clips, water tray, double stitched seams, and a canvas that completely unzips for easy assembly. BudBox PRO. Where the PROs grow. Visit BudBoxGrowTents.com to find a suitable model for you.

What if the best fertiliser for soil was a hydro fertiliser? Most fertiliser options can seem rather complex: two bottles for growth, two for flowering, and essential supplements. That’s why Terra Aquatica created TriPart® fertiliser: complete, easy to use, and effective.With its three parts, it meets the needs of plants at every stage of their life, whatever your playground (hydroponics, coco, or soil!). Used by top universities and research laboratories, including NASA,TriPart® remains the ultimate formula, based on over 30 years of testing. It goes well beyond basic nutrients by offering a full range of chelated micro-nutrients for optimal absorption and stability. TriPart® Micro, available in soft and hard water formulas, optimises calcium levels in the nutrient solution, avoiding the blockages and deficiencies often seen with universal fertilisers. Available in: 0.5 L, 1 L, 5 L, 10 L, 60 L and 1000 L. Check out TerraAquatica.com for more info.

NEW distributor in the UK ! Evolution Horticulture prides itself on innovation. From a unique range of LEDs and controllers to a new-to-market CO2 solenoid-controlled grow bottle, Evolution Horticulture also offers a full range of high-end products that you already know and trust, such as Iso-max Fans, Can Filters, Jiffy substrates, fabric pots and so much more. With a customer-first approach, they aim to deliver unique, high-quality products with the best possible service. Evolution Horticulture has three sales representatives working up and down the country with a wealth of knowledge and a background in the industry. Visit EvolutionHorticulture.com and schedule an appointment!

Maxibright DAYLIGHT 660W LED The DAYLIGHT 660W LED, a powerful alternative to 600W HPS systems, delivers an impressive output of 1518 μmol/s. Its 6-bar system with Lumileds and Osram chips ensures a full-bodied, enhanced red spectrum for optimal plant growth and flowering over a 1.5m x 1.5m area. This unit combines silent operation, no mechanical parts, and IP65 ingress protection for maximum durability. Its slimline design and easy clip-on bars make installation straightforward. The unit’s efficiency of 2.3 μmol/J and the inclusion of a remote dimmer for variable lighting control make it a top choice serious growers seeking energy efficiency and high performance.

for

Manufactured and distributed exclusively by Highlight Horticulture. Check out GrowWithDaylight.co.uk or visit your local store for more information. 17

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SLIMS PLACE

a f o s n o i s s e Conf e r o t S o r d y UK H

drostore y h k u a f o s onfession c # e in z a g ulturema c n e d r a g #

n this edition of Confessions of a UK Hydro Store, our buddy Slim, owner of Slims Place in Watford and Hounslow, opens up about life in a grow

shop. Slim is a fixture in the local hydro scene, known as a smar t, hard-working guy who loves ever ything to do with plants. Here, he shares tales about his time in the industr y and what makes him tick.

UK HYDRO STORE

What do you like the most about being a hydro shop owner? The ever-changing industry and customer interaction are what I love. From the beginning, all facets of the industry have continuously evolved, and Slims has been a part of the evolution and revolution. Every day is a learning experience, and we specialise in passing down data-driven and experience-led knowledge. I spend every day of my life working in some part of this industry, and it’s what I do as a hobby and profession.

Don’t listen to pseudoscience; investigate your knowledge sources and discover how they are backed up in science.

How do you grow plants in your shop? Our current setup uses Invisibilis Planta in a secret system in a current trial by a famous space agency. The staff enjoys working with this cultivar as the leaf drop is zero, and maintenance isn’t timeconsuming. The hues are amazing, and it has the beneficial properties of keeping pests and diseases away.

How important has your location been to your success? I have worked at nine different locations throughout London, and all have been successful. I currently have two shops with high shutter doors in Hounslow and Watford based at the end of industrial estates; this allows for easy loading and unloading of goods. However, our honest advice and service are paramount for Figureretention. 1 customer How do you deal with angry customers? Have you ever had to throw someone out of your store? I feel their pain. I’m an angry customer sometimes, so I try to understand the client’s point of view. You can turn a bad situation into something good by showing empathy and accepting responsibility if you are at fault. I would only throw someone out for stealing. Being angry, argumentative, or having a bad day is welcome. We will help you leave in a better mood. What Is the most common question you get at the store? Is SLIM there? Or how do I make big flowers and fruits? The answer is TWELFTY!

What do you do to create long-term customer loyalty? We are truthful, however painful to customers. We genuinely care and make a client’s problems our own. We are open until 19:30 on weekdays and were one of the first shops to do a seven-day week. The amount of time spent with a customer is not determined by how much money they spend but by how much time they have to stay and learn. What advice do you give a grower who is just starting? Too many cooks spoil the broth! Don’t listen to pseudoscience; investigate your knowledge sources and discover how they are backed up in science. Spend most of your budget on environmental control and only increase your expenditure on other products once you have achieved that.

What are your favourite products? CO2, R.O. water, and appropriate spectrum light. After that, the measuring tools for EC, pH, water temperature, PPFD, room temperature, humidity, sun up and down, dry backs, leaf temps, WC, and brix are the most necessary. And UV sunglasses are essential for protecting your eyes. What music do you play at the store? If PPL and PRS are asking, we hum our original melodies. Some may say that sounds like the bass of reggae. If you never ended up running a hydro shop, what do you think you would be doing today? I’d provide a private banking solution for legitimate entities conducting cash transactions to be able to deposit without fear of closure. Many businesses have had their bank accounts closed with funds held only to be returned later without explanation. This practice leaves businesses that have paid millions in taxes over decades in a precarious position with the constant threat of another closure for no apparent reason around the corner. 3

Want to be the next Hydro Store to ‘confess’? Take a picture of this edition of Garden Culture Magazine in your shop, post to Instagram and tag @gardenculturemagazine. OR Send your info to social@gardenculturemagazine.com

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

Trending Now Garden Culture Magazine is launching a new feature focusing on eco-optimism and meaningful, positive environmental efforts happening worldwide. To kick things off, we’re looking at the trends predicted to dominate people’s outdoor spaces in 2024. Find more positive gardening vibes at GCMag.co.

2024 is All About

Eco-Optimism in the Garden

e are witnessing a revolution! People are looking for concrete ways to improve the environment, and gardening is at the forefront of the movement. Enough with the doom and gloom; let’s take action! Garden Media Group (GMG) releases a yearly trend repor t predicting what themes will

dominate gardens everywhere; here are some creative ways growers will strive to make an impact this year!

home gardeners will likely choose to keep things less tidy in 2024, and eerie plant selections might be more common Horti-futurism Say what, now? GMG is picking up on a trend that sci-fi lovers will undoubtedly enjoy! It’s all about brightening our vision of the future, says garden scholar and historian Tracy Qiu. “We used to view the future like we view the past, erasing its colour and vibrancy,” she says. “Not anymore!”

m s i r u t u f i t r o H

What does this mean for the garden? For indoor spaces, closed ecosystem terrariums will be popular and are relatively easy to make. Inside and outside, survivalist gardens will likely sprout everywhere as more people grow food for their families and plan for emergencies. And while moon gardens have been around for a while, they won’t be going anywhere as more of us look to enjoy plants in the evening hours, too. Consider selecting white flowers, evening primrose, star-flecked or silver-hued plants, and variegated leaves that give a ‘neon’ glow after the sun goes down. GMG’s report pegs lime as the colour of the year, which will also add a futuristic vibe to your garden!

2024 GARDEN TRENDS

Enough with the doom and gloom; let’s take action! Goth Gardens You may have noticed while scrolling through Netflix that things have been getting a little dark lately. There’s no shortage of horror movies, and it’s not hard to find a binge-worthy spooky cult series, either. How does this apply to gardens? I wondered the same. Social media is exploding with #Gothgarden(ing), #VictorianGardens, #Halloweengardens, #Steampunk, and #Tombstonetourism (over 430K posts!). Cemeteries are getting in on the fun since they’re open to everyone. For example, GMG says Oakland Cemetery in Georgia offers a nature-themed light show and has plans for an African-American section featuring a plant palette unique to the culture, era, and region. Garden centres are encouraged to get involved by offering plants for memorial gardens and trees perfect for dedicating to the memory of loved ones. Meanwhile, home gardeners will likely choose to keep things less tidy in 2024, and eerie plant selections might be more common. Plants with darker foliage and flowers like ‘Black Prince’ Snapdragon, Blood Red Sunflower, Black Peony Poppy, and black tulips are perfect for the goth gardening trend.

All About Bug All About Bugs

The world is waking up to the plight of our pollinator friends, and thank goodness that’s a trend that we’ll see continue throughout 2024! The interior decor scene is bursting with insect motifs on wallpaper, beddings, knobs and pulls. GMG predicts this obsession will also spark an interest in the plants that feed our beautiful bugs. So, expect to see many more pollinator victory gardens emerge in your neighbourhood, featuring plant choices like bee balm, daisies, salvia, rudbeckia, echinacea, and other native rockstars.

Goth Gardens

And don’t be afraid to incorporate dead wood into your garden plan to support insects. Bug hotels, wooden sculptures, and driftwood or fallen tree trunks are all excellent ideas!

NEW

NEW TO OUR RANGE OF ATAMI SUBSTRATES

d e s i l i t r e Non-f Washed and Buffered Cocos

Non-Fertlised

WA S H

ED & B

UFFER

WATC H ANIMA OUR TION!

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ED CO

COS :

Excellent water retention

DIS C MO OVER R E!

Suitable for seedlings and cuttings

A BASE FOR substrates EVERY CULTIVATOR

2024 GARDEN TRENDS

Many of us long for better human relationships, and community gardening movements are here to serve Small Space Gardens Cities are growing; the United Nations projects that 89% of people will live in urban areas by 2050. But concrete jungles are a thing of the past. Container gardens were a massive trend in 2023 that GMG predicts will continue to grow this year. People will maximise vertical space and create privacy screens by growing food and ornamental plants in balcony and rooftop gardens. Hanging and trailing plants are predicted to be big in 2024, indoors and out. Trailing plants often require less upkeep thanks to better airflow, and gardeners also love them because they can cover a lot of ground without hogging too much space. Trailing houseplants include String of Pearls, English Ivy, and Hoya. Edibles that do well in hanging baskets include many strawberry varieties, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, nasturtiums, and herbs. Spilling flowers like Lobelia, potato vine, and petunias are show-stoppers and brighten any patio or balcony.

Community Call s

Community Calls

Technology is at our fingertips, yet we are more disconnected from people than ever. Many of us long for better human relationships, and community gardening movements are here to serve. While the news headlines paint a bleak picture, people are compassionate and care about the planet and their neighbours. Now is the time to remain eco-positive and effect change locally. Look for various groups and workshops in your area! GMG points to Gens X, Y, and Z as being passionate about sustainability and demanding it in their growing ventures and the products they buy, from clothing to hygiene and cleaning products.

e c a p S l l Sma Gardens

Garden shops will answer the call for high-impact greenery by selling carbon-capturing plants and fast-growing native trees, grasses, and perennials. Expect to find more resources on growing food in cities and at home, planting native gardens, and replacing lawns with wildlife-friendly zones.

Are You Ready? There are many ways to effect change in 2024. You have to dig around and find them. Whatever growing ventures you choose, stay eco-positive. You’re helping the cause.

Sources: Garden Media Group: grow.gardenmediagroup.com/2024garden-trends-report 3

BY COLIN BELL, PHD SOIL MICROBIAL ECOLOGIST

, s e r u l i a F , m o d Wis d W e n r Lea

view the world from the perspective of an ecologist. I am fascinated by the biological and physical principles that define natural interactions. I understand that life can be challenging in nature. Plants and animals face daunting realities where their success is predicated only on the ability to grow and survive. In nature, success merely equates

to passing genomes to offspring from one generation to the next. Every moment in time is vital for a plant to achieve its biological success. On the contrary, humans face different realities in life; you cannot compare human success to the natural world. This is the dichotomy of coexistence. This article shares my experiences growing, what I learned, and how it helped me define my success.

Growing Up in the Garden My parents were passionate gardeners. We spent weekends working in our gardens at home in my early years. As early as I can remember, with a mini shovel, I was helping my parents dig holes, plant seeds, and weed in the garden beds. When I was young, growing plants seemed quite simple: water, soil, sunlight, and a little luck. I loved growing plants in the garden; it made me happy.

Plants and animals face daunting realities where their success is predicated only on the ability to grow and survive

years to improve their resiliencies to environmental variability. Plants sense environmental stress, and their growth is often inhibited as they channel energy to their adaptive survival mechanisms. The plants are not just sitting there looking pretty. Biological success is a ruthless game of probability with no guarantees. In nature, plants work day after day, minute by minute, to survive and grow.

A Deeper Understanding

Do Plants Think and Feel?

As I learned more about biology and the physical sciences through my studies in school, I began to view plant growth with a deeper understanding. Scientifically, biological success is defined as maintaining the continuity of life. For plants to succeed, they require certain conditions, including available water, nourishment, and a compatible environment to grow. I learned how plants could be affected by environmental stress, how biodiversity is completely regulated by climate and ecological conditions, and how plant diversity increasingly declines the further north and south one travels from the equator. In nature, the environment ruthlessly selects for plant success. Likewise, many plants have developed different physical, metabolic, and chemical tactics over thousands of

Someone once asked me if I thought plants had a consciousness. If we agree that consciousness is the state of awareness of one’s surroundings, then I believe they do. Most humans also have a conscience but navigate life with a different reality than any other organism on Earth. Humans are experts in manipulating their environment. This means that the environmental (biotic and abiotic) surroundings, which are crucial for plant success, are far less important to humans. This is only possible because humans can use their cognitive abilities to shape the world around them. Human behaviour is regulated by neurophysiological (i.e., nervous system function), metaphysical, and chemical processes that they use in tandem to shape their mental faculties.

GROWING SUCCESS

r e w o r G r e t t e B a g n i m o c e and B The plants are not just sitting there looking pretty Furthermore, human perception is informed by three separate streams of the subconscious: • • •

reflecting: memories of the past (including physical and emotional experiences) the present (current state of mind and body) the future (thoughts of what may happen)

These subconscious inputs regulate our thoughts, moods, behaviours, and even our appetites from one moment to the next. These perceptions produce our own personalised reality TV shows directed by manifestations of the mind. Here exists the dichotomy for life on Earth: most life is bound by the concrete laws of nature, while others are the mere manifestations of the mind.

Success Stories Life can be an extremely hard experience in natural systems. Plants and animals are constrained by the daunting realities of natural law, where biological success is predicated on the ability to survive, grow, and succeed with the purpose of continuity. People, however, are not constrained by the daunting realities of natural law. If our existence was bound to the principles of biological success, then we are undeniably successful. The last

census reports indicate that the human population is expected to increase to 9.7 billion over the next 30 years. We are winning the probability game of life, but at what cost? Some predictions suggest significant challenges for biodiversity and the success of nature in the future as the human population increases. Through ancient years, nature guided our wisdom by providing shelter, growth, health, and abundance. If biological success no longer means human success, how do people define their achievements in today’s world? There may be answers from the simple lessons learned from my youth, growing plants in the garden. To be successful, people need adequate nourishment and shelter (environmental conditions) to grow. We need to adapt to our surroundings and be planted firmly in the moment, where we can spend our days growing and not just surviving. Human success may be a simple exercise of mental gardening, where we can cultivate all things that make us strong and happy and weed out all doubt and fear. Our success exists in a single moment and grows like a plant from one moment to the next. It can be determined only by what we are willing to do to grow today, requiring strong minds because we rely on cognition for everything. Success is the nature of learning and teaching; otherwise, we are guaranteed failure. Every moment in time is a precious opportunity to grow. This is what I learned from growing plants and how I changed how I grow. 3

BIO Colin Bell is VP of US Business Development at MIIM Horticulture. He has worked as a PhD Research Scientist in Federal and Academic institutions for years. He builds businesses, develops products, and grows brands for indoor cultivation. Reach out: colin@miimhort.com

BY JENNIFER COLE

Taking Nature’s Lead With

Slow

gardening Slow gardening is a holistic approach to growing that doesn’t browbeat plants into compliance.

SLOW GARDENING

s much as I love my garden, for many years, it would feel like a never-ending chore to keep it refreshed and groomed at the end of the

season. I’d crave winter when the garden could silently ruminate without my constant preening. That all changed once I discovered slow gardening.

Slow gardening was first made popular by Felder Rushing, an American horticulturist famous for adopting simpler and natural approaches to gardening [1]. Inspired by the Slow Food movement and its promotion of local food systems and biodiversity, slow gardening is not about being a lazy gardener. Incorporating many of the gardening practices we’re already familiar with, slow gardening promotes nature, not the gardener, as knowing what’s best for the garden. Borrowing from regenerative gardening, weeds and wildflowers are encouraged to grow with abandon as cover crops protecting the soil. Slow gardening loves using compost and mulch to add nutrients to the earth [2]. It infuses permaculture principles and insists the gardener works with the natural rhythms of the seasons to grow [3]. And while some love the look of perfectly manicured lawns and expertly coiffed shrubs, in the slow garden, roses sprawl over fences and climb into trees. By letting go of convention, expectation, and perfection, the pleasure of watching nature returns to the gardener, and growing becomes easier. As Felder Rushing writes: “By focusing on seasonal rhythms and local conditions, it helps the gardener get more from the garden while better appreciating how leisure time – and energy are spent.” He says, “that slow gardening is more about thinking long haul and taking it easy. Life has lots of pressures – why include them in the garden?” [4]. Slow gardening has no set rules, only broad strokes to keep in mind.

Local Biodiversity The Slow Food Movement emphasises a region’s biodiversity. Slow gardening is the same. Perennials native to a particular region are the slow gardener’s plant of choice. Coming back every year, they are a long-term investment, saving the gardener the expense of constantly replacing plants. Their roots dig deep into the soil, aerating it and increasing water retention and oxygen flow. Through photosynthesis, they absorb carbon from the atmosphere, which feeds the underground network of microorganisms that add proteins and nitrogen to the soil, offsetting the need for fertilisers.

Inspired by the Slow Food movement and its promotion of local food systems and biodiversity, slow gardening is not about being a lazy gardener

These local heroes have developed a symbiotic relationship with the local climate and require less protection from weather events like drought or extreme cold. They are the foundation of healthy ecosystems and the best food source, habitat and shelter for local wildlife and pollinators who gravitate to their familiar colours and scents.

Observe, Sit and Learn the Nuances When I built my garden, I began by observing my surroundings. I determined which areas received the most sunlight and where rain collected. I also envisioned how trees in the neighbours’ yards would grow and affect my own space. Observing these nuances is part of the slow gardening way.

SLOW GARDENING

Slow gardening has no set rules, only broad strokes to keep in mind By stepping away from the need to race through the watering or pruning and taking everything in, the slow gardener begins to see the garden as its living organism and learns how to interact with its personality. It doesn’t mean doing less work but being prudent and thoughtful about your work. This approach is good for both the garden and gardener.

I recently started a wildflower patch near the back of my garden. This spring, there were hordes of poppies and foxgloves. It was a glorious site, albeit short-lived. The foliage turned brown during the summer, and the area looked unruly. My first instinct was to cut it all back. I restrained myself, and it became one of my favourite places in the garden! The seed pods on the poppies would rattle in the breeze, and the self-seeding cosmos that replaced the earlier hoopla became a hangout for hummingbirds and bees; nature flourished.

Health experts, including those from the world-famous Mayo Clinic, one of the largest medical research hubs, say the benefits of getting out into the garden, even as just an observer, range from getting Vitamin D from the sun to helping ease anxiety and boost mental health [5].

Slow gardening isn’t about learning new practices or being a lazy gardener. It’s slowing down enough to let nature teach us how the garden should be rather than us telling nature how it ought to behave. 3

Letting Go People always ask my friend Pat what her secret is in maintaining her thriving garden. She advises them to plant what makes them happy. The hardest thing about slow gardening may be letting go of the preconceived idea of a perfect garden. Design styles and rules that apply to your neighbour’s or friend’s garden don’t have to appear in your space. One of Canada’s garden legends and a posthumous member of Canada’s Garden Hall of Fame, Larry Hodgson, referred to himself as the Laidback Gardener and for good reason. In a 1997 article in the French language magazine Fleurs, Plantes, et Jardins, he wrote, “Everyone knows that a meticulous garden, perfectly manicured, without the slightest blade of grass out of place, is an impossibility, a chimera, an unattainable goal. Nature often does better than the most precise of gardeners … But until recently, very few people had dared to admit it” [6].

Sources 1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Slow Gardening: What It Means and How to Grow Slow (slowlivingldn.com) What Is Regenerative Gardening? All The Facts (+6 Helpful Tips) (citizensustainable.com) Permaculture Garden: What It Is and How to Start One (thespruce.com) Slow Gardening – Felder Rushing’s Blog Dig into the benefits of gardening - Mayo Clinic Health System Long Live Laidback Gardening! - Laidback Gardener

Additional Resources: • • •

Slow Gardening - Chelsea Green Publishing Slow Gardening | HGTV Slow gardening - Wikipedia

BIO Jennifer Cole is a writer and garden enthusiast with a bachelor’s degree focused on history from Simon Fraser University, and a freelance writing career spanning two and half decades. Jennifer lives in Vancouver British Columbia. Her by-lines have regularly appeared in the opinion section of the Toronto Star and her portfolio includes articles in various newspapers, magazines, and websites across Canada. When not writing her own blog or visiting local garden centres, you can find her puttering, planting, and nourishing her own urban garden oasis.

BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

Gardening We are ignorant creatures, utterly lost in the darkness—so ignorant that we often don’t even know that we don’t know

e are ignorant creatures, utterly lost in the darkness—so ignorant that we often don’t even know that we don’t know. Take my first foray into indoor gardening, for example. I clubbed with two hapless high school friends to ‘invest’ over $350 in a 400-watt HPS lighting system (complete with

a buzzing magnetic ballast, elliptical streetlamp and comically oversized parabolic reflector). This was back in the age before hydro stores; one of the few solutions available to any budding indoor horticulturist at the time was to send a check to a PO Box advertised in the back of ‘Viz Comic’ and hope for the best.

A few weeks later, the promised lighting system arrived— although we were not sufficiently illuminated to have figured out that we also needed ventilation equipment. As such we were genuinely surprised when my friend’s wardrobe—the designated space for our communal slice of horticultural heaven—quickly heated up to 100°F. Perhaps mercifully, our “extreme weather project” was abruptly terminated when my friend’s “don’t worry, they’re totally cool” parents first witnessed an otherworldly orange glow emanating from his bedroom door frame and quickly called time on our futile endeavours. Suffice it to say, we learn by failing—or, theoretically, at least, the offer of a lesson is there. In the years since, I have made so many indoor gardening mistakes that I considered asking Garden Culture if they would commission a series. Alas, all you’ll get here is the briefest summary of my botanical blunders, mishaps, oversights, and brain farts.

GARDENING MISTAKES

Mistakes t f i G a Are

Failing to research new growing systems properly has caused me plenty of embarrassment over the years. Once, I comically over-planted two Nutriculture GT-901 NFT systems with a hundred rooted cuttings (fifty in each—and, in case you don’t know, these otherwise super-productive hobby hydroponics systems barely cover a 6’ x 3’4” area (1.8 x 1.0m) each)! Flipping my plants immediately into a 12/12 photoperiod, I thought I was a trendsetter, a maverick, a genius even. I envisaged an ocean of green floricultural paradise emerging over the coming weeks. Instead, the constant irrigation and crowded plant spacing caused extreme stem elongation. It’s one of the few crops that was so appallingly bad that I actually cut it down.

e r u t u F to Your

Another time, I borrowed a true aeroponics system from a very generous local manufacturer, complete with a powerful air compressor. I think the general idea was for me to grow some photogenic beasts to show off what their incredible growing system could do. The cuttings died in the first few hours. I gave him the system back with no photos.

Lesson Learned: Promise carefully and take time to establish your plants before hitting them with full-intensity light.

Lesson Learned: Read the manual. Less is more.

GARDENING MISTAKES

I thought I was a trendsetter, a maverick, a genius even But my problems were just beginning. My grow tents suffered from high daytime temperatures in a south-facing room with large windows. Who knew? By this time, I was working with a hydroponics equipment wholesaler, and the boss foolishly agreed that I could help myself to an extraction fan from their warehouse. Naturally, I chose the biggest one I could find. At 12” in diameter, I thought my heat issues were over. Not only did it sound like I was powering up a MiG-29 twin-engine fighter jet in my top-floor apartment, but the only extract port available was in the roof at just 4” in diameter! “No problem,” I thought, “that’s what reducers are for.” So I went from 12 to 10, 10 to 8, 8 to 6, and finally from 6 to 4. What could go wrong?

I recently embarked on an ill-judged side-lighting experiment with light-loving, diecious plants. I bastardised a twin-bar 660W LED commercial top light and fixed it strategically on the walls adjacent to my 4’ x 4’ grow tray. (With sufficient air gaps behind, don’t worry.) However, I failed to account for the dramatic increase in water uptake driven by the additional photons. As a result, my plants quickly became draught-stressed and turned hermaphroditic! Oh, Lord.

Lesson Learned: I should have paid more attention in physics class. The increased air velocity, reduced airflow, and massively increased static pressure all conspired to render my new ventilation system very loud and utterly useless.

But wait, there’s more. Like the time I started growing hot peppers indoors in the spring, and then the summer arrived. Even with air conditioning, I couldn’t lower nighttime temperatures sufficiently to properly induce flowering. I ended up with some very tall pepper plants and a handful of very expensive peppers.

Moving from soil-based potting mixes to coco coir, I didn’t realise I could get away with smaller pots with a soilless medium. Consequently, I spent way more on growing media than I needed to. Even when I was finally convinced to reduce my pot size, I still didn’t understand the importance of measuring the conductivity of the run-off feed solution. Switching to a 70/30 coco/perlite mix was great for the aeration of my roots, but it increased wet/dry cycles and further exacerbated my rootzone salt build-up issues.

Lesson Learned: When growing in soilless potting mixes, never let your pots dry out, make sure you achieve 30% run-off with each irrigation, and don’t let your plants sit in that run-off!

Lesson Learned: Increased light = increased transpiration = increased irrigation!

Lesson Learned: Timing (and temperature) is everything to peppers (and maybe grow them outdoors in the summer, huh?) In conclusion, the more you learn, the more you realise you don’t know. Wherever you’re at (or think you’re at) on your growing journey, modesty should be your stoical travel companion. Always carefully observe and note as much data as possible, including nutrient strength, formulation daytime and nighttime temperatures, relative humidity, number of days in vegetative growth, pot volume, and irrigation cycles. Now repeat after me: Next crop, I’m gonna crush it! 3

BY COSMIC KNOT

There is a correlation between technology development and society’s mental health

What We Make Of It

ur minds are powerful and similar to a garden. Like weeding, we must be careful about the thoughts we cultivate. Positive thoughts will lead to positive outcomes. What we think leads to action, and those actions have consequences. How we view our surroundings, humanity, and the world is a reflection of ourselves

and will impact how we live. But lately, the worldview is changing. Our lives are dictated by imagery. As many people begin to favour a technology-based life, the image we once held of the natural world is fading. Society does not view the world as an oasis and is, instead, caught up in the latest trends, gadgets and gossip. There was a time when thoughts of permaculture dominated the minds of society. Ancient civilisations worked with the environment and created massive natural gardens that sustained them. Today, we are experiencing a significant shift. From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, the focus on the technological world shapes our lives, and the results are grim. War, constant surveillance, increasing civil unrest, and global epidemics have become normal. There is a correlation between technology development and society’s mental health. If we choose nature first, technology will adapt. But if we put technology first, will there be any room left for nature?

Our lack of focus on our natural surroundings is causing the climate to change. Forests are disappearing, yet people keep building homes in deserts and complaining that there is no water. So, let’s do the math. Our waterways are drying up, our forests are dying off on a massive scale, and climate swings are becoming more severe. Pollution, crime, health issues, war, and technology are dominating. Our collective imagery must change. We must start envisioning our future as a bright, beautiful, green world with healthy forests and clean water. We have to imagine ways to create and maintain a stunning natural paradise. We must work with nature and put those visions into practice. What we envision for the future will inevitably manifest if enough people believe it. Let’s not forget about our mother. Mother Earth needs our help. Let’s create a better future for her. 3

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BY ANNE GIBSON

Common Insect Pests, Symptoms and Solutions

if the pest numbers increase sufficiently to damage the functioning of a plant or your potential harvest, then the issue demands prompt action!

INSECT PESTS

very gardener encounters at least some problems each season. Sometimes, weather conditions contribute to pests afflicting our plants. Other contributing factors include plant stress, soil conditions, management practices, species variety and location. Problems may only be minor or for a short time and may not cause enough damage to warrant

attention. However, if the pest numbers increase sufficiently to damage the functioning of a plant or your potential harvest, then the issue demands prompt action! I play a daily ‘detective’ role, looking for ‘clues’ to identify potential problems before they get out of hand. It’s much easier to minimise damage from a few insect visitors than when numbers are in plague proportions. I examine the signs to accurately determine the cause before applying any remedy.

Insect Pests An imbalance of pest insects can cause significant plant damage. A wide range of indicators flag specific insects as the perpetrators. Careful observation reveals that each ‘culprit’ usually leaves telltale ‘evidence’ at the ‘scene of the crime’ that helps identify their presence. Recognising these calling cards takes time and practice, but it’s a skill worth learning. Let’s look at the symptoms or clues they leave and some chemical-free control strategies.

MOLASSES SPRAY Mix 10ml of sulphur-free or blackstrap molasses into 500ml of warm water. Add 1 tsp of eco-friendly pure liquid soap or detergent to help the mixture stick to the leaves. Spray affected plants on both sides of the leaf and centre on a non-rainy day when it’s cool. Molasses is a simple sugar high in nutrients and increases the sugar content on the leaf surface. This makes it undigestible to grasshoppers and caterpillars. Soap is a desiccant and can help break down the insect’s exoskeleton or the waxy coating so it dries out. Use the mixture within a day or two because it will start to ferment in your spray bottle, especially in warm weather. You don’t want an explosion!

Plant Damage Symptoms and Solutions Caterpillars: Chew holes in stems, leaves, flowers, buds and fruit. Newly hatched caterpillars with small, hungry mouths leave tiny pin holes. They usually hide under the leaves before moving topside. As they grow, the damage increases. Holes are often round. Sometimes, a plant will be attacked by multiple caterpillars at once, with increasing destruction as they grow. These are some of the effective control strategies I use: • • • •

•

• •

Hand-pick caterpillars or squash eggs on the underside of leaves. Encourage insect-eating bird species as pest controllers. Add a bird bath and habitat. Use molasses spray over the leaves. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth directly onto cluster caterpillars. I avoid spreading it around to minimise collateral damage to beneficial insects like bees. Plant vulnerable crops like the Brassica (cabbage) family in season to reduce potential plant stress and scent cues for butterflies. Cover garden beds or individual plants with netting. Use cloches, crop covers or bags to prevent butterflies and moths from laying eggs. Interplant with various strongly scented herbs and species with differently shaped leaves to disguise host plants. Grow flowers as a nectar source to attract predatory insects like hoverflies and wasps that parasitise caterpillars. A chemical-free garden will entice other hungry predators like lacewings, dragonflies and assassin bugs.

Caterpillar chewing holes in a soy bean leaf

INSECT PESTS

Grasshoppers: Like caterpillars, these herbivores munch on leaves, but the uneven damage tends to be on the edges and tips. Grasshoppers sit on the leaf even when young, so they’re easy to spot. As they grow, they can devour large sections of a leaf.

Tiger spider spinning web around grasshopper pest insect to encase it

Remedies include: • •

• •

Hand-pick early in the morning when they are more docile and easy to squish. Leave spider webs in the garden. These insects are incredible predators and spin webs close to food sources. A web is often my first indicator of a pest insect problem. Use molasses spray over the leaves. Cover with exclusion netting, cloches for seedlings and crop bags.

Aphids: These sap-sucking pests can become a massive problem in just a few days due to their ability to reproduce quickly. These pests need immediate attention. Effective strategies include: • • •

Magpie eating pest insect grasshopper

Snails and Slugs: Watch for irregular holes in all plant parts and slimy silvery trails. Seedlings may disappear overnight. These pests often hide in cool, dark, moist spots or under mulch, feed at night and tend to be active after rain. Strategies to try: • • •

• •

•

• •

Encourage lizards and birds by providing habitat. Remove timber, weeds, dense growth, or piles of pots that offer daytime hiding places and breeding areas. Set a trap like a damp hessian sack, a small piece of plastic or wet cardboard. Traps like these attract slugs and snails to shelter beneath them. Lay them down in the early evening and check in the morning. Avoid fertilising plants with too much nitrogen; that makes them sappy and more attractive. Try drip irrigation rather than sprinklers to reduce humidity and moist surfaces. This makes the habitat less favourable to snails and slugs. Water early in the morning to allow maximum time for the plant foliage, soil and mulch to dry out. Watering later in the day causes these surfaces to remain moist overnight. Non-toxic copper tape is a barrier, repelling these pests with an ‘electric’ shock-type reaction. It works wet or dry. Protect vulnerable seedlings with cloches.

• • •

Hand squashing or hosing off with a sharp water spray for several consecutive days when numbers are small. Use an organic horticultural oil or soap-based spray to suffocate them. Apply food-grade diatomaceous earth directly onto the affected leaves or plant parts. This fine powder is made of silica and desiccates aphid exoskeletons. Use a portable hand vacuum to suck up the insects en masse. Brush or shake aphids off the plant into a container of soapy water to drown. Remove ants that may be present. They defend aphids against predatory insects and farm the honeydew produced as a thank-you gift in return for their protective services.

Scale: These sap-sucking pest insects stick to stems and plants, gradually reducing their vigour. Look for white, brown or black bumps with a hard, soft or waxy shell. Like aphids, they release honeydew that can cause black sooty mould to grow. This prevents photosynthesis, weakening plants and reducing growth. Suggested strategies include: •

• •

Check plants regularly and remove individual scale insects when numbers are small. I slide my fingernails up the stem, and they easily pop off. An old toothbrush is also quite effective. Give them a sharp spray with water for several days to remove them. Organic horticultural oil will remove any remaining scale. Encourage natural enemies like spiders, ladybirds, lacewings and parasitic wasps to your garden.

Ladybird predatory insect beside an aphid Snail chewing holes in plant leaf 41

INSECT PESTS

Adding organic matter like compost, minerals, and mulch helps add worms and microorganisms and gives plants the nutrients needed for strong growth and resilience against pest attacks

Planting a diversity of species encourages beneficial insects and minimises pests in an organic garden

Preventing Pest Problems

Pest insects like these can also be attracted to weak, nutrient-deficient plants lacking water or heat-stressed. These factors can be prevented by applying a few strategies. •

•

Healthy soil. A balanced soil pH with good structure and texture will hold moisture and minerals. Adding organic matter like compost, minerals, and mulch helps add worms and microorganisms and gives plants the nutrients needed for strong growth and resilience against pest attacks. Careful plant selection and location. Grow plants suited to your climate in the appropriate season. Cool-season vegetables often become heat-stressed in warmer months and become easy targets for pests. Choose a suitable location – sun or shade - that meets the needs of each plant. Practice crop rotation for annuals. Avoid repeated planting from the same plant family in the same garden bed. Related plants within some plant families, like Brassicaceae (cabbage family), are often susceptible to the same pests. Follow instead with plants from different plant families, e.g. Solanaceae or Apiaceae, as this helps break the life cycle of pest insects.

•

• •

A biodiverse ecosystem. You can balance pests and prey by encouraging natural predators into your garden. I’ve found that planting various flowering species and providing water and diverse habitats attracts pest insect controllers like ladybirds, beetles and dragonflies. A few messy spots with fallen leaves, rocks or pebbles, tree stumps or bird nesting sites help attract an incredible species biodiversity. Regular observation. Daily monitoring helps catch possible problems early. Time planting to avoid pests. Understand pest life cycles and when they are most active. Sow plants during the most favourable season to minimise potential attack.

By learning to identify common pest insects and applying some of these suggested strategies, you can reduce plant damage and enjoy a decent harvest. 3

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.

BY AV SINGH

“in natural ecosystems, plants, with help from fungi, communicate with each other.”

The

Not-So-Secret

Life of

Plants I

can’t imagine Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood (Faces) were thinking about agronomy when they sang their song ‘Ooh La La’, with its classic chorus, “I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger”. But it can be life-altering if you’ve

ever played that reflection game. How I think about agriculture has drastically changed over the years, and it is more of a philosophical difference than a technical one.

LIFE OF PLANTS

The Early Days

I was never comfortable expressing my belief that plants are sensory beings capable of thinking, feeling, seeing, hearing, and smelling

How Plants Talk

I have never been overly dogmatic about farming practices. Early in my career, I recognised that there are many ways to grow good food sustainably. But, looking back over my 35 years in agriculture, there has been a strict boundary between humans and plants. I learned that plants were not sentient beings, incapable of “consciousness”, hardwired and genetically determined to respond to environmental stimuli. Despite being a staunch believer in metaphysics and other ideas that are not explained via biology, chemistry, and physics, I was never comfortable expressing my belief that plants are sensory beings capable of thinking, feeling, seeing, hearing, and smelling.

Once again, most agroecology textbooks note yield losses when crops aren’t grown in monocultures, or that competition from weeds will impact yield. University of British Columbia researcher Suzanne Simard showed that in natural ecosystems, plants, with help from fungi, communicate with each other. Her research highlighted that they communicate (i.e., exchange hormones and signal messengers) and share nutrients like water, sugar, and trace elements. The notion of survival of the fittest is not surprisingly the thought paradigm in modern agriculture, despite Nature providing constant examples of ‘better together’.

For many reading this article, the previous sentence is enough for them to stop reading. However, I am not trying to equate the sensory evolution of animals with that of plants. The academy has done a great disservice in not recognising the complexity of plants, particularly their millions of years of co-evolution with microbes. Plants don’t have a central nervous system, a brain, or an endocannabinoid system that coordinates information for the entire body like animals do. Yet, plants use chemical signals that act as fast neurotransmitters and can have interspecies communication that far exceeds the ability of humans.

Plants are Similar to Humans

So, using more recent examples of our increased understanding of the plant:soil:microbial interface, I want to highlight the importance of discerning facts versus theories when implementing “sound” agricultural advice.

How Plants Eat Most plant physiology textbooks point to three ways plants take up nutrients: • • •

Mass flow (water movement via transpiration) Diffusion (nutrient gradients) Active transport (proton pumps)

Whether discussing conventional or organic farming, the above has been the dominant belief for decades. Recently, researcher James White has brought attention to another way plants eat: the rhizophagy cycle. Microbes enter the plant root at the root cap; the plant then uses oxygen (superoxide) to digest some of the microbe cells to retrieve nutrients and discards the remaining microbe via root hairs. This ‘mining’ of microbes by plants may help explain why many farmers with high soil organic matter do not see nutrient deficiencies in their crops despite not adding the recommended fertiliser rates. A common estimate suggested that each per cent of soil organic matter was the equivalent of 10 to 15 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. But we now see farmers with 5% soil organic matter having superior yields with little or no additional fertilisers.

Plants and humans share many of the same genes, and, as evidenced by transgenics, animal genes can be placed into plant genes. The similarity at a DNA level is exciting but doesn’t stop there. The relatively recent discovery that humans, in terms of cells, are more bacteria than anything else has brought attention to the notion of the microbiome, especially of the gut. The gut microbiome is responsible for much of our nutrient absorption, as well as our immune system and hormone production (i.e., 90% of our serotonin and 50% of our dopamine). The parallels for plants are striking. The phytobiome, most notably the rhizomicrobiome, is the plant’s gut and similarly plays critical roles in nutrient uptake and plant health, including immune responses. These examples showcase how our separation from plants and Nature can lead us to false understandings of the observations we make, even in our research. Whether we place fault on extrapolations from reductionist science or our species’ hubris in needing answers, when we create divisions, we lose the interconnectedness that is a prerequisite for sustainability or, more importantly, regeneration. Much of the agronomy I was taught when I was younger was based on a worldview that plants have no agency, hardwired to respond to inputs that we can manipulate. This mentality has led to a never-ending parade of technological fixes in attempts to keep the system functioning. In contrast, a worldview that recognises the wonder and awe of plants and is humble enough not to know all the answers is what keeps me wanting to learn more. I started this article with a song and will finish with one. “Ah, but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now” (My Back Pages, Bob Dylan). 3

BI O Av Singh, PhD, PAg advocates regenerative organic agriculture serving various organisations, including Regeneration Canada, Navdanya, and the Canadian Organic Growers.

BY JENNIFER COLE

As science looks for ways to eliminate carbon-emitting fossil fuels, growers seek ways to conserve water during drought and grow more food. Could agrivoltaics be the answer?

Harvesting the Sun to Grow in the Shade

2021 United States Department of Energy study predicts that solar power could account for 40% of U.S. electrical usage by 2035 [1]. Large solar farms will be created to harvest this amount of clean energy. Many of them will be on land traditionally used for agriculture; two types of farming, once incompatible, are

melding together.

Joshua Pearce is an engineering professor at Western University in Ontario and has been researching and developing agrivoltaics.

A 2021 United States Department of Energy study predicts that solar power could account for 40% of U.S. electrical usage by 2035

“The general idea is that photovoltaic arrays [solar panels] are placed over or next to farming, gardening, or agriculture,” he explains. “Modeling suggests that if all lettuce in the United States was cultivated under solar panels, the yield would increase by 15% and solar energy in the U.S. would double.”

peppers, raspberry bushes and herbs such as lavender thrive under the shade of solar panels. Owner Byron Kominek is used to explaining how growing in the shade is possible; it’s the most common question he’s asked.

“Even if something is in the shade, if you can see it, that means light is reflecting off it,” he says. “More shade means plants create more aboveground biomass to capture as much light as possible.” In other words, they grow bigger!

But don’t crops need sunlight to grow?

Putting Theory into Practice Jack’s Solar Garden in Longmont, Colorado, is the largest commercial research site for agrivoltaics in the United States. Three thousand solar panels produce enough solar energy to power 300 homes [2]. Lettuce, arugula, celery, potatoes, 46

“Adding shade to the ground also reduces soil temperatures and keeps moisture in the ground longer,” he adds. As the planet warms, climatologists predict droughts will become more common [3]. Conserving water for human and livestock consumption will be a top priority.

AGRIVOLTAICS

Researchers at the University of Alberta found that when spinach is grown under a solar array, the plants consume up to 17% less water. Although their growth rate was slightly slower, the plant’s overall health and harvest weight remained high [4].

Lettuce, arugula, celery, potatoes, peppers, raspberry bushes and herbs such as lavender thrive under the shade of solar panels

“If you’re in a desert where even peppers and tomatoes get too much sun and heat during the day, then more shade becomes beneficial to their survival,” Kominek says.

Studies using agrivoltaics in the high heat of Arizona found that peppers grown using an agrivoltaics system had an increased yield of almost 250% [5]. How is this possible? Excessive heat can reduce the efficiency of enzymes that drive photosynthesis [6]. Creating a shadier environment under the solar panels keeps plants cool and growing. “The most successful systems so far have been in very hot places, where there isn’t irrigation,” Pearce says.

Too Good to be True? Are there any drawbacks to agrivoltaics? Due to decreased moisture evaporation, increased humidity under the panels can introduce bacteria or fungal diseases. The capital cost of a

photovoltaic system is also expensive for small-scale market farms. However, in many cases, solar companies will lease a farmer’s land, set up the arrays and offset those capital costs. According to Pearce, this method occasionally requires tweaking the position of the panels to allow for optimal harvests.

“Depending on what you are cultivating, the panels can be packed together or have space between them to let in some light,” Pearce says. For example, corn grown with tightly packed solar panels in Japan produced lower yields. However, the yield increased when the panels were spaced to allow some light. “It’s the cheap energy that’s produced that’s worth more per acre to the farmer, even if there is no increase,” explains Pearce. Already popular in Europe and parts of Asia, agrivoltaics is not well known or understood in North America. Farmers have little information to cultivate crops effectively in different regions. There’s a vast difference between growing in the hot and dry Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and growing around the Great Lakes, which typically gets more rainfall.

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AGRIVOLTAICS

Byron and Alexa Kominek at Jack’s Solar Garden

To find these answers, the U.S. But it’s not just Africa. In 2021, climate The potential is enormous, Department of Energy has allocated change made an early summer heat not only for agriculture but $ 8 million (USD) to support research dome spanning from northern California for eliminating any further across six states, including Alaska to British Columbia worse [12]. For days, and the District of Columbia [7]. temperatures barely dipped below 100°F. need for fossil fuels In Canada, the Agricultural Clean In British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, 75% Technology Programme, administered of early raspberry crops were cooked on by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, offers funding and the bush and could not be sold as anything other than juice [13]. support to farmers and agricultural businesses to adopt innovative technologies, including agrivoltaics [8]. “Increasing global temperatures are going to make it hotter in many places on Earth,” Kominek says. “Having additional shade The potential is enormous, not only for agriculture but for can be [considered] a climate adaptation tactic.” eliminating any further need for fossil fuels. Claude Mindorff is an energy consultant and director of PACE Canada LP, a Agrivoltaics is a solution that reduces fossil fuel emissions and global solar development and investment company. A keynote allows growers to find shade and grow more food. 3 speaker at Canada’s inaugural Agrivoltaics Conference in 2022, he projects that if just 4% of Canada’s farmland converts to agrivoltaics, it will supply all the country’s electricity needs Footnotes: while creating a sustainable long-term food system [9]. 1. 2.

Agrivoltaics in a Changing World NASA researchers predict the changing climate will dramatically impact how and where crops are grown as early as 2030. In hotter climates, closer to the equator, where corn is a stable food source, increasing heat could cause declines in yield of up to 24% by the end of this century [10]. Pearce believes agrivoltaics will change those statistics, especially in the Global South. Since October 2020, parts of East Africa have been gripped by a drought that, according to climatologists, was 100 times more likely because of climate change. Crops without shade or irrigation have wilted in the heat [11].

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Solar Futures Study | Department of Energy (rebrand.ly/5eedea) Solar energy Colorado | Jack’s Solar Garden, LLC | United States (jackssolargarden. com) Climate change and droughts: What’s the connection? » Yale Climate Connections (rebrand.ly/911uton) Could growing crops under solar panels provide food and energy at the same time? | Folio (rebrand.ly/mkaer66) Agrivoltaics Proves Mutually Beneficial Across Food, Water, Energy Nexus | University of Arizona News (rebrand.ly/0a973f) Rising temperatures also alter photosynthesis in a changing climate (rebrand.ly/6febb4) US government allocates $8 million to support agrivoltaics – pv magazine International (rebrand.ly/d27b3d) Agricultural Clean Technology Program (agriculture.canada.ca) Are solar farms the answer to feeding the world and combatting climate change? | News & Events (uwo.ca) Bing Videos: NASA predictions (rebrand.ly/lbxt2zn) Horn of Africa: Catastrophic drought made 100 times more likely by climate change, analysis finds | CNN (rebrand.ly/mrmya1t) Increased impact of heat domes on 2021-like heat extremes in North America under global warming | Nature Communications (rebrand.ly/hm9z227) B.C. heat wave ‘cooks’ fruit crops on the branch in sweltering Okanagan and Fraser valleys | CBC News (rebrand.ly/e374a5) 49

MY IMPOTENT GARDEN

BY XAVI KIEF

Many Problems,

a Common

Solution

MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

n this issue, we’re looking at commonly experienced problems and discussing possible resolutions. While it might seem like the enthusiastic, overly-simplified ravings of someone new to the world of all things mycological, I’d like to propose that the solution to all problems is, put simply, MUSHROOMS!

Suffering with the Common Cold? Take a mushroom tincture, and slurp some mushroom soup! Do the cost of groceries and lack of food choices make you feel “common”? Crash the upper class (even just for a day) by making it fancy with fungi! The mere addition of uncommon mushroom varieties to the menu elevates the experience of a meal and can make you (and lucky dining companions) feel you’ve joined society’s elite.

Experimenting with the flavour, you may find the resulting broth appealing enough to drink as a tea on its own, or you may prefer to use it as a base liquid for other immune-supporting herbal teas. Though the mushrooms are coarse and challenging for the body to digest, turkey tail broth is an excellent way to flavour soups or stews and boost the body’s resilience under stress.

Having trouble finding “common ground” and figuring out what passes for “common sense” these days? Mushrooms! In all seriousness, some of the most vital things we hold in common, whether country or city dwellers, are simply the results of being living entities in human cultures on Planet Earth. We share common concerns, urgently tending to what we can in the present and strategising for future generations’ ability to thrive. In the wild, mycorrhizae often bridge multiple entities, mediating flows of nutrients and nurturing mutually supportive relationships.

Alcohol extraction to tincture is the most effective way to make turkey tail’s beneficial, non-water soluble components readily available. There are many techniques for tincture-making, but a simple folk method is to immerse dried mushrooms in food-grade, high-proof Turkey tail alcohol in a closed glass container for several weeks. Following this, use the mushroom is the mushrooms to make a decoction. The two most obvious choice liquids, strained of solids, can be combined into one ‘dual extracted’ tincture that will for anti-viral, total be shelf stable and easily used regularly.

immune-system supporting action

Here are some practical tips for working with mushrooms to address these common concerns.

Fungi for Fighting Common Colds

Edibles for Culinarily-Cosplaying Commoners

Some fancy forest mushrooms are easy to identify, and others are frequently available in “just mist it”style grow kits. Cheaper than an imported bottle of wine, and with health benefits to boot, treating yourself with homegrown gourmet mushrooms seems like a multi-course “of course.”

Turkey tail mushroom is the most obvious choice for anti-viral, total immune-system supporting action. It’s one of the easiest wild mushrooms to identify and is found all over the globe. It’s such an aggressive wood decomposer. Turkey tail is not challenging to grow on a hardwood substrate or inoculated logs. It’s also relatively dry, so preserving and using it throughout the year takes little effort. Hang torn-up, fresh-collected fruiting bodies in a paper bag or basket for a short time in a dry room (the same way you might dry herbs like nettles or sage), and you should be golden. Simmer turkey tail in water for at least 30 minutes at a temperature just below boiling. The pot should be steaming, not bubbling. The longer you brew the decoction, the more concentrated the medicine, as the water evaporates.

Turkey tail mushroom 53

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MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

If cooking with delicate wild varieties, take flavour cues from their scents and build elegant meals around them with simple, inexpensive ingredients (pasta and grains are good go-to’s). Make sure to visually feature the mushrooms by leaving the little ones whole and tearing or slicing the bigger ones into large enough pieces to remain identifiable on the plate. Use fungi in recipes to make you feel you’ve transcended to new heights of luxury. Think pressed, marinated, and seared lions’ mane steak, seaweed-infused king oyster ‘scallops,’ and shiitake caviar. Suggested species include black trumpets, chanterelles, hedgehogs, corals, or others that keep their unique characteristics after cooking. Lions mane and shiitake are among the easiest to cultivate and are also hearty and generous when adding gravitas to a dish.

Lions mane and shiitake are among the easiest to cultivate and are also hearty and generous when adding gravitas to a dish

Bonus points: if you’re already growing for your family or community, seek opportunities to collaborate with mushroom growers in barters of fresh produce, co-promotion, or labour exchanges (e.g., you grow their vegetable starts, they make you an inoculated mushroom log or patch).

Lion’s mane mushroom

Grow Your Own (with friends)

I may be preaching to the choir here, but if you’re reading this magazine and have never given it a go, consider the options. Mushroom fruiting kits are an excellent way to build a base in mushroom culture care. It’s like getting a cake mix from the store: you have to do some of the work, but it’s meant to bring deliciousness into a beginner’s reach. Lions mane have traditional and contemporary scientific benefits for brain health. At the same time, any mushroom you grow will also bear many generalised and niche properties well-documented for human wellness practices. If pouring through forums and grazing grow books isn’t your thing, one of the online “learn to grow” courses might provide the support and structure you need to extend into mushroom cultivation confidently. Sample cultures billed for personal microscopy research are easy to come by via online vendors in many places, like seed banks, but for fungi. Finding the necessary assembled gear is becoming more commonplace, unlike all-in-one indoor gardening set-ups. Consult the folks at your local grow supply about what you may expect to spend, and weigh your experience and resources against the quality of the offering. Growing mushrooms is like any other cultivation project: it can be simple and low-tech, accessible with a small budget, and a creative do-it-yourself approach. It can also become a passion that demands as much attention and investment as you can afford. You’ll find your mycological middle way. Renouncement of responsibility: Your well-being is in your own hands whenever you consume wildcrafted or homegrown fungi. Research, become empowered, and use it wisely. 3

Shiitake mushroom

BIO Xavi Kief is a writer, researcher, and lifelong learner with their hands in the dirt and their imagination traversing the universe. Seeking always to deepen and integrate their connection with the living planet and its diverse inhabitants, Xavi finds joy by infusing their practical and playful approach to cultivation with a healthy dose of science.They grow food and medicine for their family and community on their NorthEast Coast homestead.

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HERITAGE VEGETABLES

s the planet warms, drought conditions are becoming more common.There are many techniques gardeners can employ to help beat the heat, such as enriching the soil with compost and biochar, building Hugelkultur beds, mulching, and

using shade cloth over heat-sensitive plants (we’re looking at you, lettuce!). Careful crop selection is also critical; choosing drought-tolerant plants in ornamental and edible gardens can go a long way in conserving water, a precious natural resource. In their book The Climate Change Slow-growing, deepGarden: Down to Earth Advice for rooted varieties won’t Growing a Resilient Garden, Sally Morgan and Kim Stoddart take a yield as much, but they page from the past and suggest will be more tolerant of gardeners look closer at heritage vegetables for our future. These drought conditions crops were used in kitchen gardens when hoses didn’t exist, and watering was done with buckets. Slow-growing, deep-rooted varieties won’t yield as much, but they will be more tolerant of drought conditions. Inspect crops daily and use a moisture meter; sometimes, the soil may appear dry, but the roots have plenty of access to water below the surface. 3 Jerusalem artichoke

Some varieties to try: • • • • • • • • •

Jerusalem artichoke Heritage runner beans Beets Chard Brassicas like kale and Brussels sprouts Leeks Parsnips Onions Rutabaga and turnip

W W W . D Y N O M Y C O . C O M

WHAT IS MYCORRHIZA?

Symbiosis between fungi (myco-) and plant roots (-rhiza) Assists 90% of plant species Exists for 400 million years, known for 150 years, extensive research over 50 years Effectively extends (10-100X) plant root system Obligate mycotroph plants, require mycorrhizae to grow optimally Rarely found in commercial growing media

DYNOMYCO® is a groundbreaking mycorrhizal inoculant developed specifically for growers. It is based on 30 years of scientific research at Israel’s Volcani Center (ARO) and on numerous trials with medical growers in Israel and in the US. DYNOMYCO® was designed and formulated by a team of biologists, agronomists and soil health experts to help medical cultivators reach their plants’ full potential in terms of yield.

THE DYNOMYCO® DIFFERENCE BEST OF BREED World's leader in Mycorrhizal production Over 30 years of R&D HIGH CONCENTRATION = FASTER INOCULATION AND POTENCY 900 endomycorrhizal propagules/g Whole inoculum: spores, hyphae and host root fragments

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

WINTER GROWING

iving in the Laurentian mountains of Quebec, Canada, has its perks. Mostly tucked away from the urban sprawl, we are surrounded by natural beauty and truly experience all four seasons. The summers are busy with locals and tourists enjoying outdoor activities, cultural events, and an abundance of farmers’ markets. Eating locally grown food

is easy in the summer and fall. But after the colourful leaves fade in October, the outdoor markets pack it in for another season, and the snow flies. If you’re on skis or snowshoes in Quebec, there is no shortage of tracks to follow through the woods. But the abundance of fresh, local food hits a dead end. That’s life in colder climates; most farmers cram their growing into six months, and in the winter, they rest.

Winter’s Possibilities Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? It also seems It doesn’t have to be this way; small-scale, That’s life in colder impossible for anyone looking at a winter regenerative farmers Jean-Martin Fortier climates; most farmers storm rage outside their windows. But and Catherine Sylvestre are leading the growing vegetables and harvesting them change. Fortier co-founded the research cram their growing into throughout the cold seasons is doable. farm, la Ferme des Quatre-Temps (The six months, and in the Sylvestre and Fortier have spent years Four-Season Farm) in Hemmingford, QC; testing various crops and growing methSylvestre, a professional agronomist, is winter, they rest ods on their farm; they know it works. the farm manager and trains future farmThey successfully grow over 30 vegetaers. They have co-authored The Winter bles at la Ferme des Quatre-Temps in the winter! While the book’s Market Gardener: A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Year-Round target audience includes small-scale farmers and market gardeners Harvests to help improve the agricultural landscape with more living in cooler climates, home growers can apply the same ideas and all-season gardens. principles in their garden beds. The book even offers a small-scale home garden plan for the fall. “Our goal is to show how we can eat locally year-round,” explains Sylvestre. “We want to develop techniques that allow people in “What we wanted was to [share that knowledge] so that farmers northern climates always to buy food in their community and never can start at the point where we are and not have to do all of these have to import any vegetables.” trials and repeat the mistakes we made because they can be quite costly,” says Sylvestre.

Art sculptures

Catherine Sylvestre and Jean-Martin Fortier

Swiss chard, kale, arugula, mesclun, and Asian greens are well-suited to colder temperatures and produce yields with a low energy supply, busting the myth that heat is the deciding factor in winter growing

WINTER GROWING

Did you know you can increase a plant’s cold hardiness? Breaking the Bank? Many people in cold regions assume winter growing has a hefty price tag. However, The Winter Market Gardener offers economical solutions that don’t involve state-of-the-art greenhouses and expensive electricity bills. Instead, Fortier and Sylvestre discuss using simple shelters to protect crops from the cold. These can be used individually or in frigid temperatures, combined and layered like an onion. From caterpillar and low tunnels to permanent high tunnels and row covers, the handbook explores each option, offers advice on creating and maintaining the perfect environment, and provides results on how each performs compared to a heated greenhouse.

them in August is optimal for harvest in the fall. When everything is covered with white in the winter, Sylvestre suggests going green. Swiss chard, kale, arugula, mesclun, and Asian greens are well-suited to colder temperatures and produce yields with a low energy supply, busting the myth that heat is the deciding factor in winter growing.

Using the right structures makes winter growing possible and affordable, and Sylvestre adds that crop selection is also critical to success. Did you know you can increase a plant’s cold hardiness? That’s another riveting topic Fortin and Sylvestre explore in their book.

A greenhouse is necessary to grow and harvest throughout the winter. A tempo or car shelter will also do the trick. They don’t have to be heated; Sylvestre recommends planting your greens in September and adding row covers inside the structure of your choice for added heat. What’s paramount is that the covers be transparent so that as much light as possible gets through, ensuring that the crops can survive when temperatures dip to the minus 20s.

“We always want to grow food that is in season,” she says. “So what we grow in the winter are vegetables that like the cold. We won’t be heating greenhouses at 20-25°C to grow tomatoes; it doesn’t make sense, is expensive and takes a lot of energy.”

Winter Crop Selection The winter garden should include two crop categories. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and rutabagas are root vegetables; planting

“I’m focusing on Asian vegetables because they will grow even when there isn’t a lot of light,” she says. “This makes all the difference because our biggest limiting factor in the winter is not having a lot of light.”

“People need to see with their own eyes that it’s possible,” she says. “When you [enter] the unheated greenhouse in the morning, it’s crazy; all vegetables are frozen. But when the sunlight [returns], everything thaws, and the vegetables look luxurious again. It’s like magic.”

WINTER GROWING

The Winter Market Gardener is excellent for anyone interested in boosting local food security

Changing Tides Sylvestre recommends growing spinach if you’ve never tried gardening in the winter. It’s exceptionally cold-hardy and easy to grow. But be warned that growing a successful crop in the cold is addictive. Sylvestre says she’s met many small-scale farmers who have read her book and started experimenting with cold-season crops. They’re waking from their winter slumber, and some are flipping the script and slowing down in the summer to focus more on growing in the cold. “In the summer, they’ll grow all their storage crops, and in the winter, they will grow their leafy greens,” she explains. “They don’t have to compete with all of the other farmers in the summer, and they can focus on the winter season where there is almost no competition.” The Winter Market Gardener says farmers can be profitable by following the models at la Ferme des Quatre-Temps. They will succeed with the right timing, spacing, crops, and covers. Sylvestre encourages them to consider packing their fresh greens into weekly CSA boxes or selling their harvests to restaurants striving to make their menus more appealing with local food. A word of advice? Allow yourself to move slowly in the winter; don’t try to keep up with the summertime rush because it’s impossible.

“Everything in the winter is so slow,” explains Sylvestre. “The plant growth is super slow. You can take your time [and] don’t have to rush anything (...) It’s nice to have two different paces. [In the winter] when there’s no sun, we go home. It’s different from the summer, which is always go, go, go.”

Making it Simple Growing food throughout the winter can seem overwhelming, but The Winter Market Gardener is excellent for anyone interested in boosting local food security. Fortin and Sylvestre have been careful not to be overly scientific or complicated, breaking years of research, successes, and failures into an easy-to-follow and enjoyable read. It wasn’t easy, but Sylvestre knows it was worth it. “We like difficult things”, she laughs. “We were motivated by that.” She’s witnessing a revolution in cold-climate vegetable production and says the future is bright for Quebec farming. She’s noticing more small market gardens run by young people popping up throughout the province and believes that farms have the potential to become community hubs once again. So, give it a try; read The Winter Market Gardener and marvel at the magic of growing greens in the cold. And if you find local farmers near you that grow throughout the winter, please support them. They’re the future of agriculture. 3

For more information on the incredible work at la Ferme des Quatre-Temps, check out fermequatretemps.com. To order a copy of The Winter Market Gardener: A Successful Grower’s Handbook for Year-Round Harvests, go to themarketgardener. com/books/the-winter-market-gardener

BIO Catherine is a Canadian award-winning journalist who worked as a reporter and news anchor in Montreal’s radio and television scene for 10 years. A graduate of Concordia University, she left the hustle and bustle of the business after starting a family. Now, she’s the editor and a writer for Garden Culture Magazine while also enjoying being a mom to her three young kids. Her interests include great food, gardening, fitness, animals, and anything outdoors.

BY JENNIFER COLE

s n e d r a G l a t n e Edim W

ls? An edimental ed as or namenta us e ar ts an pl le one. Find n edib hat happens whe is and how to build it t ha w us lls te ! Jennifer Cole re at GCMag .co. garden, of cour se e more food secu m co be to s ay w s and other garden idea

rnamental perennials are those long-lasting plants that bring colour and glamour to the landscape. Many are edible and are finding new purposes in the edimental garden.

In his book Around the World in 80 Plants: An Edible Perennial Vegetable Adventure for Temperate Climates, author Stephen Barstow coined the word edimental. Fusing the aesthetic characteristics of the gardenscape with the practicality of growing nutrient-rich foods, these plants are both familiar and surprising.

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Lavender, for instance, is grown for its landscape qualities and is commonly added to salads and other dishes for flavouring. The hosta plant, known for its attractive leaves and dominance in shady gardens, is called goboshi in Japan and is added to soups and stews. The edimental garden is unique because it creates a holistic experience that turns the entire landscape into an edible harvest.

Benefits of a Perennial Edimental Garden Perennial edimentals, unlike annual vegetables, can withstand climate change weather events such as heat waves, drought, cold, and heavy rainfall. Their ornamental characteristics often include blooms, so pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and insects love them. Therefore, these plants support biodiversity year after year. Another bonus? The annual vegetable patch will supply harvests from late spring to fall but needs to be re-seeded yearly. Edimentals are cultivated with the idea that they will return annually.

Creating an Edimental Garden An edimental garden, like a food forest, is all about layers on a small scale. Trees and fruit-bearing shrubs like blueberry or raspberry create a natural canopy for edible shade plants such as hosta or fiddlehead ferns. Sun-loving edibles like Shasta daisies or self-seeding sunflowers live outside the shade zones bordering the garden’s sunny edges. Herb spirals add dimension while using the earth’s rotation to grow shade and sun-loving perennial herbs such as chives, yarrow, or echinacea. Edimental gardens are great for the urban landscape and can often be planted in containers on urban patios or balconies, adding decorative appeal alongside food security. The key is to choose the right plant for your climate. A passion fruit vine, for example, produces exoticlooking flowers and tasty fruit but won’t withstand the deep freeze of winter. And remember, perennials get bigger every year, so when planting, give them space to spread out.

Think Natural Unlike the ornamental garden, remember that what you put into the soil, you are also putting into yourself. Replacing pesticides and fertilisers with compost and natural soil augmentations such as coffee grounds or kitchen scraps will create healthy plants and a healthy you.

Research The list of edimental perennials is long and includes garden favourites such as the popular daylily, whose blossoms (like squash flowers) can be turned into fritters or stuffed with rice and other vegetables. Before planting edimentals, research which perennials are edible and can be grown in your region.

The David Suzuki Foundation has a section dedicated to edible perennials, and there are great articles to be found on the Permaculture Research Institute site.

Just imagine a garden full of beautiful blooms and every single one of the plants harvested for its edible goodness. In an era when foraging for food and community-based food forests are increasingly popular, edimentals are another way to create personal food security year after year. 3

Sources: • ecohome.net: A Guide To Growing Edible Perennials (rebrand.ly/641cf0) • davidsuzuki.org: How To Grow Edible Perennial Plants (rebrand.ly/1c4690) • permaculturenews.org: Ornamental Plants That Are Edible and/or Edible Plants That Are Ornamental (rebrand. ly/149477)

BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

Even after years of gardening, the thrill of opening a new pack of seeds never gets old

Seeds of

Success T 1.

here’s something special about star ting new seeds, isn’t there? Even after years of gardening, the thrill of opening a new pack of seeds never gets old. However, some seeds can be costly, so beginners need to get the basics right to avoid wasting time and money. Let’s dive into the essentials:

Choosing the Right Seeds: This tip is crucial! Take the time to source a reputable breeder instead of impulsively buying from a random pollen-chucker on Instagram. I have been using a Dutch seed supplier in operation since the 1980s. (Hint: “Masters at Work.”) I can vouch for the consistent quality of their seeds and the passion that goes into making them. Also, buying seeds only when needed is best unless you’re snagging a limited-time offer. When you acquire seeds, store them in the fridge until you’re ready to plant.

Correct Seed Depth: A helpful rule of thumb is to plant seeds at their own depth. Tiny seeds (like onions) can be lightly pressed into the growing medium’s surface and then covered with a thin layer of soil or vermiculite. Bury bigger seeds no more than their width. If you’re dealing with larger seeds that are scarce, challenging to germinate, or pricey, try placing them between two layers of a moist paper towel. Once you see a root, carefully transfer them to your propagation medium.

STARTING SEEDS

you can avoid common mistakes and enjoy watching your seeds grow into healthy plants 3.

Use Specialist Propagation Media: Opt for a propagation potting mix specially designed for seed starting. It should be lightweight, sterile, and well-draining. Alternatively, consider Rockwool starter cubes, which are fibrous cubes ideal for seed germination. No need to add nutrients; plain water works fine. Consistent Moisture Levels: Overwatering and underwatering are common issues when caring for seedlings (and cuttings). Your potting mix should stay consistently moist, not soggy. A spray bottle is perfect for gently misting the surface, avoiding seed displacement. Seeds can suffocate and rot if submerged in water, so be mindful of this. To help retain humidity, cover your pots or trays with plastic.

9. 5.

Temperature Control: Temperature is vital for seed germination. Seeds and seedlings prefer stable temperatures. That’s why some growers prefer 24hour light cycles post-germination. For warm-season plants, aim for 77 to 81°F (25 to 27°C) while your seeds germinate. If using a propagator, monitor the internal temperature with a thermometer. In case of excessive heat, try raising your propagation lights, opening vents, dimming lights, or boosting ventilation. For cooler conditions, a heat mat can help maintain the right temperature. Always connect your fan to a thermostatic speed controller. Modern speed controllers have humidistat-based control, too. Adequate Light: Many seeds don’t need light for germination, and some are even hindered by it. But post-germination, seedlings need ample light to grow strong. Insufficient light leads to seedlings that are tall, thin, and weak (often referred to as “leggy”).

Avoiding Damping-off: Damping-off is a fungal disease that can quickly kill seedlings. It is caused by overwatering and poor air circulation. To prevent it, be cautious when watering and ensure good air circulation. A fan can help. Look for seedlings that suddenly collapse, with a thin, darkened area at the soil line – these are signs of damping-off. Transplanting Carefully: Once your seedlings have at least two sets of true leaves (the leaves that appear after the initial seed leaves), they’re ready to transplant. Handle them gently to avoid root or stem damage. Acclimate them to their new environment gradually by exposing them to outdoor conditions over several days. Take it Easy on Fertiliser: A Young seedlings are sensitive to nutrients. It doesn’t take much to cause nutrient burn, which can damage them. Start fertilising only when they have their second set of true leaves. Use a balanced, water-soluble fertiliser at half the recommended strength, gradually increasing as they grow.

Propagation is an area where every new grower should focus. It might require a fair amount of attention to detail, but with the proper techniques and daily care, you can avoid common mistakes and enjoy watching your seeds grow into healthy plants. 3

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.

BY JUDY NAUSEEF

Gardening for

Flood Protection Development on flood plains has removed acres of land which formerly served to absorb floodwater and collect silt

FLOOD PROTECTION

ith the atmospheric changes brought about by climate change, drastic weather events can cause flooding. Greater snowmelt, reduction in acres of floodplain, and increases in the square footage of impermeable surfaces add to the severity of damage.

Property owners aim to keep all rainwater on site, allowing it to percolate into the ground to maintain groundwater levels and supply adequate soil moisture for our plants. In communities with heavy rains, the runoff from streets and sidewalks cannot be absorbed by lawns, gardens, and other vegetated areas as it moves toward storm drains and ravines. Areas without storm drains and on level ground rely on gravel pits located away from the home, landscaped swales, and drainage tile directing the water away.

Flooding and Your Garden Many gardeners build rain gardens in their yards to catch and hold water, allowing it to seep or percolate slowly into the soil and groundwater storage. Add more than one rain garden; they can help you create a sustainable landscape with rain barrels. The rain garden needs to be at least 10 feet from the house. The most important preliminary step is to assess the permeability of the soil. If the predominant soil type is clay and the absorption is too slow, a rain garden will not be successful. Use a source like IowaStormwater.org to learn how to determine the absorption rate of your soil. Your yard needs enough slope to allow water to run away from structures and towards a rain garden. The best part of making these gardens is choosing the appropriate native plants. Find them on the same website and in many other publications.

Use native plants to create a habitat for butterflies and bees, but also because the long and vigorous roots of these plants help hold the soil and absorb water

Development on flood plains has removed acres of land that formerly served to absorb floodwater and collect silt. Watersheds are areas that drain into a river or basin. The Mississippi River watershed, for example, is fed by other streams and rivers in 31 states and two Canadian provinces and covers 1.25 million square miles. Vegetated by forests and prairies, this landscape provided thick sponges to capture floodwater. Smaller watersheds in other parts of the U.S. also absorbed water. When rivers and streams spill over their banks, the now diminished floodplains cannot absorb the water, and it flows downhill onto farm fields, towns, and cities.

Prepare for Heavy Rains: Protect Your Home and Gardens Observe the existing slopes and drainage patterns in your yard. Encourage water to move away from the house with proper grading (2 to 5% slope). Thoughtful grading of the entire yard creates opportunities to garden successfully without damage from heavy rainwater. Any hard or paved surfaces will produce fast-moving water that will cause erosion and soil loss during storms. Plan beds around patios and along walks to absorb the water. Plant densely, closer than may be indicated in plant descriptions. Perennials and grasses placed 8 to 12 inches apart on a grid create an attractive ground cover. You will need less mulch, but you should still add shredded bark where the pieces will knit together. Use native plants to create a habitat for butterflies and bees, but also because the long and vigorous roots of these plants help hold the soil and absorb water. Choose plants that will tolerate periods of wet soil. Be creative when finding ways and places to slow down and store moving water. Attractive flat cobbles with rounded edges in areas where water travels or collects will slow water and give it a place to collect briefly. Areas of native grasses or sedges, chosen for sun or shade and tolerance for wet soils, will allow the water to percolate into the ground.

If your site is very flat, you can build raised beds for vegetables and flowers. Plan so you are not building a slow-draining pool; the bottomless planting box must drain well. Use light, well-draining soil so your plants will not drown. Remove the sod under the box and loosen it. Begin rebuilding your gardens from flood damage by assessing and improving the soil to allow water to percolate into the ground. Information on soil structure is available from state extension offices in the U.S. Simply put, a mixture of clay, sand, and loam will allow percolation and the storage of plant nutrients. Pay attention to the required conditions of the plants you choose. Lawn serves many purposes, including play and movement around a yard. When your landscape requires lawn areas, improve the health of the grass and its absorption ability with soil restoration, including aeration and the application of ¼ to 1/2 inch of compost. A vegetation-covered yard can better recover from inundation than an unplanted landscape. Consider the wildlife in your area and create a habitat for them to live, reproduce, and stay safe during flooding. These habitats will increase infiltration by slowing down water and improving the soil. Plantings of shrubs and perennials cover wildlife and catch the wind that blows rainwater. Consider permeable materials like crushed and compacted rock and pavers when your landscape plan needs hard surface areas for walking and entertaining. These stones are designed to leave spaces where water can infiltrate the ground.

FLOOD PROTECTION

Consider the wildlife in your area and create a habitat for them to live, reproduce, and stay safe during flooding. These habitats will increase infiltration by slowing down water and improving the soil

Recovery from a Flooded Landscape After a flood, once personal injury and damage to a home has been addressed, thoughts turn to the garden and plants.

Soil Damage When healthy soils are saturated with flood water, they can suffer long-term effects. The balance of microorganisms, organic matter, and oxygen is altered.

Flood water infiltrates the soil and, depending on the depth, is described as aerobic (with air or oxygen) or anaerobic (without air). When water fills the ground up to the surface of the water table, the surface may appear dry. All air spaces (voids) fill with water in waterlogged or saturated soil.

Plant Damage The main problem with saturated soils after flooding is anaerobic conditions. This means the active oxygen exchange by plants, or respiration, cannot happen. Also, roots cannot take up nutrients, resulting in root death. These roots cannot be brought back to life. A portion of the above-ground plant dies as well.

Steps to take once flood water has receded 1. Shrubs: Prune off damaged tips of twigs and branches with clean cuts. Do the same with bent or broken limbs.

2. Trees: Remove debris and silt accumulated on one side of the tree from fast-moving water. This may allow you to straighten a trunk constrained by the weight of debris and excess soil.

Check all trees on your property for deposits of soil and debris left by the flood. To prevent root rot, when soil is deposited on top of the entire root structure, carefully remove the deposits and return the soil level to what it was before the flood. Sometimes, the soil has been washed away and needs to be replaced with fresh earth.

3. Lawn: Carefully grade the landscape to smooth out and fill mounds and cavities caused by the moving flood water and debris carried by the water. Be sure to remove all debris and deposits of silt before grading. Weeds and diseases can be carried in both, so monitor your garden carefully as it recovers and grows.

These repaired and nurtured gardens will continue to sequester carbon, keeping it from entering the atmosphere in the cycle that is the engine of climate change. 3

Additional Resources 1. Climate-wise Landscaping: Practical Actions for a Sustainable Future by Sue Reed and Ginny Stibolt 2. Landscape Design: Theory and Application by Ann Marie VanderZanden and Steven N. Rodie 3. Living on Flood Plains and Wetlands: A Homeowner’s Handbook by Maureen Gilmer 4. Soil Quality Restoration: iowastormwater.org

BIO Judy Nauseef is a freelance writer, landscape designer, and speaker specialising in sustainability and gardening with climate change. She writes about native plants, habitat gardens, prairie designs, stormwater management, and travel. She is the author of the book Gardening with Native Plants in the Upper Midwest: Bringing the Tallgrass Prairie Home. Her blog and newsletters can be found at judynauseef.com.

BY REGI ONETON

Notes From A Dirty Old Gardener

uring the years on my knees in the garden, I have learned a few things, one being that all nutrients aren’t created equal, and some should not have been created. Over the last ten years, there has been an explosion of products promising to turn your paltry veggies into award-winning plant matter overnight.

Each bottle promises to be of the utmost quality and derived from only the finest ingredients to validate a shocking sticker price. Let’s be real here for a moment; there are only a few ways to skin a cat and make a nutrient compound beneficial to plants, most of which you can find in the ocean or your butthole. I am not sure why the industry decided to make things so damn complicated. Let’s go over a few things together.

During the years on my knees in the garden, I have learned a few things, one being that all nutrients aren’t created equal, and some should not have been created Taking Care of Soil A well-amended soil can get any plant to the finish line, and depending on genetics and environment, you may have something that can shame your neighbour’s crop, even though they used everything under the sun to promote exponential growth. If they ask what you use, don’t answer; it may create animosity when they find out how much you didn’t spend. So, if you are sick and tired of mixing nutrients, you can always ensure your soil is amended with enough goodies at the outset. May I suggest a shrimp shell compost or anything with poop?

Find your Purpose It’s essential to put this into two separate categories: professional and amateur. Are you growing for business or pleasure? Some people blur the lines and treat their home grow like they work at a commercial greenhouse. Some people just want the damn garden to be green. I don’t recommend any amateur grower using anything outside the scope of something found at a hardware store. A 20-20-20 product and MAYBE a simple CALMAG solution in conjunction with a late-season top dressing will do the trick every time. If you are feeling fancy, low doses of a bloom nutrient late in the season for shits and giggles or perhaps a microbial enhancer throughout your grow. Why be so careful? Because you’re going to fuck it up eventually like I did. And depending on how badly you may have wasted four months of work and some costly genetics. Leave the science and plant steroids to the consummate professionals because, in the Nutrient Space Race to the Moon, they have created some compounds with warning labels that rival a pack of cigarettes.

Boron for Morons The pros like to maximise every aspect of the grow. They apply compounds at specific times to get whatever exaggerated effect they seek with a high success rate. But what happens when you give a nutrient with elevated levels of boron to a moron like myself? You get a crop with such severe nutrient burn, it’s like someone came over with a fucking flamethrower. There is no reason under the sun why 0.5 millilitres of ANYTHING in 7 litres of water should have that effect, yet here we are. I know, read the label and underfeed your first few times, but all it took was 0.5 millilitres to mess up my day, so don’t let the same thing happen to you. While marketed to everyone, many of these products are not intended for domestic or clandestine use. Their applications are usually complicated and time-specific, so avoid a plant homicide and keep things simple. Use what you know and know what you use.

NOTES FROM A GARDENER

Can you achieve great results Speaking of ‘Simple’

using things you find around the

Product Overload

Can you achieve great results using I am not a nutrient prude. I use house or at the grocery store? things you find around the house or some of the products in this at the grocery store? You’re damn publication. Some are a permanent You’re damn right you can right you can, and some of this fixture in my arsenal, but in recent stuff makes up the ingredient list of years, there has been a glut of “fancier” nutrients. Just finished making supper? Use your pasta redundant or unnecessary products that might cloud the way of or rice water with starches and small amounts of NPK. Frankly, what is best for you. There is no need to name them; I’m sure you can boil almost anything and use it as fertiliser. You can boil they will be out of business when the bottle of boron-laced acid is down eggshells or weeds from your garden. It’s almost poetic, empty. While we wait for the wave of gardening products to thin using the weeds to grow something useful. Banana peels soaked the proverbial herd, I say keep trying new things, keep using new in water will provide potassium but expect a bit of a stink. Willow products, and just be aware that spending 20$ and taking a shit in bark extract and your fish tank water will do your plants good. your garden sometimes equate to the same results. Regardless, I Speaking of fish, the best plant food I have come across is anything suspect the intensity of this nutrient space race will be over; there derived from the ocean. I have seen everything: stuff made from are only so many compounds available, and people realise there crab or shrimp, squid or seaweed. Grind up a mermaid and toss it is no miracle bottle. It’s all just poop and microbes and stuff you in there because you can’t go wrong with marine compost. Much find on the table of elements, anyway. Just keep your dosage low. like the banana water, it stinks, but between my dogs’ farts and mine, I think a mild fishy smell is tolerable. Happy growing my little bean sprouts, and to all the companies making quality nutrients, thank you. 3

BIO Regi Oneton is a multi-disciplinary artist and daytime executive. He’s been a member of Socan since his first album release at the age of 20, and is a self-taught audio engineer and self-proclaimed studio rat. Regi is a late-blooming street artist and painter whose works can be found hanging in the offices of Burton and Vans Canada. Long-time contributor to the Under Pressure Graffiti Festival and lover of the Arts. As the years plow forward, he has added botanical enthusiast/plant father to his litany of passions. His interests include writing and spending too much time looking at his phone.

BY XAVI KIEF

Harvesting

Holobionts

MICROBIOME

e hear many references to the “gut microbiome” lately. Thanks in large par t to the work of fermentation enthusiasts, there has been a cultural turn toward cultivating healthy “microherds” of beneficial organisms within our bodies. Without necessarily realising it, we’ve fundamentally

changed our perception of ourselves as animal creatures. Modern scientific methods and technologies confirm and reveal the interconnectedness, even inextricability, of each of us with other species in our physical space.

We are constantly exposed to an immeasurable diversity of microbial life. Studies weave knowledge about mental and emotional wellness, neurological function, stress tolerance, and nervous system regulation with examinations of bacteria and yeasts inside and on our bodies (1). We are becoming more aware of the human-as-holobiont.

Greater than the sum of its parts: what is a holobiont? If the microbiome may be described as an “assemblage of communities” of microorganisms (2), a holobiont is the “supraorganism” formed by a centralised individual and this “hosted” population.

If the microbiome may be described as an “assemblage of communities” of microorganisms, a holobiont is the “supraorganism” formed by a centralised individual and this “hosted” population

The choice of “who gets in” isn’t always within control, as in the case of viruses against which no previously developed immunity exists. However, with intention, we can work toward providing a supportive microbiome, creating the conditions for swift, well-resourced, and decisive responses. Coevolution through natural selection has guided the development of plant genetics that reach new heights of yield and environmental resilience when allowed to play with their full deck. This transformative perspective will enable us to conceptualise our cultivated plants as holobionts.

Why view plants as holobionts instead of individuals of a single species in a community with other organisms? Only in the most strictly managed laboratory setting (reserved for propagation by tissue culture) is it desirable to pursue conditions approaching sterility. Yet, we are rightly concerned about the advantageous growth of soil fungi that negatively impact young plant material, causing damp-off. We worry about transmitting viruses and other pathogens, especially those which have thrived and proliferated in our growing spaces.

Maintaining a clean growing environment, observing closely, and responding to issues with interventions or procedure changes is good practice. While this does work, it can lead to treating symptoms, not causes. When we envision each plant as a holobiont, we acknowledge that while the general functions of the immune system and metabolism are encoded in the DNA of the plant, the effectiveness and health of those systems are highly reliant on microorganisms, some of which have coevolved and are highly specialised to the plant.

Incredibly, even in sanitised substrates and when controlled for exposure by air currents and through fertigation, the microbiomes of young plants can be rich with life. The seeds introduce diverse bacteria and fungi to the microbiome (3). These species are ‘vertically’ transmitted, from generation to generation, instead of being obtained ‘horizontally’ through the external environment. Vertically transmitted microbes are often among the most beneficial. Seedlings and newly struck cuttings are busy establishing their root systems and leaves to acquire nutrition, gain energy and develop structures needed to be buoyant in life’s coming waves. It can be helpful to encourage the horizontal transmission of known beneficial microbes after reducing the number of possible encounters with powerful antagonists. Cuttings come with microbiomes thriving in and on the aerial parts of the donor plant. Depending on the assessed health of those mothers, it is a judgment call as to whether there is more reason to dip and strip these surface microbes to eliminate the transfer risk of spores and other potential threats to a plant without its vibrant root microbiome. Economies of space and resources and regulatory guidelines shape decisions about optimising and prioritising the needs of targeted holobionts within an ecosystem. Certain products are disallowed as sprays within a certain pre-harvest period for consumer protection, and environmental health is considered when it comes to the allowable application of nutrients, other agricultural amendments, and pest-management products.

MICROBIOME

Cuttings come with microbiomes thriving in and on the aerial parts of the donor plant.

It is a good idea to consider plants’ changing needs as they grow: demands on their microbiomes will change in character and intensity

Thankfully, data-supported evidence is being accumulated to demonstrate the real value of attending to the health of plant microbiomes. Where possible, allowing a population of diverse holobionts to coexist (e.g. in succession gardening and intercropping) favours the meetings of mutually beneficial organisms. This, in turn, has demonstrable economic relevance.

Who can add known beneficials to their grow? Just as live food cultures are easily found in grocery stores, like apple cider vinegar “with the mother”, microbial inoculants have become commonplace in garden centres and grow stores. Any grower who can purchase pre-made soil mixes or fertilisers may now experiment with products certified to contain measurable amounts of beneficial bacteria and fungi. Following the producers’ instructions is essential. There is no reason to believe that “more is better”; the plants will select those with which they work best, and these will increase under favourable conditions. It is a good idea to consider plants’ changing needs as they grow: demands on their microbiomes will change in character and intensity. Just like “veg” and “bloom” nutrient mixes, it is not uncommon to see products designed with those same general life stages in mind. Others may contain a mix of species which will be ‘assembled’ and proliferate on or within the plant according to its needs as it develops. In commercial settings, it is handy (or necessary) to reference the list of well-researched, specially selected and bred, beneficial bacteria and fungi in purchased products. Many have been certified for use in organic production.

How to work with plants as holobionts varies according to growing style.

As the main diversity of species in a unique plant’s root microbiome is horizontally assembled in the soil, it is crucial to consider the traits of your chosen growing medium. Living soil growers and regenerative land stewards are familiar with various ways to acquire, support, and multiply diverse populations of beneficial microbes, making them available to plants via their root zones. Some of these include brewing Actively Aerated Compost Teas (AACTs), collecting and propagating Indigenous Microorganisms (IMOs), and using no-till,’ chop and drop’, and intercropping (companion planting). Soil specialists are building capacity in agricultural networks, and you can consult with one or take courses yourself to gain from this holistic school of thought. In these growing systems, the plant holobionts are generally given as much opportunity as possible to select and assemble their constituent populations of bacteria and fungi. When a singular species dominates an agricultural space, as in the case of monocropping, especially where genetically identical plants are grown, the preferences of that particular holobiont type reduce microbial diversity in areas under its strong influence. Controlled environment growers using soilless mediums must take a different approach to ensure the continued availability and population balance of certain microbial populations. Often, these growers may have several subtypes of a commercially important species under cultivation, and these also demonstrate variance within their microbiomes. Research suggests this is guided by the genetic favouring of certain partner microbes for producing target phytochemicals (4).

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MICROBIOME

“Re-populate beneficials for different plant life stage requirements at regular intervals.”

Once acquired, aspects of a holobiont found within plant structures, as opposed to on the surfaces, may be less impacted by the ebb and flow of water in a hydroponic system. Ensuring the cleanliness of fertigation infrastructure (drip systems, especially recirculating ones) requires balancing the regular use of antimicrobial agents (like hydrochlorous acid and hydrogen peroxide) with their effects on the holobiont’s wellness.

Strike a balance between allowing beneficials to thrive and not completely excluding or eliminating exposure to challenges

Re-populate beneficials for different plant life stage requirements at regular intervals. At transplant, and upon altering lighting schedules or nutrient regimens, it’s a good strategy to ‘top up’ the diversity of available microbes so the plant can accumulate more of what will best serve them at that time. In an intensively managed system where there are no insects to crawl up from the dirt, hop from leaf to leaf, or buzz about to sample nectar, a good argument can be made for misting or fogging with microbiome-supporting solutions, especially where seeds are being produced for future plantings. Instructions for appropriately cleaning plant parts designated for consumption before storage and use will be part of this protocol. Strike a balance between allowing beneficials to thrive and not completely excluding or eliminating exposure to challenges. Various stressors enable plants to produce immune responses to maximise the production of commercially-valued secondary metabolites. Some other phytochemicals (plant-serving molecules but helpful to humans) contribute to post-harvest storage capacity and nutritional value. Since energy is always being used

to power these processes, consider supplementation a means to keep the plant from having to manufacture this energy itself and use it to maintain its microbiomes.

Forward Thinking

Crop monocultures becoming extremely vulnerable to a particular disease has been historically explained by their loss of ability to “fight off” a unique, unfamiliar attacker. Shifting perspective to these crop plants as holobionts, we can understand better how disease resistance can become a function not only of supporting the immunity of plants within their lifetimes but also considering the inheritance of beneficial microbes and their co-evolutionary relationship with the genetics of the socially valued species. Advancements in DNA research technologies and revelations of how microbial interactions with individuals influence the expression of specific genes, are exposing even greater complexity. More than ever before, we can explore the downstream, heritable impacts of plant microbiome wellness on domesticated plant species. Revisioning crop plants as invaluable co-stewards of the land makes it possible for guided, intentional, and more harmonious co-existence with unseen populations. 3 References: 1. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5581153/pdf/oncotarget-08-53829.pdf 2. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2017.07.001 3. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.737616 4. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00491

BY KEATON HAINES

In the Face of Forever:

Navigating the Risks of

in Your Garden

PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, have quietly woven themselves into the fabric of our everyday lives

PFAS

ou may have noticed the mysterious acronym floating around, whether scrolling through your newsfeed or listening to current events. PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, have quietly woven themselves into the fabric of our everyday lives. While lead contamination and ongoing microplastic concerns have held the

spotlight over the years, PFAS have stealthily crept into the narrative, and their effects are becoming more apparent as ongoing research begins to bear fruit.

These unsettling consequences have unfolded since the 1930s when PFAS chemicals were invented and the rise of nonstick products started. Found in common items like food packaging, stain-proof rugs, waterproof clothing, nonstick cookware, and even firefighting foam, these substances have become pervasive and under-regulated in our environment, and they’re not going anywhere in our lifetime until researchers can reliably remove them.

Dubbed ‘forever chemicals’, PFAS are a large group of substances that earned this nickname due to their stubborn, long-lasting nature in the environment and our bodies

The Rise of PFAS Dubbed ‘forever chemicals’, PFAS are a large group of substances that earned this nickname due to their stubborn, long-lasting nature in the environment and our bodies. Composed of strongly-bonded carbon and fluorine atoms that resist easy degradation, some forms of PFAS can take over 1,000 years to break down in nature and around seven to reduce by half in our bloodstream. They travel freely through various channels, including the atmosphere, surface water, soil, and groundwater. A staggering 98% of Americans have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood. There’s been “some sort of statistical association between PFAS and every major organ system in the body”, according to Elsie Sunderland, associate professor of environmental science and engineering in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. PFAS are linked to asthma, high cholesterol, immune suppression, thyroid diseases, liver and kidney damage, certain types of cancer, reduced fertility, and low birth weight. But this is just the beginning; ongoing research continues to uncover more. Although they have been measured in air and dust particles, PFAS primarily enter our bodies when we eat and drink from contaminated sources. The substances can wind up in food in many ways, from leaching off paper and plastic food packaging to infiltrating the soil.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, studies have demonstrated that PFAS can be taken up by plants from contaminated soil and irrigation water; the amount that ends up in a particular plant depends on a few factors, including soil properties, produce type, water frequency, and PFAS levels in the water and soil itself.

The Gardener’s Dilemma So, as we grapple with the ubiquity of PFAS, a pressing question arises for every gardener: how can we shield our gardens and bodies from these forever chemicals? The good news is that there are many steps you can take, and simple yet effective measures can make a significant impact. Washing all produce in clean water and peeling or scrubbing root vegetables before eating can remove PFAS lingering on the surface. Adding high organic carbon sources like compost, peat, and manure that do not contain PFAS to garden soil has also been reported to reduce plant uptake. However, these precautions don’t consider one of the primary sources of PFAS: water. Watering your garden with PFAS-laden water perpetuates the problem and exacerbates it as you inadvertently reintroduce these persistent chemicals into the ecosystem you seek to protect. Switching to filtered water, or water from another safe source, is the most effective option to mitigate PFAS exposure in your garden. While activated carbon filters, on average, remove just 73% of PFAS, researchers at Duke University and North Carolina State University found that reverse osmosis filters and twostage filters using a treatment train reduced PFAS by 94% or more. Depending on budget and availability, any filtration method offers a significant improvement over having no system in place.

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PFAS

As research broadens and community awareness grows, the hope is that regulatory frameworks will strengthen and PFAS will be systematically controlled and eradicated If you’re highly concerned about PFAS contamination in your area, you may want to consider adopting an alternative gardening practice altogether. Hydroponic gardening with filtered water eliminates the risk of PFAS in your soil, allowing for precise control over every aspect of your garden. A controlled indoor gardening environment, such as greenhouse growing, may also offer better protection against pollutants.

Hope for the Future With the effects of PFAS only recently yielding results, the current regulatory landscape is consequentially patchwork, with varying levels of oversight across different regions. While some areas have established limits and guidelines for PFAS concentrations in water and soil, others are still formulating comprehensive regulations. In 2023, the EPA proposed the first federal drinking water rule for PFAS. The EPA “will require public water systems to monitor for six PFAS chemicals, notify the public if the levels of these PFAS exceed the proposed regulatory standards, and take action to reduce the level of PFAS in the water supply.”

Other highlights include: • Measuring and monitoring of PFAS in population blood, food, and marine life • Accelerating PFAS cleanup from the environment • Strengthening policy and reducing the procurement of PFAS • Expanding programmes and resources • Closing critical research gaps in PFAS detection, disposal, health effects, and • PFAS-alternatives • Bolstering community engagement and information sharing. These updated guidelines are being implemented specifically within the United States. Globally, the regulation of PFAS varies. Health Canada has established guidelines for PFAS in drinking water, and the European Union has imposed restrictions and outright bans on certain PFAS. In Australia, the government has launched a voluntary phase-out programme for some PFAS and has restricted their use in firefighting foam. The promise of a PFAS-free tomorrow hinges upon progress in measuring, monitoring, and cleanup. As research broadens and community awareness grows, the hope is that regulatory frameworks will strengthen and PFAS will be systematically controlled and eradicated. Addressing the presence of PFAS in our gardens and remaining aware of their impact is not just a matter of environmental responsibility but a crucial step towards safeguarding our health and the well-being of future generations. While we await the integration of broader safety measures, the reinforcement of established laws, and the widespread removal of contaminants from the environment, we can play a pivotal role by taking proactive steps to mitigate PFAS exposure. 3

BIO Raised with an emphasis on the importance of clean water, Keaton Haines brings a unique blend of expertise to the world of gardening through his copywriting background. A keen eye for detail and passion for verdant landscapes drive him to explore water challenges and solutions in the grow industry. With water quality concerns on the rise, Keaton is committed to empowering gardeners with the knowledge to foster clean and contaminant-free gardens. When he’s not writing, Keaton can be found lifting weights, hiking outdoors, or cultivating his cactus collection — all while listening to new classes and podcasts.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MARCI BABINEAU

: s e l b i t s e m o C s e l Incroyab Twist A h it W g in w o r G n a Urb

s e l b i d E e l b i d e Incr

or city dwellers, the gentle gift of harvest is most often seen in farmers’ markets at best. Or, more likely, bound within an inch of its life in plastic at the local superstore. Raising crops in the city is difficult due to a lack of space and light. Ever-increasing awareness of food miles, the knowledge that grocery stores only stock three days of food, and the desire to eat local have

brought more urbanites to grips with growing food on balconies and whatever can be grown in little shady city gardens. Interest sharpens slightly, living just north of the 45th parallel where the winter is long and the growing season is not.

INCREDIBLE EDIBLES

e that s, the knowledg ile m d o fo f o t ss awarene the desire to ea d n a , d o fo f Ever-increasing o s day only stock three rowing food on g ith w s p ri grocery stores g to ites ght more urban y city gardens d a sh e tl lit in local have brou n grow hatever can be balconies and w Urban Growing My urban growing adventure began in Montreal, Quebec, around 2011. As so many modern tales start, I’d received a three-minute video from a friend, filmed in a market town in Todmorden, Yorkshire, UK. This town’s people had taken its unused green spaces and had begun growing vegetables for all to share. All of the plants were donated, planted, and cared for by volunteers and were to be shared by the community. No one had to make an application to collect from any of these gardens. It was entirely free for the community to harvest at will. And no one had abused it. Perhaps it was seeing Mary Clear in the video saying, “Old people like a bit of mint with their new potatoes” as she stood in one of the car parks home to several herb plantings. Or maybe it was Pam Warhurst with her trademark tongue-in-cheek narration, sliding in comments like “food in your face propaganda gardening”. Or the older handyman perched on the edge of a street planter, saying he just “needed to do something meaningful”.

Community Connection The townspeople had come together around the need to feed themselves, but more than that, they needed to be involved with each other and share. The local high school got a greenhouse. Then, the Prince of Wales visited with a royal seal of approval. Support begat support. They lined the canal that passed through the town with planters and built a meadow near the new doctor’s surgery named Pollination Street. The whole town

had become a wonderland of food planting. All the work was volunteer, and all the food was for sharing between them and harvesting at will. By the time I’d heard their message, there was an international network of Incredible Edible towns throughout much of the English-speaking world, France and beyond. They conspired in the message of their endeavour to remind me of the importance of food, community and sharing. Everything didn’t have to be bought and paid for—a modern gift culture. The idea of growing and sharing food as a community cuts through the current practice most of us endure of grocery shopping in the superstore garden to lay bare the communal aspects of our nourishment.

Incredible Edibles In Montreal, QC It appealed greatly to my itchy green fingers. To my great surprise, in 2012, the Westmount Horticultural Society, which I had recently joined, agreed to take the idea to the City of Westmount. I showed them the video and waxed on about the benefit that local food growing has on a community. Again, to my surprise, the city agreed immediately to support the idea. However, instead of the volunteer troupe of gardeners and residents I had envisioned, the city would manage the entire project, the planting, maintenance and watering. I helped select the plants which they bought. The city planners worried that the residents wouldn’t like it if it began to look “too weedy”. They suggested planting up and down three blocks of the big main street and a large planting at the end of Prince Albert Avenue, where I lived.

The townspeop le had come to gether around but more than the need to fee that, they need d themselves, ed to be involve d with each oth er and share

INCREDIBLE EDIBLES

we all ing how ready ris rp su is It . ly al uch, re st takes a few It doesn’t take m ss as usual. It ju ne si bu t no is harvest. are for food that sire to share the de a d an s ed plant se willing hands to

Me? I was already walking the talk. I had transformed our little city garden into a demonstration micro food forest with six fruit trees, loads of berries and some crops on the roof sandwiched between two two-story townhouses. It also held five laying hens with a beehive on an upstairs deck. The city enlisted a young woman named Jayme Gerbrant, newly from Winnipeg. In the first year, we planted herbs, cherry tomatoes, chard, two kinds of kale, and nasturtiums. It wasn’t crops, but it was edible, and anyone could harvest it. We posted suggested cropping techniques for the herbs and the greens. At the end of the season, some friends and I harvested what remained and brought it to the local food bank in the next borough over. The following year, I recruited the local high school to help with the final harvest, again bringing it to the food bank. Soon after the second harvest, it became clear that my husband’s parents required help in the UK. Off we went, leaving the project in the very able hands of the city. Jayme has been able to keep the project going since then. She added a fruit tree programme for residents, including apples, pears, and sweet chestnut trees. The herb and vegetable plantings have since moved to the main parks and city hall. They’ve planted a pear orchard in the park and built a potager on the underground hockey arena. They have established a “seed lending” programme at the library where residents return seeds from the next generation of plants. The end-of-the-season harvests are well supported by the community.

Widespread Interest While I was packing my bags for the UK, the next borough over, the one with the food bank, was tooling up their version of Incredible Edibles (IE) under the umbrella of Transition NDG. The borough of Notre-Dame-de-Grace’s (NDG) version of IE was entirely volunteer, built on community participation, and truer to the original design. Churchyards were transformed into potagers, and local businesses adopted storefront planters. Front lawns turned into edible gardens. The local grocery store sponsored a planting of herbs and veg at the fire station. A large planting space was donated by a resident for shared planting of freely available produce. A couple of primary schools have begun starting seedlings for IE, tending them and watching the magic happen from tiny seed to bushy little plant. A play was written. Over ten years, NDG has built eight IE gardens, and countless citizens have converted their small front and back gardens to grow produce. All activities are organised and presented in both English and French! Recently, NDG invited me to talk at the 10th anniversary picnic. It was a small turnout on a chilly evening, just the hardcore. And we reminisced. After the gathering, I thought it would be nice to see if it’s possible to kick some Incredible Edibles into gear in the Quebec Laurentians where I now live. It doesn’t take much, really. It is surprising how ready we all are for food that is not business as usual. It just takes a few willing hands to plant seeds and a desire to share the harvest. 3 Marci’s recommendations for further reading: • IE Todmorden: incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk • TED.com: rebrand.ly/e47f73 • IE Westmount: westmount.org/en/environment/incredible-edibles • IE NDG: IE.NDG

BIO Marci Babineau grew up in gardens in California and Georgia. She currently gardens north of Montreal, Quebec, where she has nestled a food forest into a south facing hillside. Working in organic gardening and landscaping for 40 years, she has written about and taught a variety of gardening topics to young and old in Montreal and Cambridge, UK.

BY MARTYNA KROL

Local

Growers WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE

in the U Kreland & I

Polyspore Manchester

hile the pandemic presented many challenges, some positive outcomes were the heightened interest in

health, vegetable cultivation, and, as the Polyspore crew demonstrates, a growing taste for gourmet mushrooms. As their business expanded into an exotic beetle farm, their story exemplifies the emerging green economy and unexpected job opportunities.

Mike and Dylan lost their jobs the same day during the lockdown. Encouraged by friendly chefs at a local restaurant, they envisioned growing gourmet mushrooms. The demand for mushrooms increased steadily, and Polyspore soon supplied perfectly grown fruiting bodies to Manchester’s finest restaurants. They cultivated popular and delicious varieties such as colourful Oyster mushrooms, Lion’s Mane, Freckled Chestnut, and more, always adapting to the seasons. An exciting twist in their story occurred when Dale joined the team, initially seeking assistance with his beetle breeding project. Beetles love spent mushroom substrate - a ‘new’ waste product from production. Rhino and Stag beetles consume the substrate as a food source and produce nutritious frass, supplying additional minerals in a plant-ready form. At the team’s heart lies their passion for cultivation and the excitement of what can be achieved through 100% resource utilisation and an innovative farming model. Polyspore operates as a cycle-based business, delivering all its mushrooms on cargo delivery bikes.

Polyspore’s business model proves that in times of economic hardship, it’s possible to rethink the current systems and adapt to something new. As mushrooms and their benefits dominate the gourmet and medicinal markets, we all better get our hands on some Lion’s Mane to keep up with the necessary brain growth! Learn more: growmycelium.co.uk Polyspore @Polyspore.uk Beetles: @bugdaddy.mcr

WHAT’S GROWING ON

Would you like to be featured as one of our local growers? If you’ve got a garden, grow room, or farm and have a story to share, contact us at: growers@gardenculturemagazine.com

Moonfull

Sherel Rutherford and Dunc Foster

Calder Valley

hen a passion for nature, adventure, and spreading kindness is shared, it may result in a conscious business

and a love story! Sherel and Dunc have been learning and sharing their foraging knowledge in the Calder Valley for the past several years.Their adventures will soon take them further into the wilderness and north to Scotland’s beautiful Dumfries and Galloway.

Their destination is the Forest Ridge Project, an expansive off-grid cooperative community with four years of land preparation.The team behind it planted hundreds of native trees, dug a freshwater borehole, and installed solar panels - all to facilitate a wild glamping site. In 2024, a shared growing space will be available for the residents, featuring some state-of-the-art raised beds made from recycled plastic. Sherel and Dunc initially met in the picturesque Hebden Bridge on All Hallows’ Eve and felt it was a meeting of magic and infinite possibilities. From that evening forward, their conversations revolved around living in harmony with the natural world, leading to exploring local woodlands and learning about the edibility and medicinal properties of flowers, plants, trees, and mushrooms. Nothing was wasted; all the ingredients were captured in jars, wine bottles, pickled, or placed in pots of dried herbs. A year later, they hosted their first wine tasting as Moonfull, where they shared the beauty and flavours of nature’s bounty with their friends and family. They now host sessions on bespoke foraging, natural winemaking, and various events and retreats.Their events are unique to the season and the setting, often collaborating with nature reserves and parks to reach a wider network. They forage and grow their food at the allotment because they value healthy, nutritious, and delicious food, reducing the environmental

impact.They also support a local organic veg bag scheme, an idea so successful that they plan to introduce a similar scheme in their new location. Aside from being phenomenally entrepreneurial and consciously living protagonists, they regularly support local green initiatives. Their fantasy-themed Woodland Masquerade raised a phenomenal £2300 in donations last October. Welcoming and inspiring experience days ideal for those interested in growing and foraging plants can be found on their website. 3 Learn more: moonfull.co.uk @moonfulluk theforestridgeproject.com

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

FAST. RESPONSIVE. BESPOKE.

WEB DESIGN

Designer A person who takes a problem and creates a solution. Developer Takes a design solution and builds a web experience. Business Is what comes to those who sell an experience.

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Pioneering References

Also available in ebooks

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WAYS to Identify, Prevent, and Solve Problems in Your Garden So many problems, so many solutions! In this edition, our expert growers have been sharing tales of garden downfalls and the best remedies to help get you back on top of your growing game. We’re letting the good times roll with our 5 Cool Ways to Identify, Prevent, and Solve Problems in Your Garden. The best part? Many of these suggestions are easy to implement, no matter your level of growing experience.

1 Root Zone Toolkit Growing a garden is about more than just planting a seed and offering it water and sunlight. Every serious grower needs to measure the pH levels in their growing medium to ensure plants can access the nutrients they need to grow. The Bluelab Soil pH Pen can help determine if your medium is too alkaline or acidic. It’s versatile and works in soil, coco coir, potting mixes and solutions. The pen takes your growing media’s temperature so plants can grow and develop correctly.The Bluelab Pulse Meter is also recommended to check that you aren’t over- or under-feeding your plants, Measure the EC or PPM to see if the garden is getting enough.This gadget will lead to healthier plants and less waste of expensive nutrient solutions; it also measures moisture levels and the temperature of the root zone. If nothing else, purchase a moisture meter. Overwatering is a common gardening mistake that leads to diseases and crop loss, and even on the hottest days, your plants may not be as thirsty as you think. Arm yourself with a few gadgets to help your growing ventures along!

2 Disease Identification Tools It’s not always easy to identify what’s hurting your plants with the naked eye. In The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook, author Susan Mulvihill recommends investing in a few handy tools to help you diagnose various garden issues. A magnifying glass or something as simple as a cell phone camera can help you investigate a potential problem and examine plant tissue that doesn’t look right. For example, zooming in on mould spores or spots will help narrow down what you’re dealing with. Mulvihill also suggests a microscope for getting up close and personal with the pests or diseases plaguing your garden.Various apps help identify plant diseases; some are free, others aren’t. Finally, gardening books (like Mulvihill’s fantastic read) and websites (like GCMag.co!) will help you understand what’s attacking your plants and how to deal with the issue for good.

GREEN ADVICE

3 Know Your Soil Do you know what kind of dirt you have? Every garden’s unique soil texture is determined by a balance of the three main mineral components - sand, clay, and silt.Together, these affect how the soil absorbs water, nutrients, and air. If the balance isn’t right, your plants won’t thrive as well as they should. Take a sample of the garden soil and send it to a lab to be tested, or perform an easy DIY test at home. Fill a mason jar with two cups of earth and fill the rest with water. Shake well and let it settle for a day. Sand will fall to the bottom, silt forms the middle layer, and clay settles on the top. Organic matter floats on the water’s surface. A fertile soil is relatively balanced (i.e., 30% sand, 40% silt, 30% clay) and is called a loam soil. If your soil needs improvement, you can immediately fix it by adding compost to boost drainage capabilities, water retention, and soil fertility.

4 Beneficial Bugs Sometimes, we get so caught up in controlling pest problems that we forget to encourage beneficial bugs to take refuge in our gardens. Gardening organically and intercropping with a wide range of native plants will encourage pollinators to pop by for a snack. Offer a clean water source and shelter (like an insect hotel) so that beyond bees and butterflies, predators and parasitizers are attracted to your gardening space as well. These include ladybugs, praying mantids, green lacewing larvae, parasitic wasps, robber flies, hoverflies, soldier beetles, spiders, and more. These garden allies will protect plants from various pest problems, such as aphids, caterpillars, thrips, and beetles. Attracting beneficial insects to the outdoor garden is easy enough, but indoors, you’ll need to pay special attention to what you need to help you with your problem. Kits containing predator bugs can be purchased online, ready for you to release into the grow room for fast-acting and organic pest control.

5 Dear Diary A garden journal is one of the most understated ways to help you keep track of your successes and failures. Any notebook (digital or paper) will do, but we love The Garden Journal, an heirloom-quality record keeper compiled by garden personality and QVC host Linda Vater. Keep track of daily occurrences in the garden throughout all seasons and note any issues, such as pest problems or diseases. Jot down what you noticed, how you solved it, and what you can do differently in the future. For example, after discovering a cabbage worm infestation on your kale, you might want to write a note as a reminder to cover future Brassica family crops with transparent cloth when planting to protect them from egglaying white butterflies. Problem solved! Even though you don’t think you’ll forget, by the time the next growing season rolls around, you probably will. This journal covers five years of gardening so you can refer back and learn from your mistakes or build on your triumphs. Go you! 3

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