Launch Edition
Small Beginnings HOw
to
bring
your
Chili
Plants
to
Life
SEEDLING: The Editor’s own Chilli Plant (and his toes).
Contents Regulars
4 Editor’s Letter 6 Prepping, Planting. Picking and Preserving
At The Back
20 Focus on Chillies
A look at the world’s most popular fruit with mystical health benefits and multiple culinary uses. Plus a guide about how to grow them from seed.
22 Bring Out The Bees
Everything you need to be doing in August to keep your garden fresh.
A definitive guide to luring Bees to your garden no matter how big or how small and how to keep them. Plus a manual about building your own Bee Home.
12 Herby Pete
24 Free Food
Features
The man behind The Pendle Herb Company speaks exclusively to Stems about his adventures with Herbs and ‘erb.
How to grow Spring Onions, Cabbages, Pineapples, Garlic and Ginger from scraps and leftovers.
The best in garden innovations from across the world. From Window boxes to bins and balconys.
How to create plant pots from useless stuff like floppy disks, boots and old lemon peel.
16 Urban Dreamscapes
26 Make Your Own
www.stemsmag.com
3
Contributors Joshua Hammond - Editor
EDITOR’S LETTER
C
Thanks to... The Pendle Herb Company George Hammond Doreen Hammond Katie Driscoll
heck this little thing out! After months of hard work and research, we’ve finally put togther a real life magazine about how best to put a garden together if you haven’t actually got a lawn and an acre of land to experiment with. Start your career in gardening with us. The Urban rangers who can use every piece of rubbish to create something beautiful. Does your Nan still have 50 or so floppy disks kicking around in her attic? If she does, why don’t you try and throw together a few floppy disk planters following our lead on Page 26. Or maybe use some old boots or half a lemon too. Have you ever really wondered what the point of this whole gardening endeavour was? Well we certainly did until we Met Peter, the man behind The Pendle HErb COmpany. Not only is his enthusiasm for herbs and edible plants palpable, he even has some great tips about growing your own stuff in your kitchen. And that’s what we do best here. We enjoy GArdening. Love it in Fact, but like the majority of the population we don’t have a garden or an allotment. So we’ve forged together our own way of gardening. A way of growing the things we love and learning to master the zen art of plant maintenance within the confines of modern living spaces. We hope you love it as much as we do. Joshua Hammond Editor August 2014
SUBSCRIBER’S
4
www.stemsmag.com
8 INDOOR ESSENTIALS We know that this is only our first edition so we thought we’d give you a handy little guide to the basic tools you’ll need for indoor gardening. Plus, the ordinary stuff you have you can use to MacGuyver the situation.
Essential for making sure that your plants don’t end up waterlogged and rotten. Making sure there’s plenty of drainage at the bottom of your pots means they don’t end up sat in water. Most people keep their broken crockery or terracotta in a drainage bin. so that they always have access to some. However, more often than not we don’t have a mountain of crockery to dispose of when we need some drainange. Big pebbles or slate chips work equally as well, just nick some from a public garden or a building site.
You all know what a Plant pot is. It’s a cylindrical container often used to grow plants but ocasionally used for makeshift telephones. You can find some great make-your-own examples on page 26.
TROWELS
COMPOST
GROW BAGS
DRAINAGE
PLANT POTS
GO STRAIGHT TO PAGE 26. DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT COLLECT £200.
Those teeny spade-like things that you use to shovel dirt into pots. They’re waaay too expensive from a garden centre or a DIY store and they’ll try and sell you some £25 silicone handled piece of rubbish. We like to use spoons here at Stems. There will undoubtedly be some 40 year old table spoon at the back of your drawer and that will work equally as well. If that freaks you out you can make one by cutting the end off of an old pop bottle.
Essentially Compost is just really expensive dirt. You make your own over a few years using a compost heap and degrading all of your own food waste. Though we think there’s better uses for that. Have a look at Page 24 and see what you think. If you don’t want to buy a £10 sack of dirt or lug it all the way home, you can often find good dirt by rivers, in fields or even in your own garden. Obviously digging massive holes has its pitfalls.
A bag designed for people to be able to grow their own fruit or vegetables in without having to dig up any of their gardens or if they don’t have a garden at all. Many big DIY stores might charge you up to £10 for what is essentially a large sack. You can bosh something very similar together by taking out the plastic lining of all those fancy hessian Sainsbury bags you swear that you’ll use one day. You might use them when the 5p charge comes in I guess.
FORKS
TRELLIS
INSECTICIDE
Ideal for aerating your soil before you plant anything in it. Seized soil can end up throttling your dear plants from the roots up. A little light aeration can make sure you dont end up planting your seeds into soil that roots can’t penetrate. Like trowels, old cutlery can work equally well, especially those great serving forks you only ever use at Christmas. We’re sure one can just “disappear” soon enough. However, you can again cut one using an old pop bottle or Pringles tube. Anything designed to handle moisture.
A lattice designed for plants to grow up to make a decorative display for higher reaching and climbing plants. Most come in wooden frames and have intricate patterns through them so that your Wisteria can grow in a spectaular fashion. However, that’s a bit ambitious for Stems at the moment so we’re just making do. You can use old fence panels, broken bannisters or wire fencing. Anything with holes in it that branches can grow through works really. It’s entirely up to ou and what you want to see in your garden.
www.stemsmag.com
The go-to spray for anyone whose darling little seedlings have got a bit of a bug problem. The issue is that it’s totally inorganic and tastes terrible if you don’t wash the fruit on the plants. It’s often really expensive and can even damage the leaves on your plant if you accidentally overuse it. Therefore, we recommend a solution of washing up liquid and water in a spray bottle. Aphids and other pests can’t handle the soapy residue and leave your plants alone once they’ve undergone treatment.
5
August Preparation This will be our
August is an ideal month for preparation. Most of the fruits on the trees have come into flower and now it the time to start them off
6
www.stemsmag.com
Planting
www.stemsmag.com
7
Picking If you’re lucky enough to have an allotment or patch to grow your produce, now’s the time to start taking notice of what your veg is up to. Onions
Leeks
Potatoes
8
www.stemsmag.com
Preserving By the time you reach August all of your Autumnal fruits will still be a little way of ripening, so hold off on your damson picking until next month However, with the Summer we’ve had there’s still plenty to be getting on with.
Crab Apple Jelly You can make a delicious, tart Carb Apple Jelly by simply using the fruits from any odd apple tree around the way. It’s technically not scrumping if it’s a public tree. You know what they say about low hanging fruit.
Blackberry Compote Those brambles you know, that have been choking some wasteland by your flat will be fruiting sometime around now. Just be careful, make sure youwear some decent gloves so you don’t get scratched. Marigolds work and they have long sleeves to protect your upper arms. Just make sure to beat the birds to your hoard or they’ll eat them all for themselves.
Mint Sauce By this time in the Summer, any bushes of mint you can come across will be ready for picking. Don’t hesitate to be rough with them, Mint bushes are amazingly resilient and come back year after year. It’s amazingly hard to kill Mint once it’s taken hold
Recipe:
Recipe:
www.stemsmag.com
9
Herby Pete
12
www.stemsmag.com
Herby Pete
www.stemsmag.com
13
Herby Pete
14
www.stemsmag.com
Digital Advert
www.stemsmag.com
VERTICAL DREAMSCAPE The first in our “Urban Dreamscapes� series looks at the growth of Vertical Gardens. 16
This design for a vertical garden based in Tokyo has generated a lot of attention. In one of the most densely populated areas of the world, there is a staggering need for some greenery. This innovative solution mirrors the vertical buildings and promotes plant growth.
www.stemsmag.com
www.stemsmag.com
17
18
www.stemsmag.com
www.stemsmag.com
19
H
e
a
t
The world plants encouof chilli plants is as many sub-ty rage such devotion or deep and rich as the such lunacy ir flavour. F The thing is, pes. a e s w t h e C h i L d l i and it’s man grow and yo espite originating in y, the Americas u can start , they’re rea them on you r windowsil l ly simple to l. 20
www.stemsmag.com
O
ne of the easiest and most satisfying plants to grow in an indoor garden is the common chilli pepper. Most varieties are easy to grow and can live for over five years providing you can keep them well fed and watered. The big green glossy leaves are attractive and when grown inside will largely remain on the plant over winter. If you keep them nice and warm. Kitchens and windowills are ideal places for your plant as they almost mimic their original eco-system. They tend to fruit in late summer providing they’ve had enough light and water for the season. The fact that you will eventually be able to consume that fruit makes the chilli an ideal starter for any budding gardener (pun intended). The big brash fruits will certainly draw the eye and make the plant as decorative and interesting as it is delicious. Thousands of varieties exist, and you can simply pick one that will match exactly what you’re looking for in a
spice. The easiest way to do this is to keep the seeds of any pepper you try and enjoy. It’s best if you use peppers from an organic market or greengrocers becuase they won’t have been as affected by years of over cultivation and chemical treatments. Keep spare seeds in a paper bag in a warm dry space for seasoning or to grow plants the next year. If you’re a spice maniac you can keep some seeds spare and use them to flavour any good olive oil to make a chili-infused oil that can be used for frying or to liven up any pizza, pasta or popcorn. That your friends will hate you becuase of your new obsession should be of little concern because of the numerous health benefits chillies have. Your digestive system will be in peak condition and eating chili regularly can provide plenty of antioxidents and vitamins A and C. According to the NHS, it can help with weight loss and not just because it’s harder to eat lots of spicy food.
Chilli Factfile
In February 2012, a Scorpion Chilli was the first to measure over 2million SHU.
Chili heat is measures in “Scoville Heat Units” or SHU which notes how much the chilli needs to be diluted to make it unnoticable. There are thousands of different varieties of chilli that can be found across the world. The hottest part of the Chilli is the membrane that attaches the seed to the inside of the fruit.
Jalepenos take their name from Jalapo, the capital of the Mexican State of Velacruz.
Chillies begin their lives in the months of February and March. But you can be preparing way before that. 1. Before you plant any seeds or start to think about your delicious dinners. You need to prepare you pots and growing space. 2. You should always clean your pots to make sure there’s no residual mould or bacteria from the winter. 3. Fill your pots with plenty of drainage and layer a mixture of compost and sand (to a 5:1 ratio) over the top. 4. Before you plant anything let your compost and pots warm up. Keep the pots on a windowsill or avove a radiator to make sure the compost isn’t freezing cold when you plant your seeds. 5. After a few days, your mixture will be ready to plant in. Place your seeds around half an inch below the surface of the compost and then cover all of the seeds with a light sprinkling of water.
Aim to do this in late January or early February for best results. 6. Place your pots on a windowsill and cover with a poly tunnel or half a plastic bottle, which will work just as well. 7. After two or three weeks, you will begin to see seedlings. Resist the urge to try and “help” them out of the ground. They’ll make it on their own and the clumsier of us will break those tender new leaves that can be essential for early growth. 8. As the seedlings continue to grow keep a keen eye out for any mould forming on the top of the dirt. It can be a good idea to layer a few light pebbles on the top of the dirt to stop the dirt’s exposure to the air. 9. You should also be aware that aphids like to use young seedlings to breed and multiply. You can spot signs of aphids before you even spot the insects. If your leaves become sticky or shiny then simply wash them with a light fairy liquid and water mixture.
If you find that a chilli dish is too spicy, resist the temptation to reach for a beer. Alcohol enhances the burn.
Colour makes no difference to a Chillies heat. Despite what the Red Hot Chili Peppers want you to believe.
Chillies speed up your metabolism and aid digestion issues.
If you do foolishly forget to wear rubber gloves wash your eyes with warm water.
How to Grow
Japanese Samurai used to consume Chillies to try and reduce their fear of pain suffered in battle.
If you haven’t already experienced this, make sure you never put chili covered fingers near your eyes or nose.
Chillies have the highest level of Vitamic C compared to other fruit and veg.
Capsaicin also helps to lower cholestorol and reduce the risk of strokes.
www.stemsmag.com
If you want to remove some of the heat from chillies, soak them in water before cooking. If your plants make more chillies than you need. freeze them and they’ll last for months.
21
It’s True. The Bees of the world are dying off. They’re dying so quickly that the Governments of the world are having crisis talks about how to get their numbers back up. Here at Stems we’Re a bit more traditional and have scouted out some of the best plants to pot to encourage the friendly, fuzzy individuals back into your gardens.
B ugloss
or Blueweed is a bright blue flower that grows to almost two feet tall, making it ideal for balconys or borders. The magnificent blue flowers initially start off as pink buds and eventually burst into colour in the Summer months of May and August. Bees and Butterflies cannot resist the temptation of the luminous blue pollen. As a native of Europe Bugloss can deal with most weather conditions from heavy rain to the most severe summer droughts. Though the flowers are beautiful and they will definitely attract some wonderful insects to your garden, the pollen will, however, stain the hell out of any white clothes you own. So, Be Careful!
E lephant ars
are easy to grow in a pot to maintain their size. the big glossy leaves make a wonderful showpiece and when the plant flowersit will lure bumbley bumblebees to your garden. Though the flowers may be small they grow on the end of a purpley pink stalk that can reach a height of about a foot. The height of the stalk means it’s extremely easy to spot or photograph Bees and Butterflies all Summer Long. While it will survive in cold temperatures and can be left outside, between the months of October and March it would be wise to keep it indoors where it’s glossy leaves will stick around for the whole of winter.
This fantastic evergreen shrub can be kept pot pound or grown into a large bush to border your garden. The tough leaves can withstand the cold and the heat, which makes them ideal low maintenance plants for a small garden. Even if your garden is overlookd or surrounded by high walls, Ebbinge will almost certainly survive and flourish. When the plant does flower in the Spring, its small colourful flowers are sure to entice butterflies and honeybees to your garden or pitch. There are a number of different varieties, though we’re a particular fan of the gilt edged variety shown below.
E bbinge
T
here are other ways to attract bees to your balcony or windowsill. You can craft a Bee Box out of bamboo canes. Find a plant pot about half a foot tall and fill the bottom half with sawdust or some dried leaves. Then ideally you need to source around four or five full bamboo canes and cut them into sections about four inches long and then stuff the plant pot full off them so they just peep over the rim of the pot. You don’t need to stick them down so long as the pot is well filled. Then, you just ned to put it near some flowery favourites, so the bees can go about their daily business and you might get some new neighbours. You can hang the pot up but you need to make sure it doesn’t sway too much in the wind or the poor bees might just fall right out of it. The floor might be safer.
22
www.stemsmag.com
Sage, or any variety of the salvia plant (yes including the trippy kind, you devils) have an incredibly powerful smell that pollinators like Bees just can’t resist. The purple flowers arrive in early Summer and stick around until the Autumn. However, the bush is hardy enough to survive the winter and will come back with a vengeance the following Spring. As a bonus, the leaves are a great culinary product that adds a little something to your potato dishes. You ought to dry as much as you can before winter. Don’t be scared of hacking it back either. Like Mike Myers, it can’t die.
S a ge
Free Loads of plants and delicious things regrow once you finish eating the best and tastiest bits. Use these sweet tips to grow your own food.
Garlic
Ginger
Food Celery and Cabbages
Spring Onions
Pineapples
Yeah. We know that goin g to Tes would de co fin itely b faster b e easier an ut it's no d fun an d giving m you're ju ore mon st ey to th e man that way .
Make Your Own... PLANT Floppy Disks POTS Boots Floppy disks are the single most obsolete piece of modern technology next to the Microsoft Zune and the Sega Dreamcast (both of which can probably be used for the same thing too). Just like your primary school taught you, all you need is 6 squares of an identical size and you can make a cube. Within that cube you can throw a load of dirt and start to grow something. You can leave the top cube off so that you can replace the plants inside more easily. The holes that floppy disks used as a pivotal part of their design allow for ample drainage. These Floppy disk planters are great for using up old bits of junk that would otherwise be filling up landfill and destroying the countryside. Plus they look better than a rubbish plastic pot and stack neatly.
LEMONS
Ever wondered what to do with those dreadful old boots you seemed to keep hold of even though they haven’t looked good since 2004, and you haven’t worn them since that festival in 2006? Well, we have the answer, turn them into scruffy, raggedy plant pots. This way you can keep hold of them for whatever sentimental reason you want to and do something useful with them and make some space in your wardrobe. Old boots probably already have some holes in the bottom, so you don’t need to put them in. Though a few extra can’t hurt with some gravel at the bottom. Over time, the leather will degrade and fall apart and you’ll be able to plant your shoe in the ground. Because you’ll almost certainly be wearing through new shoes at a constant rate there will undoubtWe do know that edly be a nevyou can make plant pots er-ending supply of out of your old beer and vodka new planters for the bottles using fire, a tub of water and future. old rope. However Our Legal Team told Beware Doc Marus it would be foolish to show you here. tens, those boots What we can tell you is that there’s a last forever. grand How-To on the Video Sharing Seriously. site known as YouTube.
26
www.stemsmag.com
The easiest of all the plant pots to create. Once you’ve squeezed the living hell out of your lemon flesh you’ll be left with a demi lemon with a cavity ideal for a seedling. The Lemon skin doesn’t have as much acidity as the the flesh and your plant should remain unaffected. Though planting a citrussy plant in it can spur growth into action. You can use oranges or grapefruit if you’d prefer a bigger pot. Once your seedling is strong enough you can plant the whole thing in the ground. The lemon skin will disintegrate and the roots of the plant will burst through it into your flower bed or bigger pot. This a great way to get your indoor garden started, a lemon flowr pot looks amazing, is completely organic and can be left on a windowsill. Just be carful not to overwater it, drainage can be an issue. Even if you pop a hole in the bottom it can get a little messy.