Garden Doctor

Bali House & Home

6 Bali House & Home 6

As the parents of a disabled child, the issue of access has been dear to the hearts of the founders of Eco Living Bali,

Brad and Twone Moreland. The inspiration for an all-terrain wheelchair came when the duo heard of the plight of a 12-year-old boy in North Lombok from Duncan Ward, the

Founder of Classroom of Hope, an organization that helps to provide access to education for children in developing countries. “Nasrudin lost his standard wheelchair in the 2018 earthquake and had to drag himself through the dirt to get to school. We decided that we had to help him get a wheelchair that would withstand the rough terrain of the village, and that’s how the idea of an all-terrain wheelchair was born,” says Brad.

After numerous brainstorming sessions, the team decided to build their prototype from materials that are easy to source and repair in Indonesia. The wheelchair frame, laminated seat, backrest, foot rest and rear basket are all C/Bm/I-29 Jan 20 C/Bm/I-6 Nov 19

made from bamboo sourced from the slopes of Mount Agung in Ben village. The wheelchair is protected with environmentally-friendly lacquer and sealant to ensure that it withstands rough weather conditions. The decision was also made to use mountain bike wheels suitable for steep or uneven terrain. “As there is already a short supply of metal wheelchair parts in Bali, we wanted to find an alternative solution, and as owners of an eco store, we wanted to find a sustainable solution. As bamboo is found in abundance in Bali and throughout Asia, a bamboo wheelchair could be easily repaired by a bamboo artisan in a village,” Brad says, adding that each wheelchair has to be custom made to fit the beneficiary’s requirements. Up to date, Eco Living Bali and East Bali Bamboo Bikes have funded and built three bamboo wheelchairs. The first wheelchair, or the prototype, is currently on display in the Eco Living Bali shop in Kerobokan. The two other wheelchairs have been handed over to those in need. Nasrudin, who was the inspiration behind the project, received the second wheelchair, while the third wheelchair was donated to 15-year-old Nengah Macika, the son of one of the East Bali Bamboo Bikes craftsmen from Ban Village. “We have a growing list of underprivileged children and adults in Bali and Lombok who require all-terrain wheelchairs, and we are currently seeking funding to make them,” says Brad. “We are initially only targeting Bali and Lombok, however, we plan to expand to other islands soon and then hopefully the rest of Asia.” As the issue of access for people with disabilities is close to

GARDEN DOCTOR GARDEN DOCTOR Sustainable and Practical: All-Terrain Bamboo Wheelchairs Indonesia lacks services and infrastructure for people Lead Contamination in Soil / Improving Soil Protecting Plants From Pest Attacks with disabilities. This means that many children and adults, and particularly those living in villages where Ben and Twone’s hearts, they do not make any profit from the rough terrain is not suitable for normal wheelchairs, this venture. As such, Eco Living Bali urgently requires Hi Dr Kris, What a good article on soil testing thank you. My problem is all the plants that I’ve planted whether from cuttings or seed start off fine and grow, but won’t flower or set fruit, and after a short while stop growing and become retarded. I have fertilised with cow poop and chemicals with no difference. I really am at a loss as what to do next. Any ideas please. I’m now going to try your ‘Hello Garden Doctor! Two weeks ago, a couple of our little white flower bushes by our swimming pool which are in raised circular potters started yellowing and slowly wilting/dying. We fertilized thinking it would help but instead they appear dead. We noticed ants going to and from forming a highway are confined to their homes. To try to rectify this dire situation, Eco Living Bali, a supplier of sustainable products made from natural ingredients, and East Bali Bamboo Bikes, which falls under the East Bali Poverty Project that helps isolated communities, joined forces to make the very first all-terrain wheelchair in Southeast Asia. The prototype, which was ready in March this year, took around eight weeks to produce. Lead in the soil presents a risk if it is either inhaled or ingested. Lead in the soil can also be absorbed by vegetables grown in it. Children who play in the garden are also at risk. If living near main roads, consider growing vegetables in raised garden beds filled with clean imported soil and compost. Limit potential exposure by avoiding plants known to be lead whereby the ants protect the sap sucking bugs and even transport them around to other sites to send the honeydew production into overdrive - it’s an ant farm of a different type that you won’t like! If you ever see ants crawling up and down stems and across funding to build more wheelchairs. Each wheelchair sponsor will receive a certificate and a photo of the wheelchair their contribution helps to build. Those who sponsor an entire wheelchair will have their name or logo placed on the chair. ingestion. Please be careful when renovating your home. Have a professional remove flaking exterior lead-based paint to prevent future contamination. Anywhere you have ant problems get some chalk and start drawing barriers to the ants. Draw a circle around an ant and watch what happens! I’m suggestion that you draw chalk lines around your pots to stop the ants migrating back and forth, draw chalk barriers wherever you don’t want them. Of course, after rain or every few days you may need to re-apply. testing suggestions. Many thanks, Andrew. between two potters in front of our big bale. This accumulators such as low-growing leafy vegetables like lettuce, leaves alarm bells should be ringing as it’s the first sign that afternoon I removed a small bromeliad looking plant As the parents of a disabled child, the issue of access has as well as root vegetables including carrots, onions, turnips and you have a problem. Ants are typically found on the ground It’s kind of amusing when you first start experimenting with Dear, Dr. Kris, I’ve read that living near heavy traffic and main roads increases the risk of lead contamination in the soil and is it bad for vegetable gardening? What are the growing underneath one of the flower bushes thinking the ants could be attracted to the sap of the non-flower bush. To our surprise we revealed a HEAP of little mini been dear to the hearts of the founders of Eco Living Bali, Brad and Twone Moreland. The inspiration for an all-terrain wheelchair came when the duo heard of the plight of a 12-year-old boy in North Lombok from Duncan Ward, the radishes. As a general rule, the worst affected vegetables are either unwashed or unpeeled root vegetables. and will only inhabit plants if there is a honeydew source, which means either aphids or other types of scale insects have moved in. A quick check of the growing tips and the this. The chalk deterrent is also useful in the home as a good way to stop them entering the house for example through a crack in the wall. Just draw a circle around the crack or a risks or ways to make an edible garden in this situation? 1.5cm snails with a long skinny yellowish-brown cone Founder of Classroom of Hope, an organization that helps Leafy greens can be affected although much of this could undersides of foliage will likely reveal the bugs. They say barrier line wherever they are entering. Thanks in advance, Jan. shell! I think perhaps the ants are loving the snail poo to provide access to education for children in developing possibly be surface borne dust. The least affected plants are where there’s smoke there’s fire, well where there’s ants on because I found that the only 2 planters that had ants countries. “Nasrudin lost his standard wheelchair in the those that produce fruiting parts - whether or not we consider your plants you probably have a sap sucking insect problem. As for the snails, well it makes sense that they would be The soil is where a good garden starts, and if you have a poor going in them had the snails in. One planter more than 2018 earthquake and had to drag himself through the dirt to them ‘fruit’ or ‘vegetables’. There’s very little danger of lead hiding around bromeliads or strappy type leafed plants. Snails soil you likely be limited in what you can grow. The main factors that affect soil quality for growing flowers, fruits and vegetables depend on whether it is sandy which will mean it tends to dry too quickly, or if it is clay which means there is less aeration the other. Being unfamiliar with Indonesia’s little critters and land compositions I need some guidance for the best step get to school. We decided that we had to help him get a wheelchair that would withstand the rough terrain of the village, and that’s how the idea of an all-terrain wheelchair was born,” says Brad. toxicity in anything from tomatoes to papayas and pumpkins and all fruit trees in general. Plants are fairly good at keeping lead out of themselves in most Nengah Macika’s Story Macika was a healthy baby until three months of age when he developed high fever and suffered several seizures. Since then, Macika’s growth and mobility have been are molluscs and like a dark moist environment for protection and to avoid drying out. They will hide under leaf litter, dark places and cover that keeps them moist. and a tendency to waterlog. forward to keep my garden thriving. The issue has just After numerous brainstorming sessions, the team decided circumstances, but if the vegetables are covered in soil, or even affected. He is also non-vocal and struggles to communicate The snails in the pictures you have sent look like decollate begun to show itself to be severe and deadly to our plant to build their prototype from materials that are easy to an invisible layer of dust settles on fruit or leafy greens, you may with his family. Until 2004, when the East Bali Poverty snail (Rumina decollata) with the conical shell. They are Rejuvenating a poor soil is more involved then pouring fertiliser over the ground. Natural fertiisers such as cow dung and chicken manure need to be worked in along with compost over time to gradually improve the soil, otherwise try raised garden beds with a whole new ‘imported’ soil for an instant solution. family! HOW DO WE GET RID OF THESE SNAILS/ANTS AND SAVE OUR GARDEN FROM A MASS INFESTATION!? Attached is some evidence of the suspects and the crime scene. Thank you so much for your time! Looking forward to your reply! source and repair in Indonesia. The wheelchair frame, laminated seat, backrest, foot rest and rear basket are all be consuming lead from the soil in that way. All fruit and vegetables taken from the garden should be washed to remove all traces of soil before consumption. A good diet with adequate amounts of calcium and phosphorous Project established monthly parent-baby health posts in neighboring Cegi, there were no health facilities near Ben village, where Macika lives. In 2005, the East Bali Poverty Project found a volunteer professional massage therapist who trained Macika’s parents to give him daily massages, but he has shown little improvement. While Macika’s omnivores, so they will eat plants and other snails. If there are no brown garden snails to eat or other alternatives this snail is going to eat your plants and they can cause serious damage quickly. The easy fix is snail pellets, though not my preferred choice, especially if you have children and pets to As for lead contaminated soil which is sometimes an issue in urban areas, replacing the soil or amending it is also the solution. If you live near main roads, industrial areas or old buildings you would expect an elevated level of lead in your soil. Jet from Seminyak’ Thanks for the interesting question - I think you have two separate unrelated issues going on with the ants and the snails. Ants go after anything sweet. Whenever you see a large population of ants in and around your plants its has been shown to reduce absorption of dietary lead. Similarly, those same two nutrients help reduce lead uptake in plants. Seaweed and spirulina when eaten have also been demonstrated to bind heavy metals and remove them from the body. It’s not clear from the studies whether you have to eat them concurrently with the potentially contaminated foods or just every now and then - so to be safe just put spirulina on everything. mobility remains restricted, his new all-terrain bamboo wheelchair means that he can now get around more freely. www.ecolivingbali.com https://www.eastbalipovertyproject.org https://www.eastbalibamboobikes.com By Anita consider. Laying down a dry rough mulch such as jagged bark mulch is one way to deter snails or even crushed eggshells or shell grit mulch, as they don’t like to crawl across the sharp jagged edges which probably feels like razor blades to them and their delicate slimy exterior. usually an indication that you have an aphid or scale Copyright © 2019 Bali Advertiser Snails prefer cool, dark, moist places to hide out, so by A recent Australian study led by RMIT University, Melbourne, found that 20% of edible home gardens are contaminated with levels of lead exceeding the safety guidelines of 300 mg/kg - whereas natural background levels are usually in the range of 15-40mg/kg. The figure is worse in Sydney, where a similar study found 40 per cent of vegetable patches had levels of lead that exceeded the safety guidelines. I can imagine that a similar statistic plays out across gardens in most cities and crowded insect infestation. So whilst it’s not the ants that are causing the initial problem, they can exacerbate it, which I will get to a bit later. Aphids and scale insects are tiny bugs usually only a few mm in size. Aphids are commonly green to brown and camouflage themselves very well, whereas scale insects generally will show up as white, beige to brown in colour. Any good soil will be ‘living’ filled with organic matter. Organic matter also helps bind the lead up in the soil, rendering it less available to plants. So, get composting, and adding it to the garden beds. Besides reducing lead uptake, it is also the key solution to a poor soil, producing healthier and more productive plants. Otherwise import a clean soil for an instant fix and a fresh start. So first, to get to the aphids and scales you will need to check the undersides of the leaves. In the initial stages hosing with a fast jet of water underneath the leaves could be enough to You can read all past articles of BA Feature Article at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz creating these locations in the garden you can locate the snails and dispose of them. Upturned terracotta pots are a good snail trap, check every few days and you’ll find them congregating inside. Orange or any other citrus halves with the pulp scooped out is another known trap method. Leave them face down in the garden bed slightly propped up with a small gap for the snails to enter. Finally, the snail beer trap is the easiest way to take them out. A container, jar or a plastic urban areas the world over. These bugs cleverly reside on the undersides of the leaves I don’t think that there is a need to worry excessively about lead rid a small infestation, but as your plants are dying and the bottle cut in half and then placed in the garden filled with a High levels of lead remain in the soil in urban areas - the result from adding the toxic metal to paint and petrol for decades. Living close to main roads is an issue due to lead accumulation so they can go about their business of sucking out the fresh sap from the leaves in secret, placing the plant under severe stress - essentially they are stealing the plants nutrition. By in the soil - just be cautious, be alert not alarmed! Wash your edible plants, mulch your soil, and work in compost infestation is severe its probably best to spray with an organic pesticide such as white oil or neem oil that is available at hardware and garden centres. cup of beer is irresistible to snails and slugs. Dig it in level with the soil so they can easily enter – they love the yeast. in soils from traffic pollution. Vegetable gardens should be the time that you’ve realised this, the plants could be and organic matter which will help to bind any lead, reducing Snails can easily be removed using the combination of established away from busy roads - at least 20 to 80 metres dead and the bugs already moved onto the next victim. Aphids the bioavailability but also improving the overall soil health at As the ants may be in on the deal, protecting, transporting methods - hand picking, trapping, barriers, and bait/pellets. away, lead levels are usually elevated directly next to main and scales can rapidly decimate plants and their populations the same time. and farming the bugs around you should probably deter them Modifying habitats can help prevent snail plagues by removal roads. can explode into plague like proportions in just a matter of a also. Ants generally don’t like moist conditions, keep the soil of hiding places such as thick clumps of vegetation, empty few days. On a final note – Old-school paints were up to 50% lead and around your plants well-watered directly to the root-zone so pots lying around and by using a rough dry mulch. In addition - generally the older the house, or any other building even with newer layers painted over the top, the levels of lead you don’t wash off the pesticide. left contained on the interior and exterior walls of old buildings are still likely to be high. The safe level of lead in food is measured in parts per million so it’s easy to see how disturbed, crumbling, scraped, sanded or flaking paint can be a major source of direct contamination – whether from inhalation or for that matter containing lead-based paint, then the more lead found in the surrounding garden beds. Most often areas most affected are under the dripline of the eaves due to the weathering and runoff of leaded paints throughout the seasons. Here’s another tip. Plain old chalk used to write on chalkboards is all that’s needed to keep the ants away. Ants will not walk through a line of powdery material such as chalk dust or talcum powder. Test it and see! As the bugs consume the sap, the excrete a sweet ‘honeydew’ waste by-product, and ants absolutely love it. So of course, they move in to consume it - for them it’s like the sugar pot has been left out in the garden. From here a symbiotic relationship develops between the bugs and the ants, We now install 3M Safety & Security Window Films C/Bm/I-29 Jan 20 Dr. Kris Garden Doctor Contact: gardendoctor@hotmail.com Copyright © 2019 Dr. Kris You can read all past articles of Garden Doctor at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz Dr. Kris Garden Doctor Contact: gardendoctor@hotmail.com Copyright © 2019 Dr. Kris You can read all past articles of Garden Doctor at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz C/Bm/I-6 Nov 19

made from bamboo sourced from the slopes of Mount Agung in Ben village. The wheelchair is protected with environmentally-friendly lacquer and sealant to ensure that it withstands rough weather conditions. The decision was also made to use mountain bike wheels suitable for steep or uneven terrain. “As there is already a short supply of metal wheelchair parts in Bali, we wanted to find an alternative solution, and as owners of an eco store, we wanted to find a sustainable solution. As bamboo is found in abundance in Bali and throughout Asia, a bamboo wheelchair could be easily repaired by a bamboo artisan in a village,” Brad says, adding that each wheelchair has to be custom made to fit the beneficiary’s requirements. Up to date, Eco Living Bali and East Bali Bamboo Bikes have funded and built three bamboo wheelchairs. The first wheelchair, or the prototype, is currently on display in the Eco Living Bali shop in Kerobokan. The two other wheelchairs have been handed over to those in need. Nasrudin, who was the inspiration behind the project, received the second wheelchair, while the third wheelchair was donated to 15-year-old Nengah Macika, the son of one of the East Bali Bamboo Bikes craftsmen from Ban Village. “We have a growing list of underprivileged children and adults in Bali and Lombok who require all-terrain wheelchairs, and we are currently seeking funding to make them,” says Brad. “We are initially only targeting Bali and Lombok, however, we plan to expand to other islands soon and then hopefully the rest of Asia.” As the issue of access for people with disabilities is close to

GARDEN DOCTOR GARDEN DOCTOR Gardening with Washing ‘Dear Garden Doctor, and even phosphate free detergents are available and these extension and running it out into the garden. This will enable Sustainable and Practical: All-Terrain Bamboo Wheelchairs will lower the amount of harmful residues in greywater from Is it safe to re-use greywater from my washing machine you to manually reuse grey water every time you do the Lead Contamination in Soil / Improving Soil Protecting Plants From Pest Attacksthe laundry. Laundry detergents in developing countries such as Indonesia with lax environmental regulation are typically on the garden and would it have any beneficial effects on my plants. A lot of the literature I have read gives Ben and Twone’s hearts, they do not make any profit from laundry. It is best discharged onto a surface mulch, which filters the particles enabling greywater to soak into the soil Hi Dr Kris, What a good article on soil testing thank you. My problem is all the plants that I’ve planted whether from cuttings or seed start off fine and grow, but won’t flower or set fruit, and after a short while stop growing and become retarded. I have fertilised with cow poop and ‘Hello Garden Doctor! Two weeks ago, a couple of our little white flower bushes by our swimming pool which are in raised circular potters started yellowing and slowly wilting/dying. We fertilized conflicting reports, what is your opinion? Regards Jim, Sanur’ Watching the news recently it seems odd that Jakarta is in the midst of a drinking water crisis when the city is usually Lead in the soil presents a risk if it is either inhaled or ingested. Lead in the soil can also be absorbed by vegetables grown in it. Children who play in the garden are also at risk. If living near main roads, consider growing vegetables in raised whereby the ants protect the sap sucking bugs and even transport them around to other sites to send the honeydew production into overdrive - it’s an ant farm of a different type that you won’t like! heavily laden with phosphates. Australia phased out phosphates in laundry detergents back in 2014, but over here big business will get away with whatever they can while they can. Typical laundry detergents are highly alkaline. If you use a this venture. As such, Eco Living Bali urgently requires funding to build more wheelchairs. Each wheelchair sponsor will receive a certificate and a photo of the wheelchair their contribution helps to build. Those who sponsor an entire wheelchair will have their name or logo placed on the chair. ingestion. Please be careful when renovating your home. Have a professional remove flaking exterior lead-based paint to prevent future contamination. Anywhere you have ant problems get some chalk and start drawing barriers to the ants. Draw a circle around an ant and watch what happens! I’m suggestion that you draw chalk lines around your pots to stop the ants migrating back and more evenly. In general plants that are adapted to a coastal environment will do much better on grey water as they will cope with the higher salt content, plants such as frangipani, palms, hibiscus, chemicals with no difference. I really am at a loss as what to do next. Any ideas please. I’m now going to try your testing suggestions. Many thanks, Andrew. Dear, Dr. Kris, I’ve read that living near heavy traffic and thinking it would help but instead they appear dead. We noticed ants going to and from forming a highway between two potters in front of our big bale. This afternoon I removed a small bromeliad looking plant growing underneath one of the flower bushes thinking underwater at this time of year. Likewise Bali has water supply issues of it’s own, meanwhile every morning I see people out hosing the street! garden beds filled with clean imported soil and compost. Limit potential exposure by avoiding plants known to be lead accumulators such as low-growing leafy vegetables like lettuce, as well as root vegetables including carrots, onions, turnips and radishes. As a general rule, the worst affected vegetables are If you ever see ants crawling up and down stems and across leaves alarm bells should be ringing as it’s the first sign that you have a problem. Ants are typically found on the ground and will only inhabit plants if there is a honeydew source, large amount of detergent it’s better to use only the water from the last rinse cycle which will have both a lower level of salinity and lower pH. Better still figure out how to get the cleanest clothes with the least detergents. Become a minimalist in life forth, draw chalk barriers wherever you don’t want them. Of course, after rain or every few days you may need to re-apply. It’s kind of amusing when you first start experimenting with this. The chalk deterrent is also useful in the home as a good hydrangea, most succulents and herbs such as rosemary and lavender will always do well. Avoid using greywater on acid loving plants such as citrus, tomatoes and azaleas. You can safely irrigate edible plants as long as the greywater main roads increases the risk of lead contamination in the the ants could be attracted to the sap of the non-flower Using greywater is a thoughtful idea not only for the either unwashed or unpeeled root vegetables. which means either aphids or other types of scale insects way to stop them entering the house for example through a doesn’t contact the edible portion (no root crops and soil and is it bad for vegetable gardening? What are the bush. To our surprise we revealed a HEAP of little mini benefits to the garden but also as a way to conserve have moved in. A quick check of the growing tips and the crack in the wall. Just draw a circle around the crack or a salads). Fruit trees will do well. risks or ways to make an edible garden in this situation? 1.5cm snails with a long skinny yellowish-brown cone potable drinking water that seems to be rapidly Leafy greens can be affected although much of this could undersides of foliage will likely reveal the bugs. They say barrier line wherever they are entering. Thanks in advance, Jan. shell! I think perhaps the ants are loving the snail poo disappearing by the day. And this doesn’t even take possibly be surface borne dust. The least affected plants are where there’s smoke there’s fire, well where there’s ants on If you overdo it and your plants are looking sick add because I found that the only 2 planters that had ants into consideration the beneficial effect of withdrawing those that produce fruiting parts - whether or not we consider your plants you probably have a sap sucking insect problem. As for the snails, well it makes sense that they would be a general trace element mix every few months until The soil is where a good garden starts, and if you have a poor going in them had the snails in. One planter more than toxic chemicals from the aquatic environment into which them ‘fruit’ or ‘vegetables’. There’s very little danger of lead hiding around bromeliads or strappy type leafed plants. Snails the problems clear up. Addition of gypsum will also soil you likely be limited in what you can grow. The main factors that affect soil quality for growing flowers, fruits and vegetables depend on whether it is sandy which will mean it tends to dry too quickly, or if it is clay which means there is less aeration and a tendency to waterlog. the other. Being unfamiliar with Indonesia’s little critters and land compositions I need some guidance for the best step forward to keep my garden thriving. The issue has just begun to show itself to be severe and deadly to our plant our waste water is typically dumped. The rivers around Denpasar unfortunately became algae choked sewers a long time ago, lets make sure it doesn’t happen elsewhwhere on the island. The average household produces hundreds of litres of greywater each day - why toxicity in anything from tomatoes to papayas and pumpkins and all fruit trees in general. Plants are fairly good at keeping lead out of themselves in most circumstances, but if the vegetables are covered in soil, or even an invisible layer of dust settles on fruit or leafy greens, you may Nengah Macika’s Story Macika was a healthy baby until three months of age when he developed high fever and suffered several seizures. Since then, Macika’s growth and mobility have been affected. He is also non-vocal and struggles to communicate with his family. Until 2004, when the East Bali Poverty are molluscs and like a dark moist environment for protection and to avoid drying out. They will hide under leaf litter, dark places and cover that keeps them moist. The snails in the pictures you have sent look like decollate snail (Rumina decollata) with the conical shell. They are help to neutralise the increase in salts. Load the organic matter into your soil because compost will naturally buffer the pH and also improves soil health. Many have reported only positive effects from greywater - once again this all depends on the quality Rejuvenating a poor soil is more involved then pouring fertiliser family! HOW DO WE GET RID OF THESE SNAILS/ANTS not use it productively on the plants? A lot of that water be consuming lead from the soil in that way. All fruit and Project established monthly parent-baby health posts in omnivores, so they will eat plants and other snails. If there of the greywater in question. over the ground. Natural fertiisers such as cow dung and chicken manure need to be worked in along with compost over time to gradually improve the soil, otherwise try raised garden beds with a whole new ‘imported’ soil for an instant solution. AND SAVE OUR GARDEN FROM A MASS INFESTATION!? Attached is some evidence of the suspects and the crime scene. Thank you so much for your time! Looking forward to your reply! that goes down the drain is essentially wasted, and would be put to better use as irrigation in the garden. To clarify, greywater refers to waste water from the vegetables taken from the garden should be washed to remove all traces of soil before consumption. A good diet with adequate amounts of calcium and phosphorous neighboring Cegi, there were no health facilities near Ben village, where Macika lives. In 2005, the East Bali Poverty Project found a volunteer professional massage therapist who trained Macika’s parents to give him daily massages, but he has shown little improvement. While Macika’s are no brown garden snails to eat or other alternatives this snail is going to eat your plants and they can cause serious damage quickly. The easy fix is snail pellets, though not my preferred choice, especially if you have children and pets to It all seems a bit concerning that you could damage your garden with greywater but it’s really not that complicated - it’s just that I prefer to err on the side As for lead contaminated soil which is sometimes an issue in urban areas, replacing the soil or amending it is also the solution. If you live near main roads, industrial areas or old buildings you would expect an elevated level of lead in your soil. A recent Australian study led by RMIT University, Melbourne, found that 20% of edible home gardens are contaminated with levels of lead exceeding the safety guidelines of 300 mg/kg - whereas natural background levels are usually in the range of 15-40mg/kg. The figure is worse in Sydney, where a similar study found 40 per cent of vegetable patches had levels of lead that exceeded the safety guidelines. I can imagine that a similar statistic plays out across gardens in most cities and crowded Jet from Seminyak’ Thanks for the interesting question - I think you have two separate unrelated issues going on with the ants and the snails. Ants go after anything sweet. Whenever you see a large population of ants in and around your plants its usually an indication that you have an aphid or scale insect infestation. So whilst it’s not the ants that are causing the initial problem, they can exacerbate it, which I will get to a bit later. Aphids and scale insects are tiny bugs usually only a few mm in size. Aphids are commonly green to brown and camouflage themselves very well, whereas scale insects generally will show up as white, beige to brown in colour. laundry or bathroom sinks and showers, but definitely not the toilet which is termed ‘black water’ for obvious reasons. Yes of course you can use greywater in the garden for the benefit of plants. Look for the most ecofriendly detergent that you can find or even develop your own - now there’s a new years resolution for you! There may be a lot of trial and error involved, but that’s half the fun anyway isn’t it? That’s why gambling is so addictive for some, they never know for sure that they will win...even though it’s always a sure thing, right? I digress. Never rely solely on greywater to irrigate the garden if you are new to the concept. Greywater quality will vary dramatically depending on the types of detergents and has been shown to reduce absorption of dietary lead. Similarly, those same two nutrients help reduce lead uptake in plants. Seaweed and spirulina when eaten have also been demonstrated to bind heavy metals and remove them from the body. It’s not clear from the studies whether you have to eat them concurrently with the potentially contaminated foods or just every now and then - so to be safe just put spirulina on everything. Any good soil will be ‘living’ filled with organic matter. Organic matter also helps bind the lead up in the soil, rendering it less available to plants. So, get composting, and adding it to the garden beds. Besides reducing lead uptake, it is also the key solution to a poor soil, producing healthier and more productive plants. Otherwise import a clean soil for an instant fix and a fresh start. So first, to get to the aphids and scales you will need to check the undersides of the leaves. In the initial stages hosing with a fast jet of water underneath the leaves could be enough to and laundry - great things will happen! If detergents are used at such a high potency that it can kill your garden then think about what it’s doing to the rivers and oceans where the waste water ordinarily flows directly without filtration. On the other hand, detergent laden water is really good to water over the aphids and scale that may be attacking your favorite plants, I know that it removed the mealy bugs from my citrus with no harmful effects to the plant :) mobility remains restricted, his new all-terrain bamboo wheelchair means that he can now get around more freely. www.ecolivingbali.com https://www.eastbalipovertyproject.org https://www.eastbalibamboobikes.com By Anita Copyright © 2019 Bali Advertiser You can read all past articles of BA Feature Article at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz consider. Laying down a dry rough mulch such as jagged bark mulch is one way to deter snails or even crushed eggshells or shell grit mulch, as they don’t like to crawl across the sharp jagged edges which probably feels like razor blades to them and their delicate slimy exterior. Snails prefer cool, dark, moist places to hide out, so by creating these locations in the garden you can locate the snails and dispose of them. Upturned terracotta pots are a good snail trap, check every few days and you’ll find them congregating inside. Orange or any other citrus halves with the pulp scooped out is another known trap method. Leave them face down in the garden bed slightly propped up with a small gap for the snails to enter. Finally, the snail beer trap is the easiest way to take them out. A container, jar or a plastic of caution when advising others to use it. I have only had good results when using greywater, except for the time I wiped out a few tomato plants. It all depends on the detergent and ratio used. If in doubt start using it on your more hardy plants such as the frangipani, succulents or a patch of grass up the back of the garden first, and then go from there if all is well. Greywater is a valuable resource when used correctly, not only saving potable drinking water from being wasted on garden beds but also withdrawing toxic chemicals from aquatic ecosystems. And just think...we’ll have all that extra water so that we can urban areas the world over. These bugs cleverly reside on the undersides of the leaves additives used which will have a major impact on soil and I don’t think that there is a need to worry excessively about lead rid a small infestation, but as your plants are dying and the bottle cut in half and then placed in the garden filled with a keep on hosing the street! High levels of lead remain in the soil in urban areas - the result from adding the toxic metal to paint and petrol for decades. Living close to main roads is an issue due to lead accumulation so they can go about their business of sucking out the fresh sap from the leaves in secret, placing the plant under severe stress - essentially they are stealing the plants nutrition. By plant health. It is advisable to use detergents that are biodegradable and low in salts. Detergents are alkaline and over use may increase soil pH affecting plants by limiting in the soil - just be cautious, be alert not alarmed! Wash your edible plants, mulch your soil, and work in compost infestation is severe its probably best to spray with an organic pesticide such as white oil or neem oil that is available at hardware and garden centres. Common laundry detergents typically contain sodium salts such as sodium nitrate, sodium sulphate, sodium phosphate and sodium silicate. They are highly saline, and frequent use cup of beer is irresistible to snails and slugs. Dig it in level with the soil so they can easily enter – they love the yeast. in soils from traffic pollution. Vegetable gardens should be the time that you’ve realised this, the plants could be their uptake of essential trace elements. and organic matter which will help to bind any lead, reducing will harm your garden long-term, unless it is used sparingly Snails can easily be removed using the combination of established away from busy roads - at least 20 to 80 metres dead and the bugs already moved onto the next victim. Aphids the bioavailability but also improving the overall soil health at As the ants may be in on the deal, protecting, transporting and distributed over a large area. methods - hand picking, trapping, barriers, and bait/pellets. away, lead levels are usually elevated directly next to main roads. In addition - generally the older the house, or any other building for that matter containing lead-based paint, then the more lead found in the surrounding garden beds. Most often areas most affected are under the dripline of the eaves due to the weathering and runoff of leaded paints throughout the seasons. and scales can rapidly decimate plants and their populations can explode into plague like proportions in just a matter of a few days. As the bugs consume the sap, the excrete a sweet ‘honeydew’ waste by-product, and ants absolutely love it. So of course, they move in to consume it - for them it’s like the sugar pot has been left out in the garden. From here a symbiotic relationship develops between the bugs and the ants, The main concern with using greywater on the garden is the build up of salts in the soil, increasing alkalinity and resulting high soil pH. Spread your grey water around, don’t always water it in the same spot. Use greywater before rain to take advantage of the dilution effect. Take into account your soil type when using greywater. The odds of detrimental compounds building up in clay is greater than that of sandy soil. the same time. On a final note – Old-school paints were up to 50% lead and even with newer layers painted over the top, the levels of lead left contained on the interior and exterior walls of old buildings are still likely to be high. The safe level of lead in food is measured in parts per million so it’s easy to see how disturbed, crumbling, scraped, sanded or flaking paint can be a major source of direct contamination – whether from inhalation or and farming the bugs around you should probably deter them also. Ants generally don’t like moist conditions, keep the soil around your plants well-watered directly to the root-zone so you don’t wash off the pesticide. Here’s another tip. Plain old chalk used to write on chalkboards is all that’s needed to keep the ants away. Ants will not walk through a line of powdery material such as chalk dust or talcum powder. Test it and see! Look for biodegradable, phosphate free and low concentrate. Forget about softeners, whiteners, bleaches and oxyaction blah blah blah...yes for a great garden we have to make sacrifices! Now let’s assume that you have got your washing routine down to the fine art of extracting the most dirt with the least detergent, then you can really start watering. With a simple Dr. Kris Garden Doctor Contact: gardendoctor@hotmail.com Copyright © 2019 Dr. Kris You can read all past articles of Garden Doctor at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz Dr. Kris Garden Doctor Contact: gardendoctor@hotmail.com Copyright © 2019 Dr. Kris You can read all past articles of Garden Doctor at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz Modifying habitats can help prevent snail plagues by removal of hiding places such as thick clumps of vegetation, empty pots lying around and by using a rough dry mulch. Dr. Kris Garden Doctor Contact: dr.kris@ymail.com Copyright © 2022 Dr. Kris GARDEN DOCTOR All of these concerns can be disregarded if you simply find greywater system laundry to landscape is as easy as removing You can read all past articles of the most efficient ecofriendly method to wash. Low phosphate the discharge hose from the drain, connecting it to an Garden Doctor at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz

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Tropical Pool and Spa Sanur : Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 151, Sanur. Ph: 0361 289 104, WA: 087236937760 Email: trevor@dps.centrin.net.id Kerobokan : Jl. Umalas Kangin No. 1/3, Umalas. Ph: 0361 736 897 / 0361 9345171, WA: 085210568885 Sanur : Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 151, Sanur. Ph: 0361 289 104, WA: 087236937760 Email: tropicalpool@dps.centrin.net.id Email: trevor@dps.centrin.net.id Jimbaran : Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 94, Jimbaran. Ph: 0361 704 478 Kerobokan : Jl. Umalas Kangin No. 1/3, Umalas. Ph: 0361 736 897 / 0361 9345171, WA: 085210568885 Email: tropicaljimbaran@gmail.com Email: tropicalpool@dps.centrin.net.id Ubud : Jl. Lungsiakan, Kedewatan, Ubud, Ph: 081236700405 Jimbaran : Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai 94, Jimbaran. Ph: 0361 704 478 Email: tropicalpoolubud@gmail.com Email: tropicaljimbaran@gmail.com Lombok : Jl. Raya Senggigi KM 6, Pasar Seni Senggigi. Phone : 0370 692 091 Ubud : Jl. Lungsiakan, Kedewatan, Ubud, Ph: 081236700405 Email: tropicalpoollombok@gmail.com Email: tropicalpoolubud@gmail.com Lombok : Jl. Raya Senggigi KM 6, Pasar Seni Senggigi. Phone : 0370 692 091 C/Ho/G-19 June 19 Email: tropicalpoollombok@gmail.com

C/BM/G-11 Sept. 19 NC/Ho/I-26 Feb 20 6

CHINESE ORIGINAL CERAMICS AND PORCELAINS CHINESE, JAVANESE & BALINESE ANTIQUITIES, SUMATRAS OLD TEXTILES. MONEY BACK GUARANTEEIndonesia lacks services and infrastructure for people

PHONE : 0361 - 449 0395 | PAK RONALD : +62 823 3988 2460As the parents of a disabled child, the issue of access has JAKARTA ADDRESS : JL. IR. H JUANDA NO. 9 REMPOA CIPUTAT TIMUR PHONE : 021 - 7471 5692 | PAK SAID : +62 813 8545 7546 been dear to the hearts of the founders of Eco Living Bali, Brad and Twone Moreland. The inspiration for an all-terrain wheelchair came when the duo heard of the plight of a C/Ho/G-11 March 20 12-year-old boy in North Lombok from Duncan Ward, the MOESSON ANTIK Founder of Classroom of Hope, an organization that helps to provide access to education for children in developing countries. “Nasrudin lost his standard wheelchair in the 2018 earthquake and had to drag himself through the dirt to Special antique items: old safes, iron boxes, radios, fans, clocks, get to school. We decided that we had to help him get a wheelchair that would withstand the rough terrain of the lamps, porcelain & Van Der Pol cabinets, Chinese bed, furniture village, and that’s how the idea of an all-terrain wheelchair from Europe & China. was born,” says Brad. FOR BUSINESS SPECIAL PRICESAfter numerous brainstorming sessions, the team decided to build their prototype from materials that are easy to Jl. Parangtritis Sudut Ring Road Selatan Yogyakarta Tel. +62 274 4399 328 source and repair in Indonesia. The wheelchair frame, laminated seat, backrest, foot rest and rear basket are all

made from bamboo sourced from the slopes of Mount Agung in Ben village. The wheelchair is protected with environmentally-friendly lacquer and sealant to ensure that it withstands rough weather conditions. The decision was also made to use mountain bike wheels suitable for steep or uneven terrain. “As there is already a short supply of metal wheelchair parts in Bali, we wanted to find an alternative solution, and as owners of an eco store, we wanted to find a sustainable solution. As bamboo is found in abundance in Bali and throughout Asia, a bamboo wheelchair could be easily repaired by a bamboo artisan in a village,” Brad says, adding that each wheelchair has to be custom made to fit the beneficiary’s requirements. Up to date, Eco Living Bali and East Bali Bamboo Bikes have funded and built three bamboo wheelchairs. The first wheelchair, or the prototype, is currently on display in the Eco Living Bali shop in Kerobokan. The two other wheelchairs have been handed over to those in need. Nasrudin, who was the inspiration behind the project, received the second wheelchair, while the third wheelchair was donated to 15-year-old Nengah Macika, the son of one of the East Bali Bamboo Bikes craftsmen from Ban Village. “We have a growing list of underprivileged children and adults in Bali and Lombok who require all-terrain wheelchairs, and we are currently seeking funding to make them,” says Brad. “We are initially only targeting Bali and Lombok, however, we plan to expand to other islands soon and then hopefully the rest of Asia.” As the issue of access for people with disabilities is close to

Sustainable and Practical: All-Terrain Bamboo Wheelchairs Ben and Twone’s hearts, they do not make any profit from this venture. As such, Eco Living Bali urgently requires funding to build more wheelchairs. Each wheelchair sponsor will receive a certificate and a photo of the wheelchair their contribution helps to build. Those who sponsor an entire wheelchair will have their name or logo placed on the chair.

Macika was a healthy baby until three months of age when he developed high fever and suffered several seizures. Since then, Macika’s growth and mobility have been affected. He is also non-vocal and struggles to communicate with his family. Until 2004, when the East Bali Poverty Project established monthly parent-baby health posts in neighboring Cegi, there were no health facilities near Ben village, where Macika lives. In 2005, the East Bali Poverty Project found a volunteer professional massage therapist who trained Macika’s parents to give him daily massages, but he has shown little improvement. While Macika’s mobility remains restricted, his new all-terrain bamboo wheelchair means that he can now get around more freely. www.ecolivingbali.com https://www.eastbalipovertyproject.org https://www.eastbalibamboobikes.com

C/BM/I-12 Feb 20

By Anita

C/Ho/G-11 Sept. 19 Copyright © 2019 Bali Advertiser You can read all past articles of BA Feature Article at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz

C/Ho/G-1 Jan. 20