How light is polluting our darkness with damaging consequences for wildlife
SUMMER GARDEN GAP-FILLERS interview
nick hamilton SHOULD YOU stockpilE FOOD?
“The more uses we can put our garden to, the greater the diversity of species we can host”
to the official magazine of Garden Organic
I’ve just cleared a bed for food growing – changing its use in a kind of ‘reverse rewilding’ if you will. It didn’t take long to clear the annual weeds by hand, and I enjoyed relocating several newts as I carefully worked around some perennial herbs and two large globe artichokes.
However, circumstances meant I had to leave it for a few days. In that short time, the soil became cracked in places and there wasn’t an insect to be seen. My couple of hours of clearing had changed a space that was abuzz with life into a veritable desert.
There are plenty of other spots in my garden hosting nettle, alkanet, dandelion, the odd bramble – and other important plants for insects. But having denuded this patch of life so quickly, I wanted to restore its value to nature – and fast.
Food growing on a domestic scale requires land clearance, weeding, and even a bit of digging. Gardening is, fundamentally, a human intervention. But, done right, we can enhance natural habitats by tending to them – especially in an urban setting. The more uses we can put our garden to, the greater the diversity of species we can host.
Our Every Garden Matters report published earlier this year sets out the evidence for organic gardening methods in boosting biodiversity. When it comes to vegetable patches, there’s proof that well-managed plots have a similar soil biological quality to a forest, in part because of the use of organic mulches which enhance and protect the soil.
So, first, after picking out the bindweed, my weeds went into the compost bin to provide a rich mulch for later in the season. I then hastened to add a wide range of perennial and annual vegetables and flowers, and left a strip unweeded at each end of the bed.
I can’t claim to have done a controlled experiment, but my fervent hope is that it will result in a richer habitat than before.
Fiona Taylor Chief executive
Ryton gardener Jules Duncan suggests ways to fill the gaps created when you start
Ian Litton looks at some of the more environmentally-friendly options for
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Garden Organic brings together thousands of people who share a common belief – that organic growing is essential for a healthy and sustainable world.
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Cover Image: Scarlet tiger moth on calendula
Garden Organic, the working name of the Henry Doubleday Research Association, is a registered charity in England and Wales (number 298104) and in Scotland (SCO46767)
From 31 July 2024, the relationship between Garden Organic and Branded Garden Products to provide The Organic Gardening Catalogue will be ending.
Branded Garden Products will continue to operate The Organic Gardening Catalogue website and mail order service, and will honour the 10% discount for existing Garden Organic members until 30 September 2024. From 31 July, orders placed with the catalogue will not result in a donation to the charity.
“The Organic Gardening Catalogue was established as a partnership over 30 years ago to increase the availability of organic and sustainable gardening products,” said Garden Organic CEO Fiona Taylor. “Over that time there’s been a marked increase in companies developing products in keeping with organic gardening practices. We’re proud of the role our charity has played in this progress and are delighted to be working with a wide range of innovative partners to continue to promote organic growing.”
Chris Wright, CEO of Branded Garden
Products, commented: “We are hugely proud of the accomplishments of our partnership over the years and the work it has done to promote organic and sustainable gardening. The Organic Gardening Catalogue will continue to promote and encourage an organic approach to gardening, and we wish the Garden Organic charity all the very best in their future endeavours.”
We’re pleased to offer an exclusive discount to Garden Organic members with The Wildlife Community. With a wide range of sustainablyproduced wildlife habitats and feeds, plus plasticfree gardening essentials, The Wildlife Community is a fantastic resource.
Garden Organic members can benefit from an exclusive 10% discount on top of the 10% offered to Wildlife Community members. What’s more, all member orders will result in a donation to support Garden Organic’s work.
To claim your discount, sign up to join The Wildlife Community, then enter the code GOWW2024 at the checkout. We’ll share details of new partners and offers in our email newsletter and magazine in the coming months.
Through our Heritage Seed Library we’re helping to protect and conserve plant diversity and food security – but our conservation efforts are increasingly hampered by the rapidly changing weather conditions.
We urgently need to research the varieties we hold and understand their ability to withstand dramatic disruption to their growing conditions.
To support this work, we’re looking for people to become Variety Champions, coming alongside us with a regular donation to develop the Heritage Seed Library. For a minimum monthly donation of £25, Champions can protect their chosen variety and help our wider work to bring at risk veg back into the hands of growers.
If you’re interested in helping, find out more at gardenorganic.org.uk/varietychampion or call us on 024 7630 8210.
Our latest citizen science experiment explored whether amaranth could be a crop that helps us diversify in a changing climate. During 2023, 72 growers from Cornwall to the North of Scotland reported back on their experience of growing this leafy green.
Citizen scientists compared the performance and taste of three varieties of amaranth that have adapted to the UK climate. This crop has more commonly been grown as an ornamental called ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ in the UK, with only immigrant communities from Jamaica, India and Bangladesh growing it to eat.
Our study found the crop was very productive. At Ryton, we harvested more than a kilo of leafy material from a single cut in July, which then regrew to almost its original height in 10 days. On average, other growers harvested around a kilo of leaves – and in Lincolnshire one grower bagged 7.6kg!
Pests and diseases were few and far between, with slugs being the most common problem reported. Up to 91% of participants ranked the flavour of amaranth as neutral or pleasant, with ‘earthy’ being the most common characteristic.
Access to diverse seeds like these is a key strategy to ensure we’re able to continue to produce food in a more unpredictable climate.
To read the full write up go to gardenorganic.org.uk/ news/amaranth
We launched a research paper in March that showed small steps taken in the 520,000 hectares of gardens in the UK can play a major role in restoring lost wildlife. To read the full report or request a copy, go to gardenorganic.org.uk/every-garden-matters
During National Allotment Week (12-18 August), we’ll be sharing lots of advice if you’re just starting out on your allotment journey, or you’re a seasoned allotmenteer. This year, the National Allotment Society is highlighting the importance of biodiversity on your plot. Visit gardenorganic.org.uk/allotment-growing to find more tips or follow us on social media @GardenOrganicUK.
A Netherlands university has come up with a vegetable oil spray as an alternative to toxic chemicals. The product –inspired by the sticky-tipped hairs or ‘glandular trichomes’ on plants such as sundew – can be applied to leaves to catch small pests such as thrips without affecting larger insects such as bees.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped us reach our Big Give Green Match Fund target in April. Your generous donations will help our Heritage Seed Library continue its vital work conserving heritage vegetables and protecting plant diversity for future generations. If you would still like to donate, head to gardenorganic.org.uk/donate.
Warwick University Crop Centre celebrates 75 years of vegetable and crop research this year. The Crop Centre houses the genetic resources unit, which our founder Lawrence D. Hills persuaded Oxfam to fund at its outset 45 years ago.
Thank you to members who joined our AGM and Gardening Question Panel on 5 June. It’ll come as no surprise that gardening questions were dominated by slug management!
We apologise for confusing our high and low pH values in our How to Read Your Weeds article (spring issue 235). The line should have read: “you can add mushroom compost to create more alkaline (high pH) conditions”.
Do your garden bees prefer a mossy mansion or tin-can hotel? A new project by The Buzz Club – a citizen science group run by scientists at the University of Sussex – aims to find out with the launch of ‘The Big Bee Hotel Experiment’.
The project, which runs until September, is investigating what bees favour in solitary bee hotels and how to make them optimal for as many different bee species as possible. They hope the information will help conserve pollinators and protect them against threats such as climate change.
Find out more and register your bee hotel at thebuzzclub.uk/thebigbeehotelexperiment.
The latest research from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) suggests pairing earwigs with apple trees, and grapes with beans, could reap you a better harvest.
Its report shows earwigs are increasingly important as predators of woolly aphid in apple trees, and recommends adding earwig refuges or ‘wignests’ – a small box stuffed with straw – to branches.
In the vegetable plot, grapevines appear to be happier when underplanted with broad or field beans. The vegetables may boost soil phosphorous levels, helping vine leaves resist copper toxicity, as well as increasing the fermentation potential of the grapes.
We’re delighted our head of organic horticulture Chris Collins has been rewarded for his many years in horticulture with two fellowships.
Chris, who has worked at two Royal Botanic Gardens, Westminster Abbey and the BluePeter garden, has been awarded Fellowship of the City and Guild Institute, and Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.
“There’s no greater honour than the acknowledgement of your peers,” says Chris. “I’m humbled by these awards. Receiving both these fellowships is a profound moment for me and a culmination of 40 years in this amazing profession. Gardeners influence everything, from your high street to your state of mind. I will continue to take my work through Garden Organic to promote this incredible and often underrated subject of horticulture to anyone who is willing to listen.”
We’re looking forward to attending The Housing Community Summit on 9-10 September to share more about our Growing Buddies project.
This new project aims to support housing association tenants to take control of gardening and food growing in their shared community spaces.
Find out more about the project at: gardenorganic.org.uk/growing-buddies or email horticulture@gardenorganic.org.uk.
We’re currently on the look-out for new members to join our Board of Trustees, to oversee the direction and priorities of Garden Organic.
The role of a Trustee is varied, and as long as you are a Garden Organic member, there are no specific requirements to join the Board. Finance, legal and business experience would be particularly welcome at the moment.
Trustees are volunteers –although reasonable expenses are covered – and we endeavour to adapt expectations to meet people’s busy schedules and existing commitments.
If this is something that might interest you then please get in touch anytime between now and 4 September. We’d be happy to have an informal chat about the role, and answer any questions you might have. Contact Sharon Butler at sbutler@gardenorganic.org.uk.
Butterflies are beautiful – but as a key ‘indicator species’ they’re also brilliant at taking the pulse of nature.
Until August 4, you can take part in Butterfly Conservation’s ‘Big Butterfly Count’ to see how many butterflies and day-flying moths you can see in your growing space. You just need to spot them for 15 minutes and record them on the map via the free app or online at bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org.
The Big Butterfly Count is the largest citizen-science project of its kind and contributes to important scientific data collection. Sadly, long-term trends reveal that, since it started 13 years ago, many species have significantly decreased.
Go to gardenorganic.org.uk/flowers-for-wildlife for tips on what to grow in your garden to attract butterflies.
Despite topping the 20th Big Garden Birdwatch survey as the number one bird spotted in UK gardens, there’s been a “startling” decline in sparrow numbers since 1966, with 22 million lost from UK skies, says the RSPB.
Although an average of four house sparrows were spotted in every garden, the number recorded has declined by nearly 60% since the survey began in 1979.
This is due to a number of reasons, including air pollution and intensive agriculture, but also the fact they like rough, shrubby gardens to provide plenty of cover. Many modern gardens can be too tidy or minimalist, and houses also lack the cavities for nesting.
This year more than half a million people across the UK took part in the count, with more than nine million birds spotted.
As summer marches on, harvesting early crops can leave bare earth in the vegetable patch. Here, Ryton gardener Jules Duncan shares her favourite ways to fill the gaps
After months of sowing and harvesting, you could be forgiven for thinking the growing season is grinding to a halt. Once the seedsowing frenzy of spring is over, it can be easy to assume there’s little to grow – but that’s definitely not the case.
Whether you have gaps to fill, or you’ve just taken on a new garden or allotment, there are plenty of vegetables to sow now that you can enjoy before the first frosts. Not only will this provide you with nutrient-rich greens and a pop of colour, but it will also save you money buying shop-bought produce.
In fact, there are many benefits to sowing now: the soil is warm, light levels are good and there’s no danger of frost. For some crops, late sowing also helps when it comes to managing pests. Radishes, for example, are far less likely to be attacked by flea beetle when sown in July and August compared with spring-sown plants.
Use bare spaces where crops have already been harvested to sow quick-maturing crops direct, such as radishes and salads. It’s also an ideal time to slot a few speedy seeds between existing rows.
You may be able to succession sow many crops too. This means sowing another row as the first germinates to provide you with fresh pickings through later summer and into autumn. Recently vacated containers are also a great option. Consider the final size of the plant to ensure there’s enough room for the crop to mature if you’re not picking baby leaves. Plants in containers depend on you for their food, so give a weekly liquid feed, such as seaweed. Alternatively, if you’re lucky enough to be able to make your own comfrey ‘tea’, then that works wonders too. Head to gardenorganic.org.uk/ comfrey to find out how.
With temperatures still high, watering is important –particularly if you’re going away on holiday. Mulching around plants with well-rotted compost helps improve the moisture-retaining ability of your soil.
As you take a crop out, consider filling the gap with a green manure. Good ones to sow now include winter tares, crimson clover or mustard. These suppress weeds, shade the soil, improve the structure when dug in and can add nutrients. For containers, add large saucers or trays under pots, or watering bulbs to capture and conserve water. You could also try a simple irrigation system, which attaches to a water butt or outside tap, with a timer.
Good husbandry is crucial for young seedlings, so look out for aphid, slug and caterpillar attack. The birds’ spring feeding frenzy will have slowed now their young have fledged, so less will be eaten. However, you can also handpick slugs and caterpillars and pop them on the bird table. Create a balanced garden and you’ll encourage ladybird larvae, birds and hedgehogs that will all help mop up aphids, and more.
The protection of a greenhouse, cold frame or tunnel can help you extend your season even further.
• Succession-sow salad leaves and winter lettuce into spent compost used by your other crops, or try some baby carrots in larger containers.
• Continue to sow parsley and coriander.
• Potatoes can also be planted in bags or trugs for a Christmas crop.
Sow until the end of August, either directly in the ground or in a container and cover with a sprinkling of soil. Thin out the seedlings when they emerge. Most varieties will be ready to harvest in six weeks, when they are around 2cms across. Pickled radishes store well, adding a touch of summer spice to your dinner plate – even in the depths of winter.
Best varieties for summer sowing: French Breakfast, Long Scarlet.
Sow until late July. Sowing in blocks or double rows ensures the plants support each other. Push beans into the soil until they are covered by double their depth of soil. If you find you have a glut, dry the seeds and store in an airtight jar ready to be added to soups and stews throughout the winter. With dwarf French beans, it’s best to remove the pods from the plants to dry, as being so close to the ground can cause them to rot.
Best varieties for summer sowing: Cannellino, Faraday, Safari.
Always choose a summer variety that can withstand the heat. Sow in a shallow, moist drill, in between rows of taller veg, such as peas, or in a container. Cover with 1.5cm soil. Harvest after 10 weeks for a mature plant, but baby leaves will be much quicker.
Best varieties for summer sowing: Perpetual, Palco.
Herbs
Fast-growing annual herbs will grow quickly in the warm soil, and while you enjoy the leaves, their fragrant flowers have the added benefit of attracting insects. Later, their seeds will make lovely natural food for birds.
Best varieties for summer sowing: Dill, coriander, parsley.
Quick-growing greens, such as salad leaves, rocket, mizuna and pak choi, will survive well into the autumn provided you cover them with fleece or a cloche to prevent frost damage. Some are pretty enough for the border or containers, including red orache, mizuna –green and purple varieties – or speckled mustard leaves. Ensure the ground is weed-free and sow thinly in rows, covering with a thin layer of soil. Harvest individual leaves as needed, or cut lettuce heads with a knife so the root regrows for a second flush. It’s not too late to sow nasturtiums for edible flowers, leaves and seeds.
Best varieties for summer sowing: Red Orache, Mustard Giant Red, Tom Thumb. Our Heritage Seed Library lettuce Northern Queen can be sown as late as September.
With more battery-powered tools coming onto the market, Ian Litton sheds light on this technology to help gardeners make informed choices
My mower and other petrol tools are coming to the end of their lives, and I’m looking for more environmentally friendly replacements. Electric tools look like the answer, but with a big garden and allotment, mains-connected tools are out of the question for me. Battery tools capable of operating for long periods between charges are essential.
In this article, I look at the reasons for switching from petrol to battery, the factors to take into account when buying, and report on some tests I did to see if battery tools can really handle larger gardens and allotments.
Environment: Petrol garden tools produce noxious emissions, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter. The average petrol lawnmower produces 11 times as much pollution as a new petrol car, hour for hour. Two-stroke engines produce particularly high levels of VOCs and particulate matter, with up to 30% of the fuel being emitted as unburnt aerosols. There are no plans to ban petrol garden tools in the UK yet, but bans are being introduced in other countries. Battery tools produce no emissions.
Ease of use: Battery tools are easy to start. No need to struggle with a pull cord or clean dirty spark plugs. They’re easier to maintain, with fewer moving parts, no oil to change and no fuel spillages. They’re lighter weight, which makes hand-held tools less tiring to use. They’re also easier to transport, particularly with the batteries removed, which is a real advantage to allotment owners who don’t want to leave valuable machinery in their allotment sheds.
Safety: There’s no volatile fuel to worry about. However, it’s important not to damage lithium-ion batteries, as they can be a fire risk.
Cost of ownership: Service costs are lower. Professional servicing of an electric lawnmower, for example, is typically half that of a petrol lawnmower. The cost of the electricity to charge the batteries will be lower than the cost of petrol – especially with greener alkylate fuels.
Battery choice: Large gardens and allotments require powerful equipment with long run times. This is principally dictated by battery choice. There are two important factors – battery voltage (V) and amp hours (Ah).
Higher volts will deliver more power more efficiently, allowing a tool to work harder for longer. Garden equipment batteries are available at voltages anywhere between 20V and 56V. Some manufacturers pair their batteries to deliver even higher voltages.
Amp hours define how much charge a battery can hold. The higher the amp hours, the longer your tool will run for. A combination of higher volts and higher amp hours will give the best performance.
There are trade-offs, though. Larger capacity batteries are heavier, which may be a disadvantage with handheld tools. If you need maximum performance, look for manufacturers offering battery harnesses. These transfer the weight of the battery from the tool to a backpack.
Range of tools: Not all the batteries in a single manufacturer’s range will necessarily fit all the tools they sell. Think about the full range of tools you’ll need. You’ll save money if the batteries you buy fit all the tools you require. You will not be able to share batteries between tools that run on different voltages. However, don’t compromise on battery performance for the more demanding tools (typically lawnmowers and chainsaws).
Other design considerations: Although battery characteristics underpin performance, other design factors, such as deck and blade design on a lawnmower, will affect how long equipment will run on a single charge, and how well it will perform. The efficiency of the firmware that controls how the tools operate is also a factor. Tools should feel balanced and easy to use. Try before you buy if you can.
Recharge times: A high-capacity battery charger will reduce charging time. For example, Stihl’s AK30 battery takes 205 minutes to recharge with its 1.6A charger; 60 minutes with its 6.5A charger.
Dealer network: Make sure you have a dealer nearby, authorised to install firmware upgrades. Stiga claims that the efficiency of its battery lawnmowers has improved 30% over time, simply by applying firmware upgrades to existing machines.
Grazing rye green manure – before... ... and after
To see how battery tools might perform in practice, I trialled a lawnmower, hedge trimmer and leaf vacuum from Stiga. I was able to compare these with my existing petrol-driven equivalents, and the results are very encouraging. I didn’t carry out exhaustive comparative tests with tools from other manufacturers.
In all cases, being able to just press a button and go is a delight. There was ample power in all the tools to perform as well as their petrol equivalents. All the tools were quieter than petrol models.
I set the lawnmower the task of doing the first cut of the season on two friends’ lawns. The grass was long and damp, and I removed 14 full grass boxes (60 litres each). In total, I cut about 350m2 on a single charge. I think the stated range of 1,050m2 would be achievable with normal seasonal cutting. Using the side discharge, the mower
A healthy, well-balanced organic garden should have wild spaces that remain uncut to support wildlife and beneficial insects. If you have space, leave a no-mow area on your lawn for a few months, don’t tidy up every corner, and make sure you only cut hedges when nesting birds have left.
made light work of cutting down grazing rye green manure on my allotment. Mulching mode would be my choice for regular grass cutting. The mower was much lighter than my existing petrol mower and easier to load into the car to take to the allotment; no nasty smell of petrol either.
I could flip the mower over to clean the deck with no danger of fuel spillage.
The leaf sucker shredded leaves effectively, great for speeding up leafmould decay. It was much quieter than my two-stroke model, and so much easier to start.
I was impressed how the hedge trimmer tackled even quite thick holly branches. Battery life was excellent. I think I would run out of steam before the battery!
There are several good reasons for switching from petrol to battery tools. The range of tools available ensures there is something to suit all needs. My research has convinced me that battery technology has developed to a point where battery tools will perform every bit as well as their petrol equivalents, and are a practical alternative even for larger gardens and allotments.
Please note, Garden Organic does not specially endorse any of the products mentioned.
Light is trespassing into our nighttime gardens at an increasing rate. Alice Whitehead looks at its negative effect on wildlife and what you can do to help
Agarden under moonlight seems to detach itself from the ground. White flowers shine like moons, ponds become planets, and shrubs and trees are luminous constellations.
While our nighttime garden might seem like a parallel universe, there is, in fact, a finely-tuned natural cycle at work between dusk and dawn that plays an important role in a healthy garden ecosystem.
“Most of us experience our gardens in daylight hours, so we don’t think too much about what’s happening before sunrise, however, the nocturnal world is particularly important for plants and animals,” says Nick Dunn, professor of urban design and founding director of the Dark Design Lab at Lancaster University, which explores the impacts of nocturnal activity on humans and other species.
But this predictable rhythm of day and night is one that’s under threat. Sky-glow (the yellowy-white sheen visible over urban areas), reflected light, and artificial light from poorly implemented light sources are all subtly changing the behaviour of garden wildlife and plants.
And it’s getting worse. New research shows artificial light at night (ALAN) across the world is increasing by seven to 10% every year.
“Unfortunately, light pollution is increasing at a much faster rate than scientists predicted, with 83% of us now living under a light-polluted sky in the UK,” says Nick.
“It can come from a specific source – for example, powerful floodlights – but also ‘light trespass’, when unwanted light spills and leaks in from outside our garden.
“Darkness is vital to all living beings. This is because we all need the patterns of light and dark – circadian rhythms – to inform our biological clocks of when to be active and when to rest. A healthy garden should be one that allows life to flourish both in the daytime and at night.”
So, what takes place during this sundown symphony in our gardens, and how is it affected by light pollution?
While it’s easy to split 24 hours into day and night, things aren’t as clear cut for nature. There’s a peak of activity at dusk and dawn, but there are also many different night environments in between, with each insect and animal suited to, or triggered by, these varying conditions.
Crepuscular animals, such as squirrels and mice, are most active during twilight, as the sun dips. Nocturnal wildlife, such as moths, owls and bats, are guided by soft moonlight, while matutinal creatures, such as bees, are active just before sunrise.
“Light pollution can alter the way plants, animals and insects behave,” says Nick. “It can interfere with important feeding, mating, navigating and prey-predator relationships, and it’s contributed to a major decline in bird and insect populations.”
At dusk, some of the 2,500 UK species of moths yawn into flight from their day’s slumber. They’ll flit between flowers, using their large antennae to navigate and their acute sense of smell to find food.
Butterfly Conservation’s research shows moth caterpillar numbers under LED streetlights were 52% lower in hedgerows and 43% lower on grass verges. Moths use up valuable energy flying towards artificial light sources, which takes them away from food and makes them less likely to carry out usual behaviours. They also become more vulnerable to nocturnal predators, and excess light can interfere with visual cues that their caterpillars use to tell what season it is, which can lead them to develop in less-than-ideal conditions.
If moth populations are affected, it makes sense that bat and bird populations will be too. Common pipistrelles love to wheel in and out of gardens at head height, usually 20 minutes after sundown – but the Bat Conservation Trust says artificial lighting impacts bat roosts, access points and foraging pathways.
Similarly, migratory birds depend on cues from natural seasonal schedules, and light at the wrong times can make them migrate too early or too late, and off course. Garden birds can also suffer sleep deprivation because of the way they sing earlier and feed later in brighter environments. ›
Under flowers and foliage, the moonlit soil is also throbbing with life, as beetles, woodlice and worms get to work.
According to Buglife, the Invertebrate Conservation Trust, two-thirds of invertebrates are partially or wholly nocturnal, and even diurnal species (those active during the day) can be impacted by the loss of their night. Insects such as beetles can be disorientated by lights and glowworm populations can have their ability to glow reduced.
“The great thing is that we can all do our bit where light pollution is concerned,” says Nick. “After all, the living world carries on throughout the night and, in the long term, we want to enable biodiversity to flourish so we can also enjoy the benefits this gives us.”
Dark, moist cavities are a haven for frogs and toads, with patches of dense vegetation offering a banquet of worms, snails and slugs. Research shows artificial light can disturb the nighttime activities of toads during the breeding period, and alter behaviour.
Flowering plants don’t tuck themselves up and wait for sunrise either. Many need nighttime cues to trigger certain behaviours. Under the cover of darkness, plants have time to heal damage, and flowers open and close to attract different nighttime pollinators. Leaves may even rise and fall like the tide.
Scientists at Washington University discovered flowers such as petunias and honeysuckle release an enticing perfume after sunset to lure nocturnal insects. Internal ‘body clocks’ trigger the delivery of glucose, and a gene called LHY represses the flower’s scent production as it becomes lighter.
Another study suggests changes in light conditions may alter the nutritional value of plants, which can affect how well specific caterpillars develop.
For many years, a ‘diurnal bias’ among ecologists and conservationists for studying daytime wildlife has led many to overlook the impacts of artificial light at night. But it’s clear its effects are real and increasingly damaging – and felt beyond towns and cities.
“Light pollution impacts rural areas too,” says Nick. “In fact, artificial light can travel much greater distances in the countryside and along the coast, as there are fewer obstacles to prevent its path.”
Unlike other forms of pollution, however, you have the power – at the flick of a switch – to make a difference.
So, if you want to really soak up this often-forgotten time in your garden, softly draw your curtains and turn off porch lights. As the day kisses night, all those garden to-dos will melt into the darkness – and you can sit back and fully appreciate the nighttime performance.
1 Be mindful to turn off interior lights when you’re in the garden, or draw the curtains.
2 Go for the lowest light level necessary, and make sure any garden light is useful and has a clear purpose.
3 Light should be targeted to where it’s needed. Use shielding and direct the light beam downward, so it does not spill beyond where it’s needed or cause glare.
4 Use timers and motion detectors to ensure light is available when you want it, but dimmed or turned off when you don’t.
5 LEDs can reduce energy use, but ensure they are warmcoloured bulbs, rather than shorter wavelength, blueviolet light. Blue light has been shown to have a larger geographical reach. DarkSky recommends low-pressure sodium, high-pressure sodium and low-CCT LEDs.
6 Implement natural screening. Add pergolas, trellis or hedges to contain and minimise the glare from garden lighting.
7 Write to your council if you’d like to tackle light pollution from streetlights and local industry in your community.
Nick Dunn is the director of DarkSky UK, which focuses on developing a sustainable relationship between the built environment and the night. Find out more at darksky.uk
Our head of organic horticulture, Chris Collins, shows how you can put into practice the advice from our Every Garden Matters report by creating a myriad of wildlife habitats
Gardens provide a bridge between the countryside and the urban landscape – and linked together form one of the best habitats for wildlife. Inside the garden boundary, you can also create habitats within habitats to bring your growing space to life.
Figures show global wildlife populations have plummeted by 69% on average since 1970, with the main drivers being human use of land and climate change. In the face of this international emergency, biodiversity loss can feel insurmountable.
But in our Every Garden Matters research paper, we showed small actions such as composting, recycling, saving seeds – and creating habitats such as ponds, wood/leaf piles, banks and hedges – can have a positive impact.
The easiest way to create habitats in your garden is simply to start planting. The creatures that share your growing space are incredibly resilient, but to really allow them to thrive they need a diverse garden with lots of different flowers, seedheads, shrubs and trees – full of places to hide, shelter and nest. A mixed border or container planted with things that
flower or fruit at different times of year is key for food sources. Try a strawberry tree and hellebores in early spring, lavender and sages in early summer, and sedums in the autumn. Native hedges, made from holly, hawthorn, beech or dogwood, are a lifeline in winter for berries and protection from the weather and predators. Think about the garden in layers. Shrubs such as guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) – brilliant for birdlife – can be underplanted with flowering perennials to support pollinators and provide groundcover for invertebrates. This will be vital support for habitats within the soil too. Plants will aerate with their roots, allowing the passage of water and supply minerals through fallen leaves.
A wigwam of twigs offers a home to centipedes and earwigs, which act as predators and recyclers. Beneficial pollinators such as hoverflies, which consume aphids, also rely on deadwood.
Ponds and bog gardens will be loved by frogs, toads, newts and important predators such as dragonfly larvae. Scented plants such as native honeysuckle, evening primrose and Michaelmas daisy will attract bats. They also love sweeping the tops of trees for flying insects and scavenging in open compost bins: another great reason to start recycling your kitchen and garden waste. Nocturnal wildlife is easy
to overlook, but bats and hedgehogs are hugely important in a balanced ecosystem, controlling insect populations and keeping slugs in check. Pop a hole in your fence and you’ll allow hedgehogs to navigate your garden and set up home.
A German study, included in our Every Garden Matters research paper, showed without gardens the ability of hedgehogs to get around the landscape would decrease by 75%, and the area of habitat where they would live would decrease by 63%.
I’ve shared some of my favourite homemade habitats for wildlife. You don’t need a lot of space for these, but they will have a big impact on your garden, which will soon be singing with fauna of all shapes and sizes.
Use untreated, rough sawn wood, at least 20mm thick, to create a back plate, roof, sides, front panel and a floor with a 20mm gap at the back. This gap prevents birds nesting. If possible, try to have more than one internal compartment. Hang the box three metres above the ground, either on a tree or the eaves of your property (preferably near a water source), and site in a southeast or west aspect. This means it’s exposed to the sun for part of the day.
Some species of hoverfly like to lay eggs in stagnant water, which is rich in organic matter. Use a pot without drainage holes – you could get children to decorate it – and half fill with water. Add dead leaves and some garden soil. Place a few twigs inside, with the ends sticking out so the hoverfly larvae can climb out. Sink into the ground near your plants.
Delightfully named ‘rot holes’ provide a micro habitat for a wide range of insects – they are almost a mini universe! Occurring naturally in nature in the boughs of snapped tree branches or decaying wood, they are home to millipedes, centipedes, earwigs and many more small life forms, and a food source for birds.
Take your time to find a decent piece of wood. It needs to be concave and at least 10cm in depth and width. Once you’ve spotted one with a decent rot hole, cut out the hole for use in your own garden (always get permission from the landowner first). I’ve got a few from tree surgeons over the years when they’ve been pruning. You can also create your own from a piece of thick timber, the older the better. Carve the hole with a saw or chisel and aim to make it look as natural as possible. Rot holes are best placed next to a bog garden or pond, surrounded by planting.
A bog garden can be created in a large container or a small area of open ground, in full sun or dappled shade. If you’re building it in open ground, dig out the soil to about 30cm deep and put the soil to one side. Add a layer of sand, a couple of centimetres thick, to the base of the hole.
Over this, place butyl liner or a sheet of plastic, and pierce holes in it. Back fill with soil. Add rocks, stones and plants such as marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris), water forget-me-nots (Myosotis scorpiodes), umbrella plant (Darmera peltate), Astilbe sp. and Ligularia sp. These will give shelter to insect life, which, in turn, will provide food for amphibians.
For a copy of our Every Garden Matters report, visit gardenorganic.org.uk/every-garden-matters or call 024 7630 8210.
7 ways to boost biodiversity in your garden
1
Feed the soil – and its microbes, fungi, bacteria and worms – by sowing green manures and applying organic mulches. This enhances nutrients, protects the soil, decreases run-off and reduces the density of pests and diseases.
2
The greater range of plants (flowers, vegetables, grasses, shrubs, trees) – both native and non-native – that you can pack into your garden, the better for wildlife density and soil health.
3
Choose a range of plants that flower across 12 months to provide prolonged pollen and nectar for beneficial insects.
Make ponds (even a trug will do), wood/leaf piles, banks and plant hedges to provide lots of different types of shelter for insects, birds and small mammals.
4 5 7
Pesticides and weedkillers destroy and pollute. Practice early intervention and good hygiene, and create a healthy ecosystem by tolerating some weeds, using eco barriers on crops and nurturing soil to give plants the best start.
Imitate the recycling of nutrients in nature by composting greens (plant materials/veg scraps) and browns (paper/woody prunings). Use this nutrient-rich mix as a soil conditioner or wait a bit longer and use as part of your potting mix.
Our head of organic horticulture
Chris Collins chats to Nick Hamilton, author, TV presenter and son of organic gardening legend Geoff Hamilton. Nick took over Barnsdale Gardens from his father and opened it to the public in 1997. He is a keen supporter and trustee of Garden Organic and is involved with the Hamilton Foundation with his stepmother Lynda
Chris Collins (CC): Your dad, Geoff, was a pioneer in organic gardening. What was it like growing up in a family where gardening was such a passion? Were you gardening as soon as you could walk?
Nick Hamilton (NH): Not quite. My dad was a selfemployed landscaper, working primarily in north London and south Hertfordshire. But, when I was nine, we moved to Kettering and he bought a derelict garden centre; we got a semi-detached house with a garden, where I could have a little vegetable plot. The garden we had in Hertfordshire wasn’t really big enough for that. And that was it: after school and at weekends I was always at the garden centre. Dad was very encouraging, but never pushy. I’ve got two brothers, one older and one younger, and he encouraged us to do whatever we wanted to do and never said: “I’m a well-known gardener, somebody must go into
gardening”. Right from a young age, he saw the interest and encouraged me.
CC: We’re at the centre of a trend in a way – everybody is suddenly talking about organic, recycling and the environment. Have you seen the trade change much over the time you’ve been involved?
NH: Yes, absolutely. I think more so with the amateur gardener. People view it [organic gardening] as less out on a limb as they thought it was. People are also more accepting that everything doesn’t have to be perfect, which has had an effect on the commercial side, where there is less reliance on chemicals.
I think a lot of it has also been driven by the culinary side. You’re getting younger people growing herbs to use in their cooking, and maybe one or two vegetables in containers or on a balcony. They don’t want chemicals on what they’re growing.
CC: You did some time in the wholesale nursery industry and went back to work with your dad. What prompted that decision?
NH: It was the best thing I ever did. I was in between jobs and I suppose I was ready to do something. I don’t think he was quite ready, so it took a bit of gentle arm twisting when the opportunity came up to buy a piece of land at the end of the gardens there. It was a perfect place, as it turns out, to set up a business. We had a fantastic relationship in the seven years that I worked with him before he passed away.
CC: His passing must have been a really sad time. And suddenly you had the responsibility of Barnsdale. Was that difficult at first?
NH: Yes, very difficult. It wasn’t self-financing when he passed away, so it couldn’t support itself. My dad left me the garden but absolutely no money, so we worked very
hard with very little through that first winter. I knew that the only way to keep the garden going was to open it to the public, and that’s what we did.
We opened in April 1997. But it was a really tough time, those first six months.
CC: So you had to deal with the grief of your father passing, and then turn the garden into a business?
NH: I’ve never really looked upon myself as a businessman. I had to hit the ground running with no experience of running a business. And I’m still running, I’m still learning. I’m a much better businessman now than I was then. I wish I knew then what I know now.
My dad’s legacy wasn’t the garden. His real legacy was the millions of people he inspired to get out there and garden. That’s passed on to children and grandchildren, and he will always be embedded in that history. If he came back today, he probably wouldn’t recognise two thirds of Barnsdale. I don’t have any problem with people referring to me as the son of Geoff Hamilton. I’m very proud of that, but I also plough my own furrow.
CC: Paint us a picture of Barnsdale. How does it make you feel?
NH: To me, it’s paradise. It’s set in Rutland, which is a beautiful county, and it’s very rural. We’ve got such lovely people visiting – our friends of Barnsdale – some have been coming for years and they’re proper friends now. I’m 62, so it’s harder to leap out of bed, but I still love to get out and work in this beautiful environment, and that is such a great feeling.
This is an excerpt from an interview with Nick Hamilton for the May 2024 episode of our podcast. To listen to the full interview, visit gardenorganic.org.uk/podcast. Alternatively, search TheOrganicGardeningPodcast on any podcast distribution site.
by:
We love to hear from you. Send an email to editor@gardenorganic.org.uk or write to The Editor, Garden Organic, Ryton Gardens, Wolston Lane, Coventry, CV8 3LG
Gardeners from across the UK share their triumphs, tips and gardening memories
I completely lost my leek crop in 2021 and my onion crop grown from sets in 2022. The leeks were fully grown while the onions were quite small. Since then, I have covered alliums for their whole growing cycle and have had no problems. I bought extra fine, white mesh for this purpose, although an older slightly wider mesh seems to have worked as well. Sadly, this means that we have large parts of the garden covered in white plastic mesh for long periods but the alternative seems to be no crops.
P. Taylor, West Yorkshire
We’re currently trying a plastic-free insect mesh from Andermatt Home & Garden. Hopefully it will be a good option for growers keen to cut down the amount of plastic they’re using.
We have grown organically in our garden in Huddersfield for more than 20 years and for 20 years or more before that on an allotment in Leeds. We have always grown excellent leeks of many different varieties.
That is until winter 2022-23 when our leeks became brown, the greens withered and most of the plant became inedible. We thought this a temporary state of affairs and planted a bed full last spring/summer. By the autumn they were inedible. Research identified them as infested with allium leaf miner. We dug them up and put them in our council garden waste bin.
I am very upset about this as we always grew such good leeks.
A. Thomas, West Yorkshire
The Organic Answers section on onion white rot (issue 236) does not mention the option of clearing the ground of sclerotia. In my rotation, onions follow beans, so when I am planting the beans, I water the bed with garlic juice. The theory is that the sclerotia ‘smell’ onion, germinate and then starve to death, since there is no live allium material for them to infect.
T. Harberd, Leeds
I have had this disease in my garden for many years but continue to grow onions successfully. I have a five-year rotation using beds in pairs. Thus by taking note of which bed the onions were grown in, I can have a 10-year gap before onions are grown in the same place again.
I grow ‘Golden Bear’ from seed starting them off in plugs using Melcourt’s SylvaGrow Organic compost. I have tried ‘Santero’ with some good results and am trying ‘Bonus’ seed as well this year.
Once planted outdoors, if young plants begin to show signs of disease (yellowing leaves) I pull them gently; if they come out of the soil easily the roots usually have signs of white rot so I remove them with a scoop of the soil and dispose of it safely. I never put onion waste on the compost.
W. Agnew, Hampshire
Please pass on my support to Tim Lang for his article in the spring issue (issue 236). As someone who works in the residential letting sector, I am only too aware of Britain’s housing crisis and the need for more affordable homes. I am still staggered by the amount of new housing being built on floodplains and fertile agricultural grade land. My concern at the lack of food resilience has grown steadily and I am desperate for there to be more debate about this. Regional horticulture and food resilience strategies are a great idea, so long as the results are seen in action on the ground (literally!)
N. Rooke, Fife
I am a 92-year-old who has been growing vegetables since World War II, when I was about 10. People say I look about 70 years old but it’s all down to what you eat. I am allergic to all dairy and eggs. I don’t eat meat as I feel there are too many chemicals in it, so have lived on what they now call a vegan diet all my life.
A. Colby
Thanks for sharing this great story. A copy of Rob Smith’s new book, Grow to Eat is on its way to you!
Tim Lang’s article on Rewilding (issue 235) suggested that Isabella Tree and the Knepp Estate chose to ‘jump off the treadmill’ and allow Knepp to rewild. In fact Knepp Estate was about to go bankrupt – there was very little choice. In his quest to ensure that Britain produces enough food, Mr Lang is overlooking the fact that Knepp is on very poor agricultural land. Ms Tree’s book Wilding does not suggest that all of Britain should be allowed to revert to nature: prime agricultural land must always be used for crops, but other areas of land, which only produce poor yields, should be considered for the very real benefits that rewilding can bring.
A. Syson,
Midlothian
Hats off to Professor Tim Lang for his excellent article bringing some common sense into this important but often oversimplified debate.
While helping to manage a four-acre historic churchyard, this topic was an increasing conversation starter with volunteers and churchyard visitors. But it was another study that became our inspiration and developed our thinking regarding sustainable management of the space, The Great Dixter Biodiversity Audit 2017-2019. This study dispelled the myth that greatest biodiversity must be found in less intensively managed woodlands and meadows – one of the most significant findings being the presence of most diversity in the garden areas. Thus, head gardener Fergus Garrett and his team have brought biodiversity conservation into modern day horticulture by creating a garden nature reserve – something that hopefully as organic gardeners we can all aspire to.
L. Hodson, Warwickshire
ANTON ROSENFELD
Research manager
“There has been ongoing debate about which feeds are best”
Dr Anton Rosenfeld analyses whether nettle or comfrey leaves produce a better liquid feed and gives some recommendations for making homemade fertiliser
It was 75 years ago that our founder, Lawrence D. Hills, first started working on comfrey. His work showed it was possible to produce a viable, cost-effective liquid feed, with low ecological impact, using comfrey leaves.
Since then, there’s been an ongoing debate about which feeds are best for which purpose.
Many experts have suggested comfrey liquid feeds are high in potash, so are suitable for tomato crops, while nettle feeds are high in nitrogen, so are suitable for rapidgrowing leafy crops.
However, there have been no studies where direct comparisons of comfrey and nettle feeds grown at the same site, under similar conditions, were made to back this up. So we set up our own experiment.
The aims of this study were to make a direct comparison between comfrey and nettle feeds grown under similar conditions, and to obtain a better idea of the variation that we might expect from comfrey and nettle feeds grown at different sites.
At each site, the comfrey and nettles were grown under similar conditions so we could make a direct comparison.
We asked people to record how they prepared their samples, and we considered any differences in dilution.
Our study found differences between comfrey and nettle feed grown at the same site – but these differences were quite small. The important finding was that, on average, both feeds have a composition that makes a good feed for plants, including tomatoes.
All the feeds presented in table one were made by steeping the plants in water to make a feed that’s ready to use without further dilution. We also received a few samples made by compressing the leaves, but these were very variable, so we cannot draw conclusions from those samples.
Our results showed:
• Nettles had significantly more nitrogen than comfrey. Nitrogen is important for leafy growth.
• Comfrey had slightly more potash than nettles, but the differences were small
TABLE ONE
* The interquartile range is presented here to exclude outliers, so 50% of the results fell within this range
TWO
and were not significant. Tomato feeds often contain high amounts of potash as it’s important for fruit development and flavour.
• Nettles had significantly more phosphate than comfrey, which is important for root development.
Lawrence undertook many experiments, comparing the yields of crops treated with compost, comfrey leaves and manures. He also prepared comfrey liquid feeds, which he sent off to be analysed. This was expensive at the time, so the number of samples were quite limited. Back then, there weren’t the resources to compare comfrey liquid prepared at different sites or compare it with liquid feeds made from nettles.
Table two shows the results obtained by Lawrence, with the values from a typical tomato feed. It shows the comfrey feed had a
high potash content very similar to a typical modern-day tomato feed. It’s believed comfrey is very good at extracting potash from soils, especially clay soils, which have a high content of this mineral.
The results we obtained were similar to Lawrence’s, but also demonstrated there’s considerable variation in the nutrient content between plants grown at different sites.
From a practical point of view, the study allows us to make recommendations for making plant feeds at home. The concentration of nutrients in the homemade liquid feeds were similar to commercial feeds when mixed for use, so comfrey or nettle liquid prepared with water doesn’t need further dilution.
The nettle feeds also had a similar composition to the comfrey feeds, and were high in potash, so would
also make a good tomato feed. This is contrary to some garden advice.
Variability of the plant feeds can be caused by many factors, specifically soil conditions and age of plant leaves. To maximise the nutrient concentration of your feed, use younger leaves. It’s also recommended that you feed your comfrey plants if you regularly take harvests.
Both comfrey and nettle feeds are high in potash, so make a good feed for tomatoes if used in the ways directed. We think the suitability of nettles as a tomato feed has been underplayed. So while comfrey remains an excellent tomato feed, and an excellent source of pollen and nectar for bees, if you only have a patch of nettles on your site, we would not hesitate to use it as a liquid feed for tomatoes.
Thanks to the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience for carrying out the analysis on our behalf.
Head Gardener at Garden Organic
“If a plant needs more water than we can give, we admit defeat and find something more suitable. I’m happy to say we haven’t yet encountered that problem this year”
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Emma O’Neill looks at the ways we’re managing and collecting water in the demonstration garden – and our continuing work to boost biodiversity
I’m delighted the garden not only survived a very wet start to the year, but is thriving. In March, we only recorded three dry days and the rain just didn’t stop coming. Thankfully, that’s now a distant memory.
The wet weather did give us pause for thought, however, in particular about what we’re going to do if this is to become our new normal.
We experienced flooding in several areas of the garden over winter and spring. Although we’d created a second pond in the ornamental area, the runoff into it from our beds created a lot of blanket weed because of the high nitrogen content. We’ve installed a small solar bubble pump to move the water around and help manage this weed.
In addition, we’ve created a new rain garden where excess water from one of our roofs is now directed. The purpose is to keep this water on our site and not lose it down the drain. My colleague researched the right plants that could tolerate wet and drought conditions before constructing the area. This is very much trial and error and we’ll be learning on the job as to which plants truly thrive in these changeable conditions, such as marsh cranesbill (Geranium palustre), devil’s bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) and cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis).
During the summer, we’ve traditionally spent a lot of our time watering, particularly in our container garden. Like a lot of gardeners, we haven’t always had enough storage to be able to use only rainwater and had to resort to mains water. We’re trying hard to change this practice. Some of the steps we’ve taken include painting our black containers a lightblue colour to help reflect the heat. We have three olla pots planted in our legume patch, and have installed a drip irrigation system on a timer. We’ve also purchased some very large saucers to capture water and plant-watering globes for those containers not on the irrigation system.
All these methods are helping to keep
Flowers between rows of veg at Ryton
our plants well watered. But the best way of all is to ensure that you have the ‘right plant for the right place’, something we continually review. If a plant needs more water than we can give, we admit defeat and find something more suitable. I’m happy to say we haven’t yet encountered that problem this year.
Finally, I couldn’t write about the garden without mentioning our Every Garden Matters research paper, launched in the spring, and how we’re striving to practise what we preach in every area. The key message is diversity; we’re great believers in having vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers in synergy with each other. We’ve planted rows of flowers next to every row of vegetables to maximise our impact and attract as many pollinators into the garden as possible. We also took stock of what native plants we have available – I’m pleased to report we have quite a few, including dog rose, honeysuckle, cornflower, columbine and ox-eye daisy among others.
We continue to leave log piles, bug hotels and leaves around the garden along with bird boxes and feeders, but it’s soil health that starts a successful garden. Every time we harvest a crop and are not planning a successional sow, we sow a green manure.
While spring is the optimum time to mulch, because of time constraints we mulch our beds in the autumn with our own compost where possible, and dig in the green manures in spring.
I hope your gardening year is a success and you’re enjoying the fruits of your labour.
I’m off to catch a few rays before I get back to my garden job list!
Even the smallest of growing spaces can help biodiversity thrive.
You’ll need:
• A raised bed, or 1m x 1m area of ground
• Broken terracotta pots or sticks, rolled up newspaper, and old compost
• String or canes
• Materials such as seedheads, cones, hollow stems, logs, etc
• Shallow dish and stones
• Native or near-native plants and wildflower seeds
Method:
1. Create a 1m2 area in your garden or as a raised bed. Add a base if you’re planting on a patio.
2. If you’re using a raised bed, line your bed halfway with the crocks, sticks, scrunched up newspaper, old compost and other plant materials (similar to the Hügelkultur method). As this decomposes, it will release nutrients and improve drainage so your plants don’t get waterlogged, and means you use less compost. Top up your bed with homemade compost mixed with a bit of grit, and good-quality, bagged, peat-free compost.
3. Add string or canes to create your nine mini squares and fill each one with your choice of habitats and plants. We’ve included:
• A shallow water dish surrounded by pebbles for bees, butterflies and birds to bathe and drink.
• Nesting materials for birds and insects.
• A small log pile for sheltering invertebrates.
• Weeds such as nettle (Urtica dioica) and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
• British natives such as bugle (Ajuga reptans), columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), primrose (Primula vulgaris) and violas (Violaceae).
• Wildflower seeds.
4. Water plants in dry spells. The bug hotel and log pile will gradually decompose so replenish materials as required. Divide, or remove and compost, any plants that get too big for the space. Deadhead dandelions after flowering, so they don’t set seed. The wildflowers may need to resown after a few years.
No harmful pesticides or synthetic chemicals are used to make organic wine. Better for our soils, waterways, biodiversity and vineyard workers too.
Organic wine is made to cleaner standards This means you can worry less about pesticide residues, additives and often less sulphites.
Healthy organic grapes have balanced sugars, acids and tannins. It’s why organic wines have excellent, authentic flavours and aromas.
Choosing organic wine supports the organic movement and creates healthier jobs for winemakers, farmers and people who conserve the countryside.
Greenwashing? No thanks! Certified organic wine is made using a verifiable process with inspections Remember to look for the organic symbols.
Cheers to thinking and drinking organic!
Legacies are extremely important to Garden Organic. All gifts, no matter how small, have a significant impact on the work we can achieve and the people we are able to reach.
Garden Organic stands as a lasting tribute not only to the work and vision of our founder, Lawrence D. Hills, but to all those who have contributed to that vision.
If you are considering leaving a gift to Garden Organic in your will, or would like further information, please email fundraising@gardenorganic.org.uk or complete and return the form below.
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Something puzzling you? Drop us a line and our experts will try to help...
Problem 1
Q Last year, some of my harvested potatoes, variety ‘Nicola’, seemed to be good but when cooked they were soft and did not taste nice. The texture was strange, they were ‘glassy’, but not translucent, and certainly not firm as salad potatoes usually are. Is this a new disease?
W Agnew, Hampshire
Problem 2
Q Last season, one of my ‘Desiree’ potatoes was conspicuously light at harvest. When cut open there was a long, large hollow inside the tuber. Is this ‘hollow heart’?
J. Perry, Nottinghamshire
A Both these problems are physiological conditions (i.e. no pest or disease involved) and the result of the rather extreme weather conditions we’ve been experiencing.
‘Glassiness’ occurs when starch grains inside the tuber decompose as sugars are moved from the oldest tubers to the developing younger ones. This often happens after a period of heavy rain, followed by a short, intense dry spell, just as the haulms (stems) are dying down. Tubers with glassiness often taste unpleasant and may liquify internally due to infection by secondary rots.
Hollow heart occurs when tubers grow rapidly after a period of slow growth – when a dry spell is followed by a period of heavy rain, for example.
To help mitigate the problems, make sure your soil is adequately drained, but rich in moisture-holding organic matter.
Q My border of lavender ‘Hidcote’ attracted lots of insects last summer. Could I extend its flowering period by giving some of the bushes the ‘Chelsea chop’?
J. Finney, Shropshire
A The ‘Chelsea chop’ is an excellent way of extending the flowering period of a range of perennials. Simply cut back (by half) some, or all, of the shoots on a plant. These pruned shoots will regrow, and flower a few weeks later. The technique is named after the Chelsea Flower Show, which takes place in late May – just the time to execute the chop.
Asters, rudbeckias, penstemons and nepeta are some other plants that respond to this technique –but not all do, so check before you chop.
The ‘Hampton hack’ is a similar technique, used on early flowering perennials, such as lupins and delphiniums, after they have flowered. Cut plants down with shears in early July to encourage a second flush of flowers. Again, check on your particular species before you chop.
Q Some plots on our allotment have been contaminated with manure containing herbicide. If we grow green manure in these areas, will it aid or hinder (or make no difference) to the breakdown of the herbicide in the soil?
J. Foster, West Midlands
A Growing green manures may help improve the biological life of the soil, slightly speeding up the breakdown. It certainly won’t slow down the process, and it will improve your soil while you’re waiting.
Leguminous green manures, such as clovers, are particularly sensitive to the contaminant herbicides (usually clopyralid or aminopyralid), so grow other species, such as grazing rye or mustard. You might want to sow some field beans at a later stage as they’re a good indicator. If they look OK, with no twisted, distorted growth, then chances are the levels of herbicide in the soil are low enough not to be a problem.
Q I have managed my garden organically for 25 years. Today, I was horrified to find that my new gardener has sprayed Roundup all over my garden. Can you please help me – what should I do?
G. Falshaw
A Fortunately, your well-managed soil will be able to cope with the effects of glyphosate better than one that has been repeatedly sprayed. Your soil will suffer some loss of microorganisms for a while, but these should recover given time, especially with applications of garden compost and/or green manure if possible wherever the product was used. Cultivating the sprayed soil will also help it break down. Don’t compost any of the sprayed weeds.
Q Why are my courgettes producing only male flowers? One is in a pot, the other in a bed, no sign of a female flower on either.
E. Roberts, Nottinghamshire
A This is a common occurrence at the start of the courgette season when the plants naturally tend to produce only male flowers. Cool, dull conditions can also delay the production of the female flowers. Sadly, the only answer is to wait!
Q My pond is very popular with local frogs during the breeding season. The young frogs have started to leave the pond and there are dozens of them hiding in the grass so I can’t mow without harming them. Any idea how long they are likely to stay?
C. Cheetham, Derbyshire
A The number of froglets will soon diminish as they are eaten by other creatures, or move to safer locations.
Speed up this process by using a ‘St Andrew’s switch’ – a flexible bamboo or willow pole at least 2.8m/9ft long, which you swish lightly over the lawn, just low enough to shake the dew from the grass. This should encourage the froglets to leave the area. If the lawn is large, you may have to stop the mower and repeat this several times, as it only works for a fairly small patch at a time.
Q I have a lot of saved runner bean seeds from last year. Can they be cooked and eaten like other pulses?
P. Fryer, Devon
A The black and purple coloration of runner bean seeds (Phaseolus coccineus) tends to make people wary of eating them, but they can be cooked and eaten in the same way as other dried beans, which are usually seed of French beans (Phaseolusvulgaris). If this is the first time you have cooked home-saved beans, be aware they may cook more quickly than shop-bought beans.
l Eastern
LOCAL GROUPS
ActivLives (Ipswich)
Braintree Organic Gardening Club
The following listings show the local groups, projects and partner gardens available for you to connect with across the country
HSL VARIETIES: These gardens are currently growing Heritage Seed Library vegetable varieties.
MEMBERS DISCOUNT: Garden Organic members can get free, or reduced entry to partner gardens. Offers may not apply on event days. Please check with specific garden before visiting.
COMPOST DEMO SITE: Visit these locations to see different composting methods in action.
Although every effort is made to keep details up to date, Garden Organic cannot be held responsible for any changes to visitor access.
North London Organic Gardeners
Omved Gardens
Our Yard at Clitterhouse Farm
Southlands Road Allotments & Gardens
Association
Stone Lodge School
GARDENS
Lincolnshire Organic Gardeners Organisation
Norfolk Organic Group
Nottingham Organic Gardeners
Old Hall Community
Suffolk Organic Gardeners
GARDENS
ESCAPE Allotment and Discovery Garden
Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden
Community Garden
Grapes Hill Community Garden
Norfolk County Hall
Normanby Hall Country Park
PROJECTS
Edible Playgrounds
Norfolk Master Composters
Suffolk Master Composters
l London
LOCAL GROUPS
Barn Hill Conservation Group
Hackney Allotment Society
Kidbrooke Park Allotment Association
Down House
Hampton Court Palace
Kenwood House
PROJECTS
East London Community Composting
l Midlands
LOCAL GROUPS
Allesley Park Walled Garden Group
Arkwright Meadows Community
Canon Frome Cooperative
Castle Bromwich Historic Garden
Chesterton Wellbeing Group
CIO
Heart of England Organic Group
Martineau Gardens
Mucknell Abbey
Organic Farmers & Growers CIC
Revel Garden Club
Serpentine Community Garden Society
Shropshire Organic Gardeners
Street Allotment Project
Transition Crich
Transition Telford
GARDENS
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Boscobel House
Coventry University Estates
EcoPark Small Heath
Kenilworth Castle
Moors Meadow Garden
Ryton Organic Gardens
Stokes Wood Allotments, Leicester
Team SpringBoard Community Garden
Warwick University Estates
The Cut Visitor Centre, Shropshire
Wildlife Trust
PROJECTS
Children in Need – working with Young Carers
Edible Playgrounds
Let’s Waste Less Worcestershire
Leicestershire Master Composters
Shropshire Master Composters
l North East
LOCAL GROUPS
Brunswick Organic Nursery
Durham Organic Gardeners Association
East Co. Durham Group
Springvale Community Garden
Stannington Gardening Club
West Yorkshire Organic Group
GARDENS
Comfrey Project, Gateshead
Ripon Museum Workhouse Garden
Yorkshire Arboretum
PROJECTS
North East Master Composters
l North West
LOCAL GROUPS
Brighton Grove Allotment Association
East Cheshire Organic Group
Fordhall Community Land Initiative
Growing Well, Kendal
Holehird Gardens
Incredible Edible Todmorden
Let’s Grow Preston
Manchester Organic Gardeners
Olinda Community Gardens
Organic Farmers & Growers CIC
GARDENS
Alpacaly Community Garden
Brantwood
Ford Park, Ulverston
Gosling Sike
Millom Network Centre
Mount Pleasant Gardens
Ordsall Hall
The Milntown Gardens
PROJECTS
Cumberland Master Composters
West Morland & Furness Master Composters
l South East
LOCAL GROUPS
Barracks Lane Community Garden
Bishop’s Waltham Gardening Club
Brighton and Hove Organic Gardening Group
Haddenham Horticultural Society
Henley Allotments Association
Horsham Organic Gardeners Society
Letchworth Organic Gardeners
Marygold Growers
North Oxfordshire Organic Gardeners
Our Yard at Clitterhouse Farm
Redley Housing
South East Essex Organic Gardeners
Surrey Organic Gardening Group
The Romsey Organic Gardeners Group
Uffington Community Garden
Wantage Gardeners’ Association
GARDENS
Audley End House & Gardens
Hampton Court
Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons
Polesden Lacey National Trust
Sussex Prairie Garden
Walmer Castle
West Dean Gardens
PROJECTS
Buckinghamshire Wider Waste Volunteers
l South West
LOCAL GROUPS
Avon Organic Group
Bath Organic Group
Beech Hill Community
Down to Earth Stroud CIC
Exeter Growers’ Cooperative
Gloucestershire Organic Gardening Group
Grow 4 Good South West
Horton Farm, Bradford
Penwith Organic Gardeners & Growers
Plot 35, Devizes
The Chalice Well Trust
Torridge Growing Together
GARDENS
Bisley Community Composting Site
Clovelly Court Garden
Highgrove Gardens
Lost Gardens of Heligan
Osborne House
The Riverford Field Kitchen
Yeo Valley Organic Garden
PROJECTS
Gloucestershire Master Composters
North Somerset Master Composters
The Greening Campaign (Hampshire)
l LOCAL GROUPS
Borders Organic Gardeners
North East Scotland Organic Group
Ross of Mull & Iona Organic Gardeners
Transition Edinburgh South
GARDENS
Cawdor Castle
Dumfries House
Duntrune Community Gardens
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
University of Dundee Botanic Garden
l LOCAL GROUPS
Coed Dylan
Gwent Organic Gardeners
Society of the Sacred Cross
Tregarth Community Allotments
GARDENS
Aberglasney Gardens
Glansevern Hall Gardens
Nant-y-Bedd
Tŷ Hyll
PROJECTS
Tyfu Cymru
PROJECTS
Compost in the Community Network
Training for school professionals
GARDENS
Auckland Botanic Gardens
LOCAL GROUPS – ARE YOUR DETAILS UP TO DATE?
Don’t forget to let us know if your group’s contact details have changed, or if any of the details we publish online at gardenorganic.org.uk/local are incorrect.
If your group isn’t currently featured on our website, please let us know by emailing marketing@gardenorganic.org.uk
Technical Editor
“Plants still have the same requirements for healthy growth as they’ve always had – a rich and diverse ecosystem above and below ground”
Much-loved old tools and traditional methods still have a place in the modern garden
Iget a lot of pleasure from using the spade that I inherited from my Aunty Betty. A great gardener herself, she must have bought it in the middle of the last century – but it doesn’t look very different from a spade that you would buy today. Metal spades were first used in Europe in Roman times, and the design hasn’t really changed because the original worked. And it still does.
Our founder, Lawrence D. Hills, started work on the Trial Grounds in Bocking – the charity’s original home – using his own spade, wheelbarrow and writing about his work using a manual typewriter. It would be seen as a museum piece these days, but the message that flew from Lawrence’s fingers – the basics of organic gardening – has changed little.
Plants still have the same requirements for healthy growth as they’ve always had – a rich and diverse ecosystem above and below ground. Garden compost is still the best soil improver, and the creatures that convert kitchen and garden waste into this magic material still work in just the same way. And wheelbarrows look very similar to those around in 100BC.
Fashions do come and go in gardening as in other walks of life, but they often come around again too. Visitors to Bocking on the annual Members’ Open Days in the 1970s would have seen vegetables growing in 4ft wide beds, and in a No Dig garden – both techniques still popular today. I remember we trialled a variety of kidney bean that had been
bred for cropping in the UK as a dried bean. It worked well but never took off as it was red, and the demand was for white beans. Just a couple of months ago, Warwick University launched a white variety that can be grown commercially in the UK. No longer will we need to import all our baked beans from the USA. I expect many of us have favourite bits of gardening equipment that we wouldn’t be without. A fine old push mower perhaps, or a particularly sharp hoe. Often of little or no monetary value, they are irreplaceable nevertheless. Apart from the spade, Aunty Betty also left me some old-fashioned ‘pea wires’ (I think that’s what they were called), which are strips of flexible wire mesh. They have nicely bound edges that can be bent into different shapes to protect rows of seedlings, or keep squirrels off pots of bulbs, etc, and are invaluable.
We’d love to hear what garden tools you’ve treasured over the years?
Ian Litton’s article on batterypowered garden machinery (see page 12) illustrates one area of equipment where major changes are taking place. Another eco-alternative is, of course, to stick to the hand-powered versions, but for those of us who need a bit more power to our elbows, these might be a welcome advance.
Share your gardening memories editor@gardenorganic.org.uk
There has never been a better time to encourage family members and fellow gardeners to start their organic growing journey.
As the UK wide charity for organic growing, we’ve been pioneering biodiversity and organic growing since 1958. We champion sustainable growing practices that help encourage biodiversity, fight climate change, and protect the natural environment.
Together we can support new growers on a range of topics including composting, veg growing, encouraging biodiveristy into your growing space plus so much more.
Gift membership starts from as little as £2.75 a month and includes the same fantastic benefits that you enjoy, such as:
• The Organic Way members only magazine sent three times a year
• Exclusive member discounts with our range of partners
• Free or discounted entry to our partner gardens across the UK including free entry to our organic demonstration garden at Ryton
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Visit www.gardenorganic.org.uk/join-us or call us on 02476 308210.
Professor Emeritus of Food Policy at City, University of London and President of Garden
Organic
“What matters is not just the actual food but also the social organisation behind building food resilience”
Storing tins isn’t the answer to our food crisis – people and communities are what makes food resilience possible
On May 22, the morning the election was called, the then Deputy Prime Minister gave a speech asking the public to store three days’ worth of food. “This is not about stockpiling,” he said. “This is about sensible safeguards.” 1 This came after rumblings about the country needing to be on a ‘war footing’. The tone was sober.
As someone reviewing the state of UK food resilience, security and defence, I’m used to sober stuff. What interested me was the form it took. Does storing some tins (if you can) deliver food resilience? Or does that need much more – including increasing home production and a civil renaissance around food growing at community level?
Don’t get me wrong, there are good reasons to take food system disruptions seriously.2 Food weaponisation is back. And a country that produces just over half its food is taking risks or is supremely confident it can protect those supply lines. None of that basic food infrastructure, which is so important for real food defence, was mentioned. It hasn’t, in my opinion, received nearly enough policy attention. Meanwhile, work is emerging from academics.3-5
You have to go back decades to track serious political discussion about stockpiling food. In 1951,
Robin Turton MP (Thirsk & Malton), an ex-army officer, asked about the country’s Emergency Food Reserves, urging that they include stores of dried fruit.6
Such awareness slowly died with the wartime political generation who knew fruit mattered but it surfaced occasionally. In 1963, Mr William van Straubenzee MP (Wokingham) raised food in a Commons debate about civil defence.
“It surely must be right to have trained persons at a time of possible panic as centres for law and order, administration and essential services like water and food,” he said.
Seventeen years later, Robert Banks MP (Harrogate), in another debate about civil defence, returned to the connection, citing membership of the EEC (now EU) as a chance to stockpile.7
He said: “Civil defence is part of a country’s total defence… The public will be advised on what rudimentary steps to take for their own protection in their own homes and what stocks of food and materials to lay in for a two-week period… A policy to encourage people to keep higher levels of foodstocks in the home would reduce the needs and costs of national foodstocks. Could not some of the surplus EEC foodstocks, for instance, be brought
here to offset our national stocks?”
Note that he wanted two weeks’ storage. Today, there is no storage. It’s a just-in-time system. Learning from wise heads in the logistics industry, I think we need more attention to ‘just-in-case’.
The assumption no longer fits that as long as supply is okay, consumption and thus public resilience and capacity to bounce back after shock will be OK too. Centralised systems can be superefficient and cheaper until they go wrong, when consumers are left
with fewer alternatives.
Resilience theory suggests that decentralised and distributed (dispersed) systems offer more resilience simply because they ensure more options.8
When the UK phased out civil defence in 1968, the legacy of thinking about food defence went too. Now it’s back in that 22 May speech, but thinly. It warrants careful thought, cool heads and systemic thinking. Gardening organisations must get involved. What matters is not just the
actual food but also the social organisation behind building food resilience.
Reviewing community gardens and neighbourhood schemes, and listening to the inspiring people who run them, I’m struck how exceptional they are. Societal scale resilience needs them to be normal: built into how we live, not islands of rare practice.
I’m impressed by the movements in Belgium and France driven from cities but all about urban-rural reconnection. In 2014, France
1. Cabinet Office, Deputy Prime Minister speech on resilience: 22 May 2024 at the London Defence Conference on resilience: https://www.gov.uk/ government/speeches/deputy-prime-minister-speech-on-resilience-22may-2024. London: Cabinet Office, 2024.
2. World Food Program USA. Winning the Peace: Hunger and Instability, Washington DC: World Food Program USA, 2017.
3. Jones A, Bridle S, Denby K, et al. Scoping Potential Routes to UK Civil Unrest via the Food System: Results of a Structured Expert Elicitation. Sustainability 2023; 15(20).
4. Manning L. Food defence: Refining the taxonomy of food defence threats. Trends in Food Science & Technology 2019; 85(Supplement C): 107-15.
5. Kennedy G. Gaza: weaponisation of food has been used in conflicts for centuries – but it hasn’t always resulted in victory. The Conversation February 21, 2024.
6. House of Commons. Debate on Emergency Food Reserves. March 15. Speech by Mr Turton MP (Thirsk & Malton). Hansard 1951; 485(column 1783ff).
7. House of Commons. Parliamentary Debate on civil defence. Speech by Mr William van Straubenzee (Wokingham). Hansard 1963; 672(column 1662).
8. Baran P. On distributed communication networks. Santa Monica CA: Rand Corporation, 1962.
9. Republic of France. LOI n° 2014-1170 du 13 octobre 2014 d’avenir pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et la forêt Paris: LégiFrance, 2014.
10. RNPAT. (a) RNPAT (Reseau National des Projects Allimentaires Territoriaux. https://rnpat.fr/le-reseau/presentation/ and (b) RNPAT. Presentation de L’Observatoire National des PATs: https://rnpat.fr/projets-alimentairesterritoriaux-pat/, 2024.
11. Liege. Liège food-belt: https://communitiesforfuture.org/liege-food-beltbelgium/. 2024.
passed an act that encouraged closer connections.9 It has accelerated postCovid. A total of 440 urban areas have started links using funding under the Act.10 In the deindustrialised city of Liège in Belgium, they’re creating a renaissance, not through a new Star Architect designed museum but a food festival that has spawned new enterprises, allotments and community gardens around the town.11
This shows the imagination that can be unleashed when we think less about storing a few tins (while forgetting the can opener or the energy source to cook them!), and more about the people.
Gardening and food resilience is all about people.
