quick fixes can be to the detriment of the land – in the long if not the short term. Not that I’m right and everyone else is wrong, but to me the world has become too fast-paced. Everyone wants something now, they want it bigger and better, they want instant results. We see it in intensive farming systems where animals are pumped full of antibiotics and drugs to which their bodies become resistant. We see in food crops where pesticides are used to fix problems with disease and pests but, over the long term, end up destroying the soil structure which eventually dies along with the surrounding flora and fauna. I’m no expert but I see humans destroying the amazing world around us and I don’t want to be part of that if I can help it.
name it, I’ve got it by the bucketload. There’s nothing quite like sharing the early morning sun with the local robin hoping to get first dibs on any worms going spare. Oh, and my soil has just about as many worms as you could wish for – always a good sign.
Compost: The Veggie-Grower’s Best Friend
Everything that’s compostable goes into my compost bins. Back in February I did a light weed and spread a mix of compost and leaf mulch over the soil, adding to the layers from last year and the years before that. I grow on heavy clay soil but every year it just gets better and better, because anything I take out of the soil I replace before the next batch of seedlings goes in. For really good compost you need a mixture of brown and green matter – so veg peelings, grass cutI realise that’s almost impossible because tings, dry leaves and things like shredded everything we use, eat, wear etc has some paper and card, as well as manure are all sort of impact on the world. But, no mat- good. ter how small an effort we make, if we all proceed in a way that works with the envi- It’s not difficult to make a simple compost ronment rather than taking a quick fix ap- bin out of old wooden pallets. Having two proach, it can make a difference. It may be a bins is good and three is perfect, so that one drop in the ocean but it’s important we all at is ready to go on the plot while the others least try and do our bit. are being filled with fresh material. It real-
Make Wildlife Welcome On Your Patch
So when it comes to my micro-farm where I grow flowers for my floristry business, or my two little allotments where I try my best to grow veggies, or even my back garden which is a haven for birds, I grow and sow in a way that works with nature rather than against it. I don’t use any pesticides whatsoever, I cultivate the land by hand rather than constantly rotivating with machinery, and I companion-plant to attract good beasties and ward off bad ones.
ly is the most important thing you can do for your veggie patch. Take care of your soil and the rest is easy. You’ll be rewarded with strong healthy crops that can fight any disease or pests that come their way, and you’ll attract essential wildlife that will help keep your plants healthy.
As a result lots of wildlife visits me, from bees to ladybirds to butterflies to dragonflies to newts in the mini pond at my allotment. You 22
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