Substrates and Containers AUS 23

AU ST R A L I A ED I T I O N · I S SU E 23 · 20 21 · F R EE CO P Y

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CONTENTS

BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

HOW RECYCLABLE ARE YOUR CONTAINERS?

MARKETpLACE “I feel so lucky to live in a developed country,” he gushed, “Soon, we will be among the first in the world to be protected from this terrible virus, and we can all get back to normal.”

Now, admittedly, I don’t keep in touch with many people from my school days.

Still, I count Edward as a true friend, not just someone to stalk occasionally on Facebook with the sole intention of gawking at their overweight, undernourished and unaborted offspring. Edward and I have known each other for over 30 years, and, as anyone with enduring teenage friendships can testify, the best thing about these relationships is the brutal honesty and roasting.

“What the hell are you going on about? Don’t tell me you’re eager to queue up for an untested, experimental injection against a lab-created virus? You’re bloody barking, mate!”

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whatever you believe, or refuse to believe, regarding the origins of Covid-19 or the efficacy of the promoted treatments, nobody can deny that there has been an accompanying escalation in “information wars” over the last 18 months

On this occasion, however, my brusqueness took my old buddy by surprise (in reality, there might have been a few more expletives spliced into the quote above.) Only a few months before, the Lancet medical journal had published their “Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19”. The document claimed an overwhelming scientific consensus (at least among its hastily-convened signatories) on the zoonotic origins of the virus rather than a “lab leak”. The mainstream media dutifully seized upon this document time after time to “debunk” or shut down anyone who dared even hypothesise that the virus might have originated from the nearby Wuhan Institute of Virology. No—that was just crazy conspiracy talk. What’s more, Facebook was actively blocking content that suggested otherwise, along with any mention of non-vaccine potential treatments such as “ivermectin” and “hydroxychloroquine”.

“Lab leak!? Pah! That’s just conspiracy nonsense,” declared Ed, “I’m driven by the facts.”

The conversation continued, of course, Whatsapp chats, until several months lat came to light. Most notably, that the orche statement was Dr Peter Daszak, who, des flicting interests, has significant funding ties tute of Virology. The Lancet later published ification, and suddenly the “lab leak” hypoth theory” to a far more likely and acceptabl investigation. I waited for the story to go s before sending a somewhat gloating messa but, alas, his interest in revisiting the “origin un-piqued. All he wanted to know was whe myself vaccinated.

Information Wars

Now, whatever you believe, or refuse to origins of Covid-19 or the efficacy of the nobody can deny that there has been an tion in “information wars” over the last 1 Tube channels are disappearing daily. Oth their content removed, demonetised, or d tion the mainstream narrative. Facebook side-effects, some with hundreds of thousa vanished without warning. Incredibly talen fessional independent journalists are casua extremists” simply for asking challenging qu tential implications.

LOCAL GROWERS 56 16

28 SUBSTRATE CHEMISTRY IN HYDROPONICS

9 Foreword

42 The Rise of Coco

10 Author Spotlight

46 Choosing Suitable Containers for Growing Food

12 MARKETPLACE spotlights

52 Ground Ivy: Medicine Beneath Your Feet

16 Substrate Chemistry in Hydroponics

56 Local Growers

20 Soil vs Substrates: How One Difference Changes Everything

58 The Good,The Bad, and The Ugly in the Peat Industry

24 Experimenting With Substrates: Homemade Soil Mixes at Incredible Farm

65 WTF are Humates?

28 Organic Land Care 34 How Recyclable Are Your Containers?

37 The Dos and Donts of Reusing Substrates

Ed paused fo

“Right now, w to best protec ones, not get c finger-pointing. Anyway, I think we should talk

94

I N T H IS ISSU E O F GA R D EN C U LT U R E :

“Oh yeah? as spoon-fed snarled, “Don tant to know from—so, at what we’re de

68 Urban Sheep and Shepherds 72 Life Provides Soil, and Soil Provides Life 76 Vaccine Apartheid - Will We Let Covid-19 Divide and Conquer Us? 80 5 Cool Ways to Conserve Garden Soil

7

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FOREWORD & CREDITS

FOREWORD What size and type of container should you use and what do you put in it, organic or synthetic?

The medium you choose as a substrate and how you

substrate and can’t say if one is significantly better. For my outdoor perlite blends with synthetic nutrients.

ED I TO R Catherine Sherriffs cat@gardenculturemagazine.com

What works for me won’t necessarily apply to your gardening situation. If

DESIGN Job Hugenholtz job@gardenculturemagazine.com

all growing substrates can lead to a perfect garden, what’s the difference?

We could write three editions about what seems to be one of the least exciting themes! When we dig into this subject, we realise that life lies under the surface and how it’s cared for and managed is one of the keys to success. Hopefully, some of the articles will help you better understand what’s happening below and surface and prompt a new set of questions.

Stephen Brookes offers some excellent advice in his article, The Dos and Donts of Reusing Substrates. Colin Bell documents his experiences in growing with both soil and substrates and the key differences he’s observed, and Jesse Singer takes an in-depth look at the peat industry and its impact on the health of the planet.

There are many new products out there to collect data on your substrate.

We wouldn’t think twice about purchasing equipment to measure and control our environments. Data is also critical when striving for perfection; know what your substrate’s values are, and you can create the best feed and watering schedule possible for the plants in your garden.

Once you finish reading all the gardening stuff (and if you’re in the mood for controversy), Everest Fernandez has

WWW.GARDENCULTUREMAGAZINE.COM

garden, I prefer large raised beds of organic soil. Indoors, I use coco/

E XECU T I V E ED I TO R Celia Sayers celia@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-1539

AU S T R A L I A E D I T I O N · I S SU E 23

and how they will grow. I have grown successfully in almost every

AU ST R A L I A ED I T I O N · I S SU E 23 · 2021 · F R EE CO P Y

THE ART OF GROWING

amend it can significantly affect how you will care for your plants

PRESIDENT Eric Coulombe eric@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-233-1539

CU LTU R E

or peat as a base and add liquid nutrients and additives.

SPECI A L TH A N KS TO: Alan Creedon, Albert Mondor, Anne Gibson, Caroline Rivard, Catherine Sherriffs, Colin Bell, Dr. Callie Seaman, Evan Folds, Everest Fernandez, Jesse Singer, Joanna Berg, Matt Mountain, Philip McIntosh, Rich Hamilton, and Stephen Brookes.

G A R D E N

M

ost indoor gardeners use inert mediums such as coco

CREDITS

D I G I TA L & SO CI A L M A R K E T I N G CO O R D I N ATO R Serena Sayers serena@gardenculturemagazine.com +1-514-754-0062 ADVERTISING ads@gardenculturemagazine.com PUBLISHER 325 Media INC 44 Hyde Rd., Mille-Isles QC, Canada J0R 1A0 GardenCultureMagazine.com ISSN 2562-3583 (PRINT) ISSN 2562-3591 (ONLINE) Garden Culture is published six times a year, both in print and online.

@GardenCulture

@GardenCulture

@GardenCultureMagazine

@Garden_Culture

written an opinion piece, Vaccine Apartheid - Will We Let Covid-19 Divide and Conquer Us? Certainly one of the most divisive issues of

D I ST R I B U T I O N PA R T N ER S • WHG • HY-GEN • Stealth Garden Supplies

our time.

© 325 Media Have a green day,

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from 325 Media Inc.

Eric 3 GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

I do a lot of small scale experiments indoors but have an outdoor garden every year.

Author Spotlight

Philip McIntosh

I

ntroducing Philip McIntosh, another one of Garden Culture Magazine’s knowledgeable contributors!

Philip covers a wide range of topics, ranging from

botany and mycology to general biology and technology.

In this issue, he helps us make smar ter, more eco-friendly choices in the container garden, and as our featured writer, he also answers some questions to get to know him better!

What is your favourite plant to grow?

I have always liked cacti and other succulents. Of late, I have taken a liking to the genus Kalanchoe.

Indoors or outdoors, where do you prefer to grow?

I do a lot of small scale experiments indoors but have an outdoor garden every year. As far as that goes, Colorado is not Texas, that’s for sure!

What is your favourite animal/insect?

Well, I always have like reptiles of various kinds, snakes mostly. Not insects, but I have great respect for spiders, like jumping spiders and black widows.

Are you interested in writing for Garden Culture Magazine? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email introducing yourself with a sample of your work. editor@gardenculturemagazine.com

10

What is your favourite food?

Mexican breakfast for sure—huevos rancheros, motuleños, and migas; chiles rellenos for dinner.

What is your favourite podcast?

I mostly read books and research papers. A couple of favourite books that come to mind are The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins and The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan. I have also recently enjoyed the series of Texas A&M horticulture department seminars posted at bit.ly/3wrJBbB. Where in the world would you like to travel to next?

I’m pretty much a homebody, but it would be fun to hunt mushrooms in China. 3

Growee – pH Balancer & Nutrient Doser Monitors your nutrients with real-time pH, EC, and water temp measurements to save precious time and prevent mistakes that detract from maximum growth and premium yields. Growee features a smartphone app that controls the monitoring sensors for the home grower. Growee software allows even the novice grower access to hydroponic growing methods that was once perceived as too complicated.Via special sensors, the electronic system monitors the state of the water and nutrients 24/7, refreshing real-time data every 30 seconds. This data is anonymously collated in the company’s secure cloud platform, which analyses it and takes immediate action to fix the relevant parameters. For example, if the pH probe indicates a high pH in the reservoir, the Growee pH balancer will inject the precise dose of pH down into the water to remedy the situation. Comes with a 2-year warranty on the modules and a 1-year warranty on the probes.

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HYSHIELD™

A unique formula derived from exoskeletons of crustaceans. Chitosan is extracted from crab shells, a non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable waste from the seafood industry. HYSHIELD™offers broad-spectrum disease and pathogen control by tricking plants into thinking pests are attacking them.As a result, the plant’s immune system goes into protective mode. In agriculture, HYSHIELD™ has been used in seed, leaf, fruit and vegetable sprays and as fertiliser with astounding results. Chitosan not only protects plants against harmful microorganisms but it helps to increase plant productivity. For you, this means a bigger yield and higher quality product come harvest.When applied to crops as a foliar spray or drench, HYSHIELD™ increases your plant’s resilience to survive in high heat and cold stress environments. HYSHIELD™ reduces transpiration without lowering plant functions which dramatically increases strike rates of cuttings. Compatible with all nutrients and supplement programs.

Find a retailer near you: WHG.net.au

Nutrifield Stonewool A reliable and beneficial substrate for all gardeners, Nutrifield Stonewool’s vertically-oriented fibre structure and low density allow for simple irrigation and drainage, optimising root development by providing protection and control.

Excellent for unrestricted and uniform root growth, providing an effective way to control nutrient and water delivery.

Its build allows for greater evaporation, reducing the risk of harmful diseases and infections such as algae and fungi.

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MARKET

PLACE PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

See what’s new in the growers MARKETPLACE

visit: GCmag.co/Product-Spotlight

MARKETpLACE Hygrozyme Hygrozyme™ is North America’s #1 selling horticultural enzyme formula. A powerful blend of concentrated, beneficial enzymes that work synergistically to ensure plants achieve their full genetic potential, Hygrozyme™ unique proprietary formula contains the highest units/mL of cellulase, which rapidly breaks down dead root matter and converts it into simple sugars which feed your beneficial bacteria. Hygrozyme™ is effective in all growing media and growth stages and is compatible with all nutrient and supplement programs.

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Canna CANNA Terra: Nutrients and Substrates for Growing Plants in Peat-Based Potting Mixes CANNA Terra Professional is a pre-fertilised potting mix for plant cultivation.The substrate is composed of peat with perlite added to improve the air-moisture balance.

CANNA Terra Vega is a complete professional nutrient for the growing phase of plants, specially developed for growing in pots or pre-fertilised potting mixes. Using it ensures strong plants – vigorous shoots, luxuriant root development – vital for healthy growth and high yields.

Switch to CANNA Terra Flores when buds start to grow. CANNA Terra Flores stimulates fructification and provides plants with their characteristic flavours.

Go to CANNA.com.au to find a store near you.

GREEN-SUPREME plant vitality tonic

Introducing a product that gives your garden a boost from a variety of angles. Green-Supreme is a powerful growth elicitor, plant immunity booster, nutrient chelator, and watering enhancer all in one super-concentrated, dissolvable powder. Formulated to bolster the general health of your plants, whether applied by foliar spray, root drench, or even as a germinationboosting seed soak.

Made from an ultra-premium blend of natural growth promoters, organic plant stimulants, and highly bioavailable organic nutrition, it naturally enhances all plant growth phases!

See HighPoweredOrganics.com more info.

PSI

Mono Silicic Acid

PSI is the most powerful version of stabilised, bioavailable Or thosilicic acid (H4O4Si) for crops. PSI has been manufactured with a new process that makes it 30% more effective than any other mono silicic acid product on the market. At a price that everyone can use and see the most outstanding results. PSI is like a synergistic organic engine that increases nutrient absorption and the bioavailability of all other nutrients in your tank by acting as an efficient transpor ter.

PSI also helps the plant selfregulate the internodal spacing convenient in times of environmental stress.

For more info, go to WHG.net.au

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MARKETpLACE Pro-Leaf PPM-B1 CO2 Controller The Pro-Leaf PPM-B1 digital CO2 controller provides simple and precise control of a 240 Volt CO2 generating device with modes for both increasing and decreasing CO2. Also featuring fuzzy logic operation, which offers additional accuracy when utilising CO2 supplementation.

Adjustable setpoints range from 400-2000 parts per million with an accuracy of +/-100 PPM and an adjustable deadband. A remote sensor with a 4.5 m cable accurately monitors the garden’s PPM levels and relays this information to the controller for display in real-time. An integrated photocell allows for day, night, or continuous operation, and the unit records maximum and minimum values for later viewing.

Pro-Leaf BECC-B2 CO2 Controller The Pro-Leaf Multi-Function Environmental Controller BECC-B2 offers full control of your indoor garden environment with four 240 Volt receptacles for cooling, humidity, CO2 and heating devices.This advanced unit precisely monitors and manages CO2 in a range of 400-2000 parts per million with an adjustable deadband. Featuring fuzzy logic technology to provide even greater control in CO2 setups. The BECC-B2 regulates temperature in a controllable range of 5-50° C and relative humidity in a range of 5-95%, both with adjustable deadbands. The integrated photocell control allows for separate day and night settings of temperature and humidity. The BECC-B2 includes a remote sensor on a 4.5m cable.

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Pro-Leaf CO2 Regulator The Pro-Leaf CO2 regulator is simple to use and will allow you to regulate and maintain ideal CO2 levels for optimal growth. The Pro Leaf CO2 regulator includes a precision regulator flow gauge, industrial solenoid value and 5 metres of plastic dispensing tube.

• • • • • • • • •

Safely release up to 17 L per minute of CO2 Brass construction for long-lasting dependability and durability Adjustable flow meter High-quality oil-less pressure gauge Hose tail is suitable for 4.2 mm inside diameter hose Includes two plastic cylinder washers and 3.5 metres of CO2 dispensing tube Heavy-duty solenoid value and AU electrical plug 240 Volts/50Hz. Max input pressure 150 MPa Flow rate 0-30 L/min

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15

BY DR CALLIE SEAMAN

Substrate Chemistry

in Hydroponics

16

SUBSTRATES AND HYDROPONICS

I

n the field of hydroponics, much is made of your choice of system, your lamps, and nutrient solution.

Thousands of ar ticles have been written on the subjects, but a component of your indoor grow space that’s often overlooked is the growing media or substrate. Understanding the chemistry of substrates and how it

affects plant growth is an impor tant, yet often ignored, aspect in the development of the crop. In this ar ticle, we’ll explore the science, then look at how your choice of substrate influences plant growth.

The Science

(dS/m). Too much salt can negatively impact the osmotic potential (ψs) of We can broadly break down the science Understanding your growing medium, resulting in wabehind substrates into the chemical; Catter loss and stress in your plant roots. ion Exchange Capacity (CEC), pH, and the chemistry of Electrical Conductivity (EC), and the substrates and physical; air-filled porosity (AFP), Water The Physical Holding Capacity (WHC) and bulk denhow it affects The texture and structure of a chosen sity. Focusing first on the chemical, CEC plant growth is substrate have a crucial effect on its measures a material’s ability to absorb air porosity and water retention. All and hold exchangeable cations, otherwise an important, yet substrates are effectively a network of known as positively-charged nutrient ions often ignored, pores, occupied either by gas or wa(such as Ca, Mg, K and NH4). The higher ter and separated by mineral particles. the measurement - typically expressed as aspect in the The WHC of the media is the volume centimoles per kg of material (cmol kg-1) development of percentage of water that can be re- the greater the number of nutrients a tained by a saturated growing media substrate can retain and make available the crop once drained. The AFP is measured by for plant roots, and the more resistant how much of this pore space is taken it will be to leaching during the watering by air, similarly after drainage. Then there’s bulk density, the process. In other words, it measures the buffering ability of mass per unit volume of a substrate, generally shown as your growing medium. A higher CEC is generally desirable grams per cubic centimetres (g/cm3), i.e. the ratio of a bulk because it means the medium not only absorbs but also solid’s mass (m) to its volume (V), otherwise expressed as releases cations from your nutrient solution, helping to staρb=mV. bilise pH and nutrient concentrations.

The Chemical pH is a scale from 0 to 14 that shows us the acidity/basicity of a liquid (it can go below 0 and above 14 – but that’s another story). The lower the number, the more free hydrogen ions (H+) and the higher the acidity. The higher the number, the more free hydroxide ions (OH−), which signals greater alkalinity levels. The neutral 7 (although this can change depending on the temperature of the solution) marks the point where there are equal concentrations of H+ and OH -. A pH of 5.2 to 6.5 is the range we commonly call “the grow zone”. This is an essential aspect of substrate chemistry because pH affects the availability of nutrients to a plant. Get the levels wrong, and you’ll either starve or overdose the crop. Too low a pH increases micronutrient availability to a level that can induce a phytotoxic response, cause ammonium toxicity, phosphorous leaching, and calcium and magnesium deficiencies. But too high a pH and your plants can suffer from iron and boron deficiency. Crucially, you should do your research, as the pH requirement is different for different species. Some need a low pH (such as aubergine or blueberries), while others thrive in a high pH environment (for example, grapes or spinach).

Electrical conductivity (EC) is how one measures the total level of dissolved salts, or free ions, in the substrate.

This is usually described in units of deciSiemens per metre

Generally, the wetter and more compact the medium, the higher the bulk density and the lower the number of pore spaces. This is important because the greater the volume of pore spaces, the better the air to water ratio. Bulk density is more of an issue when discussing soil-based growth. Most of the substrates used in hydroponics have a relatively low bulk density. The air to water ratio describes the balance of available water and air around the root zone. It is essential to nutrient exchange capacity, pH buffering, beneficial microbes, and disease prevention.

Organic vs Inorganic Substrates broadly fall into two categories, organic and inorganic. Do not confuse the word “organic” here with the term used to describe natural farming methods. In chemistry, “organic” means a compound that contains carbon (such as coir or peat moss), and inorganic means the compound does NOT have carbon (such as Rockwool or perlite). Rockwool is made from silicon dioxide (SiO2), a chemically inert substance. The strong covalent bonds between the silicon and oxygen mean that it doesn’t dissolve in water, conduct electricity, or bond with other substances – including the free H+ ions and H3O ions in your nutrient solution. This means it has a low buffering capacity, leading to a greater pH fluctuation range around the root zone – although we can rectify this with regular flushing and

17

SUBSTRATES AND HYDROPONICS

continuous monitoring. Rockwool, perlite, sand and most inorganic media have a CEC of around zero, so they have next to no effect on the availability of cations around the root zone. Vermiculite, a hydrous mineral heated to expansion, has an extremely low bulk density, average CEC, and high WHC at 100-150 meq/100g, so there’s a risk of oxygen starvation in the root zone. Other mediums include LECA clay balls, which have excellent drainage and aeration qualities and are chemically inert. They have a low WHC and CEC but a high AFP.

Peat moss, another organic substrate, has some cation exchange capacity, and therefore, buffers well against nutrient changes in the root zone. It has a high WHC, is relatively acidic with a pH of 4.4, and is prone to becoming quite unstable. A wetting agent is recommended to make it more absorbent. As an organic product, it can also decay, clogging your irrigation system, and lead to the growth of fungal spores.

The UK Government announced that amateur gardeners in

England will be unable to buy peat compost from 2024, with a gradual phasing out planned for commercial growers soon. This is part of a welcome plan to protect vulnerable peatland, and it’s strongly recommended you avoid incorporating peat moss into your grow space, no matter where you live.

credit: ResearchGate

In the organic corner, coir is comprised of many different organic molecules, including carbohydrates, polysaccharides, and residual salts such as sodium (Na+), potassium (K+) and chloride (Cl-). These compounds bond with and absorb free H+ ions, causing fluctuating pH around the root zone. This, in turn, aids with the absorption of nutrients. It has a high CAC, double the porosity of Rockwool, and a WHC that, at 88%, is even greater than peat moss. On the flip side, coir retains oxygen, resulting in raised microbial activity, fine if the bacteria or fungi are friendly, but less so when they’re not. Coir’s high WHC means it is susceptible to overwatering.

The ideal substrate is uniform in texture and in its production, has a low bulk density, high porosity, is usually chemically inert, has low levels of soluble salts, and generally a pH level between 5.2 to 6.5.

The Best Substrate?

The ideal substrate is uniform in texture and in its production, has a low bulk density, high porosity, is usually chemically inert, has low levels of soluble salts, and generally a pH level between 5.2 to 6.5. It should also be free of pests, pathogens, and anything toxic for your crop! But ultimately, what’s more important than the choice of substrate is that the grower does his or her research and chooses a substrate compatible with their hydroponic system. Wick systems require a higher WHC, meaning coir is the preferable medium choice.

But watch out for overwatering and consider a specially-designed nutrient solution to compensate for its CEC. Meanwhile, deep water culture systems are more suitable for the lower WHC of clay pebbles, and fans of total nutrient control prefer the extreme low CEC and high AFP of perlite. You can even explore the possibility of mixing and matching; after all, science is exploring! 3

Dr Callie Seaman is a leading expert of the UK hydroponic industry and became passionate about medicinal cannabis when she was diagnosed with epilepsy over 20 years ago. After obtaining a Biomedical Sciences degree at Sheffield Hallam University, she completed a PhD titled “Investigating Nutrient Solutions for Hydroponic Growth of Plants”.

During her PhD, she became a founding director of Aqua Laboratories Ltd – a formulator and producer of specialist hydroponic nutrients. In October 2018, Callie became a non-executive director of a home office licenced medicinal cannabis facility within the UK. She consults with a wide range of other licensed producers worldwide as they look to set up their facilities.With numerous scientific articles, book chapters and peer-reviewed papers to her name, Callie is an experienced professional in the field of medicinal cannabis, cultivation and fertiliser science.

Instagram: @dr.callieseaman Facebook: @DrCallieSeaman Twitter: @dr_CallieSeaman LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-callieseaman/ Website: aqualabs-uk.com and cbdhempire.co.uk

19

BY COLIN BELL

Soil vs Substrates

How One Difference Changes Everything

20

SOIL VS SUBSTRATES

P

lants evolved over 600 million years ago into a microbial world. Their roots extended into soils teeming with microbial life. As early civilisations evolved and star ted cultivating crops around 11,000 years ago, societies relied heavily on natural soil life to suppor t their crop success. Healthy soils suppor ted

agriculture since the beginning. This remained relatively unchanged until the latter 19th century.

As any old school farmer will tell you, ‘you do not need to grow plants; you need to grow your soil’ The primary function of any substrate (soil, peat, and coco) is to allow plants to anchor their roots and suppor t lateral growth.

Just in the last 50 years, modern farming practices have star ted readily adopting iner t, soilless media such as coco and peat into their precision agriculture management practices.

Just in the last 50 years, modern farming practices have started readily adopting inert, soilless media such as coco and peat into their precision agriculture management practices

The different proper ties between soil, peat, and coco substrates make a massive difference for plant growth. Let us star t with quick definitions:

Soil Soil is derived from mineral erosion and comprises five main constituents: minerals, soil organic matter, living organisms, gas, and water. The mineralogy and texture of soils across different geographies is diverse.

Soil minerals are divided into three par ticulate classes: sand, silt, and clay. The percentages of these par ticles define soil texture. Soil texture significantly influences cation exchange (CEC), water holding capacity and water infiltration proper ties. In nature, microorganisms are abundant in soil and function to cycle the macro and micro-nutrients stored in soils, ultimately suppor ting plant nutrient uptake. As any old school farmer will tell you, ‘you do not need to grow plants; you need to grow your soil’.

content, pH, carbonates, bulk density, and porosity. In general, peat is thought to be less porous than coco and thus has a relatively higher water-holding capacity.

However, increasing concern over the environmental impacts of removing peat from natural peat bogs in Canada and Europe has led some scientists and regulators to discourage the use of peat. The extraction of peat for agricultural purposes requires removing the living surface of native peat bogs to reach the usable layers beneath. This is an environmental concern because mining this peat removes layers that can take centuries to reestablish.

Coco Substrates Coco is composed of organic fibre by-products from dried coconut husks. Coco substrate has relatively high porosity and water infiltration compared to most peat.

The quality of coco is determined by consistency in par ticulate size, washing after harvesting, and intensive ion buffering.

Both peat and coco substrates are referred to as soilless and iner t growing media. Soilless media is simply used to retain moisture and provide plants with a place to anchor their roots. These types of substrates contain no nutrients and require intensive fer tigation to suppor t plant growth.

Peat substrate Peat is a spongy substance that consists of plant residues formed from different stages of decomposition. The quality of peat used for agriculture and hor ticulture practices is determined by parameters such as ash 21

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SOIL VS SUBSTRATES

Simply put, healthy substrates should contain beneficial microbes

You can use almost any media with great success. However, it is a grower’s job to understand growth media proper ties to adjust for any ‘gaps’ as needed to provide plants with everything they need to be successful. For instance, soilless substrates generally have more ‘gaps’ than soil. Luckily, you can amend any soil or soilless media to develop a highly functional plant growth substrate.

By the last week of the flowering cycle before harvest, there was one clear difference between the coco vs soil-grown plants: absolutely everything

Field Experience In 2018, when I was travelling through South America visiting farms, a grower friend, Juan in Montevideo, Uruguay, asked me to check out his grow. He told me he was experimenting with growing plants using organic vs synthetic practices. In Juan’s grow experiment, he grew 60 plants of the same strain in the same room using the same water source. Thir ty plants were grown in pots using coco substrate and salt nutrients, and the other 30 plants were grown using organic soil and organic nutrients. By the last week of the flowering cycle before harvest, there was one clear difference between the coco vs soil-grown plants: absolutely everything. The organic/ soil-grown plants were very sticky, the flowers were dense and smelled (and tasted) very terpy. Conversely, the synthetic/coco-grown plants were not sticky, the flowers were not as dense as the soil-grown plants, and the flowers, in general, smelled like hay compared to the organic/soil-grown plants. This indicated (to me) that the plants grown using organic/soil practices were taking up ‘something’ from the substrate that they greatly needed to maximise their quality much more than the synthetic/ coco-grown plants.

Fast forward to this summer, 2021. Our group conducted a plant growth experiment in one of our ongoing plant trials. We used coco substrate and a simple synthetic A B nutrient base across all plants in this experiment. In the treatment plant groups, we applied different soil microbial and/or organic additives into the weekly fer tigation regime along with the synthetic nutrients. By the end of the experiment, the plants grown with microbial and/or organic additives had a similar outcome to the organic/ soil-grown plants in Juan’s experiment: they were sticky, and their flowers were dense and terpy. On the other hand, the synthetic/coco-grown plants were not sticky, the flowers were not as dense as the microbial and/or organic additive plants, and they had the same hay scent like

the ones in Juan’s experiment. The results indicated that the plants grown using the microbial/organic additives took advantage of something in the substrate that helped them improve their quality over the synthetic/coco grown plants.

I have heard similar findings from hundreds of growers across the world. Is microbial and/or natural additives the gap?

Remember, soil is composed of the five main natural constituents that plants need to thrive. Soilless media does not have all these five constituents. Soilless media has some of the natural constituents of soil, but not all of them. Soil microbes (microscopic life forms) play a vital role in substrate function and fer tility. Healthy soils contain beneficial microbes. Soil microbes provide a natural balance and functional stability to soils.

Simply put, healthy substrates should contain beneficial microbes. Adding natural microbes in your soilless substrate will balance and deliver what plants need to maximise their growth and quality. Microbes living in your substrate will engage with roots and provide essential inputs to your plants. Your substrate (soil or soilless) should be thriving with life. If your substrate is thriving, so will your plants! 3

BIO

Colin Bell is the co-founder, co-inventor and Chief Growth Officer at Mammoth Microbes. Colin is passionate about science, and received his PhD. in Biological Sciences, specialising in soil microbial ecology and plant-microbe interactions. He left his academic position at Colorado State University in March 2015 to launch Mammoth Microbes. When he’s not travelling the world interacting with and learning from cultivators, there is nothing Colin enjoys more than teaching and working with the team at Mammoth Microbes. You can find Colin on Instagram: @colinwbell

23

BY ALAN CREEDON

Experimenting With Substrates Homemade Soil Mixes at m Incredible Far

24

HOMEMADE SOIL MIXES

I

t’s the first week in May as an intermittent hailstorm pummels the polycarbonate roof of Incredible Farm’s greenhouse.

Head grower Mike is showing me the cycle of how they produce every bit of substrate they use in their indoor veg growing spaces, from seed to harvest.

“This is where our compost bays are, but to see the whole process, we have to start outside, with the cows,” he says.

Livestock At Work I follow him out to a small open shed, and he nods towards the two red-headed Mangalitsa piglets looking very cosy on a bed of straw.

layers of woodchip, slowly breaking down.

Mike lifts a couple of chunks to reveal the white mycelium layers developing within the warming mix.

“We’ve got two little helpers”, he explains, walking me out to the first shed. “We just got these yesterday, and this year, the process will be starting with them.”

We walk round to the cowshed, next door. The cows overwinter in the shed, and layers of fresh straw are added regularly throughout the colder months. Over time, the layers have built up to a chunky ‘compost base’ around 3m x 6m and about a metre deep. The heaps provide the cows with a deep insulating ‘hot bed’ when the temperatures outside drop.

Over time, the layers have built up to a chunky ‘compost base’ around 3m x 6m and about a metre deep. The heaps provide the cows with a deep insulating ‘hot bed’ when the temperatures outside drop

“Soon, we’ll put the piglets in here, and they’ll start the composting process, adding their own muck and rootling about,” explains Mike. “This breed of pig is very good at digging, so by scattering some peas in here; they’re going to be encouraged to dig. They’ll turn it over and aerate it for a few months, and we’ll see how it works. Once that’s happened, we will turn this into one big hotbed, moving it by hand into the indoor space to protect it from the elements and any nitrate runoff.

This time last year, we dug this out, spread it in a polytunnel, and covered it with plastic to speed up the breakdown, and then we planted squash in there – into relatively fresh manure.

There was what looked like a bit of a calcium deficiency, but the results were surprisingly good given the young age of the compost.”

“The mycelium is coming in from all around and through the woodchip that is added,” he says. “This can be done on a smaller scale, but it needs to be about one cubic metre minimum – so if you were to put four pallets together, you could do it.”

Incredible Farm has worked with biochar in the past, but it doesn’t currently have the capacity. Mike’s keen to try soaking the wood in the urine captured from the compost toilets, which would then slowly get released into the soil. Because it’s so porous, it provides a good surface area for mycelium and microorganisms to develop.

Experimental Substrates At Incredible Farm, they are always keen to experiment and create their permaculture system. When the pigs have finished in the cowshed in a few months, they will be seconded to an outdoor, fenced off part of the farm, where they will begin the conversion process for the next part of the outdoor growing ‘garden’ space. Last year’s pig-ploughed patch is now producing salads, brassicas and fruit trees. In the West Yorkshire hills, in heavy clay soil, there is no better cultivator.

Compost Brewing

“We use the heat from the compost to [warm] the greenhouse. This is what’s helped stop our tomato plants from freezing (...) This stuff is about a year old,” he says to a handful of dark, crumbly compost.

The cowshed is next to the greenhouse which contains three compost bays, each brimming with three cubic metres of black gold. The one nearest the shed has the year one mix: straw and cow muck, nitrogen-rich chicken waste, leftover hay and

One bed is a metre deep and is used for hungry plants like cucurbits and squash in the summer, although they overwinter salads in that bed as it generates enough heat from below

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HOMEMADE SOIL MIXES

Two red-headed Mangalitsa piglets looking very cosy on a bed of straw

The consistency within their homemade mix is not always there, but it works for their needs – and they have a lot of plants on the go.

to help them grow through the cold. In the summer, they trail the squash up to the roof to use the space more efficiently.

from as many angles as possible and adapt their methods and learning every season.

“We sieve off the lighter top layer and use it for plant raising, and the darker, richer stuff underneath gets added to the raised beds in the greenhouse,” says Mike.

Mike and Nick, the farm coordinator, are obsessives – that’s how they get stuff done. They have focus and are consistent, and that’s what Mike thinks makes it work.

When Mike saw how much they had to spend on seed compost to start their plant raising, he decided to make their own. The consistency within their homemade mix is not always there, but it works for their needs – and they have a lot of plants on the go. The greenhouse contains half a dozen raised beds of around ten metres long filled with greens and, of course, their homemade substrate. That’s quite an achievement.

“It takes time, it takes ages to do this kind of stuff”, he says.

Always Learning They have a great system going at Incredible Farm, and it’s well thought out. It’s low tech, and their focus is on learning and teaching practical skills, using what’s there in front of them in the best way they can conceive. They look at their hilly site

But they always have one eye on the long game, and that’s a major motivating factor. By combining their learning with teaching, they can see how their experience has added value to themselves and the next generation of small-scale farmers.

There’s something contagious about the passion that Incredible Farm brings – the buzz of volunteers in the greenhouse – I counted five the day I was there. The apprentice programme they run will have two people this season; they are the compost within which the next generation of growers is growing! 3

BIO Alan has worked in local food for over a decade and in that time has been involved in retail, wholesale and growing local produce. He is passionate about people working together and enjoys bringing his ideas into the world of veg. He lives in the West Yorkshire hills with his wife, daughter, son, dog and cat and loves walking in the hills, sleeping out in the woods, and having a dip in the river (but would sometimes prefer sleeping out in -3 than a dip in the river!).

He will be publishing his first book this autumn. He is a mindfulness teacher, running regular courses and events as a nature connection guide. He likes to combine the philosophical with the practical.

27

BY EVAN FOLDS

When it comes to quality of life and quality of place, the question should not be how much it costs, but how much does it cost not to change?

28

ORGANIC LAND CARE

T

he way we treat the soil reflects the way we treat ourselves, and the way we treat ourselves is the way we treat the world. Unfor tunately, these critical truths are generally absent from the actions of modern civilisation. Collectively, we have abandoned our agricultural identity and our accountability for

how we engage with the natural world.

Food Sovereignty

costs about $10,000 per person per Collectively, we year. In other words, in most cases, My work is around inviting people have abandoned our if we are curious and comprehenback to the table to be a part of sive, it costs less to do the right agriculture again; to try and tie toagricultural identity and thing. gether the realms of food, farming, our accountability for and health in a way that can generate healthy people, plants, and planhow we engage with the Regenerative Agriculture et through a lens of food sovereignnatural world In my work, I explore and leverage ty. This signals to the broader idea this idea of true cost accounting that the challenges that we face can through the lens of regional reonly be solved by approaching solugenerative agriculture systems. Regenerative agriculture tions systematically and enacting the reality that we cannot allows us to address the significant issues that we face globsolve dynamic problems with linear thinking. ally – climate, hunger, poverty, health. It is the most potent political issue of our time that nobody talks about.

There is the perception that doing things more responsibly will cost more, but this is misguided. When it comes to I serve as an elected Supervisor of New Hanover Soil & quality of life and quality of place, the question should not Water Conservation District. One of the projects I am be how much it costs, but how much does it cost not to working on is an Organic Park Pilot project that will serve change? as a proof of concept to generate organic land care standards on city parks and property. This is an important If we followed this maxim, the way we build cities and civilproject in its own right, but it also lays the foundation for isations would be far different. We would recognise the dia much larger conversation around waste stream managerect and enormous costs on society from hunger, poverty, ment. and pollution. We would have green buildings, no landfills, pure drinking water, clean air, healthy soil, and socioecoChanging land care standards is a big deal for a city steeped nomic conditions that provide an opportunity for all people in conventional methods. The effort is not about swapping to thrive. synthetic products for organic products. It is also not an attempt to ban certain known chemicals, resulting in potentially more dangerous chemicals replacing them. Instead, Cost Analysis this is a paradigm shift away from chasing symptoms with We have to be brave enough to see that the violence and toxic rescue chemistry and towards the perspective of the crime we experience in urban centres result from peogrowing healthy soil and using methods that protect public ple not having access to basic human essentials. But the way and environmental health. we are telling the economic story in this arena stunts our ability to see this clearly. Rather than exploring the actual The pilot project is being made possible by a donation from cost of approaching social order, we look at the line item Stonyfield Organic and their #PlayFree initiative, which and decide we don’t have enough money. allows the City of Wilmington to cover any costs of implementing new organic land care methods in a city park As an example, the City of Orlando commissioned a study as proof of concept. Along with the donation to the city, to explore the expense of chronic homelessness and found Stonyfield Organic provided funds for a two-year engagethat an individual homeless person costs Orlando $31,000 ment with national organisations supporting staff training per year. In contrast, providing the chronically homeless and policy work. with permanent housing and case managers to supervise

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

29

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ORGANIC LAND CARE

Given what we now know, how are we still spraying known carcinogens on ourselves?

just passed a resolution that comRegenerative agriculture mits the city to 100% clean energy The project started from quesallows us to address the by 2050 to reduce emissions, which tions that I asked at my son’s school is happening all across America. Inabout pesticide applications. When significant issues that we creasing the carbon content of soil I didn’t get coherent answers, I folface globally – climate, can be a valuable tool for cities to lowed the thread. I ultimately filed meet these ambitious goals. a public information request asking hunger, poverty, health. what pesticides had been used in It is the most potent Improving soil quality is also a tool the year 2019 and discovering that for addressing stormwater chalmy city did not have a protocol for political issue of our time lenges that result from unconscious tracking pesticide applications. Not that nobody talks about development practices. The strateonly is this alarming from a public gy for stormwater in cities typically health standpoint, but it presents a amounts to funnelling water from potential liability to the city. Chemthe gutter to the river, which, as cities further develop and icals such as glyphosate are losing lawsuits (and appeals) increase the level of impervious surface, puts tremendous for causing cancer and other adverse health impacts. Notstrain on stormwater infrastructure. For example, replacwithstanding the legal challenges, the public is getting eduing a culvert that runs under the road to prevent floodcated and becoming activated on this issue and demanding ing can cost many millions of dollars, so it is a far better change. Given what we now know, how are we still spraying strategy to encourage percolation by planting trees and known carcinogens on ourselves? holding water in the soil through increasing the organic matter content. For example, a 1% increase in organic matThe project begins this fall, with the on-the-ground agronter holds 25,000 gallons of water, a 60x40’ swimming pool omy starting in spring 2022. Hopefully, everyone reading four feet deep, as a reference. Increasing organic matter this article will open the same line of conversation where in the soil by 3-4% is a fairly easy task if we establish comthey live; just know that it can be a difficult road. I worked posting policies and utilise parks and public land as carbon for over a year connecting with City Council, the Mayor sinks. and building relationships with national organisations experienced in the organic land care space that could help lay the groundwork for a successful pilot project. I am happy Organic Land Care to pass along what I have learned so far if you want to reach Compost is the reason that organic land care is the founout. dation of waste stream management. Organic matter does not just melt; it is decomposed by living microbes found in healthy soil that turn the raw organic matter into humus or Environmental Policy perfect plant food. Most conventional land care practice is A focus on improving soil conditions has interesting and designed to try and kill symptoms, such as weeds and tarsignificant benefits for city operations and policy. One maget pests and disease. This approach kills the beneficial orjor benefit is carbon sequestration, which is the long-term ganisms as well, crippling Mother Nature’s mechanism to capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the soil build strength in her systems. A synthetic symptoms-based to combat climate change. For example, Wilmington, NC,

Following The Thread

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

31

ORGANIC LAND CARE

approach defeats the purpose of compost on most levels, which can result in people imagining that compost “doesn’t work”. In the end, it is not a matter of whether a natural approach to land management works; it is a matter of whether we have the perspective and patience to allow it to work.

In the end, it is not a matter of whether a natural approach to land management works; it is a matter of whether we have the perspective and patience to allow it to work

Up to half of the materials in a landfill are compostable. If we choose to do so, cities can turn the liability of organic matter at scale into an asset with an ROI that can be a revenue generator into the future. Landfills are expensive. For example, Wilmington spends $1.4 million annually throwing trash away at the New Hanover County landfill. And New Hanover County recently spent almost $2 million expanding our landfill that will run out of room in 30-50 years, depending on who you ask. Given the precedent available for this work and the technology already at hand, this is not a responsible waste management strategy.

Living with Intention A landfill presents an incredible opportunity to put system-thinking and true cost accounting to work. The materials we put into landfills have a value that can be sold and re-purposed in many different ways. For instance, there

is a technology that can turn the glass waste stream into beach sand. Or gasification can be used to turn plastics and car tires into energy with no emissions.

Pyrolisis can turn wood waste into biochar that can serve as a soil amendment, and powerful water filters can clean polluted lakes and streams. These technologies and more already exist, and we can use them to end landfills right now with intention.

The world is written by narrative and incentive, so the objective is to tell the story and apply systems-thinking to local projects. Then, we can tie these projects to broader movements, explore the true costs of the status quo and regenerative solutions to turn perceived deficits into surpluses, and inspire people to put their will into action.

If we fix the soil, we fix ourselves. If we followed this truth to the end, we could face significant challenges with real solutions, and we could realise the abundance available to us all. The Covid moment broke us open; it highlighted the gaps in society and delivered them to our doorstep and provided a moment to consider doing things in a new way. If the people are ready, politics will follow.

Easier said than done, but doable. Also necessary so that we may heal the Earth. 3

Bio

Evan Folds is a regenerative agricultural consultant with a background across every facet of the farming and gardening spectrum. He has founded and operated many businesses over the years - including a retail hydroponics store he operated for over 14 years, a wholesale company that formulated beyond organic products and vortex-style compost tea brewers, an organic lawn care company, and a commercial organic wheatgrass growing operation.

He now works as a consultant in his new project Be Agriculture where he helps new and seasoned growers take their agronomy to the next level.What we think, we grow!

Contact Evan at www.BeAgriculture.com or on Facebook and Instagram @beagriculture GA R D EN CU LT U R E M AGA Z I N E.CO M

33

BY PHILIP MCINTOSH

C

ontainer gardening is on the rise, especially in cities where space is limited. Some containers are durable, but they don’t last forever.

Eventually, you’ll end up with pots that are broken and can no longer be used. What to do with them? Unless you repurpose them into yard art, you have only two choices— the landfill or recycling. Which way you go depends on the material the pots are made of and their condition.

Ceramics

How Recyclable Are Your Containers?

Ceramics like terra cotta are shaped and fired mineral products. Clay pots are among the most durable of planters; some ceramics You can sometimes glue a that are thousands of years broken ceramic pot back old have been found in together if the breaks are decent condition, not too bad. but yours probably won’t last that long.

Ceramic pots come in various forms and colours, making them popular for specimen plants or in decorative applications.

You can sometimes glue a broken ceramic pot back together if the breaks are not too bad. Some people break up damaged crockery and use it as an aggregate added to the bottom of a container for drainage. Other than that, a broken pot has no place to go but the landfill. Porcelain, clay, and cement are not biodegradable. Hempcrete Eventually, you’ll end doesn’t take exposure up with pots that are to water well, but it is biodegradable, so it broken and can no can be used for plantlonger be used. What ers not expected to last more than a seato do with them? son or two.

Polystyrene Polystyrene (PS) is commonly used for pots that are not intended for heavy-duty or long term use. Polystyrene pots are inexpensive, lightweight, and identified by the number 6 inside the recycling symbol, usually found on the bottom of the pot. Alternatively, instead of the number, it may have the initials “PS.”

34

RECYCLING CONTAINERS

You don’t generally get a lot of size, shape, or colour choices with polystyrene. Polystyrene pots are thin, mechanically weak, and highly flexible—it’s easy to get plants out of them when transplanting. They are great for starting seeds or cuttings but typically fail after a year or two of hard use by splitting down the sides.

Before they enter the recycling stream, cleaning plastic pots is essential no matter what the material

Clear PS degrades in ultraviolet (UV) light and oxygen, but black formulations are more resistant to UV degradation and can persist in the environment for a long time. Degraded PS is quite friable (easily broken into small pieces) and contributes to micro-plastics pollution. Polystyrene is not biodegradable but can be recycled onto low-grade products such as styrofoam cups, food containers, and more plastic pots. If your PS pots are badly degraded and coming apart, it is probably best to bag them and throw them out. Recycle ones that are still mostly in one piece, but rinse them out first to remove adhering substrate.

Some municipal and commercial recyclers take plant pots, while others specifically ban them because of cleanliness issues. Dirt is hard on recycling machines. If you want to do it right, run a brush around the inside of pots before recycling to be kind to the equipment. Before they enter the recycling stream, cleaning plastic pots is essential no matter what the material.

Polypropylene One of the most popular and durable plastics used in horticulture is polypropylene (PP). You will know it by the number 5 in the recycling symbol or the letters “PP.” Polypropylene pots come in all sizes and shapes, and because of the greater rigidity, PP is used to make large planters holding up to 170 litres (50 gallons) or more. Even thin PP pots will last much longer than ones made from PS. Black polypropylene is UV stable and not biodegradable, but it is recyclable into fibre, plasticware, industrial products, and more plastic pots. Overall, it’s a good choice because of its longevity and the many waste streams that accept PP for recycling.

Fibreglass Decorative fibreglass pots last a long time and are hard to break. Recyclable? Definitely not. The trash bin or garage sale are about your only options.

Grow Bags

Cloth or fibre-based bags are available for use as planters. Since they are gas permeable, they tend to dry out faster than other containers but provide good aeration. They are lightweight, flexible, and easy to store.

The ones with handles make moving heavy plants a little easier. They are usually made out of non-woven, felt-like material—often polypropylene. They tend to last a long time, too (years). Not recyclable, though, even if they are polypropylene because they are hard to clean and will jam up the machinery when shredded.

Organic Containers You can put pots made from peat, coir, or other natural materials right into the ground or the compost pile. 3

Bio

Philip McIntosh holds a B.Sc. in Botany and Chemistry from Texas State University and an MA in Biological Science from the University of Texas at Austin. He has been publishing professionally for over 30 years in magazines, journals, and on the web on topics relating to botany, mycology, general biology, and technology. As a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) educator, Phil enjoys working with students to help them advance their knowledge and skills in relevant fields of learning.

Black polypropylene is UV stable and not biodegradable 35

REUSING SUBSTRATES

BY STEPHEN BROOKES

The Dos & Donts of

Reusing Substra es

H

ave you ever considered reusing substrates? It’s a practice that few people follow but one that can save money, time, energy and even improve the quality of the next grow cycle. When everything we do adds to

the pressure on our ecosystem, reusing substrates also has incredible environmental benefits.

It’s a win-win, except for the people selling you the substrates; sorry!

Considerations When reusing substrates, there’s one crucial rule: never do it if you’ve had any root problems, such as Botrytis, powdery mildew, root rot (Pythium), or any pests whatsoever. Instead, if dealing with any of the above, clean the room, disinfect the static equipment, and get fresh substrate for the next cycle.

When reusing substrates, there’s one crucial rule: never do it if you’ve had any root problems, such as Botrytis, powdery mildew, root rot (Pythium), or any pests whatsoever

Reusing substrates is beneficial thanks to the natural conditioning process it has gone through. The perks will be most noticeable when using the cheaper substrates that don’t get as much pretreatment as more expensive ones.

It’s possible to reuse a growing media several times before it’s time to buy fresh and start again. Whether you use soil, coco, or other inert media will dictate what you need to do before starting a new cycle.

Soil Soil is a substrate that consists of various peat products, perlite, natural humus and some organic fertilisers. The high peat content in potting mixes means reusing soil is easy to do and will yield excellent results even after two or three growing cycles.

Using soil more than three times is possible if you continue to nourish it and it is pest and disease-free. Running enzymes through the media to clean tiny root hairs and waste organic material is also recommended. However, I have not done this personally and have yet to hear people continuously reusing soil with excellent results.

A significant benefit to reusing soil is the reduced environmental impact it has on the harvesting of peat. Peat is the accumulation of decaying vegetative matter over thousands of years.

Primarily found in bogs, it is the most efficient carbon sink on the planet. As a result, peat products will be banned in the UK and other countries by 2024. However, if you love peat-based soils, you don’t need to worry, as viable alternatives are being trialled in commercial nurseries. Within the next few years, we will likely have excellent alternatives to peat that I’m sure will also be reusable.

If you don’t treat cheap coco, calcium deficiencies are possible, as are lockouts from micro or trace elements due to the excess salts in the product

37 37

NATURE REUSING & AGRICULTURE SUBSTRATES

It’s possible to reuse a growing media several times before it’s time to buy fresh and start again

Coco Coco, a waste material from coconut, is a fantastic resource for gardeners. It is better for the environment, creates incomes for lower economically-developed countries, and produces higher-yielding plants than soil. You can also reuse it with added benefits!

Cheap coco products may contain unwanted excess salts such as sodium. The less expensive options have not been ‘buffered’ to prevent the coco from holding onto crucial plant elements like calcium. If you don’t treat cheap coco, calcium deficiencies are possible, as are lockouts from micro or trace elements due to the excess salts in the product.

However, when reusing cheap coco, it will have already gone through a natural buffering and rinsing process in a growing cycle. Therefore, it’s possible to achieve better results the second time around with coco!

Better quality coco products are already washed and buffered for great results the first time they are used. You can reuse premium coco several times with favourable results. Still, as with any substrate that is being reused, it is good practice to run an enzyme solution through it to break down organic material.

Lastly, coco can become compressed if you have been overzealous with your watering regimes. If this is you (naughty), then you need to get involved with the coco and break up the large clumps that form to create air pockets for your second and third cycles.

Using soil more than three times is possible if you continue to nourish it and it is pest and disease-free

Pebbles Reusing pebbles over again is a no-brainer, as long as you haven’t had any diseases such as Pythium and powdery mildew. If you don’t want to buy new pebbles and you’ve had a disease such as Pythium, sterilise the pebbles by soaking them in a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution for 24 hours.

Do It! There are many reasons reusing substrates is a great idea, from saving money, time, and transport to being more energy-efficient. Without being dramatic, you’re also saving the world. Well done! Just be sure to follow the above guidelines before embarking on this ecofriendly adventure. 3

BIO

Stephen Brookes is a hydroponics aficionado and loves to apply the scientific method to his articles. He has been the manager of NPK Technology for 10 years, and produces and hosts the world’s number one hydroponics podcast, NPK Live. Stephen is also owner of NPK Media, a 360 media content production agency. He likes to read and enjoys mountaineering in his spare time. Motto: The more you learn, the less you know.

39

BY RICH HAMILTON

THE RISE OF

COCO The inert nature of coco coir also means it is hardy and resistant to mould, fungus and pests

42

COCO SUBSTRATE

T

here has not been a steeper increase in substrate sales than with coco coir over the last few years. It has rapidly become one

of the top sellers of the current time, but why? Rich Hamilton investigates.

Why Retailers and Distributors Love It

Why Growers Love It

Price and Shelf Life

Versatility, Drainage, and Aeration

Retailers and distributors have helped push coco to its new heights. The product offers several perks, including being reasonably priced so shops can make a healthy profit from sales. Coco is a fantastic product to stock, as it is relatively lightweight and is available in several easy-to-store pressed forms such as bricks and discs. The inert nature of coco coir also means it is hardy and resistant to mould, fungus and pests.

It has a long shelf life, and therefore, there is very little wastage of stock.

The reasons why many growers recommend and use coco are many. Firstly, coco coir is versatile enough to support a wide variety of plants in different situations. For example, it can work well for succulents or as an addition to any houseplant soil, as it has good drainage and aeration, which helps prevent waterlogged or rotting roots.

Adaptability Most retailers have experience and a passion for growing themselves, and of course, they want to advise their customers on best practices. This is where coco comes in; it has so many beneficial features that we can apply to many types of gardens, so it serves the needs of most customers. In addition, coco coir is easy to work with and offers consistent results, making it perfect for growers of all experience levels. The fact that so many retailers I spoke with use coco themselves proves how excellent a substrate it is.

coco coir is versatile enough to support a wide variety of plants in different situations

Use it as an amendment outdoors to improve soil structure and increase organic matter. Coco decomposes slowly, so it benefits the soil for a very long time. Coco can help improve the texture of sandy or clay soil so that roots can grow strong.

Its absorbency means that plants have access to additional nutrients. Coco’s excellent water retention also helps plant roots recover from dry spells quicker, as it is easier to wet again and requires less irrigation.

Nutrient Availability For plants grown indoors and requiring specific nutrient levels, coco is ideal. It is naturally inert, meaning you can manipulate it to hold the necessary levels of essential nutrients that your plants need for optimum growth and development. Soil has its levels of nutrients and microbiological life. With soil, you have to feed the substrate, which breaks down the feed and passes it on to the plant; but you can never be sure of what levels the plant is receiving. With coco, however, you are feeding the plant and not the substrate. Nutrients provided in the ionic form are held by the coco and are quickly taken up by the plant.

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COCO SUBSTRATE

Relatively low-cost, coco has the bonus of being re-usable

Sustainability Coco coir is by far the most sustainable and environmentallyfriendly substrate out there, which in today’s eco-conscious world goes a long way to explaining its popularity. Peat moss has long been a traditional choice for gardeners. However, this medium takes hundreds of years to replenish, and for that reason, it’s not a sustainable choice. Coco coir, however, is a natural waste product and its manufacture and disposal have minimal impact on the environment.

Value and Quality The value for money that coco delivers is another critical factor behind its success. Relatively low-cost, coco has the bonus of being re-usable. Unfortunately, peat moss is not structurally sturdy enough to be recycled, and soil, once used, might be drained of all its natural microbiology. Coco coir, on the other hand, can be washed clean and re-used.

The quality of coco coir is a winner with growers. It is odourless, easy, pleasant to handle, free from pests and pathogens, and consistent in quality.

Big Yields Coco offers excellent results when used in a drain to waste system, which is why it is so popular with indoor growers.

This substrate is great at holding on to what you give it.

When using a coco-specific feed, your plants have all their nutrients so they can put more effort into growing rather than searching for food.

Anti-Fungal Properties As if that was not enough, coco also has natural anti-fungal properties that may resist soil-born root diseases such as Pythium and phytophthora. In addition, coco naturally repels and deters certain moisture-loving pests. It can do this because the top layer of coco drains and dries out quickly, keeping humidity to a minimum.

So, Why Coco?

Coco coir ticks every box that you could want as either a grower or a retailer. This substrate has become a runaway success story in recent years, and the above points make it easy to see why. If you have not grown in coco yet, give it a whirl! 3

Ideal pH Of course, pH is essential and can be the difference between a healthy crop and a failed crop. Soil pH can fluctuate dramatically depending on environmental factors, while traditional peat moss has an acidic pH of 3.8-4. The neutral pH of coco coir (between pH 5.5-6.8) makes it ideal for a wide variety of plants and vegetables. Coco can also help balance and maintain the pH when mixed in with soil or peat in outside gardens.

BIO

An industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in a variety of roles, Rich is currently a business development manager for a large UK hydroponics distributor. The author of the Growers Guide book series, Rich also writes on all aspects of indoor gardening. He is also an independent industry consultant, working closely with hydroponic businesses worldwide.

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45

BY ANNE GIBSON

Choosing

Suitable

containers for Growing

Food

Selecting the right container can be confusing with so many options available

46

CONTAINERS FOR GROWING FOOD

M

ore people than ever are learning to grow edible gardens, especially in small urban areas. With limited space, container gardens are an obvious solution. However, selecting the right container can be confusing with so many options available. There are some factors to consider that can make the

decision easier and avoid potential problems.

Drainage All plants need oxygenated soil to thrive and the ability for water to percolate through and escape. However, not all pots have adequate drainage holes. Unfired clay or terracotta, for example, usually have just one large hole in the base. If roots become matted or a taproot pokes through this single drainage hole, the soil may become waterlogged. In this case, it’s best to choose plants with a fibrous root system rather than a taproot.

Plastic pots are easy to drill extra holes into if needed. Fabric root pouches leach moisture through the sides and base, similar to coir-lined hanging baskets. Planter bags usually have adequate perforations.

Think about where the water will eventually go. Will it leach out onto a surface that may be damaged or stained? Or will it drip down from an upper floor balcony to a neighbour below? Pot saucers or trays may be a solution to protect the area.

Think about where the water will eventually go. Will it leach out onto a surface that may be damaged or stained? Or will it

Weight

drip down from an upper floor

Fabric and plastic pots are lightweight and easy to move around.

Other materials like concrete, ceramic, stone, timber and resins can be hefty. This can, however, be an advantage if you are exposed to strong winds. Heavy, squat containers are more stable and suit tall plants that could otherwise topple over if not firmly anchored.

balcony to a neighbour below?

Another consideration is the total weight of the pot, including fully saturated soil and the plants. This can be an essential factor for balcony gardeners or those locating pots on decks or rooftops.

Check the engineered structural strength of the balcony first to ensure it is adequately weight-bearing, particularly if you plan to add a lot of plants.

Heavy containers are also challenging to move, so you need to put them in their permanent position or on castors. If renting or on the move, lightweight containers may be easier to relocate.

The weight of a mature plant such as a fruit tree increases each year, particularly when bearing fruit. Grow bags can be a good choice for these trees. They have handles, and the bag is easy to remove – much like pulling down pants - without resulting in transplant shock! Replant the tree into the next size up.

Porosity Breathable or porous containers allow air and moisture to move through them. Examples include unfired clay or terracotta, fabric root pouches, felt, woven sacks, paper pulp and natural materials.

Porous pots allow moisture to evaporate from the material, which helps prevent root rot. However, they also dry out faster, particularly in full sun. So more frequent watering is required.

Otherwise, plants can experience water or heat stress. Small clay pots and hanging baskets with coconut fibre (coir) lining are particularly vulnerable to drying out, especially on hot, windy days. They are best suited to edibles like hardy Mediterranean herbs that need infrequent watering.

Food Safety One of the most important considerations is whether the planter is suitable for growing food. Some containers will leach chemicals into the soil and be taken up by plant roots. Root crops are particularly vulnerable.

Most plastic pots are made from polypropylene (PP), identified with recycling number 5. PP is tough and heat resistant and used widely in the garden industry. It is considered one of the safer plastics, unlike numbers 1, 3, 6 and 7.

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Materials to watch out for include: • Concrete - Leaches lime that is lethal to many plants. You can water a concrete pot thoroughly many times, so the water drains away and surplus lime disperses. Or leave it outdoors in the rain for several weeks before planting.

•

Treated timber - Many wood products today incorporate preservatives, fungicides, insecticides and formaldehydebased glues. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified formaldehyde as a Category 1 ‘known human carcinogen’ (IARC 2008). Formaldehyde will off-gas in many commonly used forms, particularly in new products and in high heat and humidity. Look for wood planters made from sustainable untreated timber as a safer option.

Compact herbs grow well in a variety of container types

If you’re not sure if a container is safe for edibles, it’s best to err on the side of caution. I apply the Precautionary Principle in my garden. You can check with the product manufacturer or search for the SDS/ MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). This describes the chemical properties of a product and may help you check for potentially harmful contaminants. See msdsonline.com/sds-search.

Many gardeners upcycle containers to grow food. It’s best to know what was in them previously to make sure they’re not contaminated.

Mobility If you have limited sunlight, move house regularly, or overwinter plants, lightweight, portable pots may be best. Mobile containers also provide more flexibility: • • • •

Move sun-loving crops to sunny positions as light changes during the year; Relocate pots to provide shade relief during hot summers; Protect crops from wind, storms, frost or snow; Move indoors or take small pots with you when travelling.

Lightweight, portable pots are also easier to stack or hang vertically to maximise space and provide a more aesthetic garden.

®

CONTAINERS FOR BIODIVERSE GROWING GARDENS FOOD

Long-lasting choices include ceramic or glazed terracotta, resin, concrete, sealed timber, corrugated iron and stone.

Terracotta pots looks great, are porous but break easily

Environmental impact

Self-Irrigating

Does the sustainability or ethics used during the manufacture matter to you? Issues like transportation, fossil fuels, environmentally destructive processes and international production are aspects to consider. Check where the product is made and research the manufacturing process. Is it eco-friendly?

Many planters have a self-watering reservoir in the base that holds water. The moisture wicks upwards via the surface tension that is created into the potting mix. So plant roots are not over or under-watered. This reduces the likelihood of drought stress or waterlogging and root rot. This design helps maintain moisture levels to encourage healthy plant growth.

You may want to choose products that use recycled components or tread lighter on the planet with other initiatives. Buy locally made or upcycle containers to minimise resources.

Cost Buying new pots is an investment. If you choose durable container materials and plan to use them for a long time, it can be worth spending extra money. You may be able to save on delivery by picking them up locally from a garden centre or retail outlet.

Self-watering pots are an ideal choice for forgetful and time-poor gardeners or travellers who need a buffer to keep their plants alive while they’re away for a few days. They save you time not having to water every day. These types of containers particularly suit edibles that need consistent moisture, like fruiting crops and leafy greens.

Portable pots provide flexible options

If your pots have been manufactured overseas or interstate, transportation costs will be built into the retail price. Locally made containers will likely be more economical and support businesses in your community. With a restricted budget, DIY or upcycled containers may be the most cost-effective options.

Weigh up the cost to the environment when making your choice.

Durability If you need a container just for a short time, it may not matter how long it lasts or what it looks like. Consider if you can reuse the pot and embodied energy to extend its long-term value.

If you are designing a garden or want a feature pot that looks important, a durable container is ideal. Long-lasting choices include ceramic or glazed terracotta, resin, concrete, sealed timber, corrugated iron and stone.

While polystyrene boxes are cheap and readily available, they degrade relatively quickly in strong sunlight. Some cheap plastics become brittle and crack or fade, but most go the distance.

Coir fibre liners in hanging baskets generally last around five years unless resourceful birds steal the fibres for nest-making!

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CONTAINERS FOR GROWING FOOD

Air Pruning If you want to grow a plant such as a fruit tree to a specific size and then transplant and repot as it grows, rigid materials like plastic or ceramic may not be the best choice. When plant roots hit the side of the container, they start circling it. Instead of growing evenly downwards and inwards, the roots have nowhere else to go except around. This often causes the plant to become pot bound.

When it comes time to transplant, it may be harder to remove it from the pot. Root trimming is then required with the associated risk of transplant shock. In this case, air pruning pots may be a better choice. These containers assist healthier root development. They are designed with air holes or breathable fabric that encourages the plant roots to self-prune. When the roots reach the side or base of the container and encounter air, the root tips dry out and stop growing. They naturally sheer off, so the plant develops dense, fibrous lateral roots within the container.

Air pruning containers encourage higher yields for fruiting crops, reduce transplant shock and root diseases but can be more expensive than other materials. Many versions include washable, reusable fabric root pouches, grow bags and solid plastic containers with air holes on the sides and base. Some brands are BPA free, which is another health consideration for food plants.

Aesthetics The appearance of your pots is a very personal decision. We all have different tastes in the colours we prefer and the size or shape we need for the space we have. If you’re restricted due to budget, you may have limited choices. Functionality may take precedence over beauty!

You may want to coordinate the theme of your container garden with a uniform look by grouping pots of the same colour or style.

Perhaps you prefer quirky or ornamental DIY containers that reflect your personality. The most important consideration is you love the look of it!

Insulation Properties Where climate challenges like frost, snow or high temperatures affect plants, pot choice can be an essential factor to consider.

Metal containers provide minimal insulation and heat up rapidly in direct sunlight. This can dry out the potting mix as it shrinks away from the sides, increasing the likelihood of root damage.

Stone, concrete and ceramic pots are suitable insulating materials.

They are suited to climates with extreme temperatures, helping to shield delicate plant roots and soil microbes from harsh conditions. Polystyrene boxes that are often used as a DIY container option have excellent thermal properties but do deteriorate quickly in strong UV sunlight, potentially leaching styrene into the soil.

With so many factors to consider, it’s a matter of weighing up the pros and cons of the different types of containers when planning your food garden and choosing those that best meet your personal needs. 3

Hardy sun loving herbs like Aloe vera suit porous clay terracotta pots in full sun

Perhaps you prefer quirky or ornamental DIY containers that reflect your personality. The most important consideration is you love the look of it!

BIO

Anne Gibson, The Micro Gardener, is an author, speaker and urban garden community educator on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia. Anne is passionate about inspiring people to improve health and wellbeing, by growing nutrient-dense food gardens in creative containers and small spaces. Anne regularly presents workshops, speaks at sustainable living events, coaches private clients and teaches community education classes about organic gardening and ways to live sustainably. She has authored several eBooks and gardening guides.

Anne shares organic gardening tips and tutorials to save time, money and energy on her popular website - TheMicroGardener.com.

51

BY CAROLINE RIVARD

y v I d n u Gro

Medicine Beneath Your Feet 52

GROUND IVY

G

round ivy is a low-growing plant that covers the ground like a carpet. For that reason, it often doesn’t catch the attention of gardeners

Medicinal and edible, the weed is rich in iron, potassium, and vitamin C

until it becomes invasive and takes over an entire space! If there’s partial shade and fertile ground, the low-growing evergreen will spread abundantly.

A distant cousin of mint and lemon balm, Glechoma hederacea has a distinctive aroma of menthol; once you know it, you’ll never forget it! The scent is an excellent way to identify the medicinal weed correctly. Pollinators are attracted to the plant’s fragrant purple flowers, making it an excellent groundcover for your property!

Ground ivy originally came to America via European settlers.

Medicinal and edible, the weed is rich in iron, potassium, and vitamin C. Ground ivy has many culinary uses. Before hops became popular, the flowers and leaves were used to flavour and preserve beer and wine. Also named Creeping Charlie, ground ivy can be used as an aromatic herb to add punch to omelettes, soups, salads, and tea. The bitter greens can be cooked and eaten like spinach.

Bold Medicinal Qualities In herbal folk medicine, ground ivy has long been considered a plant that cures it all. It has anti-inflammatory properties and serves as a decongestant, stimulant, tonic, expectorant, digestive, diuretic, and anthelmintic (destructive to parasitic worms). Ground ivy contains tannins, essential oil, flavonoids, sesquiterpenes, ursolic acid and marrubium. The leaves and the flowers are the medicinal parts of the plant. Harvest them from early spring to late fall. While most herbal recipes call for fresh ground ivy, dry leaves and flowers can also be used.

Ground ivy is especially useful for respiratory issues. A natural decongestant, it helps dry excess mucus in the nose, throat, and chest. Taken as a hot tea, it relieves cold symptoms, catarrh, congestive headaches, coughs, and bronchial phlegm. It also helps restore the respiratory mucus membrane and ease inflammation.

Creeping Charlie is an excellent digestive aid and, beyond stimulating our appetites, helps with the good functioning of the stomach.

A medicinal tea treats gastritis and acid indigestion. It also eases bloating and nausea. The humble weed can also help rebalance metabolism.

Use ground ivy as a compress or poultice for skin conditions.

Applied topically, it cleans sores, abscesses, and boils and help treat poorly healing wounds and ulcers. The fresh leaf can be bruised and used to ease discomfort caused by cuts and insect bites. You can even add ground ivy to your beauty routine! A herbal infusion will not only remove excess facial oil and close the pores but can help sore, black, and puffy eyes.

Integrating Ground Ivy Into Our Daily Care Regiments Rejuvenating Bath Traditionally, fresh ground ivy leaves and flowers were added to a warm bath to help soothe back pain, the skin, muscles, and joints. Add three cups of fresh herbs to five litres of simmering water. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

Strain the plant material and pour the infused water into the bathtub. Soak for at least 20 minutes to reap the benefits. The mildly sedative property of the plant promotes calm and will help you relax.

Creeping Charlie is an excellent digestive aid and, beyond stimulating our appetites, helps with the good functioning of the stomach

Ground ivy’s antiseptic and diuretic properties are very beneficial to the urinary tract. The plant can reduce fluid retention and clear toxins out of the body. It can also help treat urinary tract infections and cystitis.

53

GROUND IVY

In herbal folk medicine, ground ivy has long been considered a plant that cures it all Precious Oil An oil infusion of the aerial parts is made for bruises, wounds, rheumatism, and muscle soreness in folk herbal medicine. This herb transformation is easy to make and provides medicine year-round. Harvest the leaves and flowers on a dry, sunny day and let them wilt on a dishcloth for a couple of hours.

Gently pack into a jar that is sized accordingly to the amount of plant material you have. Cover the ivy with organic olive oil, and remove the air bubbles with a wooden spoon. If the plant material is not completely covered with oil, it will spoil. Cap the jar with cheesecloth and secure it with an elastic band. Leave in a dark place for four weeks and then filter the oil. Transfer the medicine to a properly labelled bottle. The oil should be good for a year or so; apply and massage when needed.

Pollinators are attracted to the plant’s fragrant purple flowers, making it an excellent groundcover for your property!

The next time you go for a walk in the woods or your garden, remember to look attentively under your feet! There’s a good chance ground ivy will be there. Even if it may be humble in appearance, it has plenty of benefits to share! 3

Disclaimer: Although considered a very safe herb, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using ground ivy as there is not enough research on possible side effects. The plant is also not recommended for people taking blood thinner medications. Consult your health care practitioner before using ground ivy as herbal medicine.

A therapist and healer for over 15 years, Caroline’s passion for medicinal plants only began after leaving the city for the quiet country life in Quebec, Canada.

Eager to learn, she’s never looked back, using forests and wildflower fields as her classroom ever since. In a time where reconnecting with plants and nature is badly needed, she spreads her love for herbalism by holding teaching workshops about the powers of medicinal herbs and natural remedies.

Bio

55

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

Local

Growers 1.

Byron Bay, NSW

Three Springs Farm

Credit: Three Springs Farm

From a run-down grazing paddock to a thriving certified organic property, Three Springs Farm has made quite the transformation over the last decade or so. Always observing and recording soil and climate variables, sustainable farming methods have helped bring new life to the property. Homemade compost from on-farm vegetation and manure from a small herd of pet cows have created worm-friendly environments underground. To promote biodiversity, Three Springs Farms encourages plant-friendly birds and insects to take up residence on the property and has even been declared a Wildlife Refuge. Native species such as wallabies, frogs, koalas, and echidnas also have a safe place to live. The concept is simple; treating the earth and our creatures with love and respect can grow nutritious and delicious produce. Food as medicine is the farm’s focus; it grows organic vegetables and medicinal herbs, including turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, blue flag, pea eggplant, and more. Experimenting with various growing methods on the farm helps achieve the highest quality turmeric, which is a Three Springs staple for a good reason. Turmeric has been used for centuries for its many medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-tumour, and wound-healing capabilities. It’s also excellent for treating joint pain, digestive issues, allergies, insect bites, and skin rashes. Three Springs Farm has taken all of those benefits and put them in a bottle for us all to enjoy. Complete 3 Turmeric Liquid Extract is available for purchase online and from many health shops across New South Wales.

Canberra (ACT)

Ainslie Urban Farm Fiona Buining and Michael Wilson run Ainslie Urban Farm on a quarter-acre block they also call home. When they first moved to the property in 2008, there were only two trees in sight, but after years of hard work, their beautiful permaculture gardens now boast over 50 fruit trees, in-ground vegetable beds, a flock of chickens, a couple of beehives and two working rabbits. The farm specialises in growing microgreens for local restaurants in the Canberra area.

Their soil-grown greens are nutrient-dense, flavoursome, seasonal, and come in reusable recycled plastic trays. The large selection of microgreens includes Wasabi curled press, Daikon radish, Purple basil, chickpea, sunflower, Mizuna and plenty more. The greens are grown in an organic seed raising mix and watered; no additional inputs go into the process, ensuring a clean and deliciously nutritious product. Restaurant clients enjoy them in salads and dishes of all kinds.

Learn more: ainslieurbanfarm.com.au ainslieurbanfarm

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Credit: Ainslie Urban Farm

2.

Learn more: threespringsfarm.com.au facebook.com/ThreeSpringsFarmOrganics/ three.springs.farm

WHAT’S GROWING ON

WHO’S GROWING WHAT WHERE 3.

in australia

Sydney

Sydney City Farm Credit: Sydney City Farm

Everybody interested in learning about urban agriculture and sustainable food production is welcome at Sydney City Farm. Nestled in a sunny spot of Sydney Park, a steady stream of volunteers helps sow seeds, weed, water, and eventually harvest fresh seasonal produce following organic growing practices. The farm aims to boost interest in urban agriculture and help people connect with their food and understand where it comes from. People can participate in small group horticulture and food production workshops on herb propagation, working bees, and fruit pruning essentials and more. Minimising waste and sustainable living are also significant focuses on the farm; seminars on topics like food recycling in apartment buildings and recycling garden organics are also regularly offered. Industry experts are always on hand to share their knowledge. Those who volunteer are promised exciting and rewarding work to learn new skills and meet other city dwellers with similar interests.

Learn more: cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/community-gardens/sydney-city-farm

4.

Middle Point, NT

Credit: Humpty Doo Barramundi

Humpty Doo Barramundi

Food tastes better when it’s sustainably grown, right? That’s the concept behind Humpty Doo Barramundi, a familyowned and operated saltwater fish farm located halfway between Darwin and Kakadu National Park. Barramundi is a mildly sweet and delicious white fish known for its many health benefits. Low in fat and sodium, it’s also packed with omega-3’s which are good for the heart, immune system, and mental health. At Humpty Doo Barramundi, the fish is raised without the use of hormones or antibiotics, so customers can feel even better about what they’re eating. The fish are grown in an award-winning saltwater wetland system where saltwater grasses help clean and recirculate the water. The farm also boasts technologically advanced hatchery processes and fingerling nurseries, and the result is healthier, happier fish and next to no water discharge! Humpty Doo Barramundi harvests about 3000 tonnes of fish every year, delivering it fresh and twice-weekly year-round.

Learn more: humptydoobarramundi.com.au facebook.com/humptydoobarramundi humptydoobarramundi

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57

BY JESSE SINGER

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly The global peatlands are the most efficient carbon sink on the planet 58

PEAT

S

ome gardeners swear by it while others will tell you to stay as far away from it as possible. There are huge companies producing tons of the stuff and there are countries around the world banning its use. Peat is one of the most controversial topics, and products, in the gardening world these days, with people on both sides of the

fence. But given the facts, one side of the fence is starting to look a lot better than the other.

Peat is one of the most controversial topics, and products, in the gardening world these days, with people on both sides of the fence.

What is Peat?

Over thousands of years in bogs around the world, the decomposition of water-submerged plants has created the soil we call peat. To harvest the peat, companies will temporarily dry out a bog then vacuum it up. It is then dried some more, screened and pressed into bales.

Also, while people often use the terms interchangeably, it should be noted that peat and peat moss isn’t exactly the same thing. Peat moss, or sphagnum moss, is the most common component of peat, although other plants can be a part of the decayed material.

The Good

The global peatlands are the most efficient carbon sink on the planet and the numbers are incredible.

Peat covers just 3% of the land’s surface, but stores one-third of our planet’s soil carbon.

Sphagnum moss, is the most common component of peat,

The global peatlands are the most efficient carbon sink on the planet and the numbers are incredible. Peat covers just 3% of the land’s surface, but stores one-third of our planet’s soil carbon. The draining of peatlands can also negatively affect a population’s drinking water due to pollution from dissolved compounds.

That doesn’t even take into account the wildlife that depends on it. From hen harriers to short-eared owls and many more, a swath of life on this planet relies on this very specific peat bog ecosystem. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the destruction of its peat swamp habitat can be greatly attributed to the 60% decline of the Bornean Orangutan population over just the last 60 years.

Dating back to the 1940s, gardeners have touted the benefits of peat, and most potting soils you buy will have a percentage of peat moss mixed in because it does offer some very beneficial things to plants and gardens. It retains up to 20 times its weight in moisture and releases it efficiently to the plants and the garden. Peat also has the ability to hold onto nutrients in the soil, keeping them from just washing away.

In fact, some scientists say these peatland ecosystems are just as essential and as fragile as the rain forests. But instead of holding concerts to raise money to save the peatlands, we are continuing to farm and harvest them.

The Bad

The Ugly

If it really is that great, what’s the problem? The problem is that while peat might be good for gardens, it isn’t good for our planet. Well, let me rephrase that. Peat is great for our planet, but only when left in the peat bogs in its natural state.

Peat is a huge business, with the industry expected to reach $12.3 billion by 2027. Although, that number might have to be revised given recent revisions that happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The original estimates for 2020 were expected to be in the $4.8 billion range, but the pandemic and the rise in gardening and home growing forced the industry to revise those numbers to near $12 billion last year.

Peat releases carbon dioxide, but when in its natural peat bog habitat, the bog maintains a balance by capturing and holding onto the CO2 and not allowing it to release into the environment. When the peat is removed from the bogs, all bets are off.

And where there are companies making millions of dollars, there’s going to be companies doing anything they can to keep making millions of dollars, which includes questionable

59

Peat is a huge business, with the industry expected to reach $12.3 billion by 2027

PEAT

In case you didn’t realise how dire the situation is in the United Kingdom, know that 95% of England’s bogs have been lost in the last one hundred years.

“scientific” studies and the “greenwashing” of facts. One of those “facts” being the question of peat being a renewable resource or not.

More and more science is suggesting that peat isn’t a renewable resource. Technically, the stuff does grow back, but it does so at a rate of just .04 inches per year - which in industrialised countries, can’t keep up with the rate at which it is harvested. Therefore, peat is NOT a renewable resource. Add to that the reports suggesting that peat automatically grows back in only about 30-40% of farmed peatlands.

You will also hear folks on the pro-peat side of the fence touting studies and research showing that farmed bog ecosystems can be reclaimed. And while that’s true, it works if only part of the peat layer has been harvested. Again, regardless of how much grows back, how fast it grows back and how much of the ecosystem can be reclaimed, none of that helps with all the CO2 being released during the harvesting process and later on when the peat is used by gardeners.

So, what are we doing about it?

The UK Ban In case you didn’t realise how dire the situation is in the United Kingdom, know that 95% of England’s bogs have been lost in the last one hundred years. And while gardens and gardening are a culprit, much of the peat harvested from England’s bogs over the last century was burned for fuel.

The government in the UK has been eyeing a solution for over a decade now, and come 2024, UK gardeners won’t be using peat anymore. Announced in 2011, the ban was originally set out as voluntary, but when that didn’t see the changes the government had hoped for, it became mandatory. In 2024, all sales of peat compost to gardeners will end, with a total horticultural ban in the plans for a few years down the road. And the movement is already growing.

Britain’s Royal Horticultural Society, the largest gardening organisation in the world, has reduced peat use by 97% at its four major gardens and has been asking its members to follow their lead. But that’s not all.

The UK government has also announced plans to invest in tree planting and the restoration of peatlands. The announced numbers are 35,000 hectares by 2025. And while

61

CULTIVATING HOPE PEAT

Alternatives that’s only 1% of the UK total, at least it’s something. There’s also a plan to reintroduce and recover various wildlife that was previously lost to England.

How much gets done, and when, is still a wait-and-see scenario, but at least they seem to be headed in the right direction, unlike their North American neighbours.

Peat Still Going Strong in North America We loved Monty Python, we screamed for The Beatles, and we couldn’t get enough of Downton Abbey, but in North America, we have yet to show our support for the peat ban taking shape across the pond.

This might be because, unlike in the UK, the numbers aren’t as dire in Canada and the US. Canada alone has over 200 million acres of intact peatlands, but that doesn’t mean the country can sit back and do nothing. Canada needs to get on this before it gets to 95% like in the UK. Not only is Canada not banning peat, but it’s also using it in more than just gardens and potting mixes.

You’ll find peat in many grass and lawn fertiliser and even in septic systems. In fact, one popular filter option on the market includes a coco and peat moss combo. The company behind the system claims it has the lowest carbon footprint of any comparable product on the market. However, there is no indication that those claims take into account the amount of CO2 that gets released into the environment when they harvest the peat used in these septic filter systems.

While many companies that use peat in their products talk about their regeneration practices and the work they do to protect peatlands and bog ecosystems, the only way to really protect them is to leave them alone.

Just because governments in North America aren’t putting a stop to peat, that doesn’t mean we, as citizens, can’t.

Many top-notch alternatives exist, from wood waste to compost. Even pine needles and leaf mould are options.

But according to many, the best peat alternative is coconut coir, which are the fibres that have been removed from wet and softened coconut husks and then dried out.

When peat first began being used by gardeners around the world, both big and small, it did a lot of good for crops and we didn’t really know any better. But today, we don’t have that as an excuse anymore. Today, the bad and the ugly far outweigh the good and now that we know better, we need to do better. 3

Sources: • • • • • •

• • •

CBC News: Peat moss use in gardening unsustainable, says soil expert. Social Sharing (bit.ly/3gDIXlX) Global News Wire: Global Peat Industry (bit.ly/3cPUgoE) The Guardian: Sales of peat compost to gardeners to be banned from 2024 (bit.ly/3gHMChh) Wikipedia: Peat (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peat) Hutcheson Sand Mixes: Why Peat Moss is Better Than Compost (bit.ly/3iSr0Sm) National World: What is peat? UK garden centre ban explained, why is it damaging - and where to buy peat-free compost (bit.ly/3iMuUMq) Grower Talks: The Little-Known Sides of Premier Tech’s Peat Moss Empire (bit.ly/3q6v5DX) Smart Garden Guide: The Alternatives to Peat Moss (bit. ly/35DtaNL) IUCN: Peatlands and Climate Change (bit.ly/3gIIq0R)

BIO

Jesse grew up obsessed with movies and so it only makes sense that he graduated from McGill University with a degree in Political Science. He then put that degree to good use with a job at a video store. After that, he spent months backpacking around Europe - a continent that he has been back to visit many times since. Jesse is super curious and loves to learn and explore new subjects. For the last 15+ years, he has been writing online for a number of different sites and publications covering everything from film and television to website reviews, dating and culture, history, news, and sports. He’s worn many hats - which is ironic because he actually loves wearing hats and he has many different ones.

While many companies that use peat in their products talk about their regeneration practices and the work they do to protect peatlands and bog ecosystems, the only way to really protect them is to leave them alone.

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@greatwhitemyco www.plantrevolution.com

HUMATES

BY MATT MOUNTAIN

Humates are a loose “family” of relatively large carbonbased molecules found in leaf litter and the fossilised remains of ancient forests. The humic spectrum includes the following: •

Humic Acids (large, complicated carbon polymers).

•

Fulvic Acids (small, short-chain polymers).

•

Ulmic Acids (a blend of the above).

Humates are organic by the chemistry definition because they are carbon-based. Despite their origins and extraction often being highly industrial, humate

Despite their origins and extraction often being highly industrial, humate products are usually also certified organic because they offer a wide range of benefits to soil health

products are usually also certified organic because they offer a wide range of benefits to soil health.

Where Do They Come From?

The distinctions between the three groups in the humate spectrum come from how the substances were isolated, namely, by fractional distillation (distillation separates substances into groups by molecular weight, hence the size difference across the spectrum) from fossilised lignite (aka brown coal).

It is also possible to produce/extract humates from wood, a growing and highly sustainable source that many products are now based on. This can also offer more neutral products for the end-user, as industrial lignin-based extraction processes often use potassium hydroxide to form a humic salt, resulting in relatively high potassium levels in the final product.

What Do They Do? The arbitrary humate categories have stuck around because while all humates have some common characteristics, the different sizes and constituents have different effects, especially if comparing one end of the spectrum to the other. Here’s a brief rundown of some of the main characteristics.

Humic Acids Humic acids are large molecules (primarily hydrocarbon polymers) with an essential role in soil structure. Humic acid forms stable conglomerates with clays and other particles, improving the structure and supporting soil biology. Thanks to their design and the way they bind soil particles, humic acids can retain 15 times their weight in water. This isn’t a minor thing; if used appropriately, humates can rejuvenate dead, compacted soil. Humic acids form complexes (chelates) with macro and micronutrients, increasing retention and regulating nutrient availability.

Fulvic Acids At the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the much smaller, shorter polymers known as fulvic acid(s). Lighter in colour and molecular weight, fulvic acids form complexes with a narrower range of nutrients and act fast, providing a range of beneficial outcomes in plant biology, from pre-germination seed soaking to harvest. Fulvic acids also have notable effects on root hair growth, making them highly efficient root stimulators.

Ulmic Acids Ulmic Acids possess a blend of both attributes, depending on source and production process.

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HUMATES

All humates stimulate plant growth, improve soil structure and provide a diverse food source for soil biology Which Acid To Choose?

If one or more of the specific characteristics in the list above speak to your needs, choose that one. Otherwise, there’s no wrong choice. All humates stimulate plant growth, improve soil structure and provide a diverse food source for soil biology.

This is why you see humates in so many products nowadays; they are an excellent all-around plant tonic and help out with several aspects of formulation chemistry.

The race is on to develop the next generation of biological chelates!

Whatever that looks like, humates and the technology related to them are here to stay

If you grow in bare-root recirculating hydroponics (non-organic), consider using fulvic acids due to their physical characteristics. Fulvic acids tend to add less carbon to sterile setups. But again, check manufacturer recommendations; some very efficient products out there can handle all growing environments and media.

As to substrate-based growers, especially if using beneficial bacteria and or fungi, you can use one or all of the above.

Be sure to consider your overall dosage if applying multiple products that contain humates (see downsides below).

How Do I Use Them?

In short, as the manufacturer recommends. There’s no hard and fast rule because of the sheer number of sources, specifications and dilution rates. This is one of the few product categories with no easy objective benchmark due to the complicated (and still partly unknown) chemistry of how humates are formed and work. But because most products come from a relatively small number of sources, comparing dilution rates and price can still be a helpful guide.

Bio

Matt Mountain - Clearspeech.london

With a Bachelor of Sciences degree and background in management consultancy, Matt’s day job is helping everyday people - aka customers, understand and benefit from the developments that researchers and manufacturers in advanced horticulture make every year.

Matt has over 20 years of urban gardening experience in France and England, and is now particularly concentrated on the practical application of hydroponics in small-scale urban food production with a focus on high value, high carbon cost produce.

What Are The Downsides?

Not many, if any at all. If you’re sourcing a high-quality humate, you’ll likely achieve excellent results. There’s also a pretty big safety margin with most humates, so using multiple products containing them isn’t necessarily a problem. However, as with anything, too much is rarely beneficial.

Excessive humate application is a waste of money. You may be able to go two or three times over the recommended dose with some humic products, but it won’t improve your results. And, it will double or triple the greenhouse gas emissions that go along with the product, which might sound abstract, but has an increasingly immediate impact nowadays, especially if you live anywhere low lying. Exceeding recommended doses will also eventually restrict access to trace elements and even macronutrients, possibly inhibiting growth.

What’s The Future For Humates?

The future is bright. A wide range of effects and interactions means research into humate biochemistry is still in its infancy.

We can, therefore, look forward to many discoveries and improvements, especially as they are now available from sustainable sources.

Humates offer less problematic ways to provide the chelation that all modern nutrients (mineral and organic) rely on. EDTA and the other commonly used synthetic chelating agents found in plant nutrients aren’t necessarily harmful. EDTA, after all, is in many foods. But these agents have an irritating tendency to hang around for a long time while putting heavy metals back into our drinking water. Humates offer a safer way to do similar things, but they can’t match the stability and performance of synthetic substances. So, the race is on to develop the next generation of biological chelates! Whatever that looks like, humates and the technology related to them are here to stay. 3

If used appropriately, humates can rejuvenate dead, compacted soil

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ALBERT MONDOR, HORTICULTURIST AND BIOLOGIST

Urban Sheep and Shepherds

Yvon Langlois, an urban shepherd and his sheep 68

URBAN SHEEP

S

heep, in the hear t of cities? Throughout Nor th America, we now see sheep and their

Already popular in Europe,

shepherds in parks and other urban areas. Is it

sheep are increasingly

just a passing trend or a helpful agricultural practice?

used to substitute mowing

What are the real benefits of letting sheep graze on

equipment and herbicides in

city lawns?

North America Eco-grazing, a Beneficial Technique Already popular in Europe, sheep are increasingly used to substitute mowing equipment and herbicides in North America. They eat few tree leaves and are therefore used in forests in British Columbia to cut the grass growing around freshly planted young trees. The sheep give the trees a chance to grow while also avoiding glyphosate, a herbicide still widely used in western Canada’s forestry industry.

The owners of some vineyards also opt for eco-grazing. For example, at Vermont’s Shelburne vineyard, sheep graze on weeds growing at the base of the vines without eating the grapes. Since 2016, goats have been used in some parks in Calgary to reduce the proliferation of thistles and other unwanted grasses.

Natural Lawn Mowers Sheep feed mainly on dandelions, clover, plantain and some typical lawn grasses. They do not pull up weeds but instead cut them down to the ground, and therefore, they are very efficient lawnmowers! Sheep also control unwanted weeds, weakening them

credit: Albert Mondor

Biquette’s Farm was founded seven years ago by Marie-Ève Julien ​​ Denis. She observed eco-grazing while on a trip to France and introduced the practice to Montreal, Quebec. Her farm consists of 30 sheep, ten of which live in Maisonneuve Park in the summer, close to the Montreal Botanical Gardens. The animals return to Biquette’s Farm every fall to spend the winter with their fellow sheep.

through grazing and preventing them from scattering their seeds.

Unlike goats, sheep do not like to eat tree leaves; they prefer to eat plants that grow under a tree’s canopy, such as chervil.

Similar to cows, sheep swallow whole grasses without chewing them. Later, they regurgitate the plants from one of their four stomachs so they can chew them again until they are tender, well-shredded, and ready to be digested.

Worried about the smell? Sheep manure has very little odour and disappears quickly!

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URBAN SHEEP

Urban sheep offer a particularly beneficial experience and help create a link between humans and nature

Nature in the City

It’s Hip To Be An Urban Shepherd

I had the chance to meet a flock of urban sheep, and I was amazed to see so many people interested in these animals, which are comfor table around humans. For many city dwellers, especially children, it is a unique experience to be so close to animals without fences or enclosures.

Urban sheep offer a par ticularly beneficial experience and help create a link between humans and nature.

In urban settings, shepherds are present more to manage the crowd than to guide the sheep. Sheep have an incredible memory of the territory; they know exactly where to find the best food. Therefore, the shepherds follow them more than they direct them. After grazing for a few hours, the sheep invariably return on their own to the sheepfold to drink water.

One of the shepherds told me that he once met a cranky man in the park who had just had an awful morning at work. While walking in the park, the man stumbled upon the sheep, and his state of mind changed dramatically, telling the shepherd he suddenly felt calm and happy.

Gentle and curious, sheep appreciate and do not fear domestic animals, such as dogs. Worried about the smell? Sheep manure has very little odour and disappears quickly! Their presence in a park is quite beneficial since they mow the lawn, fertilise it, and make people happy.

Yvon has been a shepherd for Biquette’s Farm for two years.

Very diligent, he comes to take care of the sheep three to four times a week. He does this work out of love and passion for these animals. His favourite is Cornoli, the oldest ram in the herd.

The sheep recognise him and go out to meet him as soon as he arrives at the farm, mainly to beg for a few hugs!

Another passionate shepherd named Annie tells me that she and some volunteers brush sheep like you would dogs or horses; this removes burrs and other debris caught in the wool.

“I stay all summer here with the plants and animals,” Annie says.

“My holidays are spent at Biquette’s Farm!” 3

BIO Passionate about environmental horticulture, urban agriculture and extreme landscape design, Albert Mondor has practised his craft for over 30 years and created numerous gardens in North America. In addition to teaching courses and lecturing at conferences across Canada, his weekly gardening column has appeared in the Journal de Montréal and the Journal de Québec since 1999.

In April 2018, Albert Mondor published Le nouveau potager, his tenth horticultural book. He is a regular guest and contributor to radio and television programmes and his hosting The Trendy Gardener spots broadcasted on Météo Média and online. You can also read his blog called Extreme Horticulture at albertmondor.com. Follow Albert on Facebook: fb.com/albert.mondor

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

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BY JOANNA BERG

Life Provides Soil,

As Soil Provides Life We are actively destroying soil at historical rates, but we also have the power to actively build soil at historic rates

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LIVING SOIL

W

hat is “Living Soil”? It seems like a concept that has been gaining momentum in the 21 st centur y.

I won’t get into the dust bowl histor y and how “soil conser vation” became a mainstay of conventional agriculture, although I encourage you to read up on it. I want to fast forward to

a time when “Soil Conser vation” still isn’t enough. It is not enough to conser ve the soil we have left. We are actively destroying soil at historical rates, but we also have the power to actively build soil at historic rates. It can be dishear tening to hear that it takes hundreds to thousands of years to create one inch of topsoil, and erosion and mediocre land stewardship can wash that away in a decade. This is only par t of the soil’s truth.

Sure, it takes rocks a long time to break down and weather and progress to a developed soil, but with human inter vention, we can create environments that significantly speed up this process. The answer is right under our nose and already par t of our ever yday life. Compost! This is where soil comes to life. This is where we can each have an impact.

What About Soil?

Soil is a forgotten resource. Every day, we recycle plastic, paper, metals cans, etc., while we throw food in the garbage as if these scraps were not a recyclable product. Food is the easiest and least energy-intensive thing to recycle. Not only that, but it is a small act that can have an enormous impact. If you are defeated and don’t know how you can help save the world, start by saving the soil. The impacts are many, from recycling our food into fertiliser to reducing greenhouse gasses and increasing carbon sequestration. The soil is truly one of our most important ecological resources.

So what can each of us do on a small scale to make a big difference? How can one person or one household participate in this living soil revolution? When we are all so busy, living in cities, consuming products from all over the world, it seems impossible to change our entire existence.

We keep hearing things like permaculture, compost tea, ferments, Korean Natural Farming, closed-loop systems, regenerative, farm to table, and so on, but what does it mean in practice? How can we make a difference that feels functional and positive for us in our daily lives?

The answer is microorganisms, and there are many ways to accomplish this depending on your lifestyle and site limitations.

Everyone can do it; you just need to find the version to fit your needs. Even if all you can do is bury the food scraps directly into the ground, or have a small worm compost bin under your sink, or a local green waste composter who will accept your yard waste, a little bit goes a long way.

There are two main concepts accepted when it comes to human-supported living soil development - aerobic and anaerobic microbial digestion. These organisms, either aerobic (requiring oxygen) or anaerobic (not requiring oxygen), break apart the cellulose in decaying plant cell walls, releasing the internal life force bound by those walls, making it available to the plants.

Sure, it takes rocks a long time to break down and weather and progress to a developed soil, but with human intervention, we can create environments that significantly speed up this process Let’s Talk Aerobic Techniques Composting is simply creating the right balance of plant and/ or animal materials that provide food, shelter, and moisture to microbes. This balance allows the microbial life cycle to kick start the decomposition process. Use plant matter, like grass clippings or wood chips, and animal manures, like chicken or even rabbit droppings. Finding the materials that are most easily accessible to you is the best way to dial in your compost recipe, building these necessary microbial populations.

It takes about three months to make finished compost, lightning speed compared to the timeline when unsupported by humans.

Compost becomes a source of aerobic microorganisms as it provides all the requirements for life - food, shelter, moisture, and warmth.

Actively Aerated Compost Tea (AACT), popularised by Dr Elaine Ingham, is a style of breeding and amplifying aerobic microorganisms to be added to soils for improved soil health and breathes life into our tired and degraded soils. Finished compost is where we source the microbes; the tea we brew is meant to amplify them or increase their populations through reproduction. The more aerobic microbes, the better!

Now Let’s Talk Anaerobes The other form of microbial amplification is done using anaerobic microorganisms, mainly bacterial. Korean Natural Farming, popularised by Dr Cho, uses intentional anaerobic fermentation to break down the cell walls and release the life force from the plants. Bokashi, popularised by Dr Teuro Higa, out of Okinawa, Japan, is another anaerobic fermentation technique that uses all food and animal waste forms in its rapid

73

LIVING SOIL

breakdown process. Even crazier-- static composting; a way to decompose animal remains and other fat and protein-based materials.

An essential aspect of anaerobic fermentation is that it is controlled and intentional rather than accidental. We are not talking about an intended aerobic compost pile that goes bad due to lack of oxygen, or you would be breeding harmful microbes that you do not want to add to your system. Those anaerobes will often kill your garden plants.

The anaerobic fermentation process is specifically focused on brewing out this other type of beneficial organism to reap the benefits of what they excrete - lactic acids - which help keep pathogenic organisms at bay and a myriad of other benefits.

We simply use fermentation to harness these specialised organisms and the exudates they release and apply them to our aerobic soil system. We generally think of anaerobic conditions as bad and phytotoxic. However, it’s important to note that many anaerobes are necessary and beneficial. This is why it is crucial to be intentional about the fermentation method you are using and that you are curating the benefits rather than the detriments.

Both aerobic and anaerobic decomposition use the natural microbes already floating around in our environment to facilitate the composting process. All we do is add the” feedstock” and optimal growing conditions to encourage them to reproduce and make more of themselves. We then

It takes about three months to make finished compost, lightning speed compared to the timeline when unsupported by humans take this concoction of microbial goodness and add it to the soil to increase nutrition, water holding capacity, carbon sequestration, and disease-fighting power. When this happens, our soil is truly “Alive”.

Our world revolves around soil biology. Learning to harness these forces and contribute positively to our world, even at the smallest scale, really matters. Clean soil and water are the fundamental sources of life on this planet, without which none of us would exist. Just as we can’t survive without our gut flora, soil cannot live without its flora. Let’s help nature speed up this laborious process and do our part to return the nutrients and carbon from our food back to the earth. 3

Bio

Joanna Berg is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist specialising in pest and disease diagnosis and integrated crop management solutions through her firm in Northern California, Dirty Business Soil, LLC.

75

BY EVEREST FERNANDEZ

OPI

76

NIO

Np iEC E

VACCINE APARTHEID

L

ast year, an old school friend reached out to me to express both his delight and relief

at a TV news repor t telling him “a vaccine for Covid-19 was now a real

Everest Fernandez calls out the growing trend of “conspiracy gaslighting” in the mainstream media and the suppression of free and open debate surrounding the origins and potential treatments for the

possibility—it could even be made

SARS-CoV-2 virus.

available within a few months!”

“I feel so lucky to live in a developed country,” he gushed, “Soon, we will be among the first in the world to be protected from this terrible virus, and we can all get back to normal.”

whatever you believe, or refuse to believe, regarding the origins of Covid-19 or the efficacy of the promoted treatments, nobody can deny that there has been an accompanying escalation in “information wars” over the last 18 months

Now, admittedly, I don’t keep in touch with many people from my school days.

Still, I count Edward as a true friend, not just someone to stalk occasionally on Facebook with the sole intention of gawking at their overweight, undernourished and unaborted offspring. Edward and I have known each other for over 30 years, and, as anyone with enduring teenage friendships can testify, the best thing about these relationships is the brutal honesty and roasting.

“What the hell are you going on about? Don’t tell me you’re eager to queue up for an untested, experimental injection against a lab-created virus? You’re bloody barking, mate!”

On this occasion, however, my brusqueness took my old buddy by surprise (in reality, there might have been a few more expletives spliced into the quote above.) Only a few months before, the Lancet medical journal had published their “Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19”. The document claimed an overwhelming scientific consensus (at least among its hastily-convened signatories) on the zoonotic origins of the virus rather than a “lab leak”. The mainstream media dutifully seized upon this document time after time to “debunk” or shut down anyone who dared even hypothesise that the virus might have originated from the nearby Wuhan Institute of Virology. No—that was just crazy conspiracy talk. What’s more, Facebook was actively blocking content that suggested otherwise, along with any mention of non-vaccine potential treatments such as “ivermectin” and “hydroxychloroquine”.

“Lab leak!? Pah! That’s just conspiracy nonsense,” declared Ed, “I’m driven by the facts.”

“Oh yeah? You mean the ‘facts’ as spoon-fed to you by the BBC?” I snarled, “Don’t you think it’s important to know where this virus came from—so, at the very least, we know what we’re dealing with?”

Ed paused for a moment.

“Right now, we need to focus on how to best protect ourselves and our loved ones, not get caught up in politics and finger-pointing. Anyway, I think we should talk about something else.”

The conversation continued, of course, mostly via sporadic Whatsapp chats, until several months later, some new “facts” came to light. Most notably, that the orchestrator of the Lancet’s statement was Dr Peter Daszak, who, despite declaring no conflicting interests, has significant funding ties with the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The Lancet later published a semi-apologetic clarification, and suddenly the “lab leak” hypothesis went from “fringe theory” to a far more likely and acceptable possibility worthy of investigation. I waited for the story to go sufficiently mainstream before sending a somewhat gloating message to Edward about it but, alas, his interest in revisiting the “origins” discussion remained un-piqued. All he wanted to know was when I was planning to get myself vaccinated.

Information Wars Now, whatever you believe, or refuse to believe, regarding the origins of Covid-19 or the efficacy of the promoted treatments, nobody can deny that there has been an accompanying escalation in “information wars” over the last 18 months. Entire YouTube channels are disappearing daily. Other creators have had their content removed, demonetised, or demoted if they question the mainstream narrative. Facebook groups about vaccine side-effects, some with hundreds of thousands of members, have vanished without warning. Incredibly talented, diligent and professional independent journalists are casually labelled as “political extremists” simply for asking challenging questions with huge potential implications.

77

Incredibly talented, diligent and professional independent journalists are casually labelled as “political extremists” simply for asking challenging questions with huge potential implications

Meanwhile, I’ve lost count of the number of Facebook posts I’ve seen bearing some self-congratulatory declaration of receiving an injection, along with the blanket applause from their fellow vaccine-lovers.

Some even declare they’re “so jealous” of having to still wait in line. Almost as ubiquitous are the snarky rhetorical jokes in the comments regarding the side-effects “You got the Bill Gates chip? Did your wifi improve? “Is your arm magnetic?” , “How’s your 5G?” — in other words, let’s all collectively laugh, mock, jeer and roll our eyes at any questioning soul who doesn’t trust their government and the scientific establishment while lumping all unsanctioned opinions together as collective wingnuttery. Never mind the huge number of adverse reactions (heart attacks, blood clots, facial paralysis) and deaths (as well as subsequent Covid infections) reported among those who have already chosen to receive their experimental injections. And who even knows about the long term side-effects?

Nobody… yet. But, again, this is not on the table for discussion.

It’s almost as if the term “conspiracy theory” and “conspiracy theorist” have been co-opted and weaponised by our governments and mainstream media as a broad-brush, gaslighting pejorative for anyone who dares to think or talk out of line.

78

describe those who have decided not to participate in the clinical trials.

“The unvaccinated are potential variant factories!” declared Dr William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center— and reports were dutifully copied and pasted around various international news outlets. Few pointed out that this is the same William Schaffner who, just last year, confidently stated, “I have seen no one provide any solid information to support that [lab leak] theory. I think at this point you can draw a line through it and say that didn’t happen.”

Calling the unvaccinated “variant factories” certainly grabs headlines but also marks a change in tone and could even seed a new ideology of compulsion over coercion regarding the future uptake of “emergency injections”. It seems strange that there was barely any talk of “variants” when these treatments were not available. Now, it seems, we’re racing through the Greek alphabet with every passing week and—surprise, surprise—it’s all the fault of the unvaccinated. Are we seeing the foundations of medically-driven apartheid being dug right before our eyes?

Linguistic Traps

The Divide

Anti-vaxxer. Anti-masker. Vaccine-hesitant. Vaccine refusenik. CovIdiots. I regard these clumsy ad hominem barbs as little more than linguistic traps, spewed by the media and repeated mindlessly by those who remain under its spell. The use of these terms intrinsically limits and frames any debate within a clearly defined arena, encircling and fencing off with undeveloped critical reasoning skills and dividing the masses into their predefined camps to create a verisimilitude of free and open debate. However, more recently, there has been an upshift in the intensity of the language used to

As for my friend Ed, he still doesn’t want to know anything that he doesn’t already think he knows. Indeed, any hint that he might have been brainwashed or become the unwitting victim of propaganda is dismissed as condescension (admittedly, it’s hard to posit this theory without causing some intellectual offence.) Even when I suggested that there might be more nebulous factors involved with the high case numbers and severity of symptoms (i.e. diet, lifestyle, underlying health conditions), Ed sternly met me with the following accusation:

VACCINE GARDEN APARTHEID WEEDS

“Are you suggesting that everyone I know who has either suffered symptoms or has died deserved it due to their poor diet?”

Inform Yourselves Deserved!? Good one. Emotive arguments aside, the truth is, we have no idea what these injections will do over the long term. However, in the present moment, we would do well to pay a lot more attention to important, informed and cautionary voices such as Dr Michael Yeadon (former Chief Scientist and Vice President at Pfizer) and Dr Robert Malone (one of the inventors of RNA vaccine technology who, incidentally, just had his LinkedIn account shut down and all mentions of his name scrubbed from the Wikipedia entry on RNA Vaccines) while we are still able to hear them.

Where to go from here? Get informed. (Don’t rely on the back pages of a random “gardening magazine” for answers!) Use the DuckDuckGo search engine to look the doctors above up — please don’t search directly on YouTube or Google. They’re done. You can find some of the lost YouTube channels (perhaps, most notably, The Corbett Report) over at odysee.com, archive.org, bitchute.com, or lbry.tv — and start listening to a wider range of voices. One possible starting point is the Darkhorse Podcast. Whatever you decide, please don’t allow your government or media to pit you against your friends and neighbours or to coerce you into receiving an “emergency injection” in return for “restoring your freedoms”.

Are we seeing the foundations of medically-driven apartheid being dug right before our eyes?

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” ― Voltaire

Garden Culture Magazine supports any choices regarding vaccination. Keep safe, healthy, and happy!

Bio

Everest Fernandez is a well-respected industry educator, veteran hydroponic grower and grow light enthusiast, based in France. He works primarily as a marketing and cultivation consultant and was the founding editor of Urban Garden Magazine in the UK, US and Canada. He also writes and researches for the popular hobby horticulturalist YouTube channel, Just4Growers.

sales@whg.net.au www.whg.net.au

79

GREEN ADVICE

BY CATHERINE SHERRIFFS

WAYS TO CONSERVE GARDEN SOIL Soil is not an infinite resource. The United Nations predicts we only have 60 years of topsoil left; it’s more essential than ever to protect it. Many gardeners replace their soil every growing season but reusing it is possible! You’ll save some green and be a little greener in the process; some of the following techniques help fight climate change and boost food security. Here are our 5 Cool Ways to conserve soil in the garden!

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Biochar

Biochar is the ultimate soil amendment, and it has the track record to prove it; its many benefits have been tested over 2,000 years! Biochar was first discovered by the indigenous people of the Amazon, who created charcoal and mixed it into their agricultural soils. All of these years later, the black earth in the Amazon remains incredibly fertile; crops grown there require no additional fertilisers or additives. Biochar is made through pyrolysis, the burning of organic materials in an airtight, oxygen-free system. The result is a porous carbon that retains water and nutrients and offers a welcoming, long-term home to beneficial soil biology. You can buy biochar or make it yourself; however, do plenty of research before deciding to take the latter route. The best time to add preinoculated or charged biochar to the soil is while you’re building a new garden.

Be sure to follow the recommendations on the label of the biochar product you choose. After application, enjoy incredible yields without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides.

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Cover Crops

The importance of cover crops to the world of agriculture cannot be overstated. As our plants grow, they take nutrients from the soil to make it to harvest time. After harvest, it’s essential to replenish the earth, and one of the simplest ways to do that is to cover the bare ground with plant growth. Beyond rebuilding nitrogen and organic matter reserves, cover crops work overtime by preventing soil erosion and suppressing weeds. Choose from various plants such as buckwheat, rye, hairy vetch, white clover, field peas, and more. Plant them after harvest, generally in the late fall, so the soil is covered throughout the winter. Then, in the spring, till or mulch the plants to release nutrients further into the ground. While cover crops are more typically used in largescale farming, they offer the same benefits to home gardeners, no matter how big or small the plot.

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GREEN ADVICE

WAYS TO CONSERVE GARDEN SOIL

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No-Dig or Dig-Once

The no-dig or no-till technique ditches shovels, weeders, and heavy machinery, focusing instead on keeping precious soil life intact. When the earth is left undisturbed, carbon remains trapped in the ground, and weeds won’t germinate because they won’t be disturbed or get any sun.

You can follow several no-dig methods, but a simple way to do it is to make a lasagna garden by layering newspaper or cardboard, hay, straw, chopped leaves, and then compost on top.You can even create no-dig container gardens by using a large-size pot and placing 2-3” of bark mulch in the bottom. After, alternate between thin, 1-2” layers of nitrogen (compost, fresh grass clippings) and carbon (coir, chopped leaves). Whether growing in the ground, raised beds, or containers, be sure to moisten the layers as you add them and mix in some worm castings or organic fertiliser to the compost to help the decomposition process along.This is a fantastic way to conserve soil by creating your own nutrient-dense mix with easily accessible (and often free) materials!

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Seasonal Amendments

At the end of the growing season, don’t ditch your soil! Instead, consider closing your gardens by adding a fresh layer of good-quality compost and organic fertiliser to the top 3”. Nature handles the rest; worms will help break down the organic fertilisers so that your soil is loose and nourished for the next planting. Adding enzymes to the garden also help purify the earth; you can purchase mixes or make your homemade brews. Korean Natural Farming offers many fermentation recipes that will boost soil life and plant health. If you have container gardens, think back to how your plants did over the growing season. Did you have any pest or disease problems? If so, it’s best to get rid of the soil and start over again. If all went well, remove the top 6” of earth and add it to the compost bin. Replace with fresh organic potting mix, good-quality compost, ferments, and other soil amendments. Coco coir, for example, works well to loosen the soil for aeration. If you need to adjust the acidity levels in the garden, add some lime to the soil. Need to increase the calcium content? Gypsum should do the trick. Care for the earth, and it will care for you!

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Know Your Soil

“Fixing” the soil is easier said than done; how do you know what needs to be corrected if you don’t see what’s lacking? Get to know your soil and what’s in it by testing it regularly. This is especially important for those following the no-till technique.The best way to know what’s going on below the surface? Bring a sample to a lab so a professional who truly understands dirt can tell you what you’re missing. Home gardeners can also purchase pulse metres that quickly and efficiently check EC and pH levels. It’s also possible to buy inexpensive soil test kits to let you know the soil composition and tell you the NPK values, pH levels, and drainage capabilities. Once you know what you’re working with, take the steps necessary to correct any issues that arise.Whatever route you choose, getting to know the soil that’s feeding you is essential to a thriving garden. 3

Sources: • • • 82

Highland, Mark. Practical Organic Gardening:The No-Nonsense Guide to Growing Naturally. (Cool Springs Press, 2017) Nardozzi, Charlie. No-Dig Gardening: Grow Beautiful Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers - The Easy Way! (Cool Springs Press, 2021) Pilarchik, Gary: The Modern Homestead Garden - Growing Self-Sufficiency in Any Size Backyard (Cool Springs Press, 2021).

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