Organic Gardening

Problems I’ve had in my garden this Summer

Short garden tour outlining some of my disappointments and challenges.

Well here in Australia summer has just ended so we are just getting into autumn. And if I wasn’t busy sitting here working on my computer I would be out working in the garden getting it ready for winter!!

Lol… Seriously, we have had a shocker with fruit fly this year. I have no doubt that the weather has been ‘perfect’ for them (that is usually the case here over summer), and apparently, according to the ‘powers that be’, they have banned a chemical that would normally be used to control their population growth.

Now, being the person that I am… I’m really glad they have banned that chemical (it must be pretty bad if they have actually banned it… and there are plenty more that should be relegated to the same fate… however… I digress), even if it does mean I didn’t really get any good fruit this year!

If that chemical being removed from the market has made such a difference, then it certainly highlights just how bad the fruit fly problem really is.

And I don’t think ‘chemicals’ are the answer anyway… at least not when it’s sprayed all over your tree and fruit.
There must be some other more eco-friendly solutions I figured… And so I bought baits and for the most part that helped but not enough to really improve my harvest.

Here is a short video giving you a tour of my little Urban Garden.

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Virtually all my lemons and tomatoes were ruined with fruit fly infestation, however, I didn’t use any physical barrier’s and clearly, this is something that I should have done.

There are a few other ideas I have to see if I can improve on the situation next year so thought I would share them here.

Dealing With Fruit Fly Naturally

• Use baits – either the commercial varieties or homemade ones, just remember if some of these have potentially harmful chemicals to dispose of them very thoughtfully.
• Use physical barriers – You can buy little net bags that you can put over your fruit or you can buy large netting to cover your whole tree. There are some issues here though… when you cover your whole tree you are also keeping out beneficial insects like bees and butterflies. Plus they can be a hazard to these insects or even to small birds if they happen to get caught up in the netting or inside and not be able to get out.
• Meticulous attention to garden hygiene – always pick up any fruit that has dropped to the ground. Fruit fly reproduce in the ground… the maggots crawl out of their ‘fruity cocoon’ and bury themselves in the ground to hatch into mature flies next season. So removing infected fruit from the trees and certainly picking them up from the ground as soon as possible it definitely critical in controlling these pests.
• Dispose of affected fruit by cutting open and putting into a bucket of water, and leave for a day or two – eventually, just strain off liquid and dispose of the fruit remains.

Some other things I want to try is improving the health of the soil… Along with compost, organic matter and mulching I want to try some bio-char and also rock mineral dust.

I believe the healthier the plants the less likely they will have pest and disease problems… Not sure how well this theory will work with something like fruit fly but there is certainly nothing to lose by experimenting with this idea some more.

The other thing is, I have just started studying Permaculture, and I am sure if I was in a position to be able to apply these principles, it would have to make a difference…. That won’t really happen totally here, however, it is certainly something that I will be applying to any future property, should we be able to move back to a more rural setting…

My other summer garden problem… Root Knot Nematode!

These are little pests… also called eel worm they cause growths on the roots of your plants that make the roots not function as they should and eventually it just causes the plants to wilt and die… Tomatoes and other plants are very susceptible.

This has definitely been another ‘developing’ problem which has become more noticeable over the past few years.
No doubt due to my ‘neglect’ of my garden… and a lack of ‘practicing what I preach’, however, that is just the way things are at the moment while I am looking after my Father and trying to work online at home.

There is never enough time in the day to get everything done, so some things suffer (well probably a lot of things to be honest).
Despite root-knot nematodes being a problem when they get out of hand, not all nematodes are bad, and providing you manage your garden well, then they should not be a big problem.

If you want to get a good run-down on these nasty nematodes then you can check out Jerry Coleby-Williams post over on Gardening Australia.

Ways to Attack a Nematode Problem:

• Resting the garden beds and rotating crops
• Solarising the beds – using a black plastic cover
• Planting a covering of marigolds and mustard greens and digging them into the soil
• Building up the health of the soil as mentioned earlier

So growing your own food can have it’s challenges, however, it is really worthwhile to learn how to deal with problems, and of course, ideally to learn how to avoid problems where possible. This is one reason I have decided to formally start a course in Permaculture Design. It is something I have skirted around for some years…  I have mostly focused on chemical free and organic gardening, however, recently learning more about Permaculture, I can see why using this approach can not only save a person a ton of unnecessary work, but it is way more eco-friendly, and has a good chance of having less issues with bugs and diseases.

I will keep you posted with my progress with the course, and also you can expect me to be sharing more about Permaculture systems from here on.

As for my garden challenges this year, if you happen to be experiencing similar problems then I encourage you to consider some of the solutions and points I’ve mentioned.

Also, please comment below if you have some of your own suggestions or experiences to share… I would love to hear about them…

Happy Gardening 🙂

Genetically Modified Foods a Growing Concerns

Processed and GMO foods is becoming a critical health issue, worldwide.

I guess it is no surprise that we have reached this point where so many foods on our supermarket shelves are just getting worse and worse. Almost all of them should have a label saying ‘Unfit for Human (or animal) Consumption’!

When you consider all the added ‘non-food’ chemicals; the artificial preservatives, colours & flavours, the processed ingredients and then you add the genetically altered foods that are also being added to these so-called foods, you can begin to realize the potential catastrophic threat to the survival of the human race.

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Now that might sound dramatic, and clearly, as biological organisms we are able to stand a lot of ‘less than ideal’ foods and conditions, very few of these GMO and otherwise adulterated foods do damage that is immediately evident… Hence the insidious nature of this problem.

When it all boils down, the only way anything is going to change is if people start to ‘care’; they wake up and become educated and then vote with their wallets. It seems that it is primarily the ‘dollar’ that drives this whole movement… Companies whose only concern is their profit margins and who show what can only be described as contempt for human and animal health and well-being, are really only going to respond if it starts to hurt where they feel it most.

Personally, I don’t think I would require studies or any ‘proof’ that genetically modified ‘anything’ is not going to be good for you. Even if there were conclusive studies to support GMO foods as causing no harm whatsoever, I would still rather trust what has been proven through the ages, to not only be safe but to provide superior taste and nutrition… and that is using organic methods.

Organic methods in agriculture and food production, while initially appearing to be more labour intensive, more costs and perhaps more time intensive… are or should be the way of the future. No matter how much of that ‘future’ we have left. At least that is my opinion.

While it is becoming increasingly more difficult, to get back to producing food as close as possible to the way the Creator made things in the beginning, it just seems to be the most logical and common sense approach, and for me, that would be my goal. Working with nature and in accordance with God’s creation is always going to be a far better approach, than starting to genetically modify something that has already been proved to work just fine, so long as the natural laws are upheld and applied.

As time goes on the folly of modern farming methods are proving to be not just non-sustainable but damaging to our environment at large and to the health of animals and human kind.

A controversial 2 year study of the health effects of GMO corn sprayed with Roundup, the Seralini Study, showed, despite the results being ‘retracted’, enough evidence to cause some grave concerns…

And at the very least I would have to ask the question, would it not be better to err on the side of caution rather than just heading off down a path that is fraught with all sorts of problems and concerns?

I found a good article listing the top 10 worst GMO foods for you… It is definitely worth a read.

The foods listed include some of my personal favourite ‘foods’ to hate!

Here are my top 4 Danger Foods:

• Canola Oil (an abomination, and lately is being put into just about every food out there… read the labels).
• Aspartame (should be banned, along with all artificial sweeteners).
• Sugar (referring to that derived from genetically modified sugar beets, although virtually any processed sugar is responsible for a huge number of chronic health problems throughout society… adding a GMO version is just adding insult to injury… literally!).
• Soy (frequently seen as a ‘healthy’ alternative, if you do some more research you find that it is not only not healthy, it is an extreme problem and when you throw GMO into the mix).

Check out the other’s listed… Some may surprise you.

How Do You Avoid GMO

Well… if you buy any sort of processed food via a supermarket, in fast-food outlets or even in a lot of restaurants then you are likely getting a large dose already, so that is the place to start.

• Start replacing ‘done-for-you’ meals with ones that you make yourself from scratch and make sure that the ingredients are as natural as possible, and certified organic or from a local growers market at least.

This one thing will definitely cut down by a huge percentage your intake of GMO foods.

Don’t forget things like Breads and Dairy either, because breads most often contain way too many unnecessary additives and unhealthy fats including canola oils and Dairy is being sourced from animals that are being fed GMO foods, so we are getting the ‘effects’ second hand which might even be worse!

• Read labels and start to become a lot more aware of what it is you are taking into your body in the way of foods.

Don’t just take the ‘easy’ path… Make sure you educate yourself for the sake of your own and your family’s health.

• Buy Certified Organic products (as previously mentioned), buy from local growers markets and start your own Organic Garden to grow as much as you can of your own fresh fruit and veggies, using Heirloom Seeds.

There seems to be increasing threats that potentially will impact on our future and the future of our children. Changes in weather patterns, increasing natural disasters and growing social unrest are all things that contribute to concern and the need to be better prepared. The threat to our environment through the excessive use of chemicals combine with the contamination and abomination of our food supplies are also just as much, maybe even more of a concern.

Clearly, being prepared for emergencies is not just for the acute events but also for the more insidious and chronic damage that is being inflicted upon the planet and all that live on it!

Getting Started with Biodynamics

Understanding the basics and how you can get started…

You’re probably already somewhat familiar with the concept of organic gardening. Organic farms and gardens forego the use of all chemical fertilizers and pesticides, instead relying upon natural techniques to control destructive pests. These techniques generally include composting, crop rotation, and using other plants and insects to control the harmful ones. The philosophy of biodynamic gardening goes even further.

The concept of biodynamic gardening is that the garden itself is in organism, which must be in balance in order to remain healthy and productive. In fact, many biodynamic gardeners take an even larger view that the health of the “garden organism” also depends on environmental factors that are outside the boundaries of the garden itself, such as the activities that occur on nearby properties.

The first step in biodynamic gardening is changing your own point of view. While it’s certainly possible to analogize the various components of your garden to organs of a human body (the plants are lungs, the soil and ground is like the heart, etc.), for many people it’s sufficient just to expand their perspective and consider the ways in which all of the individual parts of the garden work together and depend on one another. Depending on your own beliefs and personality, you can approach biodynamic gardening from more of a spiritual perspective, or a slightly more scientific one.

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Biodynamic Farming Basics and How You can use them in Your Garden
by John from – Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens

For example, strict biodynamic gardening involves a number of different “preparations,” each of which is intended to transfer certain life forces into the soil or to maximize the effectiveness of your compost. The two field preparations (identified as “500” and “501”) involve spraying diluted mixtures of two different substances over your garden area. The 500 preparation is based on a decomposed substance of cow horn and cow manure, while the 501 preparation is a decomposed substance of cow horn and crushed powdered quartz.

There is some evidence to indicate that these two preparations also nourish the soil in a scientifically measurable way, in addition to the supernatural benefits that proponents of biodynamic gardening espouse.

A similar concept underlies the seven different preparations used to prepare a compost pile. Small amounts of medicinal herbs are to prepare the pile specific decomposition processes that will occur when the composting process is underway. The herbs and plants used in these preparations include valerian flowers, dandelions, oak bark, chamomile, stinging nettle, yarrow and horsetail.

Again, there is some scientific evidence to indicate that these various preparations do in fact aid the composting process, although the variables inherent in composting make such benefits more difficult to measure.

The biodynamic gardening principle for controlling pests and weeds is that a healthy garden will be strong enough to repel them before they can cause problems. If pests do invade your garden, then the pests and weeds that are causing problems should be collected, burned, and their ashes added to the garden.

If you’re looking to move beyond organic, consider biodynamic gardening. But be aware that it’s not just a matter of implementing a new technique or two; it’s an entirely new way of thinking about your garden.

Happy Gardening 🙂

Here are 10 great veggies to grow at home in your Organic Garden.

Sometimes if space is limited, it is difficult to know just what vegetables and or fruit you should be growing yourself.

The reasons you might decide to try growing your own might depend on the cost of certain items from the store. As you are no doubt aware, some veggies and fruits are more expensive, so you might figure you can save a bit of extra cash, if you decide to grow the more expensive produce, and just purchase the less costly items.

Perhaps your main motive is to grow organically the food that you are going to be eating the most, so that you have it on hand.

Maybe you just want to start growing the plants that will be easiest to grow, so you can work up your gardening skills…

Well, regardless of the reasons behind your deciding what to grow, here are some suggestions that go pretty well in an Urban Garden… Or any garden for that matter 🙂

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Popular Veggies You Can Grow

Tomatoes – For the most part we use this as a vegetable, but I think we all know that technically it is a fruit… One advantage of growing your own, is that you get to let them ripen on the vine, and that just improves the flavor out of site!

Unfortunately, the store-bought produce, for the ease of transport and freshness, is usually picked green and then artificially ripened, and that just never tastes the same. Shelf life is another consideration that will impact negatively on the quality of the end product and yet another reason why growing your own is so much better.

Home gardeners frequently choose to grow their own tomatoes, and once you have tasted your own delicious vine-ripened tomatoes, you will wonder how you ever ate those store bought ones.

Lettuce – Yet another very popular choice for the home gardener is lettuce, and usually grown in many forms. Because there are so many varieties, and they lend themselves very well to pick-as-you-go. You can just pick off the leaves you want and do the same next time you need some salad greens for your menu.

Some of the more exotic varieties of salad greens and Asian greens can start to become a bit more costly, than you typical ice-berg lettuce, so it is good to be able to grow a variety of leafy greens.

Peas – One of the tastiest delights in the garden is picking young tender peas and eating them straight off the bush. The other big advantage of growing your own, is you can grow a lot more than you need for now, and preserve some for later in the year when they are no longer in season.

Often it is difficult to find fresh peas in the store, so if you have the space then it would be well worth growing enough to freeze, can or dehydrate some to add to your food stores.

Carrots – If you want to discover just how yummy carrots can be, then definitely grow these for yourself! You can pick some of them young and get to taste delicious, sweet, juicy carrots.

Store bought carrots pale in comparison (as does pretty much all of your fresh produce) to your home grown ones.

This is another vegetable you can grow extra quantity and then preserve for an all year round supply.

Radishes – These are one of the veggies that are frequently chosen for children to grow, to introduce them to the wonderful world of gardening… They work well as a beginner gardener’s plant because they grow very quickly and they will also grow in containers without any issues.

While radishes can be quite hot, you can get some varieties that are not, and when they are picked young they are again, sweet, juicy, crispy and very yum. A great addition to salads.

Asparagus – This is really a treat, and nearly always very expensive to buy. They are not that difficult to grow at home, although you do need to know a few things about them. For instance, they take a couple of years to establish and to start producing spears (well most varieties do at least).

Again, picked tender young spears can be eaten raw or lightly cooked and they are full of flavor.

Peppers – So versatile for so many recipes; raw or cooked when you can go and pick your own home grown peppers you get to experience just how delicious they can be.

These are another fruit that we use more as a vegetable, and they are full of vitamin C, so great for, warding of colds and flues. These are another vegetable that can be costly from the store.

Cucumbers – Well I seem to be favoring the ‘veggie-fruits’ here… There are a few different varieties of cucumbers you can grow at home, and one of my personal favorites is the Lebanese cucumber or the continental. They have soft skins so are easy to eat with the skins on, and I always prefer to minimize any peeling of vegetables so I don’t waste a lot of the nutrition.

Corn – Sweet corn is yet another tasty veggie… well there is a bit of debate over whether it is a vegetable, fruit or a grain, but for the sake of this article, we grow it and eat a lot of it fresh, so I am happy to call it a vegetable.

Again, it is another one of those home grown delights, that you can enjoy raw, but one tip, is that you only pick the ears when you are ready to eat them.

Or, if they are ready, then just decide to eat them straight away because they do deteriorate after only a few hours after harvesting, which is yet another good reason to grow your own.

Strawberries – I wanted to finish on an all-time favorite and one of the most tasty treats you can grow in your home garden; the strawberry. Of course, just like all the other produce you can grow yourself, the taste of these when they are grown on rich organic soil is just something you have to try to fully appreciate.

Store bought punnets are often disappointing, both in flavor and quality, and they are usually not cheap to buy, either.

So there you go; some of the most popular plants to grow in your home garden. Take your pick, or choose from so many other options available… but whatever you do, make sure you start to grow something as soon as possible… Even if it is just some strawberries in hanging baskets!

One other tip…

Don’t forget to choose the open pollinated or heirloom varieties to grow yourself at home, aside from being more hardy and resistant to problems they have that full of flavor deliciousness quality about them. After all, if you are going to go to the trouble of growing your own fresh produce, then you might as well be growing the best!