THE BUGS ARE BACK
Dear Donna
To-day we noted a dense infestation of red bugs on one of our ‘pseudo sunflower plants’ – with a ‘pseudo-ant-like’ appearance.
The picture shows the poor growth with the ’enemy’.
Can I Use Leaves in the Veggie Garden?
If you have rich good soil packed with microbes ready to break down shredded leaves then add the leaves right away. The leaves will disappear quickly. If you are not sure if you have a microbe packed soil, then add a small layer (1/4 inch) of high quality worm castings on top of the shredded leaves so you are inoculating your leaves and soil. Worm castings are like pro-biotics for your garden.
Modern Homesteading – Don’t miss the next big trend
I guess it’s the hobbyist thing. If you are growing outdoors, particularly here, you start in the spring and you are ending – by now. With indoor growing you can grow whatever you want whenever you want 365 days of the year. That’s what modern homesteading is about.
The Solution (to most of your problems) is in the Soil
Our world is just too small to be messing with random additions of chemicals and in his book, the intelligent gardener, Steve Solomon spells it out for you. But if you prefer to keep it really really safe, simply make the conditions right for microbes and they will make the conditions right for plants. It is a simple and satisfactory solution.
The Biochar Revolution and other fun in the Greenhouse
But back to Biochar. Apparently if made and used properly it is a more or less a permanent solution to soil drainage problems, soil fertility, soil chemical problems and almost anything that ails you.
BIG VEGETABLES – HOW DO THEY DO IT?
Maybe you grow seven hundred pound pumpkins? Or maybe you are the gardener reported on by the BBC this week who raised a record breaking 50 pound cabbage in England. So my question is this: why bother? I want to grow mineralized,organic, pest-free food. But does it really need to be giant?
