Gardening

Gardening is an extremely enriching pastime and hobby which brings you closer to nature.   This section will provide basic tips on gardening that  have been gathered from books, gardening friends and personal intuition. These tips  can used regardless of space, I've lived primarily in the country with enough space to   garden   small crops of fruit and veg, however my wings have spread into suburbia at stages of my life and hence I've had smaller plots to work, a window box is the extreme case! Even these such cases are immensly rewarding, as to nurture and watch a plant you have sown grow and mature is a satisfying feeling irrespective of plot size. Should you feel that you are willing to venture into the world of gardening you'll find a plethora of plants that you'll be able to grow such as herbs, flowers, vegetables and trees. Should you decide to grow primarily vegetables and herbs for consumption you are ensuring that your food is a local as you can get. Food transportation across the planet causes large quantites of CO2 emmisions that are largely unnessecary. As a nation we generally have got used to eating foods out of season, the by product of this indulgence is the vast transportation of foods from the other side of the planet were the particular food is in season. To live within our own seasons we ensure fresh and perfectly matured foods as in order for the preservation of the transported food they have to be picked early to ensure there not past there best when they arrive in our shops. This means the food can be underdeveloped with regards to taste and vitality. Should you want to find out more about seasonal foods you will find more within The Eco Echo Gardening section and also in its extensive range of Farms shops. By visiting your local store you'll get an insight to what grows best and when.

Small Scale Gardening

If you have a smaller area to work with regards to gardening you may not consider it. House plants are a great way to start as the nurture of your plants is a rewarding process and as they prosper they will cleanse the air you breath by absorbing the CO2 in your room and replacing it with oxygen. If you have a good sun position (south facing) a window box can also be incorperated. With a window box you will have the potential to grow herbs which can be used for cooking, flowers for scent and salads to accompany your main meals. The yield you reap may be limited but the true essence of gardening will be captured, giving you experience as your skills mature.

Small Gardens

If you have a small plot of outdoor garden then you will be able to benefit from being able to grow a variety of plants. Having a good postion with regards to sunlight will make a difference how well your plants will grow and what you can grow. Before you plant be sure you choose the correct plants for your particular position. North facing gardens are the least effective as sun exposure will be limited which will mean the quality of your plants may be limited. However east facing gardens will catch the morning and early afternoon sun, west the late afternoon and evening sun and best of all south which will receive the best of the daily sunshine.  

Larger Scale Gardening

If you have the benefit of owning a larger plot of potential garden with good sun positioning you will have the oppotunity to become largely self sufficient for vegetables dependant on how many your feeding! Providing you can devote enough time to it and you plant the right crops at the right time in the right type of soil. (You'll find out more in the "what and when to plant section" further along in this chapter). You'll be suprised at the yield that can be harvested. Additionally to vegetable growth, you may have space to grow extensive herbs and flowers, plus also an oppotunity to grow fruit such as apples, plums and pears. If you take time and care in the planting process of trees and you nurture them in their juvenile state you can have prolific crops for a little garden management, all you have to do is harvest and enjoy though only after you've fought of a few wasps!  As said it will take extra time nurturing and tending your larger garden but the rewards to your health, your pocket and the planet will be worth the extra work.

Fertilsers and Pest control

In order to have plants that are the healthiest to you, organic fertilsers are  best used to enhance your yield. Composting is an excellent way to produce fertiliser  for your garden as it contains the three main nutrients needed for fertilser (potash, phosphates and nitrogen. At the same time you'll be making use of biodegradeable waste products such as used teabags, fruit and veg peel and grass cuttings. By storing these waste products outdoors in a compost heap or if space is limited a compost bin, the waste can be fermented down into good organic compost. Note:it won't be organic compost if the waste products weren't organic when they were in their bought form. However good compost can still be formed from "regular"biodegradable waste products, its just that the compost won't  strictly be organic and hence not so healthy. After you have established your garden crops during the first couple years you'll be able to regenerate the waste formed from them into compost and providing you fertilise you crops organically initially you will have a primarily organic garden. Another way of enriching your soil is to add manure from animals such as cows, chickens, goats etc. You may look beyond your own self sufficiency to obtain such fertiliser but if you can lay your hands on some (not literally!) it will improve your soils fertility if you dig it well in to your existing soil.

The main enemy to your garden crops once you have it growing will be pests i.e. snails, slugs, catapillars etc. Its suprising how creatures so small can eat so much! You can combat such pests in a number of ways and organic practices are always advised. Luckily there are a lot of organic products now on the market that you can buy to combat the little blighters. For example to prevent snails and slugs, flexible copper tape can be placed around your plants and when the slug/snail tries to advance over it the copper usings its own self generated charge will ommit a shock to the slug/snail and deter it from your plants. The shock of course is so small we humans can't feel it, but to a slug/snail its enough to put it of your veg without harming it unnesseccarily. Beer traps are another method, by placing such traps around your garden the snails especially will be drawn to them instead of your plants and once they start consuming the beer, yes you got it, they get drunk! So drunk in fact that they fall into the beer and drown. It sounds inhumane but (a) your sympathy for snails will be less when you realise how much of your produce they can actually eat and (b) they die with a smile on there face, albeit a very drunken smile! As said there are a number of organic products on the market, but if you would prefer to spend time rather than money then you can check your garden through the day and remove any pests that have their eye on your plants. The most important time to check is after night has fallen which is when the pests are most numerous.

Gardening Books

The Eco Echo's gardening section only covers the basic principles of gardening. As everyones garden is different its difficult to come up with one universal thesis. To find out more about gardening, you're best advised to search out books that suit your own individual needs. There are thousands of books on the market and now with the internet revolution firmly established, you'll be able to find exactly what your after for a good price.

Soil testing

Before you start gardening it is of the utmost importance to check your soil for natural nutrient content. The main growing nutrients for soil are nitrogen, potash and phosphates. The amount of nutrients necessary will vary according to what your intending to plant. A garden must also have a suitable pH and you can get a fairly accurate idea of soil pH and nutrient content by using a soil testing kit. There are various models on the market and if the instructions are followed correctly you will get a suprisingly accurate reading. It should also be remembered to high a level of nutrients within your soil can damage your plants so a balanced approach is always advised when tending your soil. Following this section is the "what and when to plant" chapter but before you approach that heres a quick guide which plants grow best in a particular type of soil.

Firstly all plants like a balance of the basic nutrients though most do prefer one particular type. Surface vegetables such as spinach and cabbages like nitrogen as this helps produce the healthy leaves. Legumes are another type of plant you may consider growing and this is the family name of plants such as peas and beans. Legumes being a surface growing plant like nitrogen like the spinach and cabbage type plants. When Legumes grow they produce nitrogen within their roots so to plant say cabbages in a spot where a Legume was the previous year will help the quality of your cabbages. By participating in growing patterns such as this you can avoid buying extra fertiliser as  the nature of the plants does the work for you! Another way of way of adding cheap nitrogen to your soil may seem unconventional and uncivilised by societies standard but it is effective. By adding urine to your compost heap and allowing it naturally mix amongst  will add nitrogen to your soil when you apply the compost, though give it a bit of time within the heap before you add it to your soil.

If you are looking to flowers and fruit bearing plants, potash is the nutrient that responds the best. This helps produce healthy fruits and vibrant colour to your flowers. Fruit trees that you may consider are plums, apples, pears and nuts. They all work well with potash and the main way to produce is to use wood ash from a fire. You can apply potash (and phosphates see next paragraph) to your soil as you prepare a hole for your prospective tree and once planted and established potash can be applyed at the base. All trees will benefit from potash so adding it at the base as it matures will ensure a healthy existance.  

For root vegetables its best to have soil with an adequate amount of phosphates. This enrichs the soil under the surface and assists the growth and vitality of root vegetables. A good way of adding phosphates is to purchase bone meal (ground animal bone) from a garden centre which acts as a slow release fertilising agent. As it is good for root vegetables its not rocket science to link it being good for roots in general, hence the application of bone meal to a young trees planting soil (see previous paragraph) is advised. Composting has a good foundation in all the primary nutrients as compost is broken down organic matter that has derived from nitrogen, potash and phosphates initially.

What, how and when to plant.

This section covers, sowing, harvesting, depth of sowing, space between rows and plants and general tips. Also some plants will need to be sown in pots before they are ready to be transplanted into your garden so on some plants there will be a transplant date. Please bear in mind that these listings are just a basic guide to what may be planted and when. Dependant on position you may get differing results and also by experimenting with different varieties you will find what plants are best for your own individual needs.

Broad Beans

Sowing: Nov, Dec, Jan. Depth of sowing: 2-3 inches. Harvesting: May-Jul. Space between rows: 7 inches. Space between plants: 6 inches. General tips: Start picking when pods are finger thick.

Runner Beans

Sowing: May.  Depth of sowing: 3 inches. Harvesting: Jul-Sept Space between rows: 12-15 inches. Space between plants: 9-12 inches. General tips: Pick every few days before beans become large and tough. Picking will encourage new young beans.

Broccoli

Sowing: Apr-May.  Depth of sowing (pots): 1/2 inch (garden):              . Transplant dates: Jun,Jul. Harvesting: Feb-May. Space between rows: 30 inches. Space between plants: 18 inches. General tips: Due to the space required to grow them, its a good idea to plant only winter and spring varieties as to make the best of your garden space through the year.

Brussels Sprouts

Sowing: Jan, Mar and Aug. Depth of sowing (pots): 1/2 inch (garden):              Transplant dates: Mar, May, Jun, Jul, Oct.  Space between rows: 36 inches. Space between plants: 30 inches. General tips: When sowing and nurturing your soil once you have planted your sprouts, keep the ground at the foot of your plants compacted by treading around them. This tip came from a friend by the name of Codge who gardened for most of his 80 year life and sadly passed away in 2005. This mention is in his honour and for all those who loved and respected him.

Cabbages (Spring)  

Sowing: Aug. Harvesting: Apr-Jun. Depth of sowing: 1/2 inch. Space between rows: 24 inches. Space between plants: 18 inches. 

Cabbages (Late summer)

Sowing: Mar. Harvesting: Sept-Dec. Depth of sowing: 1/2 inch. Space between rows: 24 inches. Space between plants: 18 inches.

Cabbages (Winter)

Sowing: Apr. Harvesting: Dec-Feb. Depth of sowing: 1/2 inch. Space between rows: 24 inches. Space between plants: 18 inches. General tips: Savoys will withstand hard frosts for up to two months and watch out for the pests!

Cauliflowers

Sowing: Apr. Harvesting: Sept-Oct. Depth of sowing: 1/2 inch. Space between rows: 24 inches. Space between plants: 24 inches.

Leeks

Sowing: Mar. Depth of sowing (pots) 1/2 inch (garden)                      Transplant date: Jun, Jul. Harvesting: Dec-May. Space between rows: 12 inches. Space between plants: 6 inches.

Parsnips

Sowing: Mar. Harvesting: Nov onwards. Depth of planting: 1/2 inch. Space between rows: 15 inches. Space between plants: 9 inches.