Transcript Organic Gardening Week 3

Organic Gardening Week 3
Brassicas, Weeds and Natural Regeneration
pH (power of hydrogen)
 Measures acidity and basicity in aqueous solution
 Pure water is neutral 7.0
 Less than 7 is acidic, more than 7 is basic
 Ideally slightly acidic (6.5), phosphate can become locked up below 5.0
 Affects availability of nutrients
 Affects micro-organisms and bacteria
 Affects root cells
 Affects solubility of toxins
Stacking
 Obtaining many yields from one element
 E.g. A Tree can provide shelter, mulch, bark, wildlife,,
Wind-break, fertility, prevent erosion, raise water
table, provide food, sap, etc
http://tipnut.com/herbspiral/

1. Rosemary

2. Oregano

3. Sage

4. Tarragon

5. Thyme

6. Coriander

7. Parsley

8. Chives

9. Violets

10. Chamomile

11. Parsley

12. Marigold

13. Mint

14. Watercress
Polyculture
 Intensive production
 Output exceeds input
 Highly bio-diverse
 Natural – beyond
“organic”
 Based on natural systems
Polyculture
 Structurally diverse
 Deep, middle and
flat rooting patterns
 Growing area
develops over years
 Annual, perennials
and trees all have
places
Benefits of
Polyculture
•
•
•
•
•
•
High Yields
High density
Security
Use of space
Low maintenance
Resilient
A Nine-Plant polyculture
From Patrick Whitefield’s EarthCare Manual, p.202
•In early spring, broadcast a mixture of
radish, pot marigolds, dill, parsnip and a
selection of lettuce varieties.
•The radishes will grow fast, and help
the germination of the other plants by
shading the soil and keeping it moist.
•Harvest them as soon as they are ready
and plant a selection of cabbages in the
gaps
•Start picking lettuce when the plants are small (after six weeks). With a good
selection you could have lettuce all summer.
•As the soil warms up plant French beans in the gaps left by the lettuce
•All other crops can be harvested as they come ready, with parsnips and late
cabbages extending into winter
•As gaps appear in autumn you can fill them with overwintering broad beans or
garlic, or let them be filled by self-seeders.
 1. Broadcast radish, lettuce mix, parsnips, marigolds and
dill
 2. Harvest radishes and replace with cabbage mix
 3. Harvest lettuce and replace with French Beans
 4. Harvest anything that can be harvested and replace with
overwintering broadbeans and garlic
Forest Garden Polyculture
 Patrick Whitefield – How To Make A Forest Garden
 Martin Crawford – Creating a Forest Garden
 Edible Forest Gardens – David Jacke & Eric Toensmeier
 Sepp 5 – 15
 Bill 11 – 15
 Farm 36 - 43
Poached-egg plant
Limnanthes douglasii
 Annual
 Up to 1’, frost hardy
 Flowers May to August
 Seeds July – August
 Noted for attracting wildlife,
particularly bees and hoverflies
 Grows in any soil, needs sun
 Edible
Nasturtium (flower)
Tropaeolum majus
Tropaeolum minus

Flowers from july to September

Edibles leaves, flowers and seeds

flowers contain about 130mg vitamin C
per 100g

mature seed can be ground into a
powder and used as a pepper substitute

whole plant is antibiotic, antiseptic,
aperient, diuretic and expectorant

useful in breaking up congestion in the
respiratory passages and chest during
colds

attracts aphids away from other plants

insecticide
Tagetes patula
Tagetes tenuifolia

Up to 0.5m, frost hardy

Flowers July – Oct

flowers are used in refreshing drinks,
leaves are used as a food flavouring,

used internally in the treatment of
indigestion, colic, severe
constipation, coughs

Secretions from the roots of growing
plants have an insecticidal effect on
the soil, effective against nematodes
and to some extent against keeled
slugs

has an effect on asparagus beetle
and bean weevils

Dyes, perfumes
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
 mild onion flavour
 good source of sulphur and iron
 beneficial effect on the digestive system and
the blood circulation
 similar properties to garlic
 juice of the plant is used as an insect
repellent, it also has fungicidal properties and
is effective against scab, mildew
 growing plant is said to repel insects and
moles[
Borage
Borago officianalis

Up to 2’ high

Edible leaves and flowers,

leaves are rich in potassium and calcium

dried stems are used for flavouring
beverages[

domestic herbal remedy, for its beneficial
affect on the mind, being used to dispel
melancholy and induce euphoria

soothes damaged or irritated tissues

treatment of a range of ailments including
fevers, chest problems and kidney problems

rich source of gamma-linolenic acid, this oil
helps to regulate the hormonal systems and
lowers blood pressure[

growing plant is said to repel insects
Calendula officinalis

Up to 2’

Flowers March to November

Edible leaves and flowers

very rich in vitamins and minerals and are similar to
Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion) in nutritional value

High in vitamins A and C

one of the best known and versatile herbs in Western herbal
medicine

above all, a remedy for skin problems and is applied
externally to bites and stings, sprains, wounds, sore eyes,
varicose veins

cleansing and detoxifying herb and is taken internally in
treating fevers and chronic infections

insect deterrent, reduces the soil eelworm population

Attracts slugs
Comfrey
Symphytum officinale
 Perennial up to 1.2m
 commonly used herbal medicine,
external treatment of cuts, bruises,
sprains, sores, eczema, varicose veins,
broken bones
 contains a substance called 'allantoin', a
cell proliferant that speeds up the
healing process
 can be used to provide 'instant compost‘
 liquid feed can be obtained by soaking
the leaves in a small amount of water for
a week, excellent for potassium
demanding crops such as tomatoes
Brassicas
 Chinese Broccoli/Chinese Kale
 Broccoli
 Perennial Broccoli
 Broccoli raab/Asparagus broccoli
 Sprouting Broccoli
 Brussel Sprouts
 Cabbage
 Calabrese
 Cauliflower
 Kale
 Kohl-rabi
Kale
 Very valuable brassica, particularly winter-hardy, supplying veg for teh
hungry gap
 Normally easy to grow if protected from birds
 Very few pests
 Side shoots and leaves can be steamed or eaten raw
 Can be eaten small as cut-and-come-again salad
Kales
Brassica oleracea var Acephala
Curly Kale

Grow up to 3’ high

Space plants 30-75cm apart
Red Russian Kale e.g. Ragged Jack

Up to 70cm tall, very productive CCA salad

Space 60cm apart

Can be sown in late winter, and successionally for
year-round crop
 Black Tuscan Kale

Over 2m high in 2nd or 3rd season, usually grown as
annual

Space plants 40 cm apart

Less prone to bolting than other kales
Cabbages – Capitata group
 Spring cabbage (plant mid autumn)
 E.g. Spring Hero, Durham Early, Pyramid
 Summer cabbage (sow early spring)
 E.g. Duchy, Derby Day, Castello
 Autumn Cabbage (sow mid-late spring)
 E.g. Freshma, Colt
 Winter cabbage (sow late spring)
 E.g. January King Hardy Late Stock 3, Marabel, Tundra
 White cabbage (winter storage)
 E.g. Lion, Impala
 Red cabbage (summer.autumn)
 E.g. Primero, Red Rookie
Cultivating cabbages
 Can be sown under cover for earlier crops
 Needs open, unshaded, rich, moisture-retentive soil. Liming reduces the
risk of clubroot
 Needs high nitrogen
 Needs firm soil, not freshly manured or freshly dug
 Keep weed-free, remove rotted leaves
 In dry weather, water well, heavily water before cropping
Brussel Sprouts
 Sow under cover late winter, early spring
or direct mid-spring
 Very hardy (up to -10)
 Up to 75cm high depending on variety
 May need to be staked or earthed up
Sprouting Broccoli
 Biennial, up to 90cm
 Perfect hungry gap veg
 Sow mid-early summer
 Space 2’ apart each way
 Harvest from late winter to late spring
 Pick regularly to encourage more
cropping
 ‘nine star perennial’ – many varieties of
early purple sprouting to stagger
harvesting – “Red Spear”, “Claret”,
“Cardinal”
Major problems
 Cabbage root fly – (Anthriscuc sylvestris)
 Cabbage white/caterpillar – Yellowy eggs underside leaf needs to be
squashed
 Cabbage whitefly
 Birds
 Slugs
 Clubroot