Gardening

Developing then pursuing a well considered plan is the best approach for achieving a satisfactory outcome. Expectation needs matching against ability and opportunity, even for low key activities such as organic vegetable gardening. The first stage of planning considers each expectation commencing with the broadest brush. What can be achieved? The most restrictive expectations are based on measurement. A certain volume, or weight each week, then a combined target for the end of the season. Commercial organic growers must operate within such narrow economies but can be challenged by uncooperative weather cycles and unpredictable events. Recreational gardeners can set a more flexible course, one that aims to include both functional and pleasurable...

When I commenced my apprenticeship, there was a strict emphasis on vegetables, fruit, and ornamental trees. Despite my early enthusiasm for flowers, shrubs, and lawns, I was advised to concentrate on the vegetables. I still recall the words of the Head Gardener at the time. “Learn to grow a decent vegetable and you’ll have earned the respect of your trade”. Very outdated I suppose, but wait, there’s more. On the third Saturday of each month a formal dinner was held. We were given the weekend’s leave but the Friday beforehand was dedicated to finishing touches on the grounds in addition to a selective harvesting of seasonal produce. We literally filled the kitchens with an assortment of our best vegetables. They were carefully...

Whenever possible, organically grown herbs should be eaten fresh from the garden, with minimum processing. This helps to ensure that beneficial nutrients get delivered to the body without degradation or unnecessary contamination. The basic rule for storing and preserving herbs is to start with the finest quality seasonal produce available. By establishing healthy soils and promoting a natural diversity of species, the experienced organic gardener has a significant capacity to influence the quality of their herbal produce. When purchasing herbs for storage, try to obtain them directly from certified organic growers or local wholesalers who support the organic food industry. Preference vendors who replenish their stocks regularly, and avoid those...

Until recently, there were limited interactions between the cut flower industry and the organics movement. With the exception of dedicated plant breeders, the mainstream and popular flowers were largely grown in chemically treated soils with the assistance of toxic insecticides and spreading agents. In the flower plantations of developing nations, many of these materials are applied so indiscriminately that there is an adverse impact upon the local environment. There are international health surveys which detail neurological and respiratory problems caused by elevated levels of chemical exposure. With the knowledge that some overseas flower plantations utilise child labour, the ethical consumer is obliged to consider purchasing an alternative...

I must admit that it has taken me a long while to be convinced of the benefits of soil testing. When I started out, most of the established gardens were resisting the obsessive wave of soil analysis which swept across the agricultural and commercial horticultural landscape. There were scientists and graduates from the universities wanting to help farmers and growers by analysing the chemical and physical properties of their soils. Several times each year, technical representatives from the emerging chemical and agricultural corporations would visit major farms, sporting grounds, and established gardens throughout the country. Around this time, I lived and worked on a private estate and was on one occasion harassed by a foreign gentleman seeking...