The 95bFM Green Desk: September 2008

Thanks to some dry weather – at last! – we’ve been able to get outside and add some Florence fennel, more peas, leeks and potatoes to various parts of the garden. The potatoes we planted a while ago are showing foliage now and when this reaches 10cm to 15cm in height we will draw soil up around the stems so that the leaves show just above the raised soil. This will cover any developing tubers and protect them from exposure to the sun. When potatoes are exposed to sunlight they turn green and become toxic – so this helps to prevent that from happening.

Garlic continues to rock and hand weeding is keeping the growing plants free from competition. Keep an eye on watering as the weeks pass and warmer, drier weather becomes a possibility. To check whether your garlic does need watering or not, stick your finger into the soil and if it feels dry a centimeter or so down then give the bed a good dowsing. The same goes for all plants now growing but try to water at the base of potatoes as water on foliage can help to spread blight.

Whilst stuck indoors over recent weeks we have sowed tomatoes in a seed tray which we are keeping on a sunny windowsill. As the seedlings develop we will transplant them to 10cm pots and then - in about 5 to 7 weeks time – plant them outside in a sunny spot. We have also sowed zucchini and pumpkin seeds and will plant them out too when they are large enough.

Our wormery is starting to rock now and we are feeding the hungry tiger worms with some of our kitchen scraps (for step by step on how set one up see photos). Our main compost bin seems to be keeping a family of rats very well fed and, in spite of all their scoffing, there is still some good looking ‘black gold’ mounting up beneath the layers of decomposing garden and kitchen waste.

The rain has slowed development of a new bed which we have nearly got ready but which needs just a little more digging to break up larger clods. Whilst waiting for this to dry out enough for us to be able to complete the task of setting it up for tomatoes, sweet-corn etc. we have been experimenting with fresh composting. Our aim is to boost the number of helpful micro-organisms and invertebrates within the soil in the bed by feeding it directly with fresh kitchen waste. This simply involves scattering peelings, teabags, coffee grounds and so forth over the ground – no meat, cheese, fish etc. or you may invite more dinner guests than you had bargained for. The idea is that worms need fresh food and whereas previously composted material is nutrient rich it also low on foodstuff- so not much to feed your wormies. Micro-organisms in the soil also need energy-filled matter to help build tissue and previously composted material has already given off a significant amount of energy in the process of breaking down so this does not foster the sort of communities we want in our garden soil. --- To cut through all the wordy tosh, just take a look at leaf litter in the bush, you’ll find foliage on the surface and only a couple of centimeters below dark rich humus crawling with wee beasties along with invisible fungal spores and bacteria all engaging in the carbon and nitrogen cycles. Take a handful of good garden soil by comparison and you are more likely to see far fewer signs of invertebrate and mico-organism activity. To build this up you need to ensure that there are some colonizing communities of worms and wee beasties as well as the fungal spores and bacteria that foster healthy soil. Best way to do this is to add some home-grown compost from your heap – or a mates if you don’t have one yet. Put it directly onto the soil and turn gently in, then slowly add kitchen waste and grass clippings in moderate amounts. This can be increased as evidence of renewed activity within the soil becomes apparent until you effectively have a mulching layer of munchable material surrounding your plants.

Catch you in a couple of weeks!

FRESH COMPOST EXCITES LOCAL BIRDLIFE!