Organic Gardening Week 3

1. Organic Gardening Week 3 Brassicas, Weeds and Natural Regeneration

2. 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

4. 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

5. 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 http://tipnut.com/herb-spiral/

6. Polyculture • Intensive production • Output exceeds input • Highly bio-diverse • Natural – beyond “organic” • Based on natural systems

7. Polyculture • Structurally diverse • Deep, middle and flat rooting patterns • Growing area develops over years • Annual, perennials and trees all have places

8. Benefits of Polyculture • High Yields • High density • Security • Use of space • Low maintenance • Resilient

10. 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.

11. 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

12. Forest Garden Polyculture

13. Patrick Whitefield – How To Make A Forest Garden • Martin Crawford – Creating a Forest Garden • Edible Forest Gardens – David Jacke & Eric Toensmeier

15. Sepp 5 – 15 • Bill 11 – 15 • Farm 36 - 43

16. Poached-egg plantLimnanthesdouglasii • 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

17. Nasturtium (flower)TropaeolummajusTropaeolum 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

18. TagetespatulaTagetestenuifolia • 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

19. ChivesAlliumschoenoprasum • 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[

20. BorageBoragoofficianalis • 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

21. Calendula officinalis • Up to 2’ • Flowers March to November • Edible leaves and flowers • very rich in vitamins and minerals and are similar to Taraxacumofficinale (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

22. ComfreySymphytumofficinale • 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

23. Brassicas • Chinese Broccoli/Chinese Kale • Broccoli • Perennial Broccoli • Broccoli raab/Asparagus broccoli • Sprouting Broccoli • Brussel Sprouts • Cabbage • Calabrese • Cauliflower • Kale • Kohl-rabi

24. 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

25. KalesBrassicaoleraceavarAcephala 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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”

30. Major problems • Cabbage root fly – (Anthriscucsylvestris) • Cabbage white/caterpillar – Yellowy eggs underside leaf needs to be squashed • Cabbage whitefly • Birds • Slugs • Clubroot