Why are plants in botanic gardens so healthy compared to mine?

One of the things that I can't reiterate enough to the home gardener is the importance of using mulch.

When we visit a botanic garden and marvel at the health and vigour of the plants there, we often wonder what it is that they do that makes them so healthy in comparison to our home garden.  Is it a special kind of chemical fertiliser?  Do they use a brand of pesticide that you've not tried?  Is it that they water a lot more than you do?

In truth, the answer to those questions is generally no.  Most botanic gardens work as closely with nature as they can, which means avoiding chemicals.  They also try to avoid watering whenever possible, because on such a large scale the costs do not bare thinking of.

So, what is the secret?

Simple: mulch.

Next time you visit a botanic garden, or indeed any kind of organised garden (check out those at Melbourne, Healesville and Werribee zoo's too!), take time to have a look underneath the plants and ask a guide about their mulch.

Mulch your home garden and soon it will be as healthy as the best botanic garden around :)

Plant for the Planet

This month, the UN's Billion Tree Campaign, which was patronised by Wangari Maathai (founder of the Green Belt Movement) and Prince Albert II of Monaco, was placed into the hands of the Plant for the Planet Children's Initiative.

Some sceptics thought that this was the UN effectively dumping a project that was no longer getting publicity, but I want to say now that those sceptics were wrong.

Very wrong.

A Sad Day - The Passing of an Amazing Woman: Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai
Courtesy of dirtthemovie.org

Today I read on the BBC website that Wangari Maathai, a truly brave and inspirational woman, passed away yesterday after a struggle with Ovarian Cancer.

Aerating Your Soil with Perlite

One of the biggest problems we have with soil in Australia is one of compaction.  Agricultural soil becomes compacted through over-tilling, over-cropping and use of machinery.  Garden soil becomes compacted from the building process and then us walking on it when wet.  Soil in a natural bush environment also becomes compacted as a result of various processes, including water saturation.

If soil is compacted, then there are a reduced number of pore spaces available for water and air infiltration.  The soil will drain very slowly.  It may become anaerobic.  There will be little root penetration.

In short, a compacted soil is not great for growing plants in!

Zeolite

Zeolite is currently high on the list of soil amendments I use, following a close behind good old common or garden compost.

Soil Amendments

For me, the core of sustainable agriculture, horticulture, or just plain gardening, is the soil.

Caring for the soil, increasing it's carbon, nutrient and water holding capacity, and reducing or stopping practises that lead to soil degradation, should be the foundation block upon which any sustainable land management practise is built.

Green Manure

This is a thread I was involved in on HomeOne, which has some great information you might find useful!

One thing not mentioned there:  soil carbon.  Get that green manure dug into your soil and you'll be increasing your carbon reservoir.  Great for your garden and great for the planet :)

Glyphosate for the Home Garden

Many of us have used Roundup, or other glyphosate based products, in the home garden in the belief that they are fairly harmless and breakdown completely on contact with the soil, thus having no lasting effects.

A controversial future, from a controversial past

This thread on HomeOne kinda went a bit off track compared to what I intended, but it makes great reading and you might just learn something ;)

What are weeds?

This one is the second of my HomeOne posts I wanted to share with you :)

According to my grandad, a weed is simply something that grows where you don't want it to. So, the most beautiful rose could be a weed, if it's growing in your brussel sprouts!