HOME GARDEN
By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk
ORGANIC GROWING:
Further to my articles last month about Minas Petrakis, I have been asked for some information about growing organically at home.
Because the use of fertilisers and pesticides is so restricted, the organic grower must use cultural means to maintain soil fertility and to reduce the occurrence of pests and disease.
The main methods used to achieve this are:
· Crop Rotations: Similar crops are not grown in the same place year after year. Crops are generally moved around on a 3. 4 or 6 year cycle e.g. Potato followed by legumes (peas and beans) followed by onions followed by brassicas (cabbage etc.).
In this way one specific nutrient is not stripped repeatedly from the soil by one crop (indeed legumes actually return nutrient to the soil) and crop specific pests and diseases do not build up.
· Allowing the land to lie fallow: If space permits, it is a good idea to include a fallow period in the rotation sequence. This allows Mother Nature to restore a natural balance to the living soil (Minas always has 3000 sq metres lying fallow at any one time).
On many larger holdings this fallow area is used as organic grazing for livestock. The resulting vegetation is then turned into the soil as a ‘green manure’.
· Use of composts and manures: Compost your vegetable waste and return it to the soil. Composts and manures improve soil structure and add nutrients and useful organisms to the soil. True organic growers will only use composts and manures from organic sources and the use of peat is also not allowed as a soil conditioner.
· Bio-diversity: A phrase used to describe the make up of the living organisms in a specific area. A naturally diverse garden has a balance whereby there are generally enough natural predators to keep pests etc. at bay.
Maybe you have some tips on organic growing which you would like to pass on to other readers. Please post any tips, queries or comments onto my blogsite: http://www2.blogger.com/www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com where you will find this and previous articles written for Home Garden.
Tips from Mila’s for this month are to sow/plant zucchini, melon, cucumber, tomato, pepper, aubergine and green beans.
WILDPLANT OF THE MONTH
Once again I am indebted to ‘FloraCretica’ for providing the picture used in this section. A local, non profit making organisation, who are dedicated to the preservation of the wild flora of Crete. Please visit their website at http://www.floracretica.gr/. Here you can learn more about their activities, which include fieldtrips open to non members at a nominal charge to cover costs.
Cyclamen creticus (Cretan cyclamen/sowbread, kyklamino)
Endemic to Crete the flowers are pure white or rarely pale pink during March-April and are found in shady places in the Montane and sub-montane zone.
Sometimes referred to as a sub-species of Cyclamen repandum
Excellent for naturalising in the garden.
Space did not permit us to include this feature last month so I will give you a second flower this month.
Those of you who remember my first article may remember that I was waiting to see what the bulbs poking their noses through the soil in my new garden were.
Well they have turned out to be a very pretty native:
Iris unguicularis (Winter Iris, Agrios Krinos)
Another plant of rocky/stony places.
The delicately fragrent flowers are violet-blue and they can be found in flower from January through to April. It grows about 60cm tall.
The plants on Crete generally have smaller flowers than those found elsewhere and it was once thought to be a separate species (I. cretica).
A useful garden plant, it makes a useful groundcover and will grow in full sun or partial shade.
Plants that flower in shades of blue/purple or white can be found in cultivation.
Remember that it is illegal to remove plants from the wild.
By Bob Bayes
http://www.qualitygardens.biz/
qualitygardens2004@yahoo.co.uk
ORGANIC GROWING:
Further to my articles last month about Minas Petrakis, I have been asked for some information about growing organically at home.
Because the use of fertilisers and pesticides is so restricted, the organic grower must use cultural means to maintain soil fertility and to reduce the occurrence of pests and disease.
The main methods used to achieve this are:
· Crop Rotations: Similar crops are not grown in the same place year after year. Crops are generally moved around on a 3. 4 or 6 year cycle e.g. Potato followed by legumes (peas and beans) followed by onions followed by brassicas (cabbage etc.).
In this way one specific nutrient is not stripped repeatedly from the soil by one crop (indeed legumes actually return nutrient to the soil) and crop specific pests and diseases do not build up.
· Allowing the land to lie fallow: If space permits, it is a good idea to include a fallow period in the rotation sequence. This allows Mother Nature to restore a natural balance to the living soil (Minas always has 3000 sq metres lying fallow at any one time).
On many larger holdings this fallow area is used as organic grazing for livestock. The resulting vegetation is then turned into the soil as a ‘green manure’.
· Use of composts and manures: Compost your vegetable waste and return it to the soil. Composts and manures improve soil structure and add nutrients and useful organisms to the soil. True organic growers will only use composts and manures from organic sources and the use of peat is also not allowed as a soil conditioner.
· Bio-diversity: A phrase used to describe the make up of the living organisms in a specific area. A naturally diverse garden has a balance whereby there are generally enough natural predators to keep pests etc. at bay.
Maybe you have some tips on organic growing which you would like to pass on to other readers. Please post any tips, queries or comments onto my blogsite: http://www2.blogger.com/www.quality-gardens-crete.blogspot.com where you will find this and previous articles written for Home Garden.
Tips from Mila’s for this month are to sow/plant zucchini, melon, cucumber, tomato, pepper, aubergine and green beans.
WILDPLANT OF THE MONTH
Once again I am indebted to ‘FloraCretica’ for providing the picture used in this section. A local, non profit making organisation, who are dedicated to the preservation of the wild flora of Crete. Please visit their website at http://www.floracretica.gr/. Here you can learn more about their activities, which include fieldtrips open to non members at a nominal charge to cover costs.
Cyclamen creticus (Cretan cyclamen/sowbread, kyklamino)
Endemic to Crete the flowers are pure white or rarely pale pink during March-April and are found in shady places in the Montane and sub-montane zone.
Sometimes referred to as a sub-species of Cyclamen repandum
Excellent for naturalising in the garden.
Space did not permit us to include this feature last month so I will give you a second flower this month.
Those of you who remember my first article may remember that I was waiting to see what the bulbs poking their noses through the soil in my new garden were.
Well they have turned out to be a very pretty native:
Iris unguicularis (Winter Iris, Agrios Krinos)
Another plant of rocky/stony places.
The delicately fragrent flowers are violet-blue and they can be found in flower from January through to April. It grows about 60cm tall.
The plants on Crete generally have smaller flowers than those found elsewhere and it was once thought to be a separate species (I. cretica).
A useful garden plant, it makes a useful groundcover and will grow in full sun or partial shade.
Plants that flower in shades of blue/purple or white can be found in cultivation.
Remember that it is illegal to remove plants from the wild.
