Interesting read. I enjoyed it, and learned something from it as well. Thanks.
I live in the desert, so we have a variety of cactus growing outdoors - which as you said, don't need compost. They do fine in their natural native soils here.
I have a deciduous tree in our front yard, a red pistache, which releases its leaves in mid-winter, then blooms again in spring. When the red leaves fall, my grandsons rake them within the berm around this tree to act as a mulch. As time goes on the leaves nurture the soil, becoming a built-in compost I think.
I’m reducing my compost use by growing perennials in containers instead of annuals: I have hemerocallis underplanted with erigeron, agapanthus, aeoniums, tulbaghias, blueberries, herbs and shrubs in my patio pots instead of cosmos and the like (which go in the ground instead). I’ve drastically reduced the amount of compost I buy since I stopped switching out my pots.
I’m also fascinated by the experiments of Peter Korn and John Little growing in sand and other substrates like concrete waste. John Little recently posted a video from Korn’s nursery showing his plants being grown completely sustainably in reusable sand and biochar! Fascinating stuff
The ideas around growing in other substrates and adding things I do not consider sustainable, I’m very against these ideas myself unless they are already there. I think the pushing of these things as sustainable is incorrect and giving people the impression they are needed in normal gardens when they aren’t. By adding these things it can significantly harm soil life. So I would be wary about claims around their use anywhere except dumping grounds where they already are.
Agreed, I don’t think anyone is suggesting we start buying concrete waste to put in our gardens! On a small scale though it has shifted my mindset away from bemoaning/trying to ‘improve’ my low nutrient sandy, stony soil to embracing it
I couldn't agree with you more re annuals sold in garden centres and supermarkets.
Not only are they sold too early in the year, so that many are planted out and then killed by frost, but also they are not watered properly before they are sold and thousands are thrown away by the garden centres etc.
I think this needs to be tackled at source, as the majority of people will go on buying them as long as they continue to be widely sold.
Yes - you’re right that in the very first instance, minimising the huge waste in plants sold in this way is important. It’s such a throwaway mentality at a time when we know throwing things away is a problem, in one of the richest countries in the world, totally capable of solving the problem.
Very interesting article, thank you Jack. Another option might be green manures which are meant to fix nitrogen in the soil. A local farmer I l know grows clover in amongst his main crop which I think is barley.
Yes that is a great point thank you Kate! I’ve had varying success with them however they do work with the right timing and quantity per square metre. Thanks for highlighting this!
I always enjoy reading your emails Jack, thanks for keeping us informed. As well as the herbs you mentioned, I find lavender, penstemon, verbena bonariensis, mexican fleabane, red valerian, linaria, alliums, salvias , sweet rocket, verbascum , thalictrum and sedum spectabile ( sorry, I can never remember its new name!) all grow well in my very dry, south facing front garden without any additional feeding or watering. They're also slug and snail proof too!
That's interesting I would usually try to put it in shade myself because I find the heat of the decomposition process is enough to get to the correct temperatures. It's great to hear different views on this. Thank you.
Interesting read. I enjoyed it, and learned something from it as well. Thanks.
I live in the desert, so we have a variety of cactus growing outdoors - which as you said, don't need compost. They do fine in their natural native soils here.
I have a deciduous tree in our front yard, a red pistache, which releases its leaves in mid-winter, then blooms again in spring. When the red leaves fall, my grandsons rake them within the berm around this tree to act as a mulch. As time goes on the leaves nurture the soil, becoming a built-in compost I think.
That’s lovely, thanks for sharing. Yes I suspect that is true with the tree leaves.
Love this article, thank you for these tips.
I’m reducing my compost use by growing perennials in containers instead of annuals: I have hemerocallis underplanted with erigeron, agapanthus, aeoniums, tulbaghias, blueberries, herbs and shrubs in my patio pots instead of cosmos and the like (which go in the ground instead). I’ve drastically reduced the amount of compost I buy since I stopped switching out my pots.
I’m also fascinated by the experiments of Peter Korn and John Little growing in sand and other substrates like concrete waste. John Little recently posted a video from Korn’s nursery showing his plants being grown completely sustainably in reusable sand and biochar! Fascinating stuff
That’s fantastic about the pots.
The ideas around growing in other substrates and adding things I do not consider sustainable, I’m very against these ideas myself unless they are already there. I think the pushing of these things as sustainable is incorrect and giving people the impression they are needed in normal gardens when they aren’t. By adding these things it can significantly harm soil life. So I would be wary about claims around their use anywhere except dumping grounds where they already are.
Agreed, I don’t think anyone is suggesting we start buying concrete waste to put in our gardens! On a small scale though it has shifted my mindset away from bemoaning/trying to ‘improve’ my low nutrient sandy, stony soil to embracing it
Perfect 👍🏼
I couldn't agree with you more re annuals sold in garden centres and supermarkets.
Not only are they sold too early in the year, so that many are planted out and then killed by frost, but also they are not watered properly before they are sold and thousands are thrown away by the garden centres etc.
I think this needs to be tackled at source, as the majority of people will go on buying them as long as they continue to be widely sold.
Yes - you’re right that in the very first instance, minimising the huge waste in plants sold in this way is important. It’s such a throwaway mentality at a time when we know throwing things away is a problem, in one of the richest countries in the world, totally capable of solving the problem.
Very interesting article, thank you Jack. Another option might be green manures which are meant to fix nitrogen in the soil. A local farmer I l know grows clover in amongst his main crop which I think is barley.
Yes that is a great point thank you Kate! I’ve had varying success with them however they do work with the right timing and quantity per square metre. Thanks for highlighting this!
I always enjoy reading your emails Jack, thanks for keeping us informed. As well as the herbs you mentioned, I find lavender, penstemon, verbena bonariensis, mexican fleabane, red valerian, linaria, alliums, salvias , sweet rocket, verbascum , thalictrum and sedum spectabile ( sorry, I can never remember its new name!) all grow well in my very dry, south facing front garden without any additional feeding or watering. They're also slug and snail proof too!
Excellent plant suggestions Jackie! You are spot on, I too find those plants good for less nutrient rich soils. Thank you.
Encourage people to place their compost making area in a sunny location, 13degrees C is required to make compost.
That's interesting I would usually try to put it in shade myself because I find the heat of the decomposition process is enough to get to the correct temperatures. It's great to hear different views on this. Thank you.
I appreciate this, please do more👍🌿
please do more🌿👍🌷