While these problems led to uncertainty – and in some cases temporary shortages – in the global food supplies we rely upon, the problem of food insecurity had already been on the rise around the world, with particular problems in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

There are multiple ways to measure food insecurity – ensuring a reliable supply of food straddles farming, transportation, manufacturing, economics, nutrition and social issues, among others. 

But the definition set at the 1996 World Food Summit says that "food security is achieved when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life"

Food security can come and go seasonally "as a result of irregular shocks such as weather events, deaths, or regional conflicts" Covid-19 was one such shock, but not the only one. 

Exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, 768 million people or 10% of the world’s population faced hunger in 2020. The number of people who consume fewer calories than they need has risen by about 118 million compared to 2019, after remaining stable for the five previous years, and having dropped from about 870 million in 2012.

Many more people live only just above the hunger line. About 2.37 billion people, did not have access to adequate food in 2020 and 928 million of them were severely food insecure. About half of these people live in Asia, another one-third in Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean following.

But even within the heart of some of the most advanced countries in the world there are communities living in "food deserts" who cannot afford or access adequate, nutritious food.

It is not just Covid-19 to blame: conflict and climate change have also pushed more people into food insecurity, particularly in Africa and Latin America. 

At the current rate, the world will miss the UN’s sustainable development goal of reaching zero world hunger by 2030. There will still be 660 million people living in hunger then. 

By any of these measures, not enough people have access to the food they need. What makes a nation food insecure? And how can innovations make some of those countries more resilient?"

• The natural resources available to that nation are one factor which can protect against food insecurity.

What do you do if you don’t have space? Some small, densely-populated countries like Singapore and Hong Kong would face an uphill struggle if they were to try to be entirely self-sufficient. They instead have to import the bulk of their food from elsewhere, which means they are more vulnerable to problems that might disrupt supplies. But innovations in indoor farming techniques might challenge why we use available arable land as a measure of food security.

Because crops can be layered on top of one another, taking up less space, and because the plants grow faster, an indoor farm can be on average 300 to 400 times more productive than field farming.

Indoor farms and shipping container farms are now based in Singapore and Hong Kong. The benefit of shipping-container indoor farms is that they can be moved around as needed. While wealthier nations might first develop these technologies, they could find themselves in less food secure countries as humanitarian aid.

To-date, however, indoor farms and container ship farms have been limited to growing leafy salads, herbs and small fruits and veg like strawberries and tomatoes – tasty, and useful for a healthy diet, but low in terms of biomass produced. There are efforts, though, to expand the kind of produce that can be grown in this way.

But countries with a lot of arable land are not necessarily more food secure than those with less. Not all land has equal agricultural value. What do you do if you have space, but you don’t have the right climate? In some desert-covered countries, another type of soil-less farming is being developed. In Jordan, for example, where only 11.5% of land area is usable for agriculture, the Sahara Forest Project has built seawater greenhouses in which to grow food. Similar projects run in Somalia and Australia.

Qatar has also set itself the target of being self-sustaining, and has implemented a number of sustainability initiatives to encourage greenhouse growing. Starting with 34 0.1 sq km vegetable greenhouses, a coalition of indoor farms are now aiming to install one sq km (0.4 sq miles) of hydroponic greenhouses by the end of 2021. At the end of 2020, the government also launched a guarantee programme, signing pre-contracts to buy local produce from farmers.

Even countries with adequate land and suitable climate can find themselves struggling with food insecurity. "It’s not necessarily about how much land is available, but who has access, if all the producers are large landholders, that is a problem in low-income countries"

Those large landholders might only produce cash crops, which in the case of Latin America could be tobacco, coffee, chocolate, peanuts, soy or exotic fruits for foreign markets like pineapples or papaya. Some of that produce might be sold locally, but most will be shipped abroad where it will fetch a higher price.

In a country like Nicaragua, one of the poorest in Central America, the rural people practice share-cropping. In some cases, the sharecroppers will take a cut of the produce from the field, but in other cases they might work on large farms in exchange for a small strip of land on which they can plant their own crops. They could work on a cash crop like tobacco, but around the plantation there might be strips of vegetables and corn which is what they keep for themselves. This can be enough to support most of a family’s diet, with a few extra purchases here and there.

This is one reason that measuring the food produced in a country is an imperfect way of assessing food security. While cash crops support the economy, the resilience of a nation might also depend on whether citizens can grow food for themselves. About 18% of all land is indigenous and community-owned and food insecure citizens can benefit by protecting their access to land.

Rural farmers in developing countries also have the option to migrate elsewhere for the short term to earn more money, and return to their farms seasonally. Unlike with permanent migration, this kind of "subsistence migration" means they don’t have to give up their rights as a sharecropper in exchange for a better salary. 

In Nicaragua, for example, where 40% of the population live rurally, a farmer can earn more money in El Salvador or Costa Rica working for larger landholders. "But in the pandemic, many migrants have returned home because of bad economies or restrictions on mobility, so lose that income, so losing access to earnings from abroad might be causing more food insecurity in these rural spaces"

In Laos, communal farming goes one step further. Local communities co-produce everything. In the uplands, one or two crops of rice might be grown by a community, and replaced later in the season by a cash crop like teak, tea or coffee to be sold for savings. Laos is a communist country, so land cannot be bought by citizens, but rights can be bought for a period of time.

"We are expecting that they will have less and less access to land. When farmers lose access to land, some will try to find farm work elsewhere and use the money earned to purchase food. This increases vulnerability – you are still food secure but are you robust to market changes?"

Another contributor to food insecurity in developing nations is the amount of produce that goes to waste. About half of the food produced in Africa goes to waste or is undervalued because it is sold in poor condition.

Lake Victoria, in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, is the world’s largest inland fishery, supporting 40 million people who catch fish like tilapia. In the hot climate, the fish degrades, becoming inedible unless it is smoked. Local fishers have a choice between trying to sell it fresh quickly, and risk it being wasted, or smoking it and selling it for a lower price, as the texture is less desirable. 

Similarly, in sub-Saharan Africa, only 3% of agricultural produce is refrigerated when it leaves the farm. The first buyer of a farmer’s produce could be another small business, who load the food into trucks and take it to market. Startups in Nigeria have launched solar-powered refrigerated rooms available to use at the marketplace. By making freezing accessible, one of the final links in the chain of food production could be tightened.

The changing climate throws up more than logistical challenges for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The impact of pests, disease, floods and droughts will all increase under current climate change predictions. Single disastrous events can wipe out entire crops and leave large populations facing food insecurity without outside help.

At the end of 2019, swarms of locusts destroyed crops in Kenya, before spreading over Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia and Eritrea, then on to India, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Insects already consume 5-20% of grain crops, but a model accounting for the impact of climate change on the three most important crops (maize, rice and wheat) predicts this could rise by 10-25% per degree C of warming.

The locust numbers might fall without the need for human intervention. Outbreaks of pests can go through booms and busts as they multiply, spread, and then run out of their food supply. But the potential damage they could do before their numbers decline is huge. A swarm of 80 million, which could cover as little as one sq km (0.3 sq miles), can eat the equivalent of 35,000 people’s daily food. 

Instead, many researchers are looking at alternative ways of preventing locust swarms with the help of satellite and weather data, along with drones equipped with thermal cameras, to help predict where problems might emerge. 

Diseases also cost vast sums in lost harvests. For the past decade, several blights have been affecting arabica coffee crops in Latin America and beyond. As much as 60% of wild varieties of coffee are now considered endangered, which has an impact on the varieties that we grow as crops. 

Wild species act as genetic resource from which botanists can borrow DNA to develop new crop varieties. The arabica bean attracts a higher price than the robusta cultivar, but is now considered endangered, too. Adding to this pressure, coffee-suitable growing areas will reduce by 88% in Latin America by 2050, meaning there is even more pressure to develop new varities that can grow in hotter or dryer conditions. The wild gene bank might be essential to be able to do that.

Another crop that has struggled with disease in recent years is the banana. The TR4 banana pandemic is destroying crops of the world’s most popular variety – the Cavendish – across the world from Latin and South America, to Africa and Australia. If farmers can identify the disease, an early warning might prevent it from being transmitted further. One prototype technology being trialled in Africa uses machine learning to analyse images from mobile phones, drones and satellites to identify the presence and threat level of six banana diseases. The technology is app-based, so anyone can check and report warning signs, uploading their data to the cloud to form a map of the diseases spread.

Protecting the crops that are most familiar to us, like coffee and bananas, might have the net benefit of protecting the wild species that they are derived from, securing their long-term survival. But reducing the gap between those living in food security and insecurity will require solving problems throughout the food chain – wasting less, growing more and protecting the rights of smallholder farmers. There is still much that could improve food security which is far removed from farmers’ jurisdiction – racial, ethnic and income inequalities all play a part, too.

As food insecurity is increasing around the world, the solution might be to work with smallholder farmers using traditional techniques, as well as increasing productivity and reducing margins. With so much arable land still managed by communities and smallholders, they play a key role in sustainably managing the world’s food supply.

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Climate Farming is a cutting-edge growing practice that combines proven tenets of regenerative agriculture, permaculture, and syntropic agroforestry in a unique way. 

Climate Farming practices include:

* Co-Plants ...

Co-planted daikon radish, hairywatch, and oat grass function better as living mulch and fertiliser than they would if grown on their own.

* Integrating Livestock into Growing operations ...

* Minimizing soil disturbances through no-till practices.

* Composting.

* Companion planting.

* Succession planting.

* Natural erosion control.

* Careful water management.

The purpose of Climate Farming is to produce delicious, nutritious fruits and vegetables while improving topsoil health, reducing or eliminating harmful agricultural runoff, and sequestering atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Putting Climate Farming into practice is a way you can make a difference in the battle against climate change beyond sharing a social media post or donating to a cause. We can all begin doing our part in the home garden and asking for Climate-Farmed produce at the market.

Aside from its global impact on climate change reversal, collective carbon sequestration in farming and home gardening will also make a noticeable difference in your region, leading to healthier rivers, streams, and lakes. Surely that’s something we can all stand behind.

We’ve compiled a list of six things you can do right now to turn your farm, garden, or homestead into a carbon-guzzling oasis.

Start a Compost Pile ...

Compost is a life-rich soil amendment that not only cuts down on waste, but also releases valuable nutrients that re-energize the soil. One of the biggest misconceptions about composting is that you need a lot of space to get started. Even city dwellers can create compost with the proper receptacle and approach. Identifying which setup will work best for your situation is the first step.

If you have a backyard, you have space to use just about any method you desire, whether that’s to start a pile in an underutilized corner of the yard, or to build a wooden bin to keep it more contained. Apartment and town home dwellers can get crafty and come up with some innovative bins. Various online specialty shops sell pre-made bins designed for urban agrarians, and the DIY-inclined can get creative with recyclable materials (think old butter tubs, coffee cans, etc.). You can store your bin under the sink, in a cabinet, or on a porch where it will stay at an ideal temperature. Can’t find a receptacle you like? Just cover your pile with a tarp weighted down by bricks. This system is ideal for the home gardener, because it can be easily accessed from all sides and flipped with a pitchfork.

Support-plants ...

Adding support species to an ecosystem can encourage nitrogen fixation, water retention, and reinvigorated soil.

To have a successful compost pile, you’ll need to add an even mix of high-carbon “brown” material, such as sawdust, straw, and leaves, with nitrogen-rich “green” material, such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and grass clippings. Mix or turn your pile about once per month to help it break down faster and eliminate odors. Gently spray it with a hose if it starts to feel too dry (it should always be about the consistency of a wrung-out sponge). Your compost will be finished when it’s dark, crumbly, and smells like earth.

Grow Support Species ...

Support species are a crucial aspect of Climate Farming. While crunchy vegetables and succulent fruits are always the end goal, harvesting an abundant yield while naturally enriching the soil requires intentional action.

In most natural ecosystems, you wouldn’t find one plant without a consortium of two or more different species growing around it. Together, they function at a higher capacity than they ever could on their own. Here are five key benefits to using support species in your farm or garden ecosystem:

Biomass accumulation ...

Support species provide biomass for soil production when “chopped and dropped” onto the ground surrounding a farm’s main productive crops. They are then allowed to decompose, enriching the soil.

Nitrogen fixation ...

Growers often use legumes as support species, because their roots exude simple sugars and other compounds that attract rhizobium bacteria. These bacteria have a symbiotic relationship with the plant, in which they harness atmospheric nitrogen that otherwise wouldn’t be available to the plant and make it accessible in exchange for carbohydrates.

Living nursery ... 

Many support species act as a living nursery, providing shade for sensitive young seedlings when they’re newly transplanted in the field.

Hydration ...

Support species can help maintain soil and plant hydration by decreasing evapotranspiration (the movement of water from the surface of the earth into the atmosphere, as well as from the surface of plants).

Cover cropping ... 

Many small herbaceous species can be used as rotational cover crops, as they reinvigorate soil that’s been diminished by the nutrient demands of the last crop.

Biomass-beginnings ...

Plan your plot according to the sun’s patterns and perpendicular to the slope of your land to control the amount of light and water your plants receive.

Follow the Land and Sun ...

If you’re a first-time grower who hasn’t yet broken ground, you have a golden opportunity to design your garden in a way that maximizes its ecological potential. Many growers don’t pay attention to the slope of their land when building their planting rows. This leads to poor irrigation, excess runoff, and the leaching of water and nutrients.

When planning your rows, plant them perpendicular to the slope of your land. This will force rainwater to travel the greatest possible distance, around each row of your crops, maximizing the water’s exposure to the soil, both in terms of time and surface area. Slowing, stopping, sinking, and storing water in this manner keeps nutrients on the crops and away from neighboring waterways. There are ways to measure your slope exactly with expensive land-surveying tools, but for a home grower, simple tools, such as an A-frame or a bunyip level, will do the job and can be made easily.

Similarly, it pays to notice how much sunlight your plot gets and plan your planting accordingly. Use trees to shade crops that need less sunlight, and pay attention to how the sun moves so you can maximize your growing area by designing your garden to allow the right amount of sunlight for each type of crop.

Adopt Minimal-Till or No-Till Techniques ...

An easy way for home gardeners and small farmers to adopt no-till soil practices is to find a plant that does the work for you.

One of the most promising options is the daikon radish, which grows a long, thick, cylindrical taproot with many lateral roots. Not only do these roots help break up compacted soils, but they also, when left to decompose, fill all those pathways with nutrients the plant captured over its life span. This builds a softer soil profile because of the aeration and increased water capacity along the vertical fractures created by the daikon radish’s roots — ultimately leading to more nutrient-dense soils that support beneficial microorganisms and fungi.

Feeding the microorganisms supports an ancient symbiotic relationship in which the microorganisms feed off plant root sugars, and then produce four times more sugars (a source of carbon) through their residues than their plant counterparts produce. So, while you’re tilling your fields with daikon, you’re also playing a role in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Of course, daikon radish isn’t the only cover crop with minimal-till potential. With proper organic-matter management strategies, oats, pigeon pea, sunn hemp, millet, sorghum, and buckwheat can all fill this role.

Adopt ‘Chop-and-Drop’ Green Mulching ...

Cutting the organic matter of mature plants and letting it decompose into the ground creates a compost-like layer that feeds soil organisms.

“Chop and drop” is exactly what it sounds like — you “chop” (or cut) the organic material of mature plants, and then “drop” it on the ground, mimicking what plants would do in nature. When plants die (or die back), old material falls to the ground, decomposes, and contributes food to soil organisms (fungi, bacteria, and animals) while creating a beautiful compost-like humic layer.

This method also keeps the roots in the soil, where they prevent erosion, help maintain aeration, and keep nutrient networks intact until they decompose, becoming another source of nutrients. While the concept might make sense and seem simple, it’s like anything else — there are times when it’s appropriate to use this regenerative farming method, and times when it’s not.

Plants that tend to have deep taproot systems, produce a lot of leafy material, and fix nitrogen are the ideal choices for this practice. Those deep-reaching roots can surpass some of the smaller, more fibrous roots of your garden veggies. By leaving them in the ground, you’ll give other plants access to the nutrients that have accumulated.

Vermicomposting — the cultivation of a worm garden — is a means of animal integration that’s accessible whether your garden is a container on a terrace, a plot in your backyard, or a small farm. Worm castings and worm tea are often referred to by vermicomposters as “black gold for plants.” Many gardeners farm a few pounds of red wiggler worms, feeding these beneficial invertebrates kitchen scraps, and harvesting the digested and deposited castings to feed to their plants. A worm home will act as a garbage disposal and fertiliser-maker rolled into one. Raising a few pounds of worms is surprisingly inexpensive and easy, and not nearly as messy as you might expect.

After you decide to make conscious choices to work with the land instead of against it, you’ll find that nature actually wants to help you grow.

Top Plants for the Chop-and-Drop Method ...

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan ). This quick-growing legume is the chop-and-drop classic. Many gardeners grow pigeon pea just for this purpose, as it produces a lot of biomass (leafy material) in a short amount of time. It also happens to be a legume whose roots accumulates nitrogen that will live on after the plant is gone.

Moringa (Moringa oleifera ). It’s everywhere these days, with good reason! Not only does it have numerous health benefits, but moringa also grows quickly, leaving an abundance of leafy material for you to harvest.

Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.). Speaking of green mulch, nasturtiums make for an especially attractive one. When planted with taller plants, they act as a natural barrier while alive, and when they die out during hot months, they provide excellent biomass.

Lupine (Lupinus spp.). Another legume, this one is an especially attractive addition to the garden that brings in pollinators as well. Like the pigeon pea, lupine fixes nitrogen at the root level, and that nitrogen will be accessible even after the plant dies back. Note: Lupine is poisonous to livestock.

Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea ). Valued for its stellar production, this friend of the soil accumulates biomass quickly and has the unique ability to suppress nematodes. In 90 days, sunn hemp can accumulate more than 130 pounds of nitrogen per acre! (While ideal for tropical climates, this might not be a great fit for northern climates.)

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon spp.). This may not be the first plant that comes to mind, but the biomass from one lemongrass plant is substantial!

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

Agricultural and Allied Industries ...

Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

Twitter : @GreenAgricThe

Tik Tok : @GreenAgric

GreenAgric has an online chat facility via our website

Email : Sales@GreenAgric.com

Please visit GreenAgric's Websites ...

https://GreenAgric.com

https://GreenAgric.co.za

https://GreenAgric.Africa

Open 7 to 7 - 7 days a week ...

We look forward to hearing from you soon ...

* Preferred Social Media ...

Twitter*, MeWe*, Telegram*, Signal* ...

Social Media built on trust, control & transparency ...

One of the easiest ways to save some money when you’re first getting started is to grow your plants from cuttings. You can take cuttings from your own plants or, if you have any green-thumbed friends or neighbors, ask them for a few generous donations!

To grow plants from cuttings, there are a few things you will need to be aware of. Once you get going, though, you’ll find that this planting technique is pretty easy to master.

Types of Plant Cuttings ...

Plant cuttings can be categorized into four basic groups: semi-hardwood, hardwood, greenwood, and softwood. We’ll give you a quick definition of each type, along with plants that fall into each category.

 

In addition, some plants grow best when cuttings are taken as a tip, basal, heel, root, leaf, or stem cuttings. These methods of propagation aren’t quite as common but can work well for certain species of plants.

There are some plants that fall into multiple categories and can produce well from several kinds of cuttings. For example, dianthus plants, also known as pinks, can be propagated in many different ways.

 

Semi-Hardwood Cuttings ...

Semi-hardwood cuttings, also known as semi-ripe cuttings, are somewhat tough and generally taken from mature plants. They should be taken in midsummer to early fall, with the following plants being prime candidates:

 

Camellia ...

Camelia Semi-Hardwood Cuttings known for its large, show-stopping flowers, the camellia grows extraordinarily well from a cutting.

Azalea ...

Azaleas are gorgeous flowering plants. They’re popular in many gardens and grow well from a semi-ripe cutting.

 

Honeysuckle ...

Honeysuckle Semi-Hardwood Cuttings. This popular shrub is prized for its ornamental value. It grows well from a semi-hardwood cutting.

 

Hardwood Cuttings ...

Angels Trumpet Hardwood Cuttings are those taken from plants that are usually perennial, including fruit plants, trees, climbers (including vines), and deciduous shrubs. An example of a good plant for a hardwood cutting is Angel’s Trumpet, which produces trumpet-shaped flowers that grow on vines.

Greenwood Cuttings ...

Greenwood cuttings are those taken from plants that do not have woody stems. If you’re taking a cutting from an annual plant, it will always be a greenwood cutting. These plants are non-woody and so they are greenwood by default. Some of your options include:

Gardenia ...

Gardenias have fresh scents that are produced by fragrant white flowers.

Dahlias ...

You can find dahlias in just about any color – in fact, there are more than 20,000 dahlia cultivars among 30 species.

Boxwood ...

Known for its soft green leaves and rounded growth, boxwood plants are easy to shape into the desired form. They’re also easy to grow and propagate from cuttings.

Softwood Cuttings ...

Softwood cuttings are those that originate from fresh new growth. Usually, these are taken in the spring or early summer.

Aster ...

Aster is a large flower plant with more than 600 species in North America. It roots well from a cutting.

Chrysanthemum ...

Chrysanthemums also called mums or “funeral plants” can be found in all kinds of colors, including white, yellow, off-white, rust, burgundy, lavender, pink, red, purple, and gold.

 

Rose ...

Roses are classic plants for propagation from cuttings. Depending on the type of rose you grow, it can also fall under the hardwood classification.

Hydrangea ...

The hydrangea is an easy to grow plant that propagates well from cuttings. However, you’ll find the most colorful flowers on old wood, or branches that are roughly one season old.

 

Salvia ...

Salvia is a medicinal plant family that includes dozens of perennial and annual options. Scarlet tends to be the most common color for salvia, but you can also find this plant in shades of salmon, purple, pink, white, lavender, orange, and burgundy.

Butterfly Bush ...

Butterfly bush is the quintessential plant for pollinators. It produces bright, colorful growth in the spring and early summer and will bring both bees and, of course, butterflies, to your yard in droves.

 

20 Plants You Can Propagate From Cuttings ...

1. Lavender ...

Lavender is an easy herb to grow from stem cuttings. Ideally, you should take these cuttings in the spring. It will take up to six weeks for new roots to appear, but then, you can transplant the new plant directly into a garden bed. You may also take cuttings in the fall to be

planted in the spring if you find that your herb bed has gotten out of hand.

2. Geraniums ...

One of the few flowers that can be regrown from a cutting in the water, the geranium comes in multiple colors. It’s a great plant to try if you’re new to propagating plants from cuttings. Just make sure your cuttings are about six inches long. The leaves need to stay above the waterline, too – and you’ll need to be patient. It can take a month or more for a geranium to finish growing its roots in the water.

 

3. Horseradish ...

Horseradish is a perennial plant that grows aggressively and is one of the easiest plants to grow from cuttings. Divide the root into thirds and replant the cutting in your garden. Leave about a foot of space between the new pieces. It’s so easy to grow from cuttings that you don’t even have to put it into a separate container first.

 

4. Hydrangea ...

To grow hydrangea from a cutting, you’ll need to take four inches from the tip of the plant. Allow two or three pairs to remain and plant the cutting in moist soil. Cover with plastic and consider cutting the leaves to prevent the loss of moisture. It is a perennial flower perfect for beginner gardeners.

 

5. Sage ...

The easiest way to regrow sage is to take fall cuttings and re-pot them over the winter. You can then transplant your new plant in the spring. Sage can also be grown from cuttings in water, as it has a soft stem.

6. Fuchsia ...

If you want to grow fuchsia from a cutting, take it in the spring. Then, regrow it in moist compost with a bit of sand mixed in. Make sure the leaves stay covered. It roots quickly and will produce flowers in the same season as when you took the cuttings.

 

7. Oregano ...

Oregano can be propagated without soil and allowed to root in water. Just get rid of any flowers along with the lower leaves.

 

8. Azalea ...

The easiest time to propagate azaleas is in the spring. Wait until the leaves have matured – the wood should be somewhat brittle to the touch. Then, trim five or six inches from healthy branches. The cutting needs to be trimmed just below where a leaf joins the stem. Make sure you take the flower buds off the entire cutting and remove leaves from the lower third portion of the plant.

 Before you put the cutting in the potting mixture, be sure to dip the end of it in the rooting hormone. This will give a good head start. Stash your cuttings in bright (yet indirect) light.

9. Rosemary ...

Rosemary will take over your garden if given the chance, so it’s no surprise that it grows well from cuttings. Use new, fresh growth in the spring or take cuttings from the plant in the fall. Keep in mind that the greener the stem is, the easier it will be for the cutting to put out new roots.

 

10. Philodendron ...

There are all kinds of philodendrons you can choose from – many of which have gorgeous leaf colors and patterns. Luckily, most of them grow easily from cuttings. You will want to use tip cuttings that have at least two nodes. These will be easiest to grow, as they’ll produce directly from the tip immediately (sometimes even before the roots have fully formed).

 

11. Jade ...

The perfect bonsai plant, jade grows easily from cuttings. You’ll need a branch that is approximately four inches long to get started. Allow it to dry. Once it’s dried, you can plant the cutting in a potting mixture. Keep it damp until the roots have formed and strengthened.

12. Begonia ...

To grow begonias from cuttings, you’ll need pies that are about an inch long each. Press these cuttings firmly into moist potting soil or a combination of vermiculite and perlite. You will need to keep the cutting in a well-lit but humid spot out of direct sunlight until the roots develop.

 

13. African Violet ...

Another great houseplant to grow from a cutting is the African violet. You will need to start by removing leaves that are young and healthy with about two inches of stalk. Insert the stalk of each leaf into a tray that contains a mixture of moist sand and compost.

 

14. Mint ...

Mint is incredibly easy to grow and is considered somewhat invasive in some areas because of how easily it spreads. It is easy to regrow from cuttings, too, since its soft stem allows it to grow anywhere it is planted. Mint is a plant you can root in water. Once it has roots, you can put it into some potting soil and watch its growth explode.

15. Comfrey ...

Comfrey is another plant that can easily be grown from a cutting. Take cuttings in the spring or fall and take your cuttings from the roots of the plant. You will want to plant the cutting directly in the soil and cover it with mulch. It will produce roots that penetrate deep into the soil.

 

16. Snake Plant ...

Also known as sansevieria, the snake plant is a beautiful houseplant that grows well from cuttings. All you need are two- to three-inch sections of the leaves. You can get a ton of cuttings from just one parent plant.

 

17. Basil ...

An easy plant to regrow in water, basil can be grown from cuttings as long as it has not flowered yet. Only use top leaves – take the lower ones off for the best results.

 

18. Mother of Thousands ...

Mother of Thousands grown from cuttings ... this plant grows well in the wild and is native to Madagascar. Therefore, you probably won’t have much luck growing it outside – but it’s a fantastic houseplant to grow if you are interested in propagating your own plants from cuttings.

You can grow it in soil and it will grow roots relatively quickly. It’s a gorgeous succulent that will enjoy being placed on a sunny windowsill.

19. Thyme ...

Another herb to consider growing from a cutting is thyme. It regrows just like rosemary and in fact, the two are so close that you can regrow them using the same container of water, as long as you have lots of room in the jar.

 

20. Pelargonium ...

Pelargoniums are closely related to geraniums, but they add a special touch of elegance to your decor. These plants grow well indoors and are easy to grow from cuttings. All you need to do is remove a three-inch section, starting at a node.

Take everything off except the top couple of pairs of leaves. Wrap the stem in a moist paper towel, then immerse the nodes in water. You’ll see roots in just three weeks! Wait until you have three long roots before you replant in a three-inch pot.

How to Cut and Prepare Cuttings ...

The plant that will provide the cuttings is known as the mother plant. When selecting the mother plant, always choose one that is healthy and growing in a robust fashion. Don’t take cuttings from weak, ill, or injured plants, as the cuttings will be less likely to take root and you risk killing the mother plant by weakening it further, too.

Cutting rosemaryIn general, plants that have non-woody stems are the easiest to propagate. In all cases, though, make sure the mother plant is large enough that removing a couple of cuttings will not weaken it. Always choose green stems that are not good from taking tip cuttings, as new, fresh growth will take root better than woody stems.

Ideally, you will want to find a stem with a node (this is the spot where the leaf either was attached or is currently still attached). This is the spot that will generate new roots. To remove the cutting, use a pair of sterilized scissors (as sharp as possible) to make a clean cut. Your cutting doesn’t have to be absurdly large – just long enough to have a few healthy leaves.

Germanium cutting process. Once you’ve cut off a piece of the mother plant’s stem, put the cutting on a hard surface, like a cutting board. You can then slice through the stem into the middle of the node, where the plant sends out its new roots. If you can cut directly at the node, you’ll have a greater likelihood of being able to root the cutting.

Get rid of all the leaves except for one or two. You’ll need some leaf growth for the cutting to proceed with photosynthesis – it won’t be able to take food in from its roots, as it doesn’t have these yet! However, you don’t want too many leaves, as this can drain energy that would be better off spent developing the roots.

 

Then, dip the stem of the plant into the rooting hormone. This will encourage the plant to take root and can speed up the process, too.

How to Plant Cuttings ...

Once your cuttings are off the plant and ready to go, you’ll need to prepare your planting container. Ideally, you should plant your cuttings in a separate container and not directly into the ground. This will allow you to exercise more control over the cuttings so you don’t have to worry about external factors (like wind, precipitation, and temperature fluctuations) from weakening your fragile young plants. Here you’ll find 35 container and pot-friendly fruits and vegetables you can also grow in your backyard.

 

Planting the cutting in a small potUse a soilless potting mix for your cuttings. This will drain better than other kinds of soil and will stay moist without getting overly soggy. You should avoid using soil that you’ve taken out of your garden, as it could contain fungal spores, bacteria, and other pathogens that could kill or weaken your cutting before it has the chance to take root.

The best rooting medium will depend on whether the cutting you are growing is softwood, hardwood, or something in between. Softwood cuttings with young stems (like most of the herbs we told you about) grow best simply in a jar of water. Hardwood and semi-hardwood cuttings need either a soilless potting mix or a potting mix composed of soil or sand. Some people even grow hardwood cuttings in perlite (though you’ll need to transplant once the cuttings take root).

 

Your container doesn’t need to be large, even for a plant that will ultimately grow quite big. This is another great way to save money, as you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on potting soil to get started. As your cuttings take root and grow larger, you’ll move them to another, larger pot anyway. Just make sure the container you use is well-draining.

Rosemary cuttings planted.Use a pointed object like a knife blade or pencil to insert holes into the potting soil. This will allow the rooting hormone you apply to stay on the stem cutting rather than resting on the surface of the soil.

 

Put the cuttings into the hols you made and pat the soil down around them. You can put a couple of cuttings into a single container as long as you make sure the leaves are not touching.

Unfortunately, not all of your cuttings will make it, despite how well you transfer them and how carefully you plant them. It’s just part of the game! Be patient with your plants and with yourself, and you’ll get better at growing plants from cuttings over time.

 

Caring for Cuttings ...

After your cutting has been planted in the container, you don’t need to add any kind of fertilizer or supplemental nutrients. After all, the plant doesn’t have any roots yet! However, it is important that you ensure that each cutting can get enough light and air. Make sure your container is well-draining and is located in a warm area (indirect sunlight is best) with good ventilation.

Rooted cutting ready to be planted. Try not to overwater your cutting, but also remember that moisture is essential for the plant to set roots. You may want to position a clear bag over the plant. This can help lock moisture into the growing area.

Plants readily evaporate and lose moisture through their leaves – since they don’t have roots to help them take more moisture in, you need to work double-time to help your plant absorb moisture. The cover can slow the rate of evaporation. Water regularly by misting your plants. This will prevent the soil from becoming too waterlogged or washed out.

 

You can add a heating pad or germination mat beneath your plants, too. This will provide bottom heat that can encourage new root growth. Place the decorative flowers like a Snake plant on a diy plant stand.

The cover needs to be clear so that plants can still have access to light. Keeping your plant out of direct sunlight will help keep it from getting dried out. Once your plant starts pushing out new leaves and a new roots system, it’s ready to be replanted in its final destination.

 

General Tips for Growing Plants from Cuttings ...

 

Make sure you do some research on the type of plant you plan to grow from a cutting before you start working. Each plant is a bit different in how it needs to be propagated, so it’s essential that you take your time in figuring out what will work the best.

Before you plant, make sure you ensure that the plants are recommended for your growing zone and that they are not invasive. You also want to make sure they met the growing conditions in the area in which you want to plant them, including factors such as soil type and texture, moisture levels, sunlight exposure, and wind.

 

Start small and pick just one or two plants to try and grow from cuttings. It takes some patience to see results, so stick with it! Over time, you’ll learn what to look for and become quite skilled at growing plants of all kinds from cuttings. Check out our 100 expert gardening tips if you want to learn some nifty gardening hacks.

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#1 Repel Garden Pests ...

If you sprinkle a layer of cornstarch on the leaves of your plants, this will help get rid of worms. This non-toxic method will suffocate and make it difficult for insects to crawl on stems and leaves.

#2 Grow Seeds Faster ...

It’s good to dip the seeds of corn, tomatoes, or beans in a corn starch paste before planting. The cornstarch solution will keep the seeds warm and helps them grow faster.

#3 Reduce Water Usage ...

If you add corn starch to container plants, it will store the moisture and minimize the frequent watering needs. Here is how to do it: mix two tablespoons of corn starch in a one-gallon pot. For a five-gallon pot, add 1/4 cup of corn starch.

#4 Effective Against Ants ...

Cornstarch can be a very excellent ant repellent. It attracts ants, so they eat it but can’t digest it and die slowly. Plus, ants’ habit of taking their food back to their colony could ensure the rest of the ants are taken care of too. But it’s a slow process.

#5 Improve Sandy Coastal Soil ...

According to research a soil amendment such as corn starch, corn stalk, and cotton meal can help improve the soil structure and boost the root growth. Regarding cornstarch, it contains the highest amount of dissolved organic carbon leached and soil penetration resistance.

#6 Control of Nitrogen Pollution ...

High urea added in your garden will pollute and damage natural resources. One of the simplest yet effective way to deal with is to use corn starch. It can reduce the reactive nitrogen pollution.

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But when choosing which onions to grow, and where to place them in your garden, you need to think about what will grow well alongside them.

You need to think about which plants can benefit them. You also need to consider which plants may suppress onion growth, or be detrimentally affected by the presence of alliums nearby. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best and worst companion plants for onions. By thinking about this list, you should be able to move closer to an excellent plan for polyculture planting in your growing areas. 

Why Onions Make a Great Companion Plant For Many Crops ...

The strong scent of onions and other alliums means that they themselves are a great companion plant for many other crops. They can repel, confuse or distract a number of pest species. 

In this list, we will explore plant companions that aid onions, but also plenty that are aided by them. We’ll also talk about some onions which, while they may not have a strong positive or negative impact, can happily grow alongside your onion crop. 

As you read this list, it is important to bear in mind that the interactions between different plants are actually little understood. So while science can guide us to an extent, many of our interplanting and companion planting decisions must be made from experience, or, more specifically, the experience of other gardeners.

Fruits and Vegetables to Plant With Onions ...

First of all, let’s look at some of the other common fruits and vegetables to grow alongside your onions:

1. Other Alliums ...

Firstly, of course, you can consider growing your onions alongside other alliums. While it must be remembered that diseases and pests can pass between them, it is still worthwhile thinking about growing more than one member of the onion family in the same growing area or bed. 

One benefit of this is that when you grow, for example, onions and garlic in the same bed, you can rotate your crops more easily. But it should also be remembered that they do tend to enjoy the same (or similar) growing conditions. 

When it comes to annual alliums, it is best to implement a crop rotation scheme so disease does not build up in the soil. 

But onions and other alliums should not be grown alone, even when you want to implement crop rotation. You should definitely consider using them in rotation alongside other plant family groups and never in mono-crop isolation.

2. Brassicas ...

One plant family that can really benefit from being grown alongside onions are the brassicas. Members of the brassica, or cabbage plant family will benefit from alliums that are planted with them because the alliums will help repel, confuse or distract a range of common pests.

So plant onions alongside members of this family, which include ...

Broccoli

Cabbages

Cauliflower

Kale/ Collards

Kohlrabi

Mustard

Pak choi (and other Asian greens)

One exception to this is turnips. Onions may affect the flavor and root growth of your turnip crop.

3. Carrots ...

Onions also work extremely well interplanted with carrots. This is a classic companion planting combination predominantly for pest control. The onions help to repel or confuse carrot fly, while the carrots can help reduce problems with onion flies. 

4. Parsnips ...

Another root crop that can work well alongside onions are parsnips. They can grow happily alongside one another and can also help in pest control.

5. Beets ...

And a third root crop to consider growing alongside onions are beets. 

Root crops and alliums won’t compete for nutrients too excessively and like similar conditions. So it can be a good idea to combine onions and root crops in one bed when thinking about crop rotation.

6. Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant and Other Warm Season Crops ...

Onions and other alliums can also slot in nicely as companion plants for tomatoes and other members of the nightshade plant family. Again, in this context, the onions can help with controlling a range of different pests that might otherwise trouble your crops. 

Onions can also aid in pest control for other warm season crops such as squash, zucchini and cucumbers.

7. Potatoes ...

In certain studies, evidence has also suggested that onions intercropped with potatoes can bring pest control benefits. So onions can be a good companion plant for potatoes too. 

8. Lettuce ...

Lettuce is a quick crop that can often fit in around other plants in garden beds and help you make the most of space and time. This is another crop that can work well as a companion plant to onions. Sow lettuce while bulb onions are still small, then harvest to give them more space as they begin to bulb out. 

You can also sow onions around a lettuce bed to help protect them from a range of pests.

The same is true for other leafy greens, such as spinach and chard, for example.

Radishes also work well with both lettuce and onions, and the three can together be an excellent combination in your garden for spring or fall.

9. Strawberries ...

You might be worried that strong smelling onions will confer their flavour to strawberries grown nearby, but this is not the case.

Instead, onions and strawberries can be good companions. Again, onions will help strawberries by repelling or confusing a range of pests. 

10. Fruit Trees ...

Both annual and perennial onions (and other alliums) are also extremely useful for planting alongside fruit trees in a fruit tree guild or forest garden. Again, they are beneficial for their ability to help in the control of aphids and other pests. 

Herbs That Make Good Companion Plants for Onions ...

Next, let’s take a look at some herbs that make good companion plants for onions:

11. Chamomile ...

Chamomile is one of the herbs said to boost the growth and flavor of onions when grown nearby. Of course, this is also a useful plant to grow for herbal remedies. 

12. Summer Savory ...

Summer savory is another herb that may aid onions when used as a companion plant. This herb too is said to improve the growth and flavor of your onions. 

13. Dill ...

Dill is another common herb described as being beneficial for onion growth and flavor. Of course, it is also a great culinary herb that can be used in a range of different ways in your kitchen.

14. Parsley ...

Parsley is very similar in many respects to carrots. And so growing parsley and onions together can confer many of the same benefits of growing carrots and onions together. 

15. Mint ...

Planting mint close to onions can baffle onion flies. So this can also be a beneficial combination. Just be aware that mints can be prolific growers, and will take over a bed if you let them. Here’s a guide to growing mint without fear.

Flowers That Make Good Companion Plants for Onions ...

Flowers can mingle happily with your edible crops too, some are even edible flowers themselves. There are a wide range of flowers to grow in your vegetable garden. But here are a few flowers that will either benefit onions, or benefit from having onions growing nearby:

16. Marigolds ...

Marigolds may help to suppress nematodes in the soil, and so, therefore, may help in protecting onions against nematode attack. 

17. Pigweed (Amaranth) ...

 Pigweed can be beneficial in your vegetable beds because it is a dynamic accumulator that can draw up nutrients that help onions to grow strong. 

18. Sow Thistle ...

Sow thistle is another ‘weed’ that can be beneficial for onions in a similar way. These and other deep rooted plants can be chopped and dropped to return nutrients to the soil to benefit other plants grown nearby. 

19. Roses ...

Roses are one ornamental plant that can be badly affected by aphids and other sap sucking pests. Planting onions close by may help to a degree in repelling these pests. 

20. Other Ornamental Flowers ...

Onions will also similarly help a range of other ornamental flowers, by covering up their scent and confusing, distracting or repelling many of the common pests that plague them.

Planting onions and other alliums is not a panacea for pest control. It won’t keep pests away entirely. But for many plants, it can certainly help at least to a degree to keep the garden ecosystem in balance. 

4 Things To Never Plant Near Onions ...

As mentioned above, onions are great companion plants for a wide range of different crops. But there are certain plants that you should avoid planting near onions, including:

1. Peas ...

Peas may grow less strongly when onions are close by. And they may also lead the onions themselves to grow less strongly too. Peas and onions planted together are believed to have somewhat stunted growth.

2. Beans ...

The same thing is true of beans, and other legumes. No beans, peanuts or other leguminous plants should be planted alongside your onions. If you want to achieve the best results for both crops – keep them apart. 

3. Asparagus ...

 Onions will not only stunt the growth of asparagus. They can also affect the flavor of your asparagus crop. So be sure to keep these crops in different beds or growing areas. 

4. Sage ...

Sage may work well with onions in stuffing and other recipes but it may stunt the growth of onions if you grow the two plants as companions. 

The information above does not include every potential plant combination, of course. Onions can find a place and be beneficial as companion plants for a huge range of different crops and other garden plants. But it should help you narrow down your options. And decide where and how to include onions in your planting schemes. 

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If you walk around their farms you will see discarded grow bags, seedling bags, empty plastic bottles, food containers, drinks cans, oil and brake fluid containers and much more ...

Huge amounts of plastic ends up rivers and oceans every year, harming the environment and potentially also human health.

Around the world, humans produce an estimated 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, and at least 10 million tonnes end up in our oceans – the equivalent of a rubbish truck load every minute.

Fionn Ferreira decided to do something about the plastic that was turning up on the beaches close to his home in south west Ireland ...

As a child, Fionn Ferreira spent hours exploring the coastline near his hometown of Ballydehob in south-west Ireland. But the more time he spent on the sheltered, shingle-strewn coves nearby, he grew increasingly shocked by the large amounts of plastic litter he found strewn across the beach and in the sea.

"It didn't look nice to me – the coloured bits of plastic all along the shore," he says. 

But it was the plastic that Ferreira couldn't see which really concerned him. Microplastics are fragments smaller than five millimetres and either come directly from the products we use or are created as larger plastic objects break down in the environment. They are ubiquitous – they have been found at the bottom of the world's deepest ocean trench and lodged in Arctic sea ice.

"I got really anxious when I found out about microplastics," says Ferreira, who is now aged 20 and a chemistry student at Groningen University in the Netherlands. "These plastics are going to be in our environment for thousands of years. We are going to be dealing with them long after we stop using plastic."  

As he learned more about the environmental impact of microplastics in the environment, Ferreira began to look for ways to combat them. And it was a serendipitous discovery on his local beach that gave him the idea for a new way to remove these tiny, omnipresent plastics from the oceans.

Some shower products contain tiny plastic beads that when washed down the drain can escape into the environment where they are difficult to get rid of.

Microplastics are found in our clothes, cosmetics and cleaning products. One load of laundry can release an average of 700,000 microplastic fibres. Less than a millimetre in length, these fibres make their way into rivers and oceans, where they are eaten by fish and even corals. Because of their tiny size, microplastics are able to pass through filtration systems, making it very difficult to avoid them.

One 2018 study, plastic contamination can also be found in bottled water, with 93% of 259 bottled water samples the scientists examined containing microplastics.

According to recent research, we constantly inhale and ingest microplastics during our daily lives. One study in 2019 by researchers at the University of Newcastle found that globally people ingest an average of 5g of plastic every week – the equivalent of a credit card. The impact that this diet of microplastics has on our health, however, is still poorly understood.

Chemicals used in plastic have, however, been linked to a range of health problems including cancer, heart disease and poor foetal development. Studies have found that human exposure to microplastics could cause oxidative stress, inflammation and respiratory problems.

"The urgency of the plastic problem has not yet hit people," says Ferreira. "Plastic pollution is a public health issue. You are not just drinking the plastic, but also the chemicals that are added to it. Plastic attracts heavy metals and brings these into our system."

Another concern is that plastics could help transport pathogens which bind themselves to the material. A 2016 study found the pathogen Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera in humans, attached to microplastics sampled from the North and Baltic Seas.

"It is not just a problem of the health of our environment, but really a problem that concerns all of us and our health," says Ferreira.

After the microplastics attached themselves to the ferrofluid, Ferreira used a magnet to remove the solution and leave behind only water.

And the amount of plastic in the environment is projected to get much worse. Plastic production is expected to increase by 60% by 2030 and triple by 2050. By then, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a UK non-profit that promotes the circular economy where materials are reused rather than thrown away.

At the age of 12 years old, Ferreira became determined to find a solution to remove microplastics from water. He started by designing his own spectrometer, a scientific instrument that uses ultraviolet light to measure the density of microplastics in solutions.

"I could see there were a lot of microplastics in the water and they weren't just coming from big plastic breaking down in the sea," he says. "There needed to be a way to combat this."

It was on his local beach that Ferreira came up with a solution that could extract microplastics from water. "I found some oil spill residue with loads of plastic attached to it," he says. "I realised that oil could be used to attract plastic."

Ferreira mixed vegetable oil with iron oxide powder to create a magnetic liquid, also known as ferrofluid. He then blended in microplastics from a wide range of everyday items, including plastic bottles, paint and car tyres, and water from the washing machine.

After the microplastics attached themselves to the ferrofluid, Ferreira used a magnet to remove the solution and leave behind only water.

Following 5,000 tests, Ferreira's method was 87% effective at extracting microplastics from water.

Ferreira is currently in the process of designing a device which uses the magnetic extraction method to capture microplastics as water flows past it. The device will be small enough to fit inside waterpipes to continuously extract plastic fragments as water flows through them. He has also been working on a system that could be fitted to ships so they can extract plastics on the oceans.

Microplastics are found in a wide range of cosmetics and toiletries, but can also come from synthetic clothing and larger plastic items as they break down .

Microplastics are found in a wide range of cosmetics and toiletries, but can also come from synthetic clothing and larger plastic items as they break down.

"There is no current effective solution to remove microplastics in natural waterways," says Anne-Marieke Eveleens, who created another device known as the Bubble Barrier, a tube device that can be installed on canals and rivers to trap larger plastic waste with a stream of bubbles that guides it to a catchment area, preventing it from entering the ocean. "Our Bubble Barrier is very effective at catching macroplastics and can catch microparticles of plastic as small as 1 mm. Fionn's innovation has the capacity to remove all types of microplastics."

In 2019, Ferreira presented his invention to a panel of expert judges at the Google Science Fair, which led to him winning the competition and receiving an educational scholarship of $50,000 (£36,400).

"He observed and tackled a problem he saw locally which has vast global significance," says Larissa Kelly, Ferreira's former science teacher at Schull Community College and his mentor for the Google Science Fair entry. "His invention, based on very simple components, is groundbreaking. It has powerful potential to provide solutions that will contribute to the worldwide effort to remove microplastics from the environment."

"I started out as a lonely inventor," says Ferreira. "After the Google Science Fair, I could all of a sudden speak to scientists – they gave me credit for what I had done. My idea was no longer a toy invented by a child."

After receiving funding from the Footprint Coalition, which was founded by actor Robert Downey Jr, Ferreira started scaling up the technology so it could be used at wastewater treatment facilities and prevent microplastics from escaping into the ocean.

He is currently working with US company Stress Engineering to fine-tune his invention and design a device out of stainless steel, glass or recycled plastic. "We're trying to make something where we are not creating more plastic pollution," he says.

Humanity produces millions of tonnes of plastic waste every year and a large amount of it escapes to pollute natural habitats.

Humanity produces millions of tonnes of plastic waste every year and a large amount of it escapes to pollute natural habitats.

The technology is "very quick, cheap and low energy," he says, adding that it can easily be integrated into existing facilities and is able to handle normal flow rates of water.

Ferreira is also developing a consumer-focused device which can be installed inside pipes in homes, cleaning the water as it enters and leaves the house. The aim is to provide people with water that is both safe to drink and sustainable.

"I don't want to be drinking plastic every day," he says. "By building this device in our homes, we are not only protecting our health, but also raising awareness."

He is testing the devices in different water bodies around the world and hopes to commercialise both within the next two years.

But Ferreira says he has encountered scepticism throughout his journey as a young inventor and hopes that inventions such as his will help change that attitude. And as his generation inherits problems created by those that came before them, the world is likely to need more imaginative solutions.

"A lot of people don't trust young inventors," he says. "That needs to change. Youth have the power to come up with new creative ideas, they aren't trained to look down just one tunnel."

'Grow Your Own' ...

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GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

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Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

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There are three main ways to improve soil: grow cover crops, mulch the surface with biodegradable mulches, and organic soil amendments (such as compost, grass clippings, rotted manure or wood chips). All have their advantages and none should be discounted, but cover cropping is the method least likely to be practiced in home gardens. 

There is a reason for this: Information on using cover crops is tailored to the needs of farmers who use tractors to make short work of mowing down or turning under cover crops. But when your main tools for taking down plants have wooden handles and you measure your space in meters rather than acres, you need a special set of cover crop plants, and special methods for using them.

How Cover Crops Help ...

A cover crop is any plant grown for the primary purpose of improving the soil. Since the early 1900s, farmers have used cover crops to restore fertility to worn-out land. In addition to helping bulk up soil with organic matter, cover crops prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and create and cycle soilborne nutrients using the power of the sun. Recent advances in soil biology have revealed two more ways cover crops can improve soil.

Rhizodeposition is a special advantage to working with cover crops. Many plants actually release sugars and other substances through their roots. They are like little solar engines, pumping energy down into the soil. With vigorous cover crop plants, this process goes on much more deeply than you would ever dig — 2 meters for oats and rye! 

If you are leaving your garden beds bare in winter, you are missing the chance to use cold-hardy crops such as cereal rye or oats to solar-charge your soil. Thanks to this release of sugars, the root tips of many plants host colonies of helpful microorganisms, and as the roots move deeper, the microbes follow.

But so much for scientific talk. If you’ve experimented with cover crops, perhaps you have dug up young fava beans or alfalfa seedlings to marvel at the nitrogen nodules on their roots, or watched a stand of buckwheat go from seed to bloom in four weeks flat.

Cover crops improve soil ...

Colorful cover crops such as bachelor’s buttons and crimson clover will not only improve soil, they'll beautify your garden beds.

Cover Crops and Bio-Drilling ..

Bio-drilling is what happens when you use a cover crop’s natural talents to “drill” into compacted subsoil. For example, you might grow oilseed or daikon radishes as a cover crop where their spear-shaped roots will stab deep into tight subsoil. Bio-drilling action also takes place when deeply rooted cover crop plants penetrate subsoil and die. Then, the next crop grown may actually follow the rooting network mapped out by the cover crop. Researchers were able to track this process using special camera equipment (a minirhizotron), which took pictures of the interactions between cover crop and crop plant soybean roots. As the cover crops deep roots decomposed, soybean roots followed the trails they blazed in the subsoil, hand in glove. In addition to reduced physical resistance, the soybean roots probably enjoyed better nutrition and the good company of legions of soil-dwelling microcritters, compliments of the cover crop.

Dozens of plants have special talents as cover crops, in an extremely hot, cold, wet or dry climate, and for use under high-stress conditions. Also be aware that many cover crop plants can become weedy, so they should almost always be taken down before they set seed.

'Grow Your Own' ...

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Companion planting is the practice of growing different plants together to support growth. Growing with thid method also brings some benefits. For example, complement nutrient requirements, attract beneficial insects, deters soil pests, and even enhance the flavor for their companions. For these good reasons, you should grow them together for a better harvest.

* 1 Lettuce ...

Lettuce grows well when planted near strawberries, carrots, cucumbers, radish, and beets.

* 2 Beans ...

Beans grow well with most vegetables, commonly with tomatoes or mielies. Besides, you can grow interplant marigolds, and herbs such as rosemary help to deter bean beetles.

* 3 Peas ...

Peas stimulate the growth of corn, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, turnips, and cucumber. Also, other vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and eggplants, can benefit from the shade of the trellised pea plant.

* 4 Cucumber ...

Cucumber grows well with radishes, beans, celery, mielies, lettuce, dill, and peas. To repel cucumber beetles plant radishes among your cucumber. Also, dill helps to attract beneficial predators.

But don't plant cucumbers and tomatoes in in same area !!! ... but more about plants that should NOT be planted next to one another in tomorrows blog posting ...

* 5 Onions ...

Onions grow well with cabbage, beets, strawberries, carrots, and lettuce. They help to deter most pests and when planted with carrots, it’s said to help with carrot rust flies that lead to root maggots.

* 6 Carrots ...

Carrots go well with radishes, peas, or sage as it improves the flavor of carrots. Because of the strong scent that onions and leeks have, it helps to repel carrot flies.

* 7 Peppers ...

Peppers grow well with basil, tomatoes, parsley, carrots, and onion are excellent companions to peppers.

* 8 Eggplant ...

Eggplant goes well with green beans, peppers, tomatoes, lemongrass, and potatoes. It is a heavy nitrogen feeder and green beans are known to fix or add nitrogen to the soil.

* 9 Rosemary ...

Rosemary grows well with cabbage, carrots, and beans. The fragrance of the rosemary is able to repel insects such as cabbage flies, root maggot flies, bean beetles, and carrot flies.

* 10 Chives ...

Chives can improve the growth and flavor of a plant such as carrots, grapes, roses, berries, and tomatoes. It also deters aphids and Japanese beetles.

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

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or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

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* 1 Too Crowded ...

If you planting peppers too closely when they grow to be larger they will get adequate room to grow and have enough airflow around them to avoid disease. Or you’re raising peppers in a container garden, you should only plant one pepper plant per container.

* 2 No Fruit But Healthy Plants ...

You have bushy, healthy plants but no fruit on the plants. The most common problem that you’ve used an unbalanced fertilizer, which means they’ve received a great deal of nitrogen and not enough phosphorus.

* 3 Planting Too Early ...

Pepper plants love heat so you should plant at the first sign of spring.

* 4 Harvesting On Time ...

When it comes to harvesting pepper plants, make sure you wait until the peppers have become vibrant in their assigned colors.

* 5 Inadequate Soil ...

Pepper plants should have amended soil that’s aerated to ensure the necessary nutrients are in the grow space prior to planting. It should also help with ensuring the soil is well-draining, which will avoid soggy roots and potential disease issues

* 6 Overfertilising ...

You shouldn’t apply too much Organic fertiliser because pepper plants just need only be fertilised twice. The soil should be amended prior to planting to give the plants the proper nutrients to start. They shouldn’t be fertilised again until the plants are forming peppers.

* 7 Lack Of Patience ...

Peppers are slower than other plants in your garden, but if you wait for them for the time is right, they will start producing and give you a high yield.

* 8 Ignoring Pests And Diseases ...

If you grow your peppers on a microscopic level. Pests and diseases can move on your plants faster. If you don’t pay attention, they can seriously harm your crop. So, let’s pay attention to your peppers with common threats such as aphids, whiteflies, leafhoppers, and hornworms. They can be treated with insecticides in most cases. Or fungal-related diseases, removing any impacted parts of the plant and treat with a fungicide is the best way.

* 9 Stunted Plants ...

If your plants are stunted, you can deter plants from blooming early by removing the blooms of the plant until it reaches the desired height. At this point, allow the plant to bloom and produce.

* 10 Inadequate Watering ...

Inadequate or overdo watering is the most common mistake that gardeners often get, so you should avoid it. You can water the plants for longer periods, fewer days of the week.

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

Agricultural and Allied Industries ...

Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

Twitter : @GreenAgricThe

Tik Tok : @GreenAgric

Email : Sales@GreenAgric.com

Please visit GreenAgric's Websites ...

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Lemon & Lime Trees are my choice ...

It’s quite easy to carry out this DIY project with bought seeds or seeds you have saved from limes and lemons you have used previously. 

If you’re worried about your gardening skills, you may start with seedlings bought at nursery.

In this post, we’ll cover 7 steps to grow a Lemon Tree from seeds, but growing Lime Trees is exactly the same.

Pots, soil, light, moisture, and maintenance are what you need to consider. 

If you prefer homegrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you should never miss these. 

It’s such a rewarding journey. 

Enjoy what you’ve grown and harvested. 

Nothing is better than that. 

Lemons are great to use when preparing family meals and lemon plants make wonderful gifts friends for Friends and Family ... and if you are an entrepreneur, why not sell lemon plants ? ... 

Let’s get started ...

* 1 Choose lemon seeds from Organic lemons ...

You can store lemon seeds from lemons that you eat.

Cut your lemon in half, and choose the largest, best-looking seed you can find.  

Keep it in your mouth until you’re ready to plant it !!! ...

This helps prevent your seed from drying out.

* 2 Potting Soil ...

Citrus appreciates potting soil that contains a blend of good Organic Nutrients. 

Make sure that the growing medium is light enough to drain water well.

* 3 Choose a Container ...

A small container made of wood or terra cotta will work here as it will be easier to maintain the right soil moisture. If the soil stays too wet in a big container, a young tree, with its small root system, is likely to rot and dry.

We will suggest you use a 20cms diameter container when starting out. Once your tree is two or three years old, you can transfer it to a 30cms to 50cms container. As it continues to grow, you may need to upgrade one more time.

* 4 Plant your Lemon Tree

Place some soil into a bucket and add water until your soil is completely damp. Pour pre-moistened soil into your container. Allow about an inch of space below the rim of the container.

Whilst the seed is still moist, plant it about 10cms below the soil level and then completely cover it with soil. Spray the soil using a spray bottle, or gently water it using a watering can.

Place the container in a warm area and keep an eye on it for a few days. Make sure that you keep your pot staying warm and moist so that it can germinate. 

After two weeks, a little sprout will emerge from the soil.

* 5 Place your Container in a Full-Sun area ...

Once your lemon sprout arrives, you should place it in a warm location that gets lots of direct sunlight. It requires 10 to 14 hours of light every day when sprouting, which we already have here in the Southern Hemisphere.

When growing indoors, it should be somewhere that it will get at least eight and preferably 10 hours of direct sunshine every day. 

Lemons are light-loving plants ...

" 6 Care for Your Growing Tree ...

Once your lemon plant has developed a set of leaves, feed it on an ongoing basis with Organic nutrients in order for it to stay healthy. 

Feeding it an Organic fertiliser like vermicompost or compost is a great way to do that. Four feeds a year will work well. 

Dig a small trench around its base and then fill it with the compost and watering it well. Make sure that that the soil is moist at all times, especially when the tree is young.

*** However you should never let your tree sit in a puddle of water. No plants like 'their feet wet' !!! ... 

just damp on an continual basis.

This comes to the reason why you buy ontainers with drainage holes otherwise you will need to drill drainage holes.

* 7 Water your Lemon Tree once or twice a week

Keeping the soil evenly moist is very important when you grow lemon tree. The ideal frequency is once or twice a week, but you may need to adjust that depending on the time of year and weather.

"When life gives you Organic Lemons ... 

take them, eat them ... 

Don't Waste Great Healthy Beneficial Food"

Here are 6 evidence-based health benefits of lemons.

1. Support Heart Health ...

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C.

One lemon provides about 31 mg of vitamin C, which is 51% of the reference daily intake (RDI).

Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.

However, it’s not only the vitamin C that is thought to be good for your heart. The fiber and plant compounds in lemons could also significantly lower some risk factors for heart disease.

For instance, one study revealed that eating 24 grams of citrus fiber extract daily for a month reduced total blood cholesterol levels.

Plant compounds found in lemons — namely hesperidin and diosmin — have also been found to lower cholesterol.

SUMMARY ...

Lemons are high in heart-healthy vitamin C and several beneficial plant compounds that may lower cholesterol.

2. Help Control Weight ...

Lemons are often promoted as a weight loss food, and there are a few theories as to why this is.

One common theory is that the soluble pectin fiber in them expands in your stomach, helping you feel full for longer.

That said, not many people eat lemons whole. And because lemon juice contains no pectin, lemon juice drinks will not promote fullness in the same way.

Another theory suggests that drinking hot water with lemon will help you lose weight.

Other theories suggest that the plant compounds in lemons may aid weight loss.

Research shows that plant compounds in lemon extracts may help prevent or reduce weight gain in a number of ways.

In one study, mice on a fattening diet were given lemon polyphenols extracted from the peel. They gained less weight and body fat than other mice.

However, no studies confirm the weight loss effects of lemon compounds in humans.

SUMMARY ...

Animal studies show that lemon extract and plant compounds may promote weight loss.

3. Prevent Kidney Stones ...

Kidney stones are small lumps that form when waste products crystallize and build up in your kidneys.

They are quite common, and people who get them often get them repeatedly.

Citric acid may help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and increasing urine pH, creating a less favorable environment for kidney stone formation.

Just a 1/2-cup (4 ounces or 125 ml) of lemon juice per day may provide enough citric acid to help prevent stone formation in people who have already had them.

Some studies also found that lemonade effectively prevented kidney stones.

Therefore, more well-conducted studies need to examine whether lemon juice affects kidney stone formation.

SUMMARY ...

Lemon juice may help prevent kidney stones.

4. Protect Against Anemia ...

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common. It occurs when you don’t get enough iron from the foods you eat.

Lemons contain some iron, but they primarily prevent anemia by improving your absorption of iron from plant foods.

Your gut absorbs iron from meat, chicken, and fish (known as heme iron) very easily, while iron from plant sources (non-heme iron) not as easily. However, this absorption can be improved by consuming vitamin C and citric acid.

Because lemons contain both vitamin C and citric acid, they may protect against anemia by ensuring that you absorb as much iron as possible from your diet.

SUMMARY ...

Lemons contain vitamin C and citric acid, which help you absorb non-heme iron from plants. This may prevent anemia.

5. Reduce Cancer Risk ...

A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help prevent some cancers.

Some observational studies have found that people who eat the most citrus fruit have a lower risk of cancer.

Some researchers think that plant compounds found in lemons — such as limonene and naringenin — could have anticancer effects.

Animal studies indicate that D-limonene, a compound found in lemon oil, does have anticancer properties.

Another study used pulp from mandarins that contained the plant compounds beta-cryptoxanthin and hesperidin, which are also found in lemons.

The study discovered that these compounds prevented malignant tumors from developing in the tongues, lungs, and colons of rodents (40Trusted Source).

However, it should be noted that the research team used a very high dose of the chemicals — far more than you would get by eating lemons or oranges.

While some plant compounds from lemons and other citrus fruits may have anticancer potential, no quality evidence suggests that lemons can fight cancer in humans.

SUMMARY ...

Some plant chemicals found in lemons have been shown to prevent cancer.

6. Improve Digestive Health ...

Lemons are made up of about 10% carbs, mostly in the form of soluble fiber and simple sugars.

The main fiber in lemons is pectin, a form of soluble fiber linked to multiple health benefits.

Soluble fiber can improve gut health and slow the digestion of sugars and starches. These effects may result in reduced blood sugar levels.

However, to get the benefits of fiber from lemons, you need to eat the pulp.

People who drink lemon juice, without the fiber found in the pulp, will miss out on the benefits of the fiber.

SUMMARY ...

The soluble fiber in lemons could help improve digestive health. However, you need to eat the pulp of the lemon, not just the juice.

The Bottom Line ...

Lemons contain a high amount of vitamin C, soluble fiber, and plant compounds that give them a number of health benefits.

Lemons may aid weight loss and reduce your risk of heart disease, anemia, kidney stones, digestive issues, and cancer.

Not only are lemons a very healthy fruit, but they also have a distinct, pleasant taste and smell that make them a great addition to foods and drinks.

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

Agricultural and Allied Industries ...

Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

Twitter : @GreenAgricThe

Tik Tok : @GreenAgric

Email : Sales@GreenAgric.com

Please visit GreenAgric's Websites ...

https://GreenAgric.com

https://GreenAgric.co.za

https://GreenAgric.Africa

Open 7 to 7 - 7 days a week ...

We look forward to hearing from you soon ...

* Preferred Social Media ...

Twitter*, MeWe*, Telegram*, Signal* ...

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don't you agree that ALL Children should be taught, both in school and at home, the essentials of growing their own food ? ...

Day 1 ...

Start the morning with questions ...

• Why do we need the earth?

• What is an earth steward?

• Why is it important to be a steward of the earth?

• What is nature?

• Are we a part of nature?

• Why do we need nature?

After each child has a turn to answer the questions, each child is then asked to create their own nametag using recycled materials. Ask them to draw a plant, animal or insect on their nametag.

The plant, animal, or insect drawn on each child’s nametag represented living components in the food chain of the web of life ...

Hold the end of the string and introduce yourself and explain the plant, animal or insect on your nametag. 

Let's use a dandelion as the example.  

Ask the class to think about which animal on the other children’s nametags would possibly eat a dandelion.

After glancing around the circle, some of the children will shout “A rabbit!” Once the child with the rabbit on their nametag has agreed, threw that child the ball of string whilst you still hold onty the end. 

Give each child the chance to take part and have hold of the the string, as it unfolds and becomes inclusive of all of the children.

What will be created will be a food web by determining as a group who eats what. 

At the end of the introduction, all of the children will know each other’s names and whether they were a predator or prey. 

Each child will be holding holding onto the string, weaved together by the interrelationships between plants, animals and insects.

Now go into the garden that is been selected as a Food Garden. Start by hand-pulling the grass that is growing. 

Explain how to start their very own garden with just a little space and a few simple tools. Show them how to use each tool efficiently and gave them each a few minutes with each tool in the 1m x 1m garden plot.  

Spend time talking about the 'wonders of the world' and the importance of protecting the last remaining wild areas. 

Discuss deforestation, strip mining, mountain top removal, as well as air and water pollution. 

Give the children several examples of how they can help by reducing their carbon footprint and by living by the daily principles of the 3 R’s. 

Then go for a nature walk and ask each child to pick a dozen objects from nature. 

Bring them back to the classroom and identify each child’s collection and ask them to make nature collages. 

Day 2 ...

Start with a meditation and explain the importance of 'being quiet and in the moment'

Discuss the importance of being mindful of the stillness of nature and the beautiful sounds that can be found all around us. 

Give each of the children a turn to talk about their favorite experiences in nature.  

Discuss the importance of photosynthesis, cellular respiration and symbiotic relationships.  

Ask each child to give an example of a symbiotic relationship.  

Talk about the vital importance of pollinators and why without them there would be no food.

Talk about the importance of beneficial microbes and how they restore the soil ...

Talk about the parts of a plant and discuss plant families. 

Teach them about basic medicinal uses of plants as well as how food is used as medicine. 

Go for a nature scavenger hunt. Identify animal appearances with plant appearances, for the children to learn basic plant identification.

Day 3 - Planting Day ...

Each child to take turns digging holes, placing plants in the ground, covering them with soil and watering. Every child to be engaged.

Day 4

Supply trays of a variety of established seedlings for the children to transplant into pots and take home for replanting. Also supply each child with a mixed variety of seeds to take home to plant. 

End with a synopsis of what they learned ...

• Why the earth needs our help

• The importance of nature

• How we can do our part by reducing our carbon footprint and global warming

• How to grow their own food

Children everywhere around the globe would benefit from being taught these fundamental concepts.  

It is up to each and every one of us to plant the seed of earth stewardship into future generations.

Original Article and Curriculum produced by Crystal Stevens

Educators, Parents & Grand Parents ...

Share your thoughts ...

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

Agricultural and Allied Industries ...

Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

Twitter : @GreenAgricThe

Tik Tok : @GreenAgric

Email : Sales@GreenAgric.com

Please visit GreenAgric's Websites ...

https://GreenAgric.com

https://GreenAgric.co.za

https://GreenAgric.Africa

Open 7 to 7 - 7 days a week ...

We look forward to hearing from you soon ...

* Preferred Social Media ...

Twitter*, MeWe*, Telegram*, Signal* ...

Social Media built on trust, control & transparency ...

A few simple tasks now really can truly have a major impact on the health and productivity of summers garden. In fact, not only will they help stop future weeds and pest problems, they will also minimize the time you will have to spend next year dealing with these pesky issues.

And best of all, each of these are easy to do, and take mere minutes to perform! Here is a look at our must-do summer garden chores that will set the stage for your “best-ever” garden next year:

* Keep Your Soil Covered ...

The best way to stop next year’s weeds is to never allow them to be planted this year. And the best way to do that is to keep your garden soil covered at all times, either with a current crop, mulch, or by planting a cover crop.

It is a plain and simple fact that bare soil is an open invitation for weed seeds to find a home. Weed seeds can blow in, be transported in by birds and wildlife, or simply drop from existing weeds already growing in the garden.

But when you stop that cycle now by covering your soil, it keeps future weeds to a bare minimum. In fact, in many cases it can eliminate them entirely.

* Mulching ...

Keep your garden soil covered at all times through the summer. It not only helps existing plants by keeping moisture in, it also prevents current and future weeds from finding soil to germinate.

* Replanting ...

As summer progresses, many crops begin to fade and as they do, it is important to not allow the soil to sit exposed and bare. The longer soil remains uncovered, the more weeds you will have in the future ...

In many cases, you can plant another crop when one is finished. For example, when your spring planted green beans fade, pull them up and replant a second crop. The same goes for lettuce, spinach, radishes and many other fast maturing crops.

Replanting not only keeps your soil covered, but sets the stage for even more production from your garden this year. And it’s so easy and quick to do! Simply pull up your old crop, plant your seeds, cover with a bit of mulch – and get ready for a great fall harvest.

Many crops such as lettuce can be replanted for second or third harvest. It also helps keep that garden soil covered too.

If planting more crops isn’t an option, apply a heavy mulch of straw or grass clippings as you remove plants. It not only helps keep weed seeds out, but protects your valuable garden soil from erosion.

But an even better way to cover your soil is by planting a protective cover crop. Cover crops are a great way to re-energize and protect your soil from weeds and erosion. All in one step.

They germinate fast, and cover your garden in a thick living mulch that will help to power next year’s garden to even bigger production levels.

*** Whatever You Do – Don’t Till !!! ... 

It may seem like a great idea to till those old rows and “clean them up”, but what you are really doing is planting thousands of weed seeds that have been laying dormant on top of the soil.

* Remove Diseased Foliage, Vegetables & Plants ...

The quickest way to let disease run rampant in a garden is to let it hang around! And that is why it is so important to keep any signs of problems out of your garden as soon as you see them.

Tomato Blight ...

Allowing damaged and diseased plants to remain in the garden is an open invitation for more problems next year. Remove any signs of damage or disease as soon as you see it.

Many types of mold, mildew and disease will quickly and easily spread if left in the garden. And those diseases can also infect the soil. Case in point, tomato blight. Once it is in the soil, it can take years to leave.

At the first sign of any plant damage or disease, clip the foliage from the plant and remove it from the garden.

Be on the lookout and remove the foliage damaged by pests and insects as well. Many garden pests will lay eggs or larvae on the damaged plants or in nearby soil.

By removing them now, it can help keep future pest populations in check. When removing diseased and damaged foliage and plants, be sure to keep them out of the compost bin.

Whether it is tomato blight, powdery mildew or any other common garden ailment, it is never a good idea to compost the materials affected by them.

Composting Tomatoes ...

Keep tomato plants out of your compost pile to reduce the risk of spreading disease. Home compost piles usually do not get hot enough to kill blight spores.

Most backyard composting simply cannot generate enough heat to kill the pathogens and spores, and that means they can infect the very compost you will use on your plant’s next season.

It is amazing how just a little bit of work in the garden now will pay big dividends next year ! ...

Happy Gardening ...

'Grow Your Own' ...

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Colin Nott, a regenerative agricultural consultant from Namibia, spoke to Annelie Coleman.

How to reverse soil degradation on your farm ...

The inconsistent rainfall of arid regions means that forage production is often highly unpredictable.

Worldwide, primary livestock production has seen both a decline in output and a rise in input costs. At the same time, the entire agriculture sector has found itself under the spotlight for causing major environmental degradation.

“This could be blamed on more carbon dioxide [CO2] and water vapour being released into the atmosphere, the first from degrading soil and the second due to increased evaporation from bare soil,”

According to Colin Nott, arid regions account for approximately 40%, or 5,2 billion hectares, of Earth’s land surface. A considerable portion of these are suited to livestock and, to a lesser extent, crop production.

Most of the world’s arid zones are also expanding into more humid areas through desertification. This is the process by which fertile land becomes less productive, typically as a result of inappropriate land management, and the problem is made worse by deforestation.

Degradation in Namibia ...

In Namibia, 60 million hectares are suitable for livestock production, but virtually all of this land has been degraded to some extent,  

Perennial grasses, herbs and soil cover have been destroyed in many places, while plant biodiversity and overall production has declined markedly. Of these 60 million hectares, 45 million are now severely bush-encroached.

In many parts of the country, sustainable stocking rates (SSRs) are 50% lower than those of between 50 and 100 years ago. Put more bluntly, the land can now support only half of the animals it did then.

The SSR is the most important profit driver in a livestock enterprise, This figure, combined with animal performance, determines how many kilograms/ha of meat a farmer can produce sustainably over time.

A declining SSR means declining productivity and ultimately dwindling profitability. If the current downward spiral is not turned around, many producers are bound to go out of business at some point.

“This is the crux of the matter in Southern Africa,”

“Livestock producers are not only struggling in Namibia. Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and other dry climates of the world display similar levels of degradation and face the same issues.”

In contrast, by keeping track of the daily performance of every animal and implementing rangeland management plans that provide for an increased SSR, farmers can increase their profits.

There are fundamental differences between managing rangelands in arid areas and doing so in areas with predictable rainfall or precipitation distributed evenly all year round. Arid regions are subject to highly inconsistent rainfall in terms of volume and distribution. As a result, the timing of plant growth and the amount of forage produced in a growth season are unpredictable.

In these areas, it has become imperative to introduce rangeland management practices that increase forage production and slowly raise the SSR of livestock farms. These practices ensure that carbon is added to the soil to boost soil organisms, that nutrients are made available to plants, and that the soil structure is rebuilt over time.

Plants and Microbes ...

Earth is effectively a planet of plants and microbes, with the former making up about 80% and the latter 18% of living carbon. All other life forms (humans, livestock, game, fish, insects, and so on) make up the remaining 2%.

Plants and microbes depend on one another, and livestock farmers need to understand the dynamics of this relationship. Successful rangeland management primarily involves encouraging the beneficial relationship between plants and microbes.

Plants produce sugars using CO2 and sunlight, and through photosynthesis these are made available in the soil to feed microbes. The microbes, in turn, use this energy to multiply and take in minerals from the surrounding soil.

They also rebuild soil structure, increasing the soil’s moisture-holding capacity, which stimulates the growth of both plants and microbes. When the latter die, the energy, minerals and nutrients that they created are taken up by the plants’ roots.

These processes increase biodiversity to the benefit of forage production and quality.

“Improving the soil microbiome encourages perennial grass, palatable herbs, shrubs and other plants to germinate,”

In this way, the growing season is extended and palatable plants return. The SSR is increased as more forage is produced, and input costs decline because of the increased quality and nutritional value of the forage.

“Current management systems are based largely on selective grazing, with inadequate recovery periods, a process that leads to bare patches of ground, a reduction in photosynthesis, and shortened photosynthesis periods. This limits the number of soil microbes and results in major soil carbon loss, a collapse in soil structure, and increased water run-off. Bare, dead soil in turn impairs production and pushes up input costs,”

Adequate recovery of forage plants between grazing events ensures that plants are not reutilised before they have recovered. Over-rest (not utilising a perennial grass plant for many seasons), on the other hand, leads to degradation and can occur in the same camp at the same time.

Regeneration techniques ...

A number of regenerative rangeland approaches for extensive conditions have been identified and included in the National Namibian Regenerative Livestock Strategy.

All these methods involve the establishment of a grazing plan for the growing and non-growing season, and all adjust their stocking rate annually in relation to the amount of forage produced on the farm.

The split-ranch approach (also called the Riaan Dames approach) ...

In this method, the camps on the farm are divided in two. One set is grazed during this year’s growing season, while the other is rested. The camps are swapped in the following season. This approach provides for moderate animal density and an entire growing season’s recovery period. It calls for medium management inputs and is particularly suitable for the part-time farmer.

The Mara approach ...

This is similar to the split-ranch approach, but allows for two full growing seasons’ recovery before camps are grazed again. Animal density in this approach is relatively low, selection is good, and animal performance is very good. The method also requires medium management inputs.

Holistic management ...

Several fundamentally different holistic management approaches are included in the regenerative livestock strategy. All of these approaches involve combining herds and implementing a grazing plan. Most farmers will have to invest in water delivery and storage before implementing it. The animals in a grazing group are contained with fixed and/or mobile electric fences or through herding.

The Ian Mitchell-Innes approach ...

Here, herds are combined, which results in high animal density or many animals in a camp at the same time. The approach allows these large herds to be kept in a camp for only a very limited period. It keeps the favourable grass in the vegetative state, which stimulates it and ensures good animal performance. The recovery period of plants can be as short as 25 days, as most of the plants remain intact after the grazing event.

Traditional holistic management approach ...

This approach also combines herds and therefore applies high animal density. As a greater percentage of the grass plant is used, selection is reduced and a long recovery period (up 120 days) is required. Livestock performance must be monitored closely and mitigating action taken to avoid animal performance losses. The animals may be moved daily or every second day.

Ultra-high-density grazing ...

This method usually employs strip grazing with the aid of mobile electric fences, and concentrates the combined herd on the ‘new grass’ made available to animals as the fence is moved (possibly hourly). It limits the ability of animals to select, and long recovery periods are required (140 days or more). In most instances, animal performance should be enhanced with a rumen supplement. Alternatively, highly adapted animals can be used and carefully selected on an ongoing basis.

Planned grazing and combined herding ...

This highly effective approach is normally used where fencing is not allowed (for example, in the communal areas of Namibia) or too expensive. The animals are combined into one herd, herded daily according to a grazing plan, and kraaled nightly. The kraals can be moved weekly, resulting in impressive regeneration on these sites.

This method can also be used to treat gullies and it has been used effectively in Namibia to create synergies between wildlife (including lions and elephants) and livestock, whilst regenerating the land for all species. It requires no fencing, or limited fencing infrastructure if done on an already fenced farm.

Seek advice ...

To avoid mistakes that have been made before, producers are strongly advised to obtain professional guidance on selecting a regeneration approach. In general, the higher the density of grazing, the faster the regeneration (that is, the more grass will grow). At the same time, though, the need to mitigate the risks will be more urgent and the management and financial inputs will be greater.

Article Credits : Annelie Coleman & Farmers Weekly

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

Agricultural and Allied Industries ...

Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

Twitter : @GreenAgricThe

Tik Tok : @GreenAgric

Email : Sales@GreenAgric.com

Please visit GreenAgric's Websites ...

https://GreenAgric.com

https://GreenAgric.co.za

https://GreenAgric.Africa

Open 7 to 7 - 7 days a week ...

We look forward to hearing from you soon ...

* Preferred Social Media ...

Twitter*, MeWe*, Telegram*, Signal* ...

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What I didn’t know is the bigger picture that’s involved in the depletion of our precious, vital bee population. 

I recently viewed an award-winning documentary film called The Pollinators. 

Learning the truth about the decline of bees has served as a high-level alert to me, and it should to you, too.

 The cinematographer, producer/director of the film, Peter Nelson, describes it as “an important story people don’t know they need to know.” 

It’s also a story that “matters only if you like to eat.”

Why Does Bee Decline Matter? ...

If we take a moment to think about it, most of us assume our fruit and nut orchards continue to produce each year as a normal seasonal process. It’s not so.

Beekeepers constantly truck thousands of hives across the country, supplying bees on a temporary basis.

If farmers were to stop “renting” the service of these traveling bees, there would be no crops. The naturally occurring pollination process for many of the foods we eat daily has become nonexistent since there are no longer enough bees to naturally pollinate the plants’ flowers. 

Pollinator Problems in Our Nation ...

There’s a complex problem with our nation’s farming methods, not to mention the added carbon footprint involved in trucking the bees. Much of our vast farmland acreage, the “breadbasket” of our country, is cultivated as a “monoculture.” What that means is that, primarily, mielies and soybeans dominate the farmscape. 

A few decades ago, it became important to our large scale farmers to simplify their cultivation methods, which involves heavy tilling, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. 

Weeds, cover crops, and areas of untilled soil inevitably interfere with and add work to farming of neatly kept, row upon row of mielies and soybeans. 

Simplification of large farm operations, both in terms of expense and practicality, has exacted a high price. 

Vast expanses of our country’s soil have become dead, in a sense. 

Monoculture farming and over-tilling of the soil has left thousands of acres with insufficient nutrients. 

Worms, insects and pollinators that once actively thrived in these vast areas are no longer attracted to the nutrient-poor environment. 

Bees are dying by the thousands due to chemical exposure and opportunistic mites. 

While simpler for the farmers, these methods have ravaged the formerly rich environment enjoyed by bees. 

Fortunately, many farmers are starting to incorporate more sustainable practices, and the changes are beginning to show. 

But is it enough, and will it be soon enough? 

What We Can Do for the Decline of Bees ...

Bee decline impacts us all. And while Peter Nelson is an astute documentarian, he is also an optimist. As a long-time beekeeper with a keenly heightened insight into the pollination process, he feels the problems are scalable. 

Peter Nelson is certain that, as individual gardeners and consumers, we can have an enormous effect on encouraging and generating a return of the pollinator population. 

Like me, you may be wondering what one individual can do to help bring about change. 

As a gardener you can ...

* Rotate and vary your garden crops each season. 

* Learn about sustainable gardening. 

* Set aside no-till areas in your garden where the soil won’t be disturbed. 

* Seeding cover plants and adding manure and compost will allow these areas to grow, die and regrow, feeding the soil and attracting hungry pollinators. 

* Plant lots of blooming shrubs, trees, herbs and flowers in your yards, planters and window boxes. 

* Don’t make your lawn a monoculture. Allow dandelions, clover and other seeds to grow. Adopt a new respect for a diversified lawn. 

* Plant flowers in your yards, window boxes, planters and neighborhood sidewalks. 

* If you have the space and means, maintain a beehive.

 * Show your children and grandchildren the miracle of growing vegetables from a small seed, and teach them about where their food comes from. Some kids assume food is magically produced at the grocery store, wrapped in plastic. 

Peter Nelson comments, “The reality is that most of us are 3-4 generations away from the farm; so many of us have lost the idea of where our food comes from and who grows it. 

As a consumer you can ...

* Eat seasonally – buy and eat what’s naturally available during each season of the year. 

For example, avoid buying fresh raspberries in the dead of winter if you live in a cold-climate state. 

Buy regionally grown food – shop at farmer’s markets and try to eat what’s grown within 50 kms of your home. 

* Talk to your grocers about obtaining locally grown produce. 

* Encourage your supermarkets to offer more organically grown food, and pay a few extra cents for it. It’s worth it in so many ways. 

'Grow Your Own' ...

Sustainable Organic Food Crops

in GreenAgric Greenhouse Tunnels ...

for Improved Health

for Food Security

Only GreenAgric Offers ...

* Free Delivery to most places on SA

* Free Assistance with your DIY Tunnel Installations ...

* Free Ongoing 'Best Help and Advice' for growing your own Food Crops ...

GreenAgric are the Very Best Value for Money Tunnels in Southern Africa ...

GreenAgric Consulting provides 'Best Help and Advice' to both the farming community and home gardeners ...

GreenAgric Recruitment is a Specialist Management and Skilled Workers Recruitment Consultancy to the ...

Agricultural and Allied Industries ...

Contact The GreenAgric Group on .

+27 72 387 2293

or via Telegram*, Signal* or WhatsApp ...

on +27 72 387 2293

We are also available on Twitter*, MeWe*, Facebook and Messenger ...

Twitter : @GreenAgricThe

Email : Sales@GreenAgric.com

Please visit GreenAgric's Websites ...

https://GreenAgric.com

https://GreenAgric.co.za

https://GreenAgric.Africa

Open 7 to 7 - 7 days a week ...

We look forward to hearing from you soon ...

* Preferred Social Media ...

Twitter*, MeWe*, Telegram*, Signal* ...

Social Media built on trust, control & transparency ...