Article by Stew

Getting your soil right for your veg is as important as putting fuel in your car – you couldn’t drive from Plymouth to Preston on a quarter of a tank and you can’t expect to grow decent sized, healthy veg if you’ve never added to your soil.

I add to my soil by making my own compost.  “But I haven’t got a massive garden” – I hear you cry.  Neither have I – I have no lawn (from which to get grass cuttings) and only have a paved/tarmac back yard which is about 5x5 metres.  To be fair, my yard is crammed with pots, and I don’t have any soil on which to stand one of those “dalek” compost bins.

Article by Stew

Even during winter while most things in my garden are dead, I’m still picking leaves from my sage plants to use in the kitchen.  Not bad for a plant that prefers a middle eastern / Mediterranean climate!  It’s a very easy plant to grow and can be used in all sorts of recipes too.  Let me tell you a bit more about sage, or to use its Latin name, saliva officinalis.

Beauty from the Garden.

Before you rush out and buy weed killer, take a closer look at those offending plants. Could you have your own health and beauty store at your fingertips? If you have clusters of nettles popping up among your perennials, get some gardening gloves, and pick a couple of handfuls. Wash them to remove any soil, and place them in a large saucepan, covered with water, and bring to the boil. Simmer for around fifteen minutes, as you would cabbage. Now, remove from the heat, sieve into a large jug, and pour yourself a nettle tea. Full of iron, this tonic will purify the blood and give you a great energy boost.

pH TESTING
pH test kits usually supply a container, a testing solution and a colour chart which will determine the acidity or alkalinity of the samples tested. When testing for pH levels avoid roots, stones and debris. Adding the testing chemicals and mixing the solution for the recommended time will result in a comparable colour to identify the pH from the accompanying chart, measuring from 1, the highest acidity and the lowest alkalinity to 14 the highest alkalinity and the lowest acidity.

Repeating the process with several samples is advised to get a good average of a specific area. A pH of 6 or 7 is preferable while a pH of 7 is neutral. Less than this value indicates acidic soil which is beneficial for fruit and vegetables. The addition of garden lime reduces acidity. A pH greater than 7 denotes alkaline soil. To reduce alkalinity, add sulphur chips.

On the pH scale, each whole number is ten times the acidity or alkalinity of the adjacent number, making a reading of 6 ten times more acidic than a reading of 7.

Water has varying pH levels and your plants may benefit from testing the water’s pH level too. Water obtained from deep wells is usually alkaline and can be used to lower acidity of soils.

Growing plants in garden soil that does not meet specific pH requirements can weaken the plants by restricting the nutrients being absorbed by the plant, making them susceptible to disease, grow less fast and ultimately yield less.

Highly alkaline soils are nutrient poor. Well-rotted organic compost can alter the pH value of your soil as it acts as a neutralizer while also providing essential nutrients. Ideal compost is moist, not soggy and can comprise of egg shells, horse manure, grass cuttings, teabag contents and shredded newspaper. Wood ash and lime for the garden can be added to help increase the pH level and make soil less acidic.