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Composting has to be one of the ultimate green activities. It stops tons of waste being put in landfill and makes a useful product that can return nutrients to the earth and help grow lots of lovely fruit and veg at home. What more could you ask?
And yet, many people don't compost. Why could this be? One very common reason is that they don't know how, especially how to get started. That is where compost clinics and workshops come in.
I know it shouldn't really matter what your compost bin looks like, but if money was no object I'd treat myself to one of these Baby Beehives from Wiggly Wrigglers. It's much more aesthetically pleasing than the big black plastic ones the council provide and more importantly it is made from 100% sustainable wood. The baby Beehive has a little drawer at the bottom so you can easily access your compost when you need it, and for those bigger jobs each section is removable so you can use more at once. It's cleverly designed to allow air circulation and will hold around 200 litres. It's available in plain wood, white or blue but you can have one custom painted from a choice of seven colours upon request. It will cost you £100 for plain and £125 for coloured. Pretty!
A while ago I told you about New Yorker Colin Beavan (No Impact Man) who inspired me with his blog about living a totally sustainable life in the heart of NYC. Not to be outdone Manny Howard has created a farm in his small garden in the suburbs of Brooklyn, where he plans to grow everything he and his family need to survive for one month. The whole experience has been chronicled in an amusing article in this month's New York Magazine. You can read about his exploits which include a freak tornado, killer rabbits, stinky chickens and a marriage on the rocks.
The Tree Council’s Seed Gathering Season starts this weekend, Sunday 23rd September and runs until 23rd October. This is a lovely Autumn activity for all the family, and is important for conservation too.
Gathering seeds now ensures the survival and continuation of all the species of trees and plants we have come to know and love in the UK. Seed Gathering season encourages everyone, especially schoolchildren and families to go for long walks in their favourite places to pick up seeds from their favourite plants. The seeds can then be used in your garden at home, at your school, to replace old hedgerows, trees that have been blown down, or planted on pieces of land which are bare.
The Woodland Trust, local Tree Wardens, Wildlife Trusts, and the Hedge Tree Campaign can all help with places to plant the seeds you find if you haven’t room in your own garden. The Good Seed Guide is a great resource for identifying the seeds and places suitable for growing them, and it’s a great way to have a walk, but with a useful aim.
For those of you who are eagerly planning your Autumn planting for over-wintering, or painstakingly gathering seeds or placing orders for Spring seedlings, this is the book for you. Organic Gardening the Natural No-Dig Way by Charles Dowding is a classic guide to organic gardening and has been tried and tested by many gardeners, both new and experienced.
If no digging seems too good to be true, fear not – not disturbing the structure of the earth really does make for a better growing medium with more worms and other helpful organisms to turn the soil for you and keep it healthy. And mulching with compost allows the nutrients to break down into the soil in a natural way, as well as keeping the weeds at bay over the Winter.
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You still have a chance to register for the Tree-athlon events in London – on Saturday 15th September - and Leeds - on Sunday 23rd September in aid of Trees for Cities, a charity which aims to beautify cities and combat global warming through tree-planting.
The Tree-athlon events, like the more traditional triathlons, have three different parts to them: a 5km run, a ‘Tree Wish’ which will be printed on participants’ running bibs, and a fashion swap to recycle clothing you no longer want or need.
In addition to benefiting a good cause, you can challenge yourself with the run, reduce your carbon footprint (and need for wardrobe space) by getting rid of old clothes, and express your wishes for urban treescapes. Tree-athlon will soon be unveiling this year’s celebrity supporters so you never know who you might run into on the day. At the very least, you may just have a good day out and meet some like-minded souls.
If you think lemon grass is only grown in exotic lands then think again. Thanks to Greenhouse Sensations you can now pick-your-own lemon grass in an industrial estate near Ormskirk! The company, based in Mawdesely, has an 18 metre greenhouse and inside they grow what is essentially everything you would need to make the most delicious Thai curry, plus some exotic fruits for afters. In addition to the lemon grass they grow ginger, cardamom, chillies, bananas and papaya. If you're already pondering a trip to Mawdesley this weekend perhaps the fact that you can pick all of these things totally free might help you decide. Yes, there is no charge for tasting, and taking home the fresh produce. A very refreshing change from the usual overpriced pick-your-own farms.
Jeremy Kyle Coronation Street special
Lookalikes: Helen Lederer and Molly Dobbs?
Video exclusive: Molly talks about her pregnancy. Who's the Daddy?
Coronation Street preview: Thu 18th, 8.30pm. Gail goes to prison!
Coronation Street Preview: Mon Mar 15, 7.30/8.30pm. Molly is pregnant with Kevin's child
