Pouring on the Garden

 Pouring the leftover pickle vinegar onto a dandelion

I get through a lot of pickles, onions and gherkins mainly. I’m sure you are not really interested in my supper routine but I do find them very palatable with a bit of cheese. 

The Americans seem to love pickles too if the raised bed Facebook page is anything to go by.  Nearly every other post is someone taking pictures of their ‘canning’ harvest and cucumbers seem to be top of the list.  I have pickled my own onions and beetroot in the past and probably will do again, but I’ll need to set a field aside for the amount I get through. I find the vinegar really settles the stomach and medicinal, curing anything from sunburn to hiccups. It’s not much of a breath freshener though and I do see people backing away from me when I’m talking sometimes, but maybe that’s more to do with what I’m saying rather than what I am spraying if you get me.

Natural Weedkiller

There are also a lot of posts on the Facebook page about how vinegar makes a great weed killer. It’s claimed to be as effective as the harsh polluting chemicals we get from the multinationals. The recipe is nearly always a subtle modification of:  ½ gallon of vinegar, ½ cup of salt and 2 tablespoons of washing up liquid. I hasten to point out that all of these items are still chemicals, even though we use them so often we forget. Vinegar contains acetic acid, salt is sodium chloride and washing up liquid is made in an industrial process, this is used to spread out the water droplets when it’s applied to the plants. It’s more commonly known as a “surfactant”

I thought it was about time I did my own research and do some tests myself, so over the last year or so I have been trying it out on my own garden and taking into account the fact these are still chemicals I have been careful where I pour it.

My driveway has a lot of cracks in it so the solution was poured into the areas where perennial and annual weeds were growing. The combination of the acetic acid, salt, and soap eventually killed many annual weeds, especially when applied to small weeds, but the perennials just kept coming back.

The vinegar - salt solution works on contact primarily by disrupting the cell walls of the leaves. It will not travel long distances through the plant (say, from one leaf to another). So if you don’t get complete coverage of the plant leaves with the vinegar and salt solution, there is potential for the plant to re-grow from the living tissues. The vinegar- salt solution, since it doesn’t move throughout the plant, will not be effective on perennial weeds. It will burn off the top growth of perennials (which may be desirable), but it will not provide long-term control.

The contact nature of the vinegar and soap can be a benefit, though. If you need to kill weeds in close proximity to a desirable plant for example.  But you will need to miss out the salt or you will poison the soil and it could run off into the waterways.

I have also been emptying the salt free contents of my amassed vinegar bottles directly onto weeds again with mixed results. Some annual weeds have withered but the perennial dandelions have just got mottled leaves and are still growing well. I also have small heaps of red pepper bits and dill leaves collecting in corners where they came out of the gherkin jars. 

Industrial

For vinegar to be really effective we would need industrial strength. Shop bought vinegar is about 2-5% acetic acid and for a weedkiller, it’d need to be about 20% acid. If that were the case we would have to adorn rubber gloves, facemasks and protective clothing and not the pinny I usually wear.

So all in all, vinegar does do a bit on the garden, but I’d be tempted to apply it without the salt as it’ll poison the ground and wash into the waterways and soap… so it’s straight out of the jars from now on.

Another idea

As things are being throw into the garden from the kitchen, how about pouring the cooking water from vegetables onto the plants (after it’s cooled of course) again, it’d need to be a solution with no salt added.

Vitamins and minerals lost from cooking the vegetables are released in the water.  Even boiled egg water leaves behind calcium, so use the liquid to water calcium-loving solanaceous garden plants: tomatoes, potatoes, aubergine, peppers, and squash.

Even pasta and potato starch water will spur the release of plant nutrients in the soil, meaning starch may be better for plants than for us.

A Bit Too Much of a Sensory Garden

Photo: Even the dog panting is too loud!

All gardens are sensory. They all have things you can touch, smell, taste and hear, even if it’s just an old wheelie bin and a carrier bag rustling in the trees. And they are all beautiful in their own way (well depending what’s in the plastic bag)

Sensitive to sound

I’ve been a bit sensitive to sounds all week and anything louder than a whisper has sent my eardrums into overload (your sympathy has been noted thank you). For that reason, if there needs to be one, I’ve spent a lot of time out in the garden with my eyes closed just listening to the peace and quiet. Well that was the plan; I am beginning to think there isn’t such a thing.

There’s nothing thankfully that is overly loud in our garden but I am aware of traffic noises, the wind direction allows us to listen to different roads and the wind also sets off the neighbours rather lovely wind chimes. Then of course we have the birdsong, especially a couple of woodpigeons. We are lucky to have trees and shrubs around us which make a great rustling noise. But then there are the other sounds of the suburbs. 

We did have a neighbour who played a radio when the sun shone but they have moved on. We have a couple of distressed dogs in the distance who howl occasionally.  That’s really just the tip of the iceberg with sounds though, people walking past in other gardens, faint industrial noises, planes going overhead, even the clothes line tapping against the wall all add to the rich tapestry of sound in the garden. I can almost hear the plants growing.

Really Sensitive

You can see just how sensitive my ears have been. There’s one thing feeling, tasting and smelling in the garden, you can more or less forget about them when you are sitting down. Noise on the other hand is there constantly.  I had a strange sensation the other day, one that I have only had a few times in my life, which sums up the sensitivity I have to noise at the moment. When I was a youngster I “heard” my mother shout to me as I was in bed. I got up and asked what she wanted, but had no idea what I was talking about. I really did ‘hear her’ in my head. The second time was when I was walking outside; I ‘heard’ a full sized orchestra playing. I actually had the orchestra playing as though they were there, every instrument was loud and clear. The whole experience only lasted for about ten seconds but it was so memorable. As I tried to see where the music was coming from, it got further away and less distinct, like someone was turning the volume down. I was in the middle of a field at the time.  My latest ‘noise’ was a night or two ago when I ‘heard’ as clear as they were next to me a band called Squeeze singing  their first hit “Goodbye girl” again it was only for a short few seconds but it was very strange. Since then it’s been playing in the background of my head for the last three days. It doesn’t sound real though and thankfully distant enough not to drive me mad.

Children Playing

It’s all good though I’m sure and I know it’ll go away soon. Listening to children playing in the distance is a great distraction and reminds me of the Oscar Wilde story ‘The Selfish Giant’ who chased the children away from his garden and only after many long winters invited them back and said:  'I have many beautiful flowers, but the children are the most beautiful flowers of all.' I agree but at the moment I’m glad the children are playing in a garden across the road.

Water

Water is also a great sound to have in the garden. We have the rain coming from the shed and filling up my galvanized metal baby bath, which sounds great in the rain. And even when the heavy rain goes down the drainpipes sound lovely.  We have a collection of shells and driftwood that makes a pleasant chinking sound when the wind blows through them. I do tend to get a bit stressed when I hear the polytunnel plastic flapping in the wind or the shed door banging when the children leave it open.

Usually I’ll go into the garden for a bit of peace and quiet.  Today though, I might need to go out there with a pair of earplugs.

Steaming

Steaming

I bought a steam cleaner this week. I had it brought to my attention that I seem to have a bit of confusion differentiating indoors and out of doors when it comes to muddy boots and clothing. I’d blame it on the dogs but they don’t come into the main part of the house, they have their own grimy chairs in my office space.  Anyway, this steam cleaner has totally changed the way I wash floors and clean furniture (the steamer converts from a floor cleaner to a hand held device with the click of a button)  I didn’t even know they existed until  a few days ago, apparently everyone else knows about them though and they have been around for years. 

Barge

Something else that’s been around for a long time is the canal barge that my mate Paul (The Mulcher) is buying for himself and his girlfriend to live on.  They have decided to forego convention and rent a space on the waterways where they can live in a straight line on their narrow boat.  The children have gone and they are just rattling around their house and don’t really need the space.  One thing Paul will miss though is his garden.  I’ve been taking inspiration from my new toy and after watching the steamer hover over the wooden floor it gave me an idea.  How about if Paul builds himself a floating garden? 

Rafts

It sounds a bit farfetched but here me out.  In some countries the only way to grow vegetables is to build them on rafts. They vary in size but some basic ones are made out of nothing more than lashed together bamboo, some lilies for a base and then on top of that a layer of soil is added to keep the plants from getting too wet. Just think of the design Paul could use. He could get old water bottles out of the bins, tie them together, put some soil on top, tie them around the barge and there you have it. A self-watering garden that will always be at your fingertips, all you need do is open a window anywhere on the barge and grab a handful of lettuce and herbs. 

There is a prototype large scale version of this idea being built that could produce over 40 tonnes of produce a day and it might reduce the amount of plastic bottles floating around the ocean as they are tied together and used for ballast. (pic:Wayne J. Lutz)

Which is Best?

Staying on the subject of water…  Do plants prefer tap water or rain water?  That’s a question I have asked myself often and I tend to go for the rainwater. Rainwater seems softer and I know when I used to grow a lot of two litre pot plants, they always seemed to perk up after a downpour, far more that the tap watering system I had.  There could be a lot of factors besides the softness, it might be something to do with moisture in the air or any number of other things.  It’s not clear cut though because some people have chlorinated water, wells, fluoride in the water and other impurities.

Using  recycled rainwater we collect is not only great to use because it is free, but there is a science behind the benefits it has on your plants too other than softness.

• It’s free from chlorine and any other treatments added by the water companies.
• Rainwater has a better PH for the soil than mains water, as it has a very low alkalinity
• Nitrogen found in rainwater helps foliage grow lush and green because it is the basis of photosynthesis.  Plus it is an essential component of each stage of plant growth and development.
• It’s healthier for plants because it is relatively free of impurities and hard water minerals.
• According to the University of Edinburgh's Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, rainwater is a rich source of nitrogen that is soluble through the biological processes of plants and soil

Negatives of watering plants with mains water

• Tap water contains ingredients added as softeners, such as sodium, which can prevents the roots from absorbing water
• Additives included in mains water for human health, such as fluoride, can injure plants especially those with long slender leaves
• Chlorine in mains water is harmful to plants and kills beneficial microorganisms in the soil
• Hard water also negatively affects root growth and development. Rainwater does not contain these minerals, and it helps wash them out of the soil as it soaks in.

If you do have any reservations about additives in tap water, let it site for an hour or two, this gets rid of a few cleaning agents.

One thing I do know is that my plants prefer rain water to tap water, but they also prefer tap water to NO water, so don’t be too fussy!

Painting with Colours

Painting with plants

Flowers are the new paint. There’s a growing recognition for the skills involved in getting a garden design scheme to fit perfectly into its surroundings. This could be by complimenting the landscape or being in total contrast to it-and all of the variables in between.  It’s a vast subject and as varied and individual as the person designing the schemes for a garden.

Combining colours

Before planning your garden scheme, makes notes of items of clothing, furniture or any other factors in the day that catch your eye because of the colour contrasts. These can help you plant a colour scheme when looking for plants.

Colour theory

Colour theory is based on the colour wheel, which is basically the spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) bent into a circle. Particular relationships between colours give certain results. The wheel is a great help for planning the garden scheme.

Harmonious colours are next to each other on the colour wheel and have a soothing effect. These softer colour combinations include blue and violet, orange and red, and orange and yellow. Using harmonious colours unifies a garden.

Complementary colours. Colours that are opposite on the colour wheel are described as complementary. High in contrast, complementary colours add creative energy and vitality to a garden. Examples of complementary colours include yellow and violet, orange and blue, and green and red.

A monochromatic colour scheme is composed of plants of the same colour. You may have an all-white garden or a garden that is "in the pink." Create extra interest in a monochromatic garden by using a mix of tones or shades of the same colour in addition to various textures, shapes and sizes.

Foliage colour should be considered in any scheme. Foliage with green and white or green and yellow variegated leaves adds interest to the garden. There are also plants with chartreuse, lime green, bronze or reddish/purple leaves that add a bold element to your garden. Bearing in mind that most foliage is green, and that, on a good day, the sky is blue, it is difficult to be strict about this theory, because the majority of colours in the garden go well with blue and green. However, it is undeniable that blue and orange do combine very well, and that yellow and purple create a pleasing match.

Pastels and muted colours set a peaceful and tranquil mood Soft pink, powder blue, lavender, and peach -- these gentle colours set a mood of tranquillity. They are familiar colours of cottage gardens, those English-style gardens that contain a carefully designed hodgepodge of old-fashioned flowers. Pastel colours look best when viewed from relatively close up, and they can look washed out in the harsh mid-day sun, which can be attractive in itself.

Bright or primary colours include red, orange, magenta and bright yellow. These colours are guaranteed to energize the garden. The colour will show well in the bright sunshine and also attract your eye from a great distance. Limit planting bright colours with less intensely coloured plants as the brighter ones will steal the show.

White flowers are in a class by themselves. They blend well with every colour and can also be used as a transition between colours that do not normally work well together.

Warm colours include red, orange and yellow. They tend to make flowers appear closer than they really are.

Cool colours such as blue, violet, silver and white lend a calming effect and make plants appear farther away in the garden.

Adjacent colours

 Use two or three adjacent colours to create a harmonious effect. For example, red and orange (and yellow) Adjoining colours, which sit side-by-side on the colour wheel, create more subtle combinations. The most striking combinations are complementary colours that lie directly opposite each other: red and green, purple and yellow. You can use complementary pairs as great accent colour, for example, a single purple-flowered plant in a bed of yellow.

Based on colours spaced at equal distances around the colour wheel, contrasts work best in groups of three, for example, red, blue and yellow, or purple, green and orange.

It’s up to personal taste but as a rule of thumb up to five colours can be contrasted before it gets too much for the eye. But this needs careful planning - use a dominant ‘theme colour’ and work the rest round it.

Position

The colour combinations might depend on the gardens position. Does it get full sun; is it shaded, wet or dry?  All of these factors can be taken into consideration when choosing permanent shrubs, perennial or annuals for the scheme. 

Once you know the effect you wish to create and you have chosen your anchor colour, it's time to head to the garden centre or friends house for plants that fall within your colour scheme. If you are unsure about combinations, let them sit side by side in pots for a few days to see how you like the effect. 

The wonderful thing about a garden is that it is always a work in progress. Move and play with colours until you find the effect that makes you smile. That's what gardening is really all about.