HelloDovefromabove,This fact (It is very difficult to encourage sufficient wildlife (birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well as insects) to control pests in a naturall and sustainable way if the gardens surrounding you are not practising wildlife-friendly techniques too.) I have not considered! Now I understand something more.Thanks, ThaiGer.
I think ThaiGer you are trying to relate what sounds like a small arable farm in Thailand to gardens in England-and the two probably don't relate-the seasons, the conditions,the plants we grow,the gardens we have and the attitudes are just not the same
But don't give up on discussing things-what happens in other parts of the world can still be interesting.
The question Thai has asked is 'why should anyone be organic'. I can't see any rational reason why anyone should be.
I don't use any chemicals in my own garden. Because I don't grow any vegetables.
My garden is devoted to idle pleasures. I grow a few beautiful flowers, and I like to watch the bees and butterflies, and other animals. I'm not motivated by the idea of flogging myself to death to grow some potatoes, that someone else is happy to grow for me, at a fraction of the cost. The most efficient (and economical) way of producing food is by allowing experts (farmers and market gardeners) to do it for you, commercially.
If someone lives in a place with abundant sunshine (certainly not here), then they have the opportunity to become a farmer, to create a business, and to grow food to trade with the rest of the world.
There was a wonderful program on BBC last week about The Salad Bowl of Europe. It's a region in Spain where most of Europe's salad crops are grown in vast greenhouses, on an industrial scale. The program is actually being repeated on BBC HD at 5.30pm tonight (Saturday):
You may not be able to see that link outside the UK. The BBC website says: "This episode examines what it takes to keep seven billion humans alive with food, energy and water. 40% of the Earth's surface is now devoted to growing food... the south coast of Spain, what was once an arid landscape is now home to the world's largest greenhouse array"
I have a vegetable garden because it makes me feel excited at seed time and happy at harvest time and home grown tomatoes taste better - don't know why. Also, where I live in France runner beans and purple sprouting broccoli are unheard of and bought broad beans, peas and sweet corn are tough. Frozen peas are tiny hard bullets, not a patch on Birdseye.
But, I must admit to using weedkillers on paths and drives. But the drive is not growing anything that anyone is going to eat. I have a flower garden as well which I weed by hand.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
My vegetable garden. I prefer to use weed supressing material, it also keeps water in in this hot summer climate. My horse manure is full of weed seeds that still grow after a year on the manure heap! The little plants next to the tomatoes are French marigolds to repel insects.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Thank you Thai Ger. Your garden is lovely too, but different because you live in a differnt country with different growing conditions. It's very interesting to read about gardening in another part of the world.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
your garden indeed lizzie,is very nice and so well like a dream,its lovely.When we are talking we are some times oceans apart,but we all love what we do and we all think we have the answer ,
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HelloDovefromabove,This fact (It is very difficult to encourage sufficient wildlife (birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well as insects) to control pests in a naturall and sustainable way if the gardens surrounding you are not practising wildlife-friendly techniques too.) I have not considered! Now I understand something more.Thanks, ThaiGer.
I think ThaiGer you are trying to relate what sounds like a small arable farm in Thailand to gardens in England-and the two probably don't relate-the seasons, the conditions,the plants we grow,the gardens we have and the attitudes are just not the same
But don't give up on discussing things-what happens in other parts of the world can still be interesting.
Thank You!,ThaiGer
The question Thai has asked is 'why should anyone be organic'. I can't see any rational reason why anyone should be.
I don't use any chemicals in my own garden. Because I don't grow any vegetables.
My garden is devoted to idle pleasures. I grow a few beautiful flowers, and I like to watch the bees and butterflies, and other animals. I'm not motivated by the idea of flogging myself to death to grow some potatoes, that someone else is happy to grow for me, at a fraction of the cost. The most efficient (and economical) way of producing food is by allowing experts (farmers and market gardeners) to do it for you, commercially.
If someone lives in a place with abundant sunshine (certainly not here), then they have the opportunity to become a farmer, to create a business, and to grow food to trade with the rest of the world.
There was a wonderful program on BBC last week about The Salad Bowl of Europe. It's a region in Spain where most of Europe's salad crops are grown in vast greenhouses, on an industrial scale. The program is actually being repeated on BBC HD at 5.30pm tonight (Saturday):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01p9f4n
You may not be able to see that link outside the UK. The BBC website says: "This episode examines what it takes to keep seven billion humans alive with food, energy and water. 40% of the Earth's surface is now devoted to growing food... the south coast of Spain, what was once an arid landscape is now home to the world's largest greenhouse array"
I have a vegetable garden because it makes me feel excited at seed time and happy at harvest time and home grown tomatoes taste better - don't know why. Also, where I live in France runner beans and purple sprouting broccoli are unheard of and bought broad beans, peas and sweet corn are tough. Frozen peas are tiny hard bullets, not a patch on Birdseye.
But, I must admit to using weedkillers on paths and drives. But the drive is not growing anything that anyone is going to eat. I have a flower garden as well which I weed by hand.
My flower garden. Hope it downloads. It's been a bit difficult recently.
My vegetable garden. I prefer to use weed supressing material, it also keeps water in in this hot summer climate. My horse manure is full of weed seeds that still grow after a year on the manure heap! The little plants next to the tomatoes are French marigolds to repel insects.
...I'm jealous of your nice garden, well done! - A big different to my "garden of wilderness"
Thank you Thai Ger. Your garden is lovely too, but different because you live in a differnt country with different growing conditions. It's very interesting to read about gardening in another part of the world.
your garden indeed lizzie,is very nice and so well like a dream,its lovely.When we are talking we are some times oceans apart,but we all love what we do and we all think we have the answer ,