Permaculture
The value of vermicast cannot be over estimated in the home garden. It is full of available nutrients ready for the plants to feed on. It has been estimated that one teaspoon full of vermicast has up to four billion bacteria whose life cycles interweave with the countless protozoa, fungi, worms and many other creatures. These all form the web of soil life that is the basis of plant vitality. Also there are 5 – 10 times more available plant nutrients in vermicast than there is in compost or soil. Another important point is that vermicast is pathogen free so it is an excellent addition in potting media for growing seedlings. The types of worms used for compost worm farms are of a specific type. These are the tiger worm (eisenia fetida), red worm (lumbicus rubellus), and the red tiger worm (eisenia andrei), and the African night crawler. The reason for this is that earth worms can’t easily be held in captivity and tend to go deeper down into the soil. The compost worms are by nature surface dwellers. They do need particular attention to thrive and multiply. Compost worms need a confined container that will retain its moisture. It needs to be sited in such a way that is out of direct sunlight in a shaded spot. The moisture needs to be kept up to it for them to do well and the conditions should also be suitable for them.
It is becoming more obvious with passing time that climate change is largely influenced by man’s activities here on planet earth. Natural disasters that have ravaged entire communities with floods, earth quakes and tsunamis are but a taste of what is in store for us for the future. Global food production and transportation contribute to around 20% of total carbon emissions and this is where the individual person can help make a difference. Our food is transported for many miles around the globe before it ends upon our dinner plates and if we grow at least some of our food, then this can make a positive dent in the effects of climate change. Be it in a pot on a balcony or a vegetable garden in the backyard, the accumulative effect of many people growing at least some of their food needs could potentially have a huge curbing effect on carbon emissions. The trend towards growing your own has surged over the last few years and even schools are getting in on the act. Children have a great affinity for eating vegetables when it comes out of their own garden so you can see there are other spin offs as well.
Growing vegetables the Permaculture way will also help combat climate change. All vegetation needs carbon to grow and when lots of support plants are planted as a source of chop and drop mulch, then these will greatly help to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and put it back into the soil where it belongs.
To think I expressed such joy at having a wet spring awhile back. Little did I know that the rain simply wouldn’t stop! I had put a lot of effort into keeping my veggie garden going seeing everything was growing so well, but enough is enough. The zucchinis have well and truly collapsed into a heap as well as half the capsicums; and the eggplants aren’t looking that good either. To add insult to injury the weeds are growing at a phenomenal rate ready to take over the entire garden. This weather is enough to make the most dedicated gardener want to give up. But wait. When I wander down into my tropical vegetable gardens I see an entirely different story. These vegetables are growing like giants waiting to be harvested before they overwhelm the entire garden with their massive leaves. With all this rain they have absolutely thrived and show no signs of slowing down. These gardens are like a tropical rain forest where the footpaths have to be carefully negotiated due to the rampant growth of the sweet potatoes. I know from experience that there will always be food to eat from these gardens whether it is in the wet or in drought. These plants are deep rooted and are mostly water wise, can obviously handle a big wet and give generously of their productivity. Tropical vegetables are well loved by indigenous people of the Pacific region as well as South East Asia and Papua and New Guinea. They consist mostly of starchy tubers, leafy greens, beans, gourds and fruit.
