Organic September through new eyes!!

Once again its September and that means the Soil Association are running their Organic September campaign as they do every year, highlighting how buying some organic food helps our health, wildlife, the land being used to produce the food and local producers amongst more.

Last week I was walking through the Bearpit roundabout in Bristol and came across these amazing artworks that the Soil Association have commissioned some of Bristols incredible grafitti artists to paint to bring Organic September to the fore and possibly introduce the concept of organics and bring a food production conversation to a new audience. I think its worth applauding the Soil Association for this and proves again that art is often the way to open a conversation with a new audience.

 This piece is by Luke Sleven, a really talented chap and pal of mine!! It has created conversation as it, quite rightly, says that organic production uses fewer pesticides, rather than none which is often what people assume organic means. Its worth pointing out that quite a few really unpleasant pesticides are allowed in organic production, although often smaller producers avoid these too. Larger scale growers will definitely still be using some chemicals though, albeit that they are sourced from natural ingredients rather than synthetic ones. However, if you have ever sprayed copper as a fungicide you will know just how unpleasant it is.

 Its interesting, I think, to see art making quite political statements and bringing important information to the fore in a safe and often beautiful way!! Many people have no idea how important soil is as a carbon sink and that keeping soil healthy is as much about helping climate change as it is food production.

 Of course there is an irony here in that often these artists use spray cans which are hardly environmentally friendly! However, Im assured that they are now sourcing less unpleasant paints!

This is a piece we, Incredible Edible Bristol, collaborated with the Peoples Republic of Stokes Croft on and it stands in the central reservation of Stokes Croft. its planted with tree spinach, kale and nasturtiums which were grown, by me, for Incredible Edible Bristols part of the project.

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A Miracle grow called Organic Potting Soil The best soilless potting Mix

Potting mix or potting soil refers to the media people use to grow vegetables, plants etc in containers. It is generally used as an substitute to soil for growing plants.

What are the components: 

The life of the potted plant depends on a large extent to the quality of its potting soil. So choosing right kind of potting mix is essential. There are various ingredients which are generally used as potting soil. To prepare the best potting soil you need to know the ingredients well. Here are some of the popular ones:

Coconut coir: It is generally marketed in the form of compressed bales. Prior to using it you need to add some water.It is made of coconut husk. More on this in this article.

Peat moss: It used to be the most common type of potting soil but due to problems like environmental issues now-a-days its use got reduced a bit. There can be different types of peat moss, the most common is sphagnum peat. Peat moss is not very good for re wetting. More on peat moss is here.

Soil: Now a days most people avoid this media to prepare any potting mix. Though it has more inbuilt organic nutrients than most of other media, the problem is endless. Using soil can increase the total weight of the mix, and make it prone to water logging. Also normal soil contains weed seeds and pathogens which need to be removed first.

Vermiculite: It is a very efficient product for using in smaller containers. It is prepared by treating mica. Vermiculite is very light in weight and has a very good water absorption capability. More on vermiculite is here in this article.

Perlite: it is basically volcanic ash. Finer the grain larger its capacity to hold the water. It is neutral to slightly alkaline in nature and is a good way to reduce acidity of the potting mix. Perlite is dangerous to handle as its dust is highly irritating to lungs. Use proper precaution before handling . Interested in Perlite? Find out more in this article.

Sand: It is generally used to increase the porosity of the mix. It also increases the weight of the mix. It is a great ingredient in case you are planning to grow cactus and other succulents.

Wood chips: Sometimes wood chips, pine bark etc are also used as ingredient to potting mix.

Characteristics of a good potting soil:

1. good porosity: the best potting soil general has AFP or air filled porosity range between 10 to 20.
   

   
2. Fast absorption of water: It should absorb water pretty fast.
3. light weight: Potting mix is used for planting in containers. So it should be light weight so that the shifting of pots can be done very easily. For this purpose in most cases people use soilless potting mix.
4. You should select the ingredients which are readily available to you and are not very expensive.
5. Potting mix needs to be weed and Pest free. In most of the cases it is sterilized. It should also not contain any toxic substances or extra nutrients or salts.
6. The ingredients should be such that you can easily store them. For example you can store coconut coir in bales form easily for a few years.

There are various types of potting mix available in the market. Some of these are:

Potting mix for every plant: This type of organic potting soil can go with most of the plants and vegetables. The pH of the mixture is slightly acidic to neutral. Mix coconut coir with perlite or vermiculite in the ratio of 3:1 for this.

Acidic potting mix: These type of mix is generally for the plants which love acidic medium. Ideal mixture would be to add organic matter such as peat moss and perlite or vermiculite in 4:1 ratio.

Cactus friendly mix: Cactus and other succulents require very good drainage. Due to this reason the potting mix needs to be with extra drainage facility. Add a little bit of sand along with coconut coir and perlite to make a proper mix.

Seed starters mix: For seed starters add coconut coir and perlite or vermiculite in 2:1 ratio. Many people prefer peat moss in place of coir. In case of peat moss the ratio would be much lower.

What is your experience with potting mix? Would you like to share some of your ideal mixes? Feel free to use the comment box below:

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Organic Pest Control

Organic Home Pest Control Spray - click here to buy

This article is an follow up of my earlier article on organic gardening. I have already discussed what it means to be organic and the benefits of going organic. Most of us start with being organic in mind and start growing vegetables organically. But once they see some aphids or other insects in their garden all the initial hard work with organic manure or compost goes in vain and to prevent pest from eating away the vegetables they take the help of many chemical pesticides. I would request you before opting for that option, please give a try with organic pest controlling. And this blog will definitely help you to do so.

Your Garden is always full with life. A home where the door is always open for various insects and other critters as it is a source of food. I can always feel your frustration while you spot a bug on your favorite vegetables for which you have spent so many hours in the sun. But don’t worry, many insects which are in your garden is not necessarily bad for your Garden, rather some of them might help you in controlling or reducing the impact of other potentially threatening insects.

The first thing you need to understand while practicing Organic Gardening is that everything in nature are in balanced condition. So many garden plant have their own way of self defense and they are a lot tougher than what we might think. They can even tolerate little bit of damage and still produce good quality fruits and flowers.

A healthy plant is the first thing you should focus to grow. Good soil(or soil-less mix) produces good quality plant. Their carbohydrate, protein and fat ratios are in proper balance. If the soil is not proper it can result in plants which are undernourished. This type of plants usually produce more Carbohydrate(sugar) than other two components. More sugar always attracts more insects as they thrive on sugar.

Once you take all the necessary steps to produce good and healthy quality crops now its time to shift your focus towards protecting those. But spraying pesticides on plants is not an option if you also want to protect the environment you live in. In a dilemma like this organic pest controlling techniques comes as a savior to us. By following these techniques we can battle most of the destructive insects and protect our food.

As it says preventions is always better than cure. Build up barrier such as collars, and netting to prevent pests from attacking the plants. You can also handpick some of the bugs and remove it in case they are shown on the plant.

It is always a great option to try companion planting. Some plants have beneficial impact on other plants in terms of pest removal and so planting them close by can definitely reduce or eliminate the pest attacks. Find the details of companion planting here.

There are several insects like lady-beetle, ground beetle and wasps in your garden who fed on many aphids and worms. Don’t make use of mass killer and destroys those beneficial insects also.

Don’t water your plants in the evening it can increase the pest infestation in the plant. For detail guide on watering your plants click here.

You can use neem oil to remove pests. It is a very well known organic mode of pest control. Apart from neem oil, insecticidal soap, different horticultural oil are also helpful. Garlic, tobacco and several other plants have strong smell which deter pests.

Using sticky and light traps are helpful to catch bigger insects and moths. Some birds also fed on those insects.

These are some of the steps which are most popular tricks in controlling pests organically. There are so many other steps which have been n practice for different countries from ages. Please let us know if you are currently using or aware of any such technique.

If you found this blog helpful please share it with your friends.

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Neem Cake The Best Organic Fertilizer Your Soil Fertility Doesnt Have To Be Hard

Use of neem cakes as organic fertilizer is a very well known practice worldwide and especially in India. You can increase soil fertility by adding neem cakes to the soil.

I have discussed about compost in my earlier article. Now its time to put some light on Neem.

Scientific Name of Neem : Azadirachta indica

Common Name : Nim, Neem, Limba, and Nimba etc.

Neem is a tree with stout and rather short stem. It can grow up to 12-15 meter. Neem seeds are collected from the tree and from there oil is extracted. De oiled neem cakes are used in fertilization of the soil.

There are several uses of neem. It is used as a base for preparing various consumer and industrial products. It is used as a repellent for pests. Unlike chemical pesticides neem works on the hormonal system of any insect rather than working on nervous or digestive system and hence it does not lead to resistance. In India the neem plant is considered to be an air purifier and so planted in the backyard or beside the house. But in this article I will discuss only the effect it has as a fertilizer.

Since very early in India neem are being used as a natural fertilizers. It had become very popular due to its dual impact of soil enhancer as well as pest repellent. Neem cakes as well as neem leaves are used to fertilize the soil. The followings are the nutrient content of neem seed cake:

Nutrients Percentage and Neem Cake Composition

(N)	Nitrogen	(2.0% to 5.0%)
(P)	Phosphorus	(0.5% to 1.0%)
(K)	Potassium	(1.0% to 2.0%)
(Ca)	Calcium	(0.5% to 3.0%)
(Zn)	Zinc	(15 ppm to 60 ppm)
(Cu)	Copper	(4 ppm to 20 ppm)
(S)	Sulphur	(0.2% to 3.0%)
(Mg)	Magnesium	(0.3% to 1.0%)
(Fe)	Iron	(500 ppm to 1200 ppm)
(Mn)	Manganese	(20 ppm to 60 ppm)

Neem can be a great product if you are considering decreasing your soil pH. It can reduce the alkalinity of the soil as it get mixed with the soil and produce organic acids. In India it is extensively used in cash crops like turmeric, sugarcane, banana etc. it is a good alternative for chemical fertilizers in growing flowers and vegetables.

Neem cakes improves the appearances of fruits and vegetables. It also strengthens roots, and grow the foliage. It works very well when mixed with compost or other organic fertilizers. Applying neem with nitrogenous fertilizers can slow down the conversion process of nitrogenous compounds in ammonia, nitrates and nitrites and so improves efficiency of the soil.

Neem cakes are though enriched with different nutrients(NPK and micro nutrients) and produced better yield than urea it is very cost effective. The NPK is 100% natural and it is also accompanied by several micro nutrients(as stated above). They are very well compatible with the microbes present in the soil and improves its fertility. Beneficial animals like earth worm really seems to like the neem.

Hope this article gave you some insights about this great Indian plant and its uses as a soil enhancer. More on neem and its uses in future articles. Post your feedback.

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The Real Meaning of Going Organic

What organic gardening means to you? Most of the people will say Gardening without using chemical fertilizer or pesticides on their plants, but this is only the 50% of the story. When we talk about Gardening organically, we think of plants as the part of the whole ecological system. So it also include soil, water supply even the insects. We have to work in harmony with the natural system and continuously replenish the resource which have been used by the garden. 

The main concept of Organic Gardening is Recycling. Using kitchen scraps, animal and vegetable wastes to provide plants the nutrition or using household soaps or vinegar to prevent pests is just an integral part of organic gardening.

Organic gardening is the merging of plants and soil to work together as total system to provide food and nutrition not only to humans but also to animals and different organisms.

Every organic Gardener should rely on developing a healthy and fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops using crop rotation system. In this system Genetically modified(GM) crops are not allowed.

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Biomass as an organic renewable energy source

The U.S. Department of Energy has just released this video to educate people on the research, industry and government’s efforts to develop biomass as an organic renewable energy source; employing agriculture and forest residues, energy crops, and algae to take the place of conventional fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

CCRES Algae Team

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Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin

President & CEO of CCRES

 Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin, a member of the carotenoid family, it is a dark red pigment and the main carotenoid found in algae and aquatic animals. It is responsible for the red/pink coloration of crustaceans, shellfish, and the flesh of salmonoids. CCRES produces astaxanthin from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, the richest known natural source for astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin however, is more than just a red pigment, it is primarily an extremely powerful antioxidant. It has the unique capacity to quench free radicals and reactive species of oxygen and to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Studies have shown astaxanthin to be over 500 times stronger than vitamin E and much more potent than other carotenoids such as lutein, lycopene and ?-carotene.
Astaxanthin was found to have beneficial effects in many health conditions related to the Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders, skin health, joint health, muscle endurance, as well as to the cardiovascular, immune, eye and other systems.

Natural astaxanthin – molecule properties


Astaxanthin (3,3’-dihydroxy-?-?-carotene-4,4’-dione) is a xanthophyll  carotenoid,  commonly found in marine environments where it gives an orange-pink coloration to several sea-species.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin has two chiral centers, at the 3 and 3 positions. The main astaxanthin stereoisomer (3S, 3S’) found in the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis is the main form found in wild salmon.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin consists of geometric isomers (trans and cis). the cis isomers display higher bioavailability and potency in humans This isomer is abundant (up to 20%) in the natural astaxanthin complex produced by the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

The astaxanthin in Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae occurs in the esterified form, which is more stable than the free astaxanthin form.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin cannot be synthesized by animals and humans and must be provided in the diet. Natural astaxanthin has been part of the human diet for thousands of years.

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 CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

Astaxanthin, unlike most carotenes is not converted to vitamin A (retinol) in the human body.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis 

Natural astaxanthin has no "pro-oxidant" activity – It does not become an exhausted oxidant thanks to its unique molecule structure that is able to release the excess of energy as heat.

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CCRES  Haematococcus pluvialis

 Astaxanthin has been shown to actually cross the blood-brain and blood-retina barriers, meaning it can positively impact disorders related to brain and the central nervous system. 

 

 Astaxanthin

CCRES ALGAE PROJECT

part of 

CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES (CCRES)

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The Importance of Going Organic

Through this blog I want to emphasize the idea of doing Gardening Organically. Most of the people though out the world choose to Garden to control the type of food they eat without the fear of chemical or preservatives, to minimize themselves and their loved ones from the hazards of commercially grown vegetables. The side effects of chemical pesticides can take its toll on human body. 

Everyday we are using lots of chemicals in the form of soap, shampoo, toothpaste, many foods and even in clothing which are manufactured by the use of chemicals. But we are concentrating on gardening and use of those chemicals on our foods. The most common ways by which the chemicals are introduced to our food is by use of chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. 

The use of chemical fertilizers can be very tempting as these are quick acting short term plant boosters and you can see the growth of plants after putting the fertilizers within few days. But in the long race these do more bad than good. 

1.       It deteriorates soil fertility and soil life(which includes earthworm, the ever known friend of farmers).

2.       Preventing plants from getting very essential trace elements make them vulnerable to

diseases.

3.       Many artificial chemical fertilizer contains Acids, such as Sulfuric or Hydrochloric, which increases the pH of the soil. By killing earthworm it also reduced the natural aeration of the soil.

4.       When plants are supplied with much nitrogen(which is abundant in chemical fertilizers) and medium amount of phosphate it can easily contact mosaic infections.

If you think about it, Organic Gardening is a very simple story. For years people have been growing foods without the use of chemicals. It would only make sense to use the same techniques and the get the same results. Organic gardening not only benefits us or our family rather it also helps in maintaining the equilibrium of the ecology and environment which have been severely hampered by the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

1.       Among the many advantages of growing food organically, first and foremost is the food produced using Organic Gardening is more nourishing and beneficial to health. Vitamin C and dry matter contents are far more higher in organically grown crops than in its non organic siblings.

2.       Mineral contents are far better in Organic crops than in non organic ones.

3.       Substantially higher amount of Antioxidants and health promoting compounds are present in Organically grown crops than their counter part which have been cultured with the help of pesticides. Antioxidants can greatly reduce the risk of Cancer.

4.       You can save money not only by growing your own food but also can make some extra cash by selling your “all organically grown food” which are so popular in grocery stores these days.

In case you want to start your own Organic Gardening but due to some time constrain not been able to, you might want to check this site.

If you have any other points to add or disagree with me in any point please feel free to comment.

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