Garden Organic

Somerset Organic Gardeners are affiliated to HDRA. That’s the Henry Doubleday Research Association. For years there have been discussions about the awkwardness of the name, which was chosen by Lawrence Hills, the pioneer of organic gardening. Hills wanted to honour the Victorian Quaker and experimental horticulturist, Henry Doubleday, and so he chose HDRA.

Fifty years on, the time has come for a change and so now we must get used to GARDEN ORGANIC. Research recently commissioned by Garden Organic showed that 61% of garden owners said they would like to use more organic methods but felt in need of help and information. Also it showed there was considerable confusion about what ‘organic’ meant.

To launch the new name 10,000 packs were sent out with beginners growing instructions for the free packet of seeds and an introduction to organic gardening.

Leaf mould

There are still lots of leaves on the ground and this is all free for your garden. There is little food value in leaf mould but it does improve the texture of your soil, building up humus and aerating heavy soil.

Some people use leaves as a mulch on empty beds but making leaf mould takes very little effort although it does require patience. Just wait for it to rot down.

Pack the leaves into a plastic bag, throw in some water if they are dry, poke a few holes in the bag and then wait. All you need to do then is check after a few months to see if they are too dry.

Alternatively, if.you have some chicken wire and four posts, you can make a cage into which you can pack the leaves and the rain will keep them damp.

Bean seed beetle 

Have you ever saved your own bean seed only to find that your stored beans have been ruined, leaving you with none to sow or eat?

Research student, Victoria Hacking, at the Heritage Seed Library, has discovered a chemical-free method to combat the bean seed beetle.

The beetle lays its eggs on the bean pod in the summer and the larvae burrows its way through the pod and into the bean where it feeds and grows, damaging your beans in the process. When they emerge as adult beetles they are ready to start the cycle all over again. Putting your harvested beans in the freezer for three days, or in the fridge for seven days breaks the bean seed beetle’s life cycle.

  Members Subscriptions

Just a reminder that your SOG subscription will be due in January 2006.  £5 (or £4 as a concession) per member. With so small a group this amount just covers the hire of the Friends Meeting House. The £2 we pay when we have a speaker helps to pay the speakers fee and expenses. As you can see, we work on a very tight budget so Anne Cuff, our treasurer, will be pleased to receive your sub. early in the New Year.