MyGreen Fingers

The Organic Gardener’s Handbook – Michael Littlewood

organic gardeners handbookMichael Littlewood’s book shows what is a fairly complex method of gardening, in a straight-forward and easy to follow order.

Littlewood’s knowledge of this subject is inspiring. He starts with the foundations of gardening, from the climate, the soil, the composting, to the harvesting of the crops.  His highly detailed growing and planning charts, beautifully illustrated, are simple to follow showing how to sow and yeild at the right time. This is enhanced by using planning rotation charts, and vegetable growing guides charted on a simple month by month basis.

  Littlewood’s knowledge of this subject is inspiring. He starts with the foundations of gardening, from the climate, the soil, the composting, to the harvesting of the crops.  His highly detailed growing and planning charts, beautifully illustrated, are simple to follow showing how to sow and yeild at the right time. This is enhanced by using planning rotation charts, and vegetable growing guides charted on a simple month by month basis.

The book looks at the flowers needed to encourage natural pollenaters and one of the things I love about this book is the reference to both common and botanical names for vegetable and flowers. Close to my heart is biological pest and weed control – one of my main reasons for ‘turning organic’.
In summary, this reference manual is all you need from start to finish to shape your garden into an organic one.
The Organic Gardener’s Handbook – Michael Littlewood.
The Crowward Press - £16.99.
You can purchase gardening charts and perpetual gardening calendars from Michael’s website:
www.ecodesignscape.co.uk

 
 

 

 

Successful composting is the backbone of organic gardening, says Michael Littlewood.

Composting is vital to the functioning of an organic garden. It is an important way to recycle such elements as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potash and trace minerals, and to support populations of micro-organisms – all of them essential to maintaining the biological cycles of life in our gardens.

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Recycled materials and D.I.Y bring economies of style to this eco- friendly garden. alt

Trevor Thomas is a retired graphic designer/copywriter who lives in Stone, Staffordshire. Like many retired pensioners he is fit and has all the time in the world, which he has put to good use with seven weeks of hard graft in this simple but effective transformation of his small town garden.
 The previous layout consisted of a tired uneven patio with a path to the left under the bay window.
 These are the slabs which, when overturned reveal a subtle terracotta underside which when re-laid with half inch spacing, adds a linear effect and a perspective which also adds an illusion of width and length to what is, a small garden.
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Anyone can grow their own food -

 Anyone can grow their own – yes anyone, anywhere.

Anyone can grow their own food. Remember that plants have evolved to grow. All you have to do is work out what your crops need to succeed and try to deliver as near perfect conditions as possible. That’s a huge part of the fun; reading books, chatting to others, watching the weather, building a relationship with your local environment - the soil, climate and seasonal changes.You don’t even need a garden! Salads can be happily raised in pots on a window-sill, sprouted seeds of mung bean, sunflower, radish and lentils on damp paper in a dish. Read more...  

In Tune with the Moon.

Michael Littlewood puts the case for consulting the moon when deciding when best to sow, plant and harvest.
 In this age and culture of paved roads and streetlights, cars with air conditioning, houses with central heating, and food from supermarkets, it is easy to forget to look up and acknowledge our relationship to the sun, the moon and the stars. Our dependence on the sun is obvious and straightforward: it gives us our days and nights, the warmth of the air, the light in our skies, and the turning of the seasons. Without it, plants would not be able to survive and grow, and there would be no food for man or beast.
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