Green Clean – Detox your garden
Have you ever thought that perhaps your garden might also need a detox? Approaches to gardening have changed dramatically over the last few decades, but have you stayed up to date with the latest science of gardening, or are your practices still ‘old school’?
- Many chemicals once permitted for household use have been removed from market or the rationale behind using them has changed, so maybe a chemical cleanout is in order. Don’t throw out full or even empty bottles though; they are classified as hazardous, and you should dispose of them properly. The Environment Protection Authority has information on household chemical disposal.
- Give some thought as to how you fertilise your garden. Plant nutrition is a complicated mix of trace and macro elements, but also involves the act of good soil bacteria working to make nutrients available to plants. For this reason, the use of organic fertilisers is understood as best practice. Nature’s Way Organic Plant Food (which contains blood and bone, fish meal and other organic components), Dynamic Lifter Plus Organic (which are supplemented forms of pellitised chicken manure), and even Osmocote Organics range. The GardenmateEarthlifeOrganic All-purpose Rock Mineral Fertilisers are also great at providing a range or trace elements and building your soil.
- Weedicides can be a helpful tool to control nuisance plants, but did you know that there are Glyphosate-free alternatives? Slasher is an Australian Organic Registered Garden Product made with Nonanoic acid, derived from Pelargoniums. It’s registered for use on many annual and perennial weeds, algae, moss and lichen. It’s fast acting and has no lasting residue in the soil.
- Organic matter should be shredded and put back onto your garden as a mulch, composted in a heap or a worm farm, or turned into compost tea. This will continue to add nutrients, organic matter and good bacteria to your soils, building them up in nutrient and structure. Worm castings, home compost and well-rotted cow manures are ideal plant foods and are like the “Yakult” or kombucha for your plants.
