http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-sprout-information/wheat.html
WHEAT
All species of wheat are annuals; these grasses grow to 1 metre, and are members of the genus Triticum, which belongs to the Poaceae family.
Durum or hard wheat, Triticum durum, is a hardy species that produces well, even in low rainfall and high temperatures. The long, pointed grains form in compact seed heads. Because of the high gluten content and the hardness of the seed, it is used principally for spaghetti and pasta.
wheat
wheat
Bread wheat T. aestivum, is a soft grain with a floury texture, mainly used in bread-making or other baked goods.
Spelt also called Dinkel wheat, T. spelta, is considered one of the very original grains used by man. The ears, or seed heads are long, slender, pointed and flinty. The grain grows well in harsh conditions, particularly in extremes of cold and high altitudes. Spelt has become popular as a health food, for the bioavailability of its high levels of nutrients. The protein content, of spelt, is slightly higher than other species, although this may differ with soil and climatic conditions. Spelt is considerably higher than other wheat in essential amino acids, and is a higher source of many vitamins and minerals.
Spelt contains carbohydrates as mucopolysaccharides, which have been found to play a decisive role in blood clotting and strengthening the immune system. The grain contains over 18 fatty acids, including 1.9% linoleic acid. Hildegard of Bingen, the famous 12th century German abbess, composer and herbal writer, esteemed spelt as… an easily digested, highly nutritious grain, creating happiness and contentment in the body. Recent European research has found that spelt wheat is effective for over 30 ailments, including angina and diabetes; also for constipation, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome and celiac (noteworthy, as people with such ailments, generally cannot tolerate the high gluten content of wheat flours). Gluten is the protein content that gives the elastic and tenacious consistency to dough, also resiliency and cohesion to baked bread. Spelt wheat is different: it contains a substance that aids gluten’s digestibility. Spelt seeds, flour and breads are now available in many health food shops.
Botanists have identified almost 30,000 species and developed varieties of wheat, which are assigned to one of several classifications, as having hard or soft kernels. This strength is a function of the protein-to-starch ratio in the endosperm, the starchy, middle part of the seed.
Occasionally Triticale may be available in health food shops. It is a grain, produced by crossbreeding wheat and rye for the intended purpose of the protein and bread-making merits of wheat and the durability and high lysine content of rye. Pronounced ‘trit-i-kay-lee’ the name is a combination of the Latin names of the plants: ‘triti’ referring to triticum for wheat, and ‘cale’ referring to secale for rye. The grain is found to contain more protein than wheat, has less gluten than wheat, and also the high level of lysine that is common in rye. Wheat is, undoubtedly, one of the most important grains cultivated, worldwide. Whatever would we do without bread on our tables?
To sprout wheat, purchase the grain from a health food shop; use spelt, if available. Bread wheat (soft grain) is also good for sprouts, as it is easy to digest, while durum hard wheat, is considered best for growing wheatgrass. Some shops may just stock wheat, with no indication, of kind. Don’t worry, all species, will sprout. If what you buy is hard wheat, it will germinate, however the sprouts will be harder to chew, if eaten as fresh sprouts. Soak the seed in a jar or bag 6-12 hours, rinse 2-3 times a day for 2-4 days and grow 1/2 -1cm long.
Constituents:
linolenic and linoleic acid, abscisic acid, gluten, over 80 enzymes including super oxide dismutase (SOD); co-enzyme Q10, sugars, lignans, squalene, bioflavonoids, fibre, chlorophyll - high in wheatgrass, protein 9-14% in wheat sprouts with 17 amino acids, including 8 essentials (amino acid score 64; only moderate lycine content)
Vitamins:
A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, B17, C, D, E, F, H, K, P, choline, folic acid, inositol, PABA
Minerals:
boron, calcium, chlorine, chromium, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, sodium, sulphur, zinc
Actions:
alterative, antibacterial, antibiotic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, cancerolytic, choleretic, deodorant, depurative, digestive, diuretic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, immune-enhancer, laxative, nutritive, sedative, tonic
Medicinal Uses
Germinated wheat sprouts are an effective and economical tonic to improve general health. Buy some whole grains, and sprout a handful of seeds every couple of days. The seeds become living food as soon as germination takes place and valuable enzymes are activated. Once eaten, these enzymes act as catalysts that perform important functions in the body, such as: to aid metabolism, neutralise toxins, cleanse the blood, and provide energy for innumerable bodily functions.
The enzyme diastase, activated by germinating the wheat, transforms starch into absorbable nutrients. The sweet taste of germinated wheat, tells us the enzymes are activated. Chewing the sprouts well makes their full potential available for cleansing and regenerating body cells, and as a powerful tonic. These enzymes, also aid the digestion of other foods, and can benefit anyone who suffers with digestive and assimilation problems. By eating wheat sprouts, we also get the benefit of the wheat germ, a rich source of vitamin E (usually removed in flour milling). Vitamin E is an essential nutrient for fertility, healthy skin, hair, glands, kidneys, muscles (especially the heart), circulation and the nervous system; also for building red blood cells and improving absorption of fats, protein, vitamins A, C and iron. Wheat germ (the seed embryo), in the early stages of plant growth, is considered one of the best remedies to help overcome a tendency toward miscarriage and birthing prematurely.
The sprouting process starts a beneficial modification of various nutritional elements. Research undertaken at the University of Minnesota, USA, showed that sprouting increases the nutrient density of food. At 3 days of sprouting, much of the original carbohydrate is converted to natural sugars, making it less mucus forming. During the 3 days of sprouting, the vitamin E content can increase 300%, vitamin C increase 600%, and the B vitamins have been found to increase from 20% to 1200%, with B17, the ‘anti-cancer vitamin’ 100% more than in unsprouted seed.
The protein content increases by 300% in the third day of sprouting, compared to the unsprouted wheat seed. Sprouted wheat, being a raw grain, should be eaten in moderate amounts, as in the early stages of germination (1-4 days) there is insufficient time to convert all raw starch into sugars, for ease of digestion.
However, if the sprouts are made into bread and baked at a low temperature, it becomes easier to digest and eat in a larger quantity. But, keep in mind, sprout bread is dense as it is usually made without yeast; therefore a slice of well-chewed sprout bread may still be harder to digest, because of the density of the loaf, than a slice of regular yeast bread. Refer to page 46 for sprout bread, and Essene bread (p 47).
Growing wheatgrass is another way to use the grain for its nutritive and healing properties, which can help build vitality for anyone desiring optimum health.
Human consumption of wheatgrass was popularised in the 1930’s by Charles Schnabal, known as the father of wheatgrass. He said: “Fifteen pounds of wheatgrass is equivalent to 350lb (157kg) of the choicest vegetable. We have not even scratched the surface of what grass can mean to man in the future”.
Wheatgrass juice has been used to detoxify the body by loosening and eliminating hard, encrusted, bowel build-up. Victoras Kulvinskas, a USA advocate of wheat grass, taught that the juice is the fastest way to eliminate internal wastes and provide an optimum nutritional environment: the enzymes of the grass helping to dissolve tumours. Ann Wigmore’s research, using wheatgrass in her personal life, then teaching and working with thousands of sick people (many with inoperable cancer), at the Hippocrates Health Institute, Boston, USA, inspires us to see how valuable wheatgrass could be, in our daily lives. The living-food program she advocated, gave countless people a new lease of life, many regaining health from near death from incurable cancers. Ann said, “Wheatgrass is perhaps the most powerful and safest healing aid there is.” She taught that wheatgrass, living sprouts, fresh fruit and vegetables and fermented foods were vital to health and prevention of degenerative diseases.
Wheatgrass is rich in chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll comprises 70% of wheatgrass; it is often referred to as ‘the life blood of plant life’ as chlorophyll closely resembles the molecules of human red blood cells. With so many similarities in structure, it is absorbed quickly through our digestive system and begins rebuilding our blood cells. Chlorophyll helps to regenerate the liver, detoxify and invigorate the body and energise the immune system, which is our natural means of prevention and healing from illnesses. Steve Meyerowitz, who has been called Sproutman in USA, says, wheatgrass is a powerful colon and liver detoxifier, blood alkaliser and oxygenator of blood and cells, and it is like ‘rocket fuel’ for the dynamic and energising benefits to the body. Steve has motivated many people to grow and eat sprouted foods, through his enthusiasm and numerous books, sharing his story of 20 years of disappointment with conventional medicine and his journey to better health and a new vibrant life. He calls the juice, ‘liquid sunshine,’ transformed into nutritive energy…water, oxygen, enzymes, protein, phytochemicals, chlorophyll, carotenoids, fatty acids, trace minerals, all rushing to revitalise you.”
Many health centres, include wheatgrass as juice and enemas, as an essential part of their therapy program of rejuvenation, operating on the principle that the body heals itself, if given the proper tools. As wheatgrass has a remarkable cleansing effect on the liver, this daily juicing regime can play a major role in recovery from degenerative diseases.
Chlorophyll has been found beneficial for strengthening the heart, intestines, vascular and lymphatic systems, lungs, glands and reproductive organs; also for treating anaemia, indigestion, diarrhoea, candida, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, peptic ulcers, colitis, sleeplessness, sinusitis, injuries to bones, tendons and skin, for reducing varicose veins, and for neutralising toxins, carcinogens, removing heavy metals and drug deposits; dealing with allergies and helping clear infections and mucus of the colon and to stimulate peristaltic action. Chlorophyll has the unique ability to be able to be absorbed directly, through the mucus membranes, in particular: the nose, throat and digestive tract.Ann Wigmore showed people at the Hippocrates Institute, how to use wheatgrass to help remove pesticides and other toxins from chemically grown fruit and vegetables. For supermarket produce to look as good as it does, we can assume that it has been heavily sprayed. Lettuce, for example, may be sprayed 10-14 times in its short growing season, of only 4-6 weeks. Ann explained how to help eliminate insecticides and other toxins from produce, by chopping a handful of wheatgrass and soaking it in a bucket of water for a few hours or overnight; the grass is strained off and the produce submerged in the water for 30 minutes. Drain and wipe the food dry and refrigerate.
Research done in the 1950’s, found chlorophyll to be an efficient deodoriser, which could effectively neutralise bad breath, body odours, foul smelling urine and stools. Numerous manufacturers now include chlorophyll in products like chewing gums, breath fresheners, deodorants and vaginal douches. Research has found that chlorophyll increases tissue cell activity and is effective for healing bleeding gums, pyorrhoea, gingivitis, and infected and ulcerated wounds.
Studies have identified a number of substances in wheatgrass juice that are powerful anti-cancer agents: the blood-building chlorophyll with oxygen producing benefits; the alkalising action; the enzyme action of living food, which promotes detoxification and elimination of mucus and decaying faecal matter on colon walls; strong antioxidants, like the mineral selenium and vitamins A, C, E and B17 (which has shown the ability to selectively destroy cancer cells, but leave healthy cells alone); and abscisic acid, a plant hormone that can reverse the growth of cancer (in high enough concentration to have a marked effect on cancer cells). Note: wheatgrass has been found to have up to a 100 times more vitamin B17, than the seed from which it came. Note too, that gluten is not present in wheatgrass because, after germination, gluten is broken down into smaller building blocks, needed for growing the grass. These smaller molecules are much easier for us to assimilate. Dr. Yasua Holta, a biologist at the University of California, isolated a compound from young wheatgrass, P4D1, which has the ability to stimulate the natural repair of DNA and the production of human sperm cells. Research scientists have never found any indication of toxicity in wheatgrass. It is easy to digest and assimilate.
Wheatgrass is often referred to as a complete food, with protein containing the 8 essential amino acids (although the lysine content is only of moderate amount); it contains a broad spectrum of vitamins, minerals and over 80 identified enzymes. The enzymes include: protease, which assists in food assimilation, particularly proteins; amylase, that facilitates starch digestion; lipase, a fat splitting enzyme; transhydrogenase, for toning heart muscles; cytochrome oxidase, a powerful antioxidant; and superoxide dismutase (SOD), often called the antiageing enzyme, to protect us from damaged cells, due to infections, inflammation, irritants, poisons, radiation and free radicals.
To grow wheatgrass purchase wheat seed by the kilogram, ideally organically grown seed, and store it in a well-sealed container, so that weevils do not spoil it. If the hard wheat varieties are procurable, use these for growing wheatgrass, since they are sturdier and more nutritious than soft wheat varieties. However, soft wheat varieties are useful for wheat sprouts and sprout recipes like pastries, bread, other baked recipes and rejuvelac. Although the soft wheat varieties may be utilised for wheatgrass, growth may not be as vigorous and plants may not give 3 harvest cuts.
Soak 1 cup of seeds in 4 cups of water, for 12 hours.
Prepare a shallow tray or styrofoam fruit box (with the sides cut down to 5-6cm), add a layer of soil, peat, compost, or organic potting mix, 2-5cm deep. Seedling trays, available from garden centres, are also suitable for growing wheatgrass. Water the tray until moist (but not soggy) and spread the soaked wheat evenly over the surface, it is best to use a single layer of seed. Cover the seed with a thin layer of soil or several layers of wet newspaper. Wheat grass could be grown inside, in a light airy spot, or outside. When grown inside, it is said that wheatgrass is an excellent air freshener and helps neutralise toxins, which may be present in the air. Wheatgrass can be grown directly in the garden, if preferred.
After 2-3 days, the seeds will sprout and the
newspaper can be removed; keep the seeds moist. After 5-14 days, the grass will be 10-15cm high (depending on season and climatic conditions). Harvest with scissors or a sharp knife, cutting as close to the soil as possible. The plants will continue to grow and may be cut again as many as 1-3 times, before they have depleted their energy. Remove the soil/root mass from the tray/box and recycle in the compost heap or garden. For a continuous, daily supply of wheatgrass, new trays or boxes will need to be prepared and planted regularly.
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
As wheatgrass is rich in enzymes, iron and chlorophyll, we can prize it highly, as a blood builder. The chlorophyll molecule very closely resembles that of our blood: the haemoglobin molecule. The primary difference is that the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium, as its central atom, while the haemoglobin molecule contains iron; our bodies are able to utilise the chlorophyll and rebuild blood. Use wheatgrass, as Nature’s breath freshener, by chewing a small amount of cut wheat grass during the day, to eliminate the problem. Chewing wheatgrass helps to control abnormal appetite, to lessen hunger and prevent the desire to snack between meals.
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
A. Essene bread made with rye B. loaf with flax seed and wheat C. round sprout loaf with wheat, barley sprouts and olives D. wheat that has soaked 12 hours and now drained to start sprouting E. rye sprouts 2 days old, ready to be ground for bread making F. rye seed soaking.
A. Essene bread made with rye B. loaf with flax seed and wheat C. round sprout loaf with wheat, barley sprouts and olives D. wheat that has soaked 12 hours and now drained to start sprouting E. rye sprouts 2 days old, ready to be ground for bread making F. rye seed soaking.
Culinary Uses
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
To make Sprout bread soak 11/2 cups of wheat seeds
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
To make Essene bread soak wheat for 12 hours and
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
To make Sourdough bread prepare in the same way
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
To make Wheat sprout flour, grow the sprouts to 1-11/2
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
Sprouted wheat milk is made by blending in a food
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
Spiced sweet bread Soak 2 cups of wheat 12 hours and
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
Grain cracker biscuits Soak and sprout, for 12 hours,
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
Wheat sprouts smoothie Blend in a food processor,
... ... see How can I grow and use Sprouts as living food? for full text.
Isabell Shipard’s passion is herbs and sprouts, and she loves to inspire and share the joys and wonders of plants. Her books will truly inspire and help you to see that for health and well-being... Herbs are Special.
Some easy - small - productive garden methods...
Sq ft Gardening
What’s sq ft gardening? Is it a dance? Actually it’s almost the opposite, because when you have a square foot garden layout, it’s rather easy to sit down on the job.
Sq ft gardening, or square foot gardening, is also called a box garden... and you’ve guessed it... it’s all done in small squares or boxes.
This is one of the easiest ways to garden. It makes gardening a pleasure for those who are frail or handicapped.
So grab your pardner (or a spade) 1..2..3.. and lets go square dancin’!
Doin’ the sq ft gardening shuffle
But first a teensy bit of strenuous preparation. Build your garden first (the no-dig method naturally) using a solid boundary, such as planks, logs or tyres, around the edges.
Make your square foot garden beds long and narrow, or make a U-shaped bed, allowing for cultivation from either side without having to step on the garden. If your garden is against a wall, make it your arm’s reach wide.
On the outside of the planks or edge, knock in short upright stakes. If they get a bit skewed sometimes, sort them out but no need to be too fussy. The inside is then divided by coloured tapes or string into roughly 12-inch (30cm) squares.
This size seems to be not too big, not too small, but just right... sorry Goldilocks! Really these sq ft garden plots mean no wastage, and make it easy to use the minimum of seed, thus a minimum, if any, of thinning.
Per square you can plant one cabbage, or two cucumbers, three marigolds, or four lettuces, 4 parsley, or eight beans, or 16 carrots, and so on.
As with all gardens, planning your square foot garden should take into account the usual rules, like north/south aspect for sun, water availability, and prevailing wind.
And because this neat little box gardening method is so suitable for the less-than-agile gardener, make the site as near the kitchen or living room as possible so you can easily nip out for some garnish, a lettuce leaf, or spot of maintenance.
After harvesting one square, add a trowel of compost, maybe some mulch and rotate with different plants, You can see that sq ft gardening is not at all daunting as you do it square by square over time if necessary.
Most work can be done seated, though some people prefer to kneel. You can lean down from an ordinary plastic chair, but don’t strain your back. You may find a low bench seat with back support the best. Use an adjacent light chair to help yourself to rise by putting a hand on its seat.
Straw Bale Gardening
Limited space? No soil? Toxic or rocky ground? Spare corner? Edge
of drive or yard? Here’s bales of advice for you on the
straw bale gardening way.
Especially good for those with dickey backs, straw bale gardening needs only someone to lug the jolly bales into place and with a minimum of effort you’ll have a marvel of bounty and beauty indeed.
We can learn from others here. There are timely tips on straw bale gardening that will save you angst. Here’s the hoedown:
The bale is the garden. Put it on your balcony or path if you want to.
Use one or umpteen bales as you need and in any pattern. Because straw bale gardening is raised, it’s easy to work with, so make sure you allow for handy access.
Wheat or oat straw is best as it’s the stalks left from harvesting grain with very few seed left. Hay bales are less popular as they are made of whole plants with mucho seeds and often other weeds in. Use what you can get locally — it may even be lucerne or pea straw bales.
Put the bales in the exact place, because it’s too hard to even nudge these monsters once you’ve got your little straw bale garden factory in full swing. You’ll get one good season out of a bale and usually two, albeit with a bit of sag. It makes for great compost or mulch when finished with. Straw bale for garden
Lay them lengthwise to make planting easy by just parting the straw. Make sure the string is running around each bale and not on the side touching the ground in case it’s degradable twine. Keep the twine there to hold it all in place and if it does rot, bang some stakes in at both ends.
Starting off with slightly aged bales of about 6 months is best, but if they’re new, thoroughly soak with water and leave for 5 or so days whilst the temperature rises and cooks the inside, then they will cool and be ready for planting. They won’t be composting much inside yet, that takes months, but you don’t want that initial hot cooking of your plants.
Some sneaky people speed up the process of producing microbes and rot by following a 10-day pre-treatment regime of water and ammonium nitrate on the top of each bale. But, hey, organic gardeners are a patient lot aren’t we, so let’s follow nature?
Keep watered. That’s going to be your biggest task. Straw bale gardening uses more water than a normal garden, so set up a system now. It may be that swilling out the teapot on it each day is enough in your area, or you may need to keep the hose handy.
Straw bale gardening — plants to plant
Annuals of vegetables, herbs or flowers will love it. Remember your bales will be history in 1-2 years. Young plants can go straight in. Pull apart or use a trowel and depending on the state of the straw, put a handful of compost soil in too, then let the straw go back into place.
Seeds can be planted on top if you put a layer of compost soil there first.
Top heavies like corn and okra, are not so good, unless you grow dwarf varieties. With straw bale gardening it’s hard to put solid stakes in so big tomato plants are out, although they will happily dangle over the edge.
Each bale should take up to half a dozen cucumbers, trailing down. Squash, zucchini, melons — maybe 3 plants, or a couple of tomato plants per bale with one or two herbs and leafy veggies in between. Four pepper plants will fit or 12-15 bean or pea plants.
There’s no limit and why not poke in around the side a plant or two of some flowering annual for colour and companion if you like.
Once every 1-2 weeks water in a liquid organic feed, such as compost tea or fish emulsion. Tip some worms on top if you want to use your bales only one season.
It’s simple to pull out any wayward grain seeds with straw bale gardening, but with hay bales you may need to occasionally give them a haircut rather than try and pull the tenacious new sprouts out.
One of the neatest ideas ever, it’s not too late for you to give straw bale gardening a go somewhere around your place.
Lasagna Gardening
Another practical and natural short cut to digging and tilling, lasagna gardening follows the same guidelines as other no dig methods.
You know those barren, sloped, stony, weedy, sandy, clay compacted places where you look at aghast and wonder how you could ever get a garden going there? That’s where lasagna gardening proves its worth.
Just toss down layer upon layer - that’s what a lasagna garden is - layers.
Start with old leaves, then 5-10 layers of newspaper, or some thick cardboard, then some grass clippings, next some compost, then straw. Soak it well with water.
OR... start with cardboard, then old grass, straw, compost, then coffee grounds, more grass, prunings, fruit peelings, veggie scraps, wood chips, seaweed... just keep piling it on.
Honestly you can do any topsy-turvy way you like with whatever material is at hand. It will eventually all rot and provide a great home for your plants.
Obviously there are tried and true materials and the order they are layered, that speed up the process, but lasagna gardening is just like other no-dig methods, whether done by gardeners, or in the wild... layers of whatever nature happens to whirl around in the environment then drop on the ground, covered with something from a passing animal, then some leaves fluttering down, a dead branch or two, and soon the worms and crawlies find a home there. Then a few seeds decided to set up home and grow, and so the cycle continues.
With lasagna gardening - as with all no-dig methods - using newspaper or cardboard, or your old school reports if you want to, suppresses any greenery underneath and decomposes well. Equally important, earthworms love paper and stampede towards it, nicely aerating the soil.
To plant small plants or seeds in your layer garden, use some compost or potting mix. For shrubs, or any plants that need some soil around their roots, you will need to dig a hole and put some compost in first.
Raised Vegetable Garden
What is a raised vegetable garden?
Often called raised bed gardening, it is a method that includes no-dig, no-till, lasagna, straw bale, and square foot gardening.
Raised gardens can be as high as a kite, as low as you can go and as many layers as you want to stack on.
Toy blocks for raised vegetable garden layers
A raised vegetable garden is loved by gardeners’ backs, because there is less stooping and digging.
So, phooey to all that seriously wicked waste of energy and let’s get onto the perennial argument over which raised bed gardening method is best.
I know what way works for me, and I can tell you it’s more than one way! I successfully tried:
* Layers of old natural carpet instead of paper or cardboard.
* Mushy kitchen scraps slopped straight onto tangled weeds and grass, sprinkle of lime, wet newspapers, topped with piles of fallen leaves and grass clippings... then planted seedlings in with small handfuls of soil or compost.
* Bulldozed pile of cleared backyard mess (just moved there) with mostly branches, giant weeds, even old washing machine parts, and the odd cannabis plant... planted zucchini and pumpkin plants each in a good dollop of compost in the pile... and watched as the pile shrunk and the zucchini and pumpkins took off!
And so on... the point being, is that there are hundreds of ways to make a raised vegetable garden, and there’s no digging involved and they are built up from the ground, sometimes in boxes, tires, crates, or just natural mounds.
Step 1. Lay out your garden area. Leave the grass it will die, or cut it if you wish. The garden beds can be any height needed. I’ve previously built ones for community groups of about 1m (3ft) high to allow for wheelchair access. It’s a matter of layering to get things to the height you want.
Step 2. Lay out old cardboard. Try your local supermarket for this... recycling again...love it...
Step 3. Wet your newspaper before your spread it out—it will stick together when you overlap it.
Step 4. Spread WET newspaper OVER cardboard making sure that it overlaps by about a quarter to one third of its size. By doing it this way you are cutting out the sunlight and the grass will die and it, as well as the cardboard and paper, will all rot back and feed Mother Earth.
Step 5. Next comes a layer of Lucerne Hay (more food as it breaks down).
Step 6. A thin layer of Manure (in this case “Moo Poo”) is then laid out...
Step 7. Finally this is all covered with a layer of straw (I use Pea Straw as it adds more nutrient as it breaks down) and it also works as a mulch for your plants keeping them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
raised vegetable garden Les 8 Step 8. From here it is just a matter of making a small hole in the top layer of straw and adding a handful of potting mix or compost and planting into it. You can see the results of this one that I prepared earlier.
I hope that this inspires you to build your own raised vegetable garden and to get out into your yard and smell the
roses (or cabbages).
No Till Gardening
No till gardening really should be called no till farming, because it is referring to the elimination of conventional farming ways of plowing, compacting, degrading and eroding vast areas of farmland by the use of machines.
Some readers may have quite large plots of land or grow vegetables in a small commercial way, in which case the following information will prove invaluable.
And just a mention for first timers into no till gardening. If your land has not yet built up a good layer of compost with all the necessary soil activity, then it may be necessary to aerate the soil yourself.
Plants need sun, air and water to thrive, and if the earthworms aren’t there yet, the soil will need to be broken up deep down for you to get a decent crop in the beginning.
For a large plot of land, run a machine over it with prodder type spikes, and for a smaller plot, get yourself a long prodding garden fork and off you go. You don’t want your plants to come to a full stop when their roots reach a hardpan layer.
Don’t turn the soil, just poke holes in it. It’s no till gardening, not no poke holes, so don’t feel guilty because it’s not as though you’re turning the soil layers over or compacting the soil, (which is what conventional farming does.)
When no till farming first became popular, many farmers used chemicals or burning to get rid of their crop remains and weeds instead of plowing them under. Oops, that created more problems with chemical run-off into lakes and streams, and poison residues. Was plowing still a better option?
No... plowing or rotary hoeing is terrible for the land in the long term. There are many complex reasons, and you may like to read further information on this by soil experts. But for now here are a few simple points.
Firstly tilling creates soil erosion, because it breaks up the structure of the soil and fine particles are then easily blown or washed away, or washed down into the porous gaps in the soil and over time this actually clogs up the soil.
This can cause any one of the following depending on the clay and sand composition of the soil: Loss of soil; water-logging; too much aeration; compaction — made worse by heavy equipment; and formation of a hard topsoil pan which hinders seed germination and stops water infiltrating.
Secondly, although tilling initially makes crops produce abundantly because of sudden aeration, this is often excessive and abnormal for the plant.
In the meantime organic matter, bacteria, fungi and earthworms are all destroyed by tillage and not able to maintain the fine balance of harmony by providing nutrients to plants in a timely cycle. Eventually more and more fertilisers have to be used to maintain production.
No till gardening is natural and the soil ecology is NOT sent topsy turvy. Tilling damages and exposes earthworms and fatally buries other beneficial organisms including some that would normally help control invaders — such as plant-eating nematodes.
Tilling releases CO² into the air, whereas if there was a rich organic soil layer, this carbon would be in the plant remains and thus retained in the soil. You can read more about how in no till gardening sequests CO².
Not only that, but the reduced use of heavy farm machinery with the no till gardening method, decreases emissions of CO².
What farmers, market gardeners and small plot owners are doing now is either total no till farming or “conservation tillage.” This means leaving the ground and any cover undisturbed, but using, if necessary, less damaging machinery to open up enough of a furrow or hole and in many cases do the sowing or planting with the same run.
Some of the popular implements used are harrows, cultivators and chisel plows. These land friendly machines only lift and moderately break the soil and prepare the surface for seed sowing or planting.
In poorer countries of course, hand or oxen tillage is done by armies of farm workers. But for small scale gardeners anywhere, a fork and rake with occasional spade use for planting are adequate.
The longer no till farming is practised and the sooner compost is added or plant remains left to decompose in the field, the better the soil structure becomes. Over time, the yeilds have proven to be higher with this method.
The golden rule with no till gardening is to avoid inverting the soil and tread lightly or not at all on your planting area.
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