News

One man & his plot

One Man & his organic plot - Part Five

The phrase ‘you reap what you sow’ certainly rings true in August and suddenly I’m drowning in courgettes, this really is the plant that keeps on giving and I am struggling to stay on top. It has opened up a new front on my allotment activities though and it’s at home in the kitchen, where my culinary skills have been in action in order to make use of the five marrows I collected last week. I would not describe the marrow as the tastiest of my produce but stuffed they do go down well.

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New Certificate in Organic Horticulture launched

Horticultural education and training experts, The BEST in Horticulture Group, have launched a Certificate in Organic Horticulture, endorsed by Garden Organic.

The course - available to study face to face at Ryton Organic Gardens, online, or a combination of both - is the perfect solution for people keen to get a detailed understanding of all elements of organic horticulture.

Colette Bond, Head of Education at Garden Organic, has worked closely with BEST in Horticulture for a number of years;

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Chase Organics granted Royal Warrant

Chase Organics, best known to gardeners and horticulturists for their extensive range of organic seeds, seaweed plant nutrition products and garden supplies, has been granted the Royal Warrant to HRH Prince of Wales.

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RHS trials - organic slug pellets perform as well as than those with toxic metaldehyde

Ongoing RHS trials reveal that organic slug pellets perform as well as toxic synthetic chemical ones – especially on hostas. This is good news for organic growers.

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"A Food Brexit" briefing document published

Professor Tim Lang, President of Garden Organic, has co-authored a hard-hitting paper on the future of UK food post Brexit.

A Food Brexit: time to get real, published by the SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit), is a briefing document for Brexit negotiators and government ministers. It claims that the UK is unprepared for the most complex ever change to its food system on leaving the EU. And that Brexit poses serious risks to consumer interests, public health, the environment, businesses and workers in the food sector.

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Neonics - two new field studies show disastrous effects on bees

Two new and comprehensive 'field realistic' studies have been published, both looking at the effect of neonic pesticides on bees. One looked at honey bees in Canada, and reveals a marked increase in worker and queen mortality. The other studied different types of bees (honey, bumble and mason bees) across the UK, Germany and Hungary, and revealed that exposure to the treated crops reduced overwintering success of honeybee colonies - in Hungary, nearly a quarter of the bee colonies didn't survive.

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Toyota helps get Leicestershire growing

Toyota Helps Get Leicestershire Growing

For Toyota, used pallet collars may be a waste item, which are stacked at the depot in Leicester, waiting to be sent for recycling. For gardeners however, they are gold, providing instant stackable raised beds that are particularly good for creating growing spaces for people with physical disabilities.

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Garden Organic's Master Composters

Master Composters are coming to Cumbria!

Garden Organic are thrilled to be launching its nationally recognised volunteer Master Composter programme in Cumbria thanks to funding from Cumbria County Council. The Master Composter programme is part of the council’s strategy to reduce the burden of waste from the county, by teaching more people how to compost their own waste at home.

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EU petition to ban glyphosate gathers over 1m signatures

In March, many GO members signed a petition to ban glyphosate. It was part of an ECI (European Citizens' Initiative) which also requested a reform of the pesticide approval process and a reduction in pesticide use throughout Europe. According to the terms of the ECI, if over 1m signatures are achieved, then the EU Commission is forced to discuss the matter with the petition proposers. Last week, the target of 1m signatures was surpassed.

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France declares public spaces pesticide free - private gardens will follow

The French Senate has banned the use of pesticides for gardeners from 2019. This is excellent news for those campaigning against harmful chemicals contained in glyphosate formulations, as well as neonicotinoids.

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