After all the natural disasters around the world lately there are still those who appear to not believe that these events may be occurring as a result of climate change and global warming. Yes these events may have occurred in our past but not all in such a short span of time.

A European lady I met the other day strongly believed that this is a sign of the Second Coming of Jesus. Of this I know little. But on the other hand if these it is the results of humans impact on the environment then I think it is time that we start to do something. The governments of the world still can't seem to come to agreement on what should be done. Fortunately some are calling for immediate action but who knows when something will be done.

I have commenced doing my bit by reducing the amount of electricity and water our household uses not only for this reason but due to the inreasing costs. So what are your views? Should we just start doing something ourselves or wait for the government or is it the Second Coming of Jesus.??

 

 

 

 

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Yesterday there was an interesting article in the China Daily that claimed that patients with child hood leukemia have elevated levels of household pesticides in their urine. The results of this new study found there to be elevated levels of common pesticides more often than not, in the mother-child pairs found to be affected by cancer. To determine if pesticides are the cause of this disease, then the study needs to be investigated further.

We will await the results.

 

 

Organic Indoor Gardening.

 

So what is the difference in growing indoor plants organically as compared to conventional methods. The main difference is the use of organic potting mix or soil and organic fertilizers. As we tend not to eat the usual plants grown indoors this is not as critical as it is when growing organic food.

 

There are now some great indoor systems that allow you to grow herbs and vegetables indoors under artificial light. How they work, nutritionally, I do not know. But I am sure you can alter these to enable the use of organic fertilizers if you so wish.

 

There are many organic fertilizers on the market suitable for indoor use. Depending upon the type of plant you wish to grow determines the type of fertilizer to use. There are foliage plants, such as philodendrons, flowering plants such as African violet, ferns, cacti,  palms or Australian natives.  Many indoor plants tend to be foliage plants and they often have large, glossy leaves meaning they originate from the under storey in the jungle or rain forests and so don’t need as much light as other plants.

 

Also depending upon the type of plant ie. foliage or flowering, and what appearance you want from the plant, determines the type of fertilizer used. In spring if you want to encourage foliage growth, look for those with appropriate quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to encourage this type of growth. For micro nutrients and a booster for plants in poor condition, I tend to give a liquid feed of seaweed extract or fish emulsion. There are plenty of organic fertilizers available in the supermarkets so make sure you check them out and decide which is the most appropriate for your needs.

 

In early spring a good practice is to pot up indoor plants into the next largest size pot and add slow release fertilizer or chicken manure pellets or animal manure that has been composted. You don’t really want to have sterile potting mix as it is the organisms in the soil that have been identified as reducing the pollution in the indoor atmosphere. It is believed that indoor plants help improve the quality of the air by filtering out those chemicals given off by plastic items in the home, as well as, televisions, and even the carpet.

Continuation of the Ongoing Debate Regarding the Value of Organic Food.

 

The latest research out of the UK is stating that there is no difference in the nutritional or health benefits of organically grown food as compared to those produced by conventional methods.

 

It appears that the research has been orientated more towards the nutritional value of these food items and not to the benefits of reduced chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides used in its production, or to the reduced impact of these chemicals in the environment.

 

So once again, we are left wondering what is the aim of this research ? Is it to educate the consumer about the unnecessary higher prices paid for these foods?  Looking between the lines one wonders if the increased sales of organic food items , especially in the UK, is affecting the bottom line of other conventional growers.

 

But anyway these are my thoughts solely and with regards to this latest research, it makes no difference to what I buy or eat. I must admit I don’t always eat organic foods if they are much more expensive than other conventional products, but if given the option will tend to pay a bit more for the choice.

 

I don’t know about you, but surely it can’t be said that none of the chemicals used in the production of crops and livestock, leave no residues in the food. One only has to look at the health of the world’s population since approximately the 1960s, which was about the time we started to become dependent on artificial chemicals for fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Chemicals are also used in the preservation and post harvest treatments of our food supplies.

 

I know from when I was young, the taste and flavours of food ( tomatoes, corn and apples in particular) was a lot different to what it is today, especially in fruit and vegetables. Yes I appreciate that this is also due to the variety grown and the seasonal conditions.  

 

Anyway what are yours thoughts?  Please leave your comments. For more information about this latest research check out the UK Times Online.

 

 

Due to the current focus on greening the environment, there seems to be many new developments in the horticultural industry, such as the re - establishment of the benefits of house plants in clearing the atmosphere of indoor environments and some new and exciting green building designs.

So now may be the time to bring back those old favourites into your home. They can be used for air purification, decoration or even to help improve our moods. I used to fill my house with house plants from huge philodendrons on poles to hanging plants on the walls and tall palms. Other favourites of mine were the peace lily and ferns. I would tend to collect one of every species. I suppose I was a collector of plants in a way.

You could also make use of succulents and other flowering plants like begonias to add variety. The list is endless. In my current home this is not as feasible as the tinted windows make it hard to grow indoor plants due to the low light levels. So now my verandah and shade house are full.

Previously, there were the ideas going around that you shouldn't have plants in the house as they use up all the oxygen and they release toxic fumes and organisms into the air. Now the latest reports seem to be saying that it is beneficial to have house plants in the house as the microorganisms  in the soil convert the harmful chemicals in the air into harmless forms, thus acting as filters. If you are interested in finding out more about this check out the latest (July) Aust. Horticulture magazine.

Another new interesting feature of building designs is the incorporation of plants into the design. One idea I love is the vertical garden where cascading gardens are an in thing. You can grow your vegetables or flowering plants draping down over any walls or structures. This is a great idea where you have a small out door area such as in flat or in unit blocks.

I think hydroponics will also be coming into vogue especially for those living in places with small out door areas or small gardens. Also with the continuing water shortages and droughts, I am looking at setting up a alternative style version similar to hydroponics to grow my home vegetables and herbs. I guess with organic gardening you need to think out side the box and look for alternative methods to produce the results you want, without making use of any artificial chemicals. 

 

I was reading the other day that the only substance that could help reduce wrinkles was rosehip seed oil, so I have purchased some through Green Organics, which is one of the online stores on my site  www.universalorganics.com.au .

I will try it out and let you know.

 

Welcome to My Blog. The purpose of this site is to promote organics in an effort to help reduce the effects of climate change and global warming.