No dig gardening is aimed at allowing the soil to function in a similar manner to that found in nature, perhaps in a forest floor or grassland. Under the soil as old plant matter dies fungal pathways are formed transporting the nutrients across underground pathways and at the same time creating a symbiotic relationship with existing plants and trees whose roots can tap into this supply of goodness.

Recent research is uncovering how this may prove beneficail to farmers - who - are slowly realising that impoverished soil is subject to poor water retention and susceptible to wind erosion. Fertilisersa re costly and most is loss into water courses causing environmental harm away from the farm. The possibility that - rather than ploughing leaving the soil to manage itself may actually result in the ability of crops to effectively recover nitrogen and essential minerals from the fungal network. Potentially this knowedge may realise reduced spraying, reduced costs, improved yields and a soil rich in life both above and below ground.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20141111-plants-have-a-hidden-internet

Ever wondered how many allotments there are and what differing styles exist, then you may find this survey very interesting.

https://whatshed.co.uk/list-local-authority-owned-allotments/

So last week was the coldest for many years and we all have our stories of the biting cold and I certainly put food out for the birds having a robin jumping on my shoe pecking away at the eyelets. But now the weather has warmed up again and under the snow spring daffodils and crocuses are blooming and the sun - when out - has warmth. North Field has a supply of the black-stuff so a good time to return expectantly ready for 2018 and a spring that will soon be with us.

This Friday 8th at 4:35 PM the ISS will appear above the horizon in the South West and will pass high up above our heads.

Looking out above the trees toward the valley from either North or South Field should afford a great view if the sky is clear. The Space Staion will appear as a tremendously bright star - surpassing anything else in the sky and move steadily to the East where it will fade away as it enters the dark shadow of the Earth.

I saw this on BBC's Sunday evening Countryfile - a pub that servers up food or drinks based on foraging for plants and fauna in the wild - but not quite the wilderness - Hertfordshire on our very doorstep to be precise

http://the-foragers.com/countryfile/

The Foragers @ The Verulam Arms

41 Lower Dagnall St, St Albans,

Hertfordshire, AL3 4QE

Telephone: 01727 836004

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2016/06/discovering-soil-less-farming/

https://permaculturenews.org/

Plastic is getting everywhere -

Horticulture knows the value of natural products that grow and decay as part of the natural cycle of the seasons.

Plastic never breaks down - it just become smaller and smaller

Lets support effots to use less plastic

More information here :

https://skyoceanrescue.com/plastic-challenge/