PLANNING
From page 27
a long time and you will
inevitably have forgotten what
is what next season if you
don't.
Nature's bounty is such that
for normal purposes the seed
harvested from one flower or
at least plant should be
enough to provide for one's
requirements in the following
season, but if in doubt
harvest seed from more than
one plant.
Do not, however, hold seed
over for more than one
season as it will deteriorate
and fail to germinate satisfactorily. Also, choose only the
best, most vigorous plants,
No smallholding should be without
some method of turning its spent
organic matter into compost and mulch
and the best, most vigorous
flowers, for seed harvesting.
To harvest seed from fruits
such as tomatoes, pumpkins
and squashes choose good
quality specimens, scoop out
the seeds, separate from the
flesh and allow to dry before
storage. Choose a coolish, dry
spot in which to dry the seed,
rather than full sun, and allow
the process to take place over
a few days.
With your seed saving in
place the other area in costsaving is in plant nutrition. If
you can avoid buying fertilizer
by feeding your plants with
manure, compost, worm tea,
bokashi or one of the many
now-popular methods of
natural recycling of organic
matter you will save a packet
each year.
Compost-making, worm
farming and bokashi making
are subjects of their own, but
suffice to say that no smallholding should be without
some method of returning its
spent organic matter (eg lawn
clippings, dead flowers,
vegetable peelings etc) to the
garden, and each process has
its unique benefits.
At the same time, a knowledge of the chemical
characteristics of naturallyoccurring substances found
on one's smallholding is
useful. For example, the
different e