As a part of the world which not long ago consisted mainly of people living off the land, Scandinavia remains a place where the lore of the green thumb is a popular subject of discussion during the growing season. Today this discussion revolves around the summer house garden and how to maximize its summer glory in a way that ensures that we don’t simply take but also give back to the land. We look at the emergence of a new Nordic Garden Lore.
Ecological gardening sounds good: green and nurturing. Today it has all too often become something on the label of a bottle that you can splash onto your garden to make it grow without having a bad conscience. In reality, ecological gardening, meaning gardening that gives back as much as it takes from the land, is first and foremost about a way of thinking. The kernel of that way of thinking is to look at your garden and see an ecosystem at work. With our mini-tractors and green lawn moss repellents we can easily destroy that ecosystem.
Does that mean just letting the weeds take over and sitting aside while nature has its way? Not at all – your presence and, more importantly, potential contribution is also a part of that ecosystem. So, what do you do to make your engagement positive both for your garden and for yourself?
11 Green Points
We review the 11 Green Points that constitute a new Nordic Garden Lore (these points were recently issued as part of a program by the Swedish Horticultural Society).
1. Fertilize using your garden’s own resources: Create compost from the soft material (e.g. not the branches and twigs). Speed the composting process by watering a little and turning the compost material every now and then. Eventually you will have a superb fertilizer.
2. Improve the soil with organic material including compost and manure: Avoid using synthetic fertilizers. Blend compost and manure early in the growing season and dig down into the garden. Additionally, you can use grass-clippings directly on your garden beds - about 2 inches/5 cm kept moist is an excellent method of giving the soil further nutrition.
3. Work with nature, not against it. Good placement of plants in the garden can make all of the difference. Pay attention to factors like sunlight and wind exposure, and soil humidity.
4. Purchase only healthy plants. If you spot an illness on leaves, for example, do not purchase, even if the plant is being sold at a discount.
5. Fertilize little and often only during the growing season: Feed your plants with nettle water. Make nettle water by putting a few clippings of nettle in a bucket of water for three days. Mix one part of nettle water with three parts regular water.
6. Grow plants that fertilize and loosen the soil: In areas of your garden where the soil has become depleted, scatter seeds of plants such as spinach, red clover and pomfrey (there are many others). These fertilize by taking nitrogen from the air and supplying it to the soil. Grow these early in the season, harvest and dig under the soil to improve soil quality for other plants.
7. Use your common sense instead of pesticides: Remove weeds and cover newly sprouted seeds with grass clippings or a fibre blanket in order to protect against insects. Use effective household remedies (there are plenty if you begin to look!) such as garlic between your carrots and African marigold near the roses to avoid worms chomping through your treasure. Inspect your garden frequently and remove pests manually or by spraying with a little soapy water.
8. Leave 3-4 year planting cycles: Don’t plant the tomatoes in the same place as you did last year – move them to another bed and plant something else there. In this way you avoid common plant illnesses.
9. Water Gently: A watering can or a drop hose (hose with holes that drips water gradually into flower beds) are best.
10. Protect good fauna: Birds, hedgehogs, frogs, bees and bumble bees are all to be protected for their positive contributions to the ecosystem.
11. A manual grass cutter is better than a petrol-driven one from many points of view.
We'd like to add in a final point: remember that a garden is the work of years, not one season. Enjoy the process!
As a part of the world which not long ago consisted mainly of people living off the land, Scandinavia remains a place where the lore of the green thumb is a popular subject of discussion during the growing season. Today this discussion revolves around the summer house garden and how to maximize its summer glory in a way that ensures that we don’t simply take but also give back to the land. We look at the emergence of a new Nordic Garden Lore.
