You’ve probably heard about the Stone Age, but do you know much about the Neolithic Age? This was a pivotal time between roughly 10,000 BCE and 2000 BCE when humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherers to farmers who settled in one place. The rise of agriculture meant people needed tools and technology to plant, harvest, store, and cook food. The Neolithic Age saw some remarkable inventions that transformed how our ancestors lived and worked. In this article, we’ll explore the major technological innovations that emerged during this prehistoric agricultural revolution. From pottery and weaving to the wheel and plow, the Neolithic Age laid the groundwork for civilization as we know it. Though life was still difficult, new technologies provided more stability and comfort, allowing the first towns and cities to develop. Read on to discover how our Neolithic ancestors harnessed technology to transform their world.
Defining the Neolithic Age
The Neolithic Age, also known as the New Stone Age, began around 12,000 years ago and lasted until roughly 3,000 BCE. This era marked the transition from hunting and gathering to farming and settlement.
Agriculture and Domestication
The rise of agriculture enabled humans to settle in one area, rather than constantly moving to find food. People grew crops like wheat, barley, and rice, and raised livestock such as cattle, goats, and sheep. This switch from hunting and gathering to farming allowed populations to grow and form permanent villages.
Toolmaking and Pottery
Neolithic humans were skilled toolmakers. They created polished stone axes, sickles, hoes, and other tools for farming and construction. They also invented pottery, which allowed for food storage, cooking, and transport. Pottery shards are some of the most common artifacts left behind from Neolithic settlements.
Housing and Villages
Neolithic people built more permanent shelters, typically rectangular houses made of wood, mudbrick, and thatch. Many Neolithic villages had defensive walls, suggesting greater territoriality and conflict over land and resources. Skara Brae in Scotland and Jericho in the West Bank are some well-preserved Neolithic villages.
There is evidence of wide-ranging trade networks during the Neolithic era. Obsidian, pottery, crops, livestock, and other goods were traded over long distances, connecting Neolithic cultures across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. These trade networks promoted cultural diffusion of ideas, beliefs, and technologies between groups.
The Neolithic revolution shaped human civilization. The rise of agriculture, toolmaking, pottery, and permanent settlements during this era allowed humans to transition from a nomadic lifestyle to establishing communities that would eventually grow into the first civilizations.
Major Technological Advances of the Neolithic Era
The Neolithic era spanned from roughly 10,000 to 3,000 BCE, and during this time, humans developed some major technologies that allowed them to transition from hunter-gatherers to farmers.
One of the biggest was the plow.### Before the plow, people could only grow crops by hand, which limited how much food they could produce. The plow allowed farmers to till more land and plant bigger fields, resulting in surplus crops that led to trade and economic growth.
Another key technology was irrigation.### Instead of relying only on rain to water their crops, farmers developed irrigation systems like canals and dams to bring water from rivers and lakes to their fields. This allowed more control over crop growth and the ability to farm in arid regions.
Pottery was also a major innovation.### The earliest pottery was basic but allowed for storage of surplus crops, which was essential for the rise of permanent settlements. More advanced pottery allowed for cooking crops like grains and lentils that became dietary staples.
The wheel was revolutionary.### The potter’s wheel enabled faster pottery production, while the wheel for transportation allowed for easier trading of goods and migration. The water wheel helped with crop irrigation and milling grain.
These technologies were game changers that paved the way for civilization. Without them, humans may have never transitioned from the nomadic lives of hunter-gatherers to establish the first permanent agricultural settlements. The Neolithic era shaped the trajectory of human progress, all thanks to some simple but transformative tools and skills.
Agricultural Innovations Like Irrigation and the Plow
The Neolithic Age, also known as the New Stone Age, spanned from about 12,000 years ago to 3,000 BCE. During this time, humans in several parts of the world transitioned from hunting and gathering to agriculture and farming. This agricultural revolution was made possible by new technologies that allowed our ancestors to cultivate crops and domesticate animals.
Some of the most important developments were irrigation, the plow, and crop rotation. Irrigation systems, like canals and dams, were built to transport water to fields, especially in hot, arid climates. The plow, often made of wood and stone, enabled farmers to till the soil and prepare it for planting. Crop rotation involved planting different crops in the same field during different growing seasons to maintain soil fertility.
Farmers also began to domesticate animals like cattle, goats, and sheep during this time. Keeping livestock provided a steady supply of meat, milk, wool, and manure for fertilizer. New grain crops such as wheat, barley, rice, and maize were cultivated, along with legumes like lentils and beans. These staple crops could be stored for long periods and were high in nutrients, enabling population growth.
The technologies and agricultural advancements of the Neolithic Revolution changed the course of human civilization. As people began to settle in one area and transition to a farming lifestyle, permanent villages and eventually cities started to develop. Food surpluses and the accumulation of goods and wealth led to trade and commerce. The foundations of modern society were built upon the agricultural innovations of the Neolithic Age.
Overall, the shift to farming was a pivotal moment for humankind that still impacts us today. The technologies that emerged during this time period revolutionized how we lived, worked, and shaped civilization.
Pottery and Weaving
The Neolithic era saw huge technological advances that allowed humans to settle in one place and farm the land. Two of the most important were pottery and weaving.
Pottery was a game changer. For the first time, humans had containers to store and transport goods. Pottery vessels were used to store grain, carry water, cook food over fire, and ferment alcoholic beverages.
The earliest pottery emerged around 9,000 years ago in China and spread from there. Clay was abundant and easy to obtain. Potters shaped the soft clay into pots and bowls, then fired them at high heat, hardening the clay into a durable material. Different cultures developed their own styles of pottery, decorating them with geometric patterns, animals, or plants.
Pottery allowed people to settle down in one area rather than constantly moving to find new resources. Excess grain and goods could be stored, and pottery made cooking and food preparation much easier. No longer were baskets the only containers available. Pottery was a pivotal invention that enabled the rise of civilization.
Weaving also emerged during the Neolithic era, using plant fibers like flax and animal fibers such as wool to make cloth. Fibers were spun into threads and the threads woven together on looms to make fabric.
Weaving allowed people to make clothing, blankets, nets, baskets and other useful items. Excess cloth could be traded with others. Weaving was often done by women and was an important cottage industry.
The ability to weave plant and animal fibers into cloth was a huge technological leap forward that allowed humans to create goods essential for daily life. Along with pottery, weaving helped establish the Neolithic way of life based on farming and settlement in one area.
The Wheel and Transportation Innovations
The wheel was one of the most important inventions of the Neolithic era. Once humans figured out how to make round wheels and attach them to carts and wagons, it revolutionized transportation and mobility.
Carts and Wagons
The earliest wheels were solid wooden disks, but they soon developed spokes for lighter and faster wheels. These wheels were attached to carts and wagons, allowing people and goods to be transported over land efficiently for the first time. Farmers could transport crops and trade goods between villages. This made trading and commerce much easier, allowing civilizations to grow and prosper.
Wheeled carts and wagons were pulled by domesticated animals like oxen, donkeys and horses. The use of carts and wagons for transport spread throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia during the Neolithic era. This transformed trade, agriculture, mobility and commerce.
In addition to overland transport, many Neolithic civilizations used simple river craft for transportation and trade. Log boats, reed boats and wooden plank boats were common, allowing fishing, trade and communication along rivers. River transport was crucial for civilizations along major river valleys like the Nile in Egypt, Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia, Indus in South Asia and Yellow River in China.
River craft were also usually propelled by human power, using oars and paddles. Sails were not adopted until later. River transportation, combined with wheeled carts on land, allowed Neolithic civilizations to trade goods, spread ideas and prosper.
Transportation innovations like the wheel, carts, wagons and river craft were game-changers for Neolithic societies. They spurred trade, enabled the rise of cities and civilizations, spread knowledge and improved standards of living. The simple wheel ended up transforming the world.
So there you have it, a quick overview of the major technological innovations that shaped the Neolithic Age and allowed humans to transition from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settlers of permanent agricultural communities. While the Neolithic era spanned thousands of years across different regions, the advances in farming tools and techniques, construction methods, pottery, and weaving were pivotal in transforming societies and cultures during this time. Though life in the Neolithic Age was difficult and labor-intensive by today’s standards, the new technologies that emerged helped pave the way for the rise of civilization as we know it. The next time you enjoy a warm meal, think about how far we’ve come since the days of the Neolithic revolution.
Ibrahim Shah is a passionate blogger with a deep interest in various subjects, including banking and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He believes in the power of knowledge sharing and aims to provide valuable insights and tips through his blog.


Hosted by Trackers Earth: Join us for an evening celebrating healthy families, healthy livelihoods, and healthy watersheds. Doniga Markegard, owner of Markegard Family Grass-Fed, shares her expertise in Holistic Land Management as a pathway for large-scale grassland restoration. Blending principles of Nature and Permaculture, Doniga weaves a journey of raising healthy cattle and livestock while also increasing plant diversity and minimizing fire danger in semi-arid landscapes. By mimicking patterns found in the natural world, communities can cultivate food with greater nutrition while providing carbon sequestration and returning biodiversity and abundance to the land. Through her direct experience in stewarding rangeland in California, Doniga offers real-world stories and lessons in regenerative ranching.


It does not grow in the wild, and is thought to have arisen in
cultivation, probably descended from the species Allium longicuspis, which
grows wild in south-western Asia.
The soil may be sandy, loam or clay, though Garlic flourishes best in a rich, moist, sandy soil. Garlic beds should be in a sunny spot. They must be kept thoroughly free from weeds.
The domesticated garlic plant does not produce seeds, but is grown from bulbs. Divide the bulbs into their component 'cloves' - each fair-sized bulb will divide into ten or twelve cloves.
Garlic can tolerate periods without rain, but best results come from plants that receive regular watering. Garlic is best planted in the fall and allowed to over winter in the ground, to be harvested the following summer. In mild climates garlic will grow all winter; in cold climates areas, it will go dormant in the winter, and should be mulched.
When planted early in the spring, in February or March, the bulbs should be ready for lifting in August, when the leaves will be beginning to wither. Should the summer have been wet and cold, they may probably not be ready till nearly the middle of September.
The bulb is the only edible part.
When a cell of a garlic clove is broken by chopping, chewing, or crushing, enzymes stored in cell vacuoles trigger the breakdown of several sulfur-containing compounds stored in the cell fluids. The resultant compounds are responsible for the sharp or hot taste and strong smell of garlic.
When eaten in quantity, garlic may be strongly evident in the diner's sweat and breath the following day. This is because garlic's strong smelling sulfur compounds are metabolized forming allyl methyl sulfide. Allyl methyl sulfide (AMS) cannot be digested and is passed into the blood. It is carried to the lungs and the skin where it is excreted. Since digestion takes several hours, and release of AMS several hours more, the effect of eating garlic may be present for a long time.


March 24, 2020
The Best of Both Worlds: Data Privacy and Connectivity
At their heart, the greatest advancements in agriculture are coming from data. Whether it’s the newest, best-performing corn hybrid delivered by advanced plant breeding or the digital farming platform that’s helping you better manage key decisions through
March 18, 2020
This Spring, Make Your Seed Work Harder for You
Just like other investments I make, I want my seed to work as hard as possible for me to see the return in the fall. Of course, the decisions I make between now and then influence how good of a harvest season I’ll have.
November 15, 2019
How to Improve Field Data Accuracy for Better Farming Decisions
Pre-Harvest Tips: How to Make Your Harvest Data Deliver - From the first day of flight school, pilots are instructed on the importance of checking every instrument before take-off.
November 7, 2019
This is My Story: Andrew Elgersma, Climate Business Manager
Despite only having been on the Climate FieldView™ team since this past August, Andrew Elgersma dove in headfirst with a passion for digital agriculture that only comes from years of personal and professional experience in the industry.
October 11, 2019
Tech Support With A Heart For Agriculture
“Hi, is Jesse available?” When a member of the Customer Success Team hears this question, we know exactly who is calling. It’s Laura, a farmer asking to speak with her favourite FieldView™ expert.
October 4, 2019
Pre-Harvest Tips: How to Make Your Harvest Data Deliver
Harvest is underway in some regions, but for many, late planting and the potential threat of early frost may make harvest a race against Mother Nature.
August 6, 2019
Detecting Clouds: How Machine Learning Improves Field Health Maps
Has this ever happened to you? You pull up a field health image and find that your scouting map is almost completely red.
July 17, 2019
This is My Story: Kerran Clements, Regional Services Manager
Kerran Clements has been working in the agriculture industry since the day he graduated from university, but it was his high school horticulture teacher, Mr. Mossip, who Kerran credits with his love of plants and everything they can do for us.
May 27, 2019
This is My Story: Sara Yuzak, Climate Business Manager
Sara Yuzak loves to help people – it’s something that has been a part of her identity from a young age.
April 3, 2019
Field Research: How To Get The Most From Split-Planting Trials
For years, farmers have understood the value of split-planting trials for testing and comparing hybrids and inputs within their specific field conditions.
March 15, 2019
This is My Story: Daniel deMoissac, Climate Business Manager
Daniel deMoissac is very comfortable in front of a room full of people, and as the Climate Business Manager for Eastern Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes who routinely travels the region to educate producers on the Climate FieldView™ platform, it makes
March 5, 2019
Variable-Rate Seeding: Making Every Hybrid Count
With spring quickly approaching, as we look ahead to planting season there’s a lot to consider; many farmers and dealers in Canada at this time of year, are evaluating seed performance from fall harvest.
February 26, 2019
This is My Story: Laura Vink, Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Laura Vink’s journey to her role as the Sales and Marketing Coordinator with Climate FieldView™ seems as though it just fell perfectly into place.
January 23, 2019
This Is My Story - Marvin Talsma, Field Product Specialist
Marvin Talsma – a city boy who went back to his farming roots. Starting off at Western University studying history and politics, Marvin made his move into agriculture retail in his late teens.
January 16, 2019
Introducing FieldView™ Farmer Stories
We are excited to announce our new video series, FieldView™ Farmer Stories.
November 12, 2018
This is My Story - Andria Karstens, Climate Business Manager
Andria Karstens, the Climate Business Manager representing Southwestern Ontario, is a team player through and through.
October 26, 2018
This is My Story – Gary Csöff, Product Marketing Manager
When Gary Csöff recalls his earliest memories growing up on his parents’ farm in Walsingham, ON, it seems like he’s describing several different lifetimes.
September 27, 2018
Gauging Variability: Field-Level Comparisons Of Rain Gauge Measurements Versus FieldView Rainfall Estimates
Farmers often tell us that a challenge during this crucial time of year is deciding when their fields are dry enough and ready to work. As the focus on weather intensifies, farmers who use Climate FieldView™ often ask why our field-level estimates may dif
September 17, 2018
Harvest Help: Common Questions the Climate Support Team Fields
The phones in Climate Support have already starting ringing with harvest-related questions. The FieldView support team talks with farmers every day, making sure they’re on the right track to get the insights they need from their farm data. It’s a critical
September 6, 2018
This Is My Story – Jenna Metzger, Climate Business Manager
Jenna Metzger’s family has been farming so long, it’s hard to say for sure how many generations they go back. In fact, Jenna’s family – the MacDougalls – were recently recognized by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for carrying on the farm tradition
August 24, 2018
Partnership Spotlight: The Climate FieldView Platform and Deveron UAS Corp
If you’re already using the Climate FieldView platform, you’re likely taking advantage of the built-in satellite imagery features to manage your operation. This is a key benefit to the platform, though in some cases, it may be appropriate to go a little d
August 14, 2018
A Century of Ag Technology in Canada
Innovation in agricultural technology is a part of the farming tradition. These days, new technology is announced nearly every week, and it can be easy to lose track of how far we’ve come over the course of a single lifetime. From the introduction of gas
August 2, 2018
Digital Ag Advancements Enable Split-Planting Trials That Pay Off
On-farm field experimentation matters for the bottom line. Last year, farmers who ran split-planting field trials, with two different seeds planted side-by-side in the same planter pass, saw an average yield differential of eight bushels per acre.*
July 23, 2018
This is My Story – Troy Prosofsky, Climate Business Manager
When you talk to Troy Prosofsky, Climate Business Manager for Saskatchewan, the first thing you’ll notice is his passion for agriculture. You’d never know that a near-death experience was what set that passion in motion.
June 20, 2018
This is My Story – Lydia Parker, Field Product Specialist
As a young girl at home on her Ontario family farm, Lydia Parker never pictured a life working in tech. The product of six generations of farmers, Lydia knew she was destined to work in farming in some capacity.
May 11, 2018
“How Next-Level Field Health Imagery Helps You See Beyond The End Rows”
Growing up on a farm, I remember being so very ready for spring to arrive. With temperatures finally warming, equipment would start rolling down the roads and through the fields as farmers began tilling the soil and planting the year’s crops.
March 6, 2018
How Variable-Rate Seeding Can Increase Your Yield
Determining the optimal seeding density for your field is not an easy task, and field variability can make this an even tougher decision. That’s why knowing the optimal seeding rate for the highest yielding and lowest yielding areas of your fields can hav
October 4, 2017
Harvest Is On The Horizon: Are You Ready?
After a busy growing season of keeping an eye on all aspects of your crops, it’s time to focus on a safe and successful harvest. You may have read my recent blog post where I offered some helpful tips to consider as you begin to think about harvest this f
September 18, 2017
Into The Homestretch: Planning For Harvest
Fall will be here before we know it and after a growing season of careful scouting and adjusting inputs, harvest is just around the corner. We asked Luke Samuel, our Commercial Product Director, a few questions to help you start thinking about a productiv
August 15, 2017
Caution: iOS Upgrade Ahead - Don’t Move Until it’s FieldView Approved
When you roll into the field at harvest, we want to make sure FieldView is working optimally to collect your yield data for this season, so that crucial data isn’t lost, and so you can start using it right away to make decisions for next year.


Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi
Vintage 2017 – Record heat and drought
After 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 I was confident that we would have experienced a warm, dry vintage, though of course I was hoping that it wouldn’t be of a such remarkable level as the 2017 has turned out.
With the exception of the timeframe from October 13th to the beginning of November 2016 when we have had heavy rainfalls, basically from November 2016 till today Nov 3rd 2017 we have had no real rain, other than some rainstorm. So we didn’t have those rainy days that allow the soil to recover and the water resources to refill and get to a pretty good level.
Temperatures have also been always above average during the fall 2016, as well as in winter and beginning of spring 2017. We only had 15-18 days of wintertime in January, but the remaining of the winter was still too mild. This has caused an anticipated germination of the vines of about one month!
From late April to May 10th we had, instead, a time span of unusual cold and the frosting has slowed down the growth of the sprouts, thus reducing the advanced development of the vines to about three weeks. However, we noticed that the development was not uniform, because of the cold, and this was reported during May and June, when finally the plants have reach again their balance.
At Rocca di Montegrossi we luckily reported few damages from the frost, thanks to the high, well ventilated and dry position of our vineyards in addition to the many fires that we lit during the night that have mitigated the damaging effects of frost on the vines.
I had much concern for the continued drought associated with the high temperatures – about 3-4 °C above average - that followed the cold days of early May. But happily till July 25th the nights were pretty cool and therefore the vines have held up very well, thanks to the help of a good micro climatic situation and to a continued soil working, to reduce the evaporation and keep more humidity in the soil.
Additionally, I decided to pinch the tops out of the plants just once, instead of the usual two (if not three in some areas) pinching sessions, with the purpose of avoiding any further stress to the plants and also to provide more shade to the grape by leaving the grapevines on the plants instead of cutting them off. Obviously we also didn’t do any defoliation in August. We defoliated only a few, facing-east vineyards in mid September.
After July 25th the temperature was high during the night, too, and the vines have started to suffer a little bit. The rainfalls were scarce and near zero. This is the first vintage I remember by heart the amount of millimetres of rain that have fallen: 6 ml in the beginning of August, 11 ml on August 10th and 1.5 ml on August 19th. A meagre amount but it has allowed the vines to survive. Indeed the vines were still in an excellent condition till 21st-22nd August, with almost no damage of withering or burning.
I was truly satisfied considering what I was told about the situation in other areas. But the last wave of heat that has lasted till September 1st , with high temperatures also during the night, has “exhausted” the vines and we started to spot some damage on the grape, happily not a big amount.
On average about 5% of the grape was showing raisined grape on the most exposed side of the bunch. It was so sad to see this situation, despite we had been fighting like lions to avoid it. Anyways, like already said, it was rather limited.
With the only exception of the Malvasia grape for the Vin Santo, that was harvested the last days of August, I didn’t rush to harvest.
The damaged grape was by then already damaged and no rains could “revive” it, but all the remaining grape could still benefit from the forthcoming rains that have come, finally, from September 1st as well as from other rainfalls that have followed during the first fifteen days of September, with cool temperatures even lower than average.
This has allowed the grape to rebalance with regards of volume and sugars, as well as for the acidity. At the same time, to let mature the tannins, I didn’t want to harvest straight away, but I decided to wait for the grape to recover its march to maturation.
I noticed that most producers had already, inconceivably, finished harvesting by the 15th of September!!! A haste that can’t be positive.
Apart from the Rosato that was harvested from September 4th to 15th, we started the “real” harvest on September 14th with a first amount of Merlot and then from September 21st and 22nd, followed by the Sangiovese for the Chianti Classico flagship. At the end of the month the Sangiovese for the San Marcellino, and on October 2nd the Pugnitello.
The harvest was concluded on October 10th with the harvest of the second part of Pugnitello and the Cabernet. So, we have harvested during a pretty standard timeframe, maybe just slightly anticipated.
I think that this decision was well taken and the result was very good. I can’t consider this to be the best harvest ever, but certainly it is a pretty high quality. This high quality is for all varietals with no exception. Just the quantity is a little lower, though, even if there’s been no dramatic loss but just a - 4,4% than 2016.
Therefore, considering the climatic trend of the vintage I can only be grateful for the final result that we have achieved. I am also thankful to all my team in the vineyards and the agronomists, Stefano Dini and Dario Ceccatelli, with whom we always discuss and exchange opinions to hopefully reach the right balance.
All this has produced a wine that Attilio Pagli has several times commented with an enthusiastic satisfaction and for me this isalready a remarkable sign


CADE’s General Superintendence concludes opinion on transaction between Bayer and Monsanto
On 4 October, the General Superintendence of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense – CADE forwarded its opinion on the acquisition of Monsanto Company by Bayer Aktiengesellschaf for the Administrative Tribunal final analysis (Merger nº 08700.001097/2017-49).
According to the opinion of the General Superintendence, the transaction generates a significant horizontal concentration, especially in the markets of soybean seeds and transgenic cotton (biotechnology), important cultures to the country’s economy, since it merges two of the main competitors in the world, in an already significantly concentrated scenario and with high entry barriers.
Monsanto’s acquisition by Bayer could also increase the concentration level in both production and commercialization of soybean and cotton. The fact that most competitors operating in Brazil depends on these companies to obtain access to seeds’ biotechnology could also harm competition.
The biotechnology is an essential input to compete in the seeds’ markets, since genetically modified cultures are responsible for most of the Brazilian production.
According to the General Superintendence, the transaction also reinforces the vertical integration between the markets of biotechnology and production/commercialization of soybean seeds and cotton. The concerns are due to the companies’ capacity to determine the conditions to access biotechnology and the risk of adopting commercial practices that could hinder the competitors’ development.
The opinion also points out competition concerns related to a market where integrated solutions are frequent. In this specific case, the transaction results in the merger of two out of the three main players able to simultaneously innovate in biotechnology, genetic improvement of seeds and agricultural pesticides.
After the merger, Bayer would become dominant in central links of the production chain of the main cultures, strengthening the companies’ position in the downstream distribution, which raises competition concerns.
The merger case was forwarded to CADE’s Administrative Tribunal, which is responsible for issuing a final decision – approval, disapproval or the adoption of remedies. The Tribunal’s decision can be applied unilaterally or by means of an agreement with the parties.
The merger was notified on 20 April 2017 and CADE is legally due to issue a final decision within 240 days, which can be extended for 90 more days.


For any homeowners or property owners with a garden, it is often their pride and joy. A place where you can relax outside and put their own creative spin on the design and layout. Central to a good looking garden is a luscious green lawn that is maintained well and cut regularly. But what is key to achieving this?
The lawn mower industry is a very competitive space, with many manufacturer brands competing against one another to create machines that deliver flawless performance and are within budget for the majority of homeowners. Prominent manufacturers include Mountfield, Stiga, AL-KO, Husqvarna plus many more. This healthy competition helps contribute to the creation of many different varieties of lawn mowers.
From most garden machinery suppliers you will be able to find:
- Lawn tractors
- Robot lawn mowers
So what model of mower is the best for your garden?
There are numerous factors that will dictate which model of lawn mower would best suit your garden. These include the size of your garden, whether you have nearby power sources available, or even how busy your schedule is to find time for cutting the grass.
For homeowners who simply do not have enough time to regularly mow their lawn then robotic lawn mowers are the one for you. These genius machines do all the hard work for you and are capable of maintaining up to 320,000 sq ft. Simply set up the parameter for which the small robot will work within and the rest will take care of itself, leaving you with a freshly cut lawn. Click here for more information.
For those with a smaller sized garden a simple electric or cordless lawn mower would work well. If you have a nearby power source available then an electric mower saves any hassle of using petrol or charging a battery-powered model.
For large sized gardens a self-propelled mower often is not enough assistance which is why a ride-on model is the perfect option. Packed full of clever features, a ride-on model allows you to cover a large amount of ground with minimum fatigue.
How to get the striped finish look for your lawn?
If you ask someone to picture or describe the perfect lawn in summer they would likely include a description of the iconic striped finish. You can make this happen to your lawn courtesy of a rear-roller mower, typically found on rotary models. Stripes are added to the grass by the roller which flattens and bends the grass as you cut it.
What other machinery can help maintain your lawn?
Using a lawn scarifier on your grass is a great way to provide it with all the necessary means to receive all of the essential nutrients and water it requires to stay healthy. A lawn scarifier works by removing any unwanted thatch and moss that is clouding the surface and preventing crucial nutrients from reaching the roots of the grass.
A mulching lawn mower can also provide your lawn with important nutrients by placing cut grass back into the soil. The blade and mowing deck are designed to chop the grass numerous times before placing the clippings back into the lawn. A mower with a mulching capability is also seen as a faster alternative to bagging.
Ultimately, the options for purchasing a lawn mower are vast. Budget will dictate a large portion of the range you are shopping in, but make sure to compare models between various brands as they are likely to differ in both capability and price. There are many garden machinery suppliers like Horace Fuller who provide a great place to purchase the very best mowers and machinery from.


Bananas are difficult to breed because of its complex genetics, low genetic variability, polyploidy and the low levels of female and/or male fertility in most widely-grown triploid clones. Past efforts to develop East African Highland Banana (EAHB: Matooke) hybrids by the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) of Uganda in collaboration with IITA has led to the development of 27 EAHB hybrids called NARITAs. It took 18 years to generate these hybrids, and they present a significant progression from pre-existing cultivars.
Here we aim at improving the efficiency of this banana breeding pipeline and increasing the rate of delivering improved EAHB and another group of Highland Bananas, Mchare, with increased levels of pest and disease resistance, higher yields and better consumer acceptability. This involves widening the profile of female fertile parents through in-depth floral development studies at two locations with different agro-ecological conditions in Uganda and Tanzania, and under glasshouse conditions at KU Leuven, Belgium. The key factors limiting seed set in female fertile and sterile Matooke and Mchare varieties are being determined. Manipulation of the pollination techniques to improve fertilization efficiency and overcome fertilization impediments of Matooke and Mchare crosses are being explored. We are improving the male parent profiles through crossing the diploids within the NARO/IITA breeding programs. Improved diploids, imported from breeding programs in Brazil (EMBRAPA) and India (NRCB), are also being evaluated for novel traits, such as male fertility (by quantifying their pollen) and seed set. Targeted crosses between improved diploids and female fertile parents are leading to increased rates of production of hybrids with multiple desired traits. Consequently, thousands of Matooke and Mchare hybrids are being generated and evaluated for selection.
IITA, Tanzania, Uganda
University of Malaya, Malaysia
KU Leuven, Belgium


Every Year around the month of June, when the summer is at its peak, and everyone’s desperately waiting for rains, it’s a fun season at Alphonso.
We host camping + mango picking events at Alphonso. Here’s a quick glimpse of the mango picking season of 2016. We all camped at the site overnight and early morning, before the sun could shower its heat, we picked mangoes. It’s a fun activity for both kids and adults. Kids get to climb on ladders and easily reach the mangoes and adults can climb the trees, use a mango picking tool and pick mangoes.
We all are eagerly awaiting the 2017 season of Mangoes now!


Tuesday, July 30, 2019
The Mighty Dung Beetle
While the majority of the human population quivers at the thought of ingesting manure, the mighty dung beetle rises to the challenge, and uses the manure in unique ways. Without dung beetles, pastures would be overrun with manure and flies- and parasites would run amuck. IÃ¢â¬â¢m no expert but according to the Sustainable Parasite Management division at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, affectionately known as PU, the dung beetle is beneficial to our environment. They help keep the soil cleaner, reduce pollution and algae formation in our waters, and acts as an organic pooper scooper for our livestock farms. First letÃ¢â¬â¢s begin by identifying the different types of dung beetles. These meadow muffin munchers are divided into three classifications, Rollers, Tunnellers and Dwellers. The Rollers do just that.. they roll the prairie patties into smooth, round balls called brood balls. Then they roll the brood balls away to a more desirable location. Once the rollers find the perfect location for their new abode, they bury it into the ground. The female will lay a single egg into the brood ball and then coat and seal it with a mixture of dung, saliva, and of course, her own fecal matter. After the egg hatches, the baby dung beetle devours the dung and lives in the brood ball until it reaches maturity. Then there are the Tunnellers. They dig tunnels in the ground in depths of between a few centimeters to 1 meter. This is large enough for them to live and move around in. Once the tunnel has been dug, they pull the manure in to the tunnel and place it throughout. Inside their new home is where the female lays her eggs. Storing the manure underground helps keep it fresh and protects the growing babies from predators and parasites. The last of the waste managers are the Dwellers who live on top of the pasture patty. The female lays her eggs on top of manure piles, and the entire development from egg to adult takes place inside the pile. Dwellers are smallest of the three and they seem to like cow patties the best for raising a family. The adults can be found in fresh, moist droppings, while the babies are slowly growing in dung that is drying out. Now that you know a little about the different types of dung beetles, letÃ¢â¬â¢s see how they are drawn to manure. Dr.Ã Patricia Richardson, Research Associate at the University of Texas, states, adult dung beetles are drawn to manure by odor. Many are species-specific in that they prefer a certain type of animal manure. Just like people searching for the perfect home, the dung beetle will fly up to ten miles in search of just the right patty. They can attack dung pats within seconds after they drop. Some dung beetles will even hitch a ride near the tails of animals in anticipation of a deposit. Once drawn by the odor, the adults use the liquid contents of the manure for their nourishment. In addition; a single cow patty can attract 60-80 adult flies. That would be a lot of flies if it were not for the competitive dung beetle. With all of the rolling and tunneling and dwelling of the dung beetle, flies and other harmful parasites donÃ¢â¬â¢t have a chance. Our society isnÃ¢â¬â¢t the first to appreciate the contributions of the dung beetles. The scarab is in the roller family of dung beetles. Yep! The Egyptians have long been known to have a fascination with the dropping dwellers. Jewelry has been crafted and carvings have been drafted in admiration of our mighty dung friends. In summation while the dung beetle keeps the soil cleaner, reduces pollution and algae formation in our waters, and acts as an organic pooper scooper for our livestock farms, it is also important to understand by removing the dung pat from its original location, this helps cut down on the fly population which is attracted to the dung pat. By making tunnels this will increase soil capacity to absorb and hold water. Therefore one can see how the dung beetle is very important to our environment. So if you really look at it, the world would be a much smeller place if it were not for the tireless efforts of the dung beetles.


I come from a family that considers seeds as something sacred. Back in my father's day, our neighbours could sleep peacefully, because they knew that my father had a safe supply of seeds to plant. (Family farmer, Paraíba)
Seeds are a farmer's greatest heritage. They are the basis of agricultural production, and therefore, of the food supply of any nation. For ten thousand years, communities of small farmers, indigenous peoples and traditional peoples have freely improved and multiplied their seeds, making the exchange of seeds a moment of joining together and sharing between peoples and nations.
It is for this very reason that international agreements like the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) (Articles 5, 6 and 9) and the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) (Articles 10 c and 8 j) protect and encourage the strengthening of customary practices such as the on-farm storage, exchange, sale and improvement of seeds by farmers, practices that are fundamental for the conservation of the biodiversity and agrobiodiversity of the world's countries.
It is only over the last 40 to 50 years that seeds have become a big business; minor changes made by multinationals can now be patented, and seeds, which were always freely traded, have been privatized, and transferred from the hands of farmers – and therefore, the citizens of each country – into the hands of big corporations.
Today, with the development of genetically engineered (GE) seeds, corporations have developed a technology that gives them total and absolute control over seeds, turning small farmers and even large agro-industrial producers into hostages of the multinationals in order to obtain their seeds. Our food supply will be controlled by four or five companies that control more than 60% of the world seed market. This new technology is called Terminator.
My father always had the custom of storing seeds. He would plant one year, and then he would select seeds and shell them, all by hand. I remember that I used to help him, it was nice shelling the seeds like that. So imagine, with seeds like those, it would mean the end of a tradition that goes back years and years, because they couldn't be used again. (Family farmer, Paraná)
Terminator technology involves the genetic engineering of plants so that they produce seeds with sterile offspring, which therefore cannot reproduce. The scientific name for this is Genetic Use Restriction Technologies, or GURTs. Terminator seeds cannot be saved from one harvest and used to plant the next season, since they will not germinate, because they are dead.
It's as if we were also programmed to die. As if we knew that we were going to die at a determined moment. As if we were only here for a short time; once the harvest was finished, we would die. That's the way they're programming the seeds. (Family farmer, São Paulo )
What are the possible consequences of this technology?
An Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group was established by the United Nations to assess the potential impacts of GURTs on small farmers and indigenous and traditional communities, and concluded that they pose a serious threat to the food sovereignty and food security of these communities.
The possible impacts of Terminator technology identified in the group's report include the following:
- May reduce and limit traditional seed exchange practices
- May reduce the knowledge and local innovation capacity of local and indigenous communities for crop improvement
- Could reduce or negatively affect local agrobiodiversity, and result in a deterioration of indigenous knowledge systems
- May cause seed dependency or crop failure
- Could negatively and irreversibly create changes in the environment caused by gene flow between Terminator varieties and normal plants.
The most recent justification for the use of GURTs is that they can serve as a “biosecurity measure” to prevent the cross-contamination of conventional or organic plants by transgenic varieties.
This proposal is particularly perverse, since it could lead to the following scenario for small farmers and local communities. Even if we accept that there will be no continuity of contamination, the fact is that there is contamination in the first generation, and conventional or organic farmers whose crops are affected will lose their seeds from that point onwards, since they would be contaminated by Terminator varieties. In other words, while the contamination will not be passed on, it is precisely because the farmer's seeds that have been contaminated will also become sterile.
For these and other reasons, the 193 parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity established an international moratorium on Terminator technology or GURTs through Decision V/5 of the year 2000. This moratorium has been renewed in subsequent meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COPs) and its maintenance was supported by the Brazilian government at the last meeting, COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan in 2010, in line with Notice No. 10/DEMA/CGFOME/AFEPA/SEAN BRAS, issued by the Environment Division of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry on April 23, 2010.
This is a technology that takes away the autonomy of small farmers, because it will only strengthen the big companies that will produce the seeds. It will take away the possibility for farmers to select seeds and save them in the way they have traditionally done, the way they learned from their fathers, from their mothers, from their grandparents. (Family farmer, Maranhão)
What is the status of Terminator technology in Brazil ?
Brazil 's Biosecurity Law currently prohibits “the use, sale, registration, patenting and licensing of genetic use restriction technologies” (Law 11.105, Article 6) which involve the production of sterile reproductive structures or the activation or deactivation of fertility-related plant genes by external chemical inducers.
Nevertheless, despite the international moratorium and the current national prohibition, there are two bills in the Brazilian Congress aimed at authorizing the release of Terminator seeds in Brazil . Bill 268/07 was originally tabled by Senator Katia Abreu (Democratic Party-State of Goias) and is now sponsored by Deputy Eduardo Sciarra (Democratic Party-State of Parana). In 2009, Deputy Cândido Vacarezza (Workers' Party PT-State of Sao Paulo), who had never before been involved in the agricultural sector, introduced Bill 5575/09 which would allow the release of Terminator seeds. Last year, the Campaign for a GMO-Free Brazil revealed that the file of the text of the bill available on the Chamber of Deputies website had been originally drafted on the computer of an attorney from the Monsanto corporation! This clearly demonstrates the interests that are pushing for this proposed legislation. The bill has been highly challenged while making its way through the Chamber of Deputies, and now the creation of a special commission has been proposed to speed up the process.
First of all, there will be poverty. Because, just think about it, think about us, the small farmers, how do we make a living? From our own seeds! We can't buy seeds, we produce our own seeds, ourselves. So imagine the poverty this could bring about. Because farmers will not be able to plant the seeds they have, their own seeds. Instead of helping farmers, this will only bring more poverty. (Family farmer, Paraná)
I think that in Brazil there would be a very big impact from the loss of our seeds. Above all it would create dependence, since farmers would have to buy seeds every year from the multinationals. For us this would be a major step back in the cultural progress of our communities. And also because today, it is small farmers who sustain Brazil, and for us, who store seeds as soon as we harvest them, it isn't possible to buy new seeds every year. (Family farmer, Paraná)
In Brazil there is ever growing pressure for the approval of GE trees. Although these are viewed warily by the majority of parties to the CBD, the pressure exerted by a few countries succeeded in opening up the possibility for each country to decide on its own account and at its own risk whether to authorize their release. The risks are even greater, since the pollen from the trees travels much greater distances, increasing the threat of contamination. The increasingly greater demand for wood pulp and the advances in synthetic biology for research into the use of pulp as agrofuel has led the transnationals to further step up the pressure for the approval of transgenic eucalyptus, which is already under consideration by the National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio).
The approval of Terminator technology could be linked to this process, since one of the “arguments” for it, as we mentioned earlier, is that if all GE trees were also Terminator trees, this could prevent the contamination of other trees. However, according to researchers, the technology is highly unstable and subject to many flaws, and so even specimens programmed not to germinate could germinate anyway, maintaining the risk of contamination.
In both Brazil and other countries, there is a need for widespread social mobilization to stop the release of this technology at all costs. Beyond the obvious risks posed by genetically modified organisms (GMOs)in environmental, social and human health terms, the release of Terminator technology could represent a final sentence in terms of the total dependence of farmers on transnationals and the total control of the latter over agricultural and timber production in our countries, leaving the fate of our agriculture, our farmers and our food at the mercy of their economic interests.
The impact will be felt by the entire country, because it is a question of food security. Everything will be in the hands of a half dozen corporations in the world that dominate this technology, which places millions of people under dependency on this technology, and they are going to do whatever they want. We have never needed this; if we have managed to get to where we are today, it is because the way things have always been done, naturally, was the right way.(Family farmer, Santa Catarina)
By Julian Perez-Cassarino, Terminate Terminator Campaign, Brazil; and Larissa Packer, Terra de Direitos, Brazil.
*The testimonials were taken from the video “Terminator: sementes transgênicas da morte” (Terminator: Transgenic seeds of death); to acquire the video, contact: email@example.com


If you don’t believe Climate Change is real, then you must have been living under a rock! We need to stop or slow down the rate at which climate change is happening!
Climate change refers to changes in the Earth’s climate from the gradual rise in temperature caused by high levels of Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Climate change is caused by the enhanced Greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat.
660 thousand tonnes of plastic waste every year are created by Australians. 85% of soft plastics from bags and packaging ends up in landfill. The problem with plastic ending up in landfill is that it emits Methane and Carbon Dioxide. These are both potent greenhouse gases that contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect.
Solutions that are being implemented
Proposed solutions to the problem of plastic is using reusable bags, packaging, plates, bowls and cutlery! Buying consumables, clothing, essentials, anything for that matter that have minimal packaging. Using your reusable water bottles rather than buying plastic water bottles.
A solution that is mostly used today for companies that do takeaway food and drink is bio packaging. It keeps your food warm and is made from plants which “biodegrade”. But is bio packaging really an effective solution? Does this “biodegradable” packaging create more problems than it solves?
Indonesia and the production of bioplastics
Bio packaging is made using plants like, corn, cassava, sugar cane or beets which are then put through a milling process to extract the glucose (starch). The most widely used plant for bio packaging is corn.
Indonesia is used to plant the raw material such as corn used to produce the bioplastics. The big companies can easily find desperate people in need of work in developing countries and they can pay them low amounts to source the raw materials.
The soils of Indonesia are also very fertile. In Surabaya the capital of the Indonesian Jawa Timur province (East Java), a company that makes the bioplastics has paid people an inadequate amount of money to clear their land and farm corn.
Catrina Aniere is the CEO of Millennium Kids. Which is a not for profit environmental organisation run by kids. She has been to Indonesia and seen the clearing of land first-hand.
“I am really worried that in many poor communities in parts of Indonesia are growing corn in areas recently protected as forest.” Catrina said. “The land is cleared, and corn is grown in its place. Not only are the communities losing important forest and biodiversity these areas which were once protected are now adversely affected by floods which impact the area, soil is washed into rivers and crop areas become barren zones with impoverished landscapes unable to sustain new crops of corn and certainly won’t be able to be revegetated.”
Impact on the Environment
The clearing of the land by cutting down of trees has a massive impact on the environment. It greatly reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that is taken in from the atmosphere through photosynthesis by plants.
This results in more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Which leads to more heat being trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. Which has a knock-on effect on climate change.
It also causes soil degradation and erosion which occurs because there are no deep-rooted plants to keep the soil in place. When trees are removed and crops like corn are planted which are shallow root plants it means that the soil can more easily erode
There is less soil which means there is less between the surface and the water table which is salty. This will raise the pH levels of the soil and decreases its fertility.
“Poor people can only afford the land repayments if the crop is successful. With poor crop yields and erosion from flooding farmers will become indebted and be unable to repay the costs of land.” Catrina said. “The resulting treadmill of the need to buy fertiliser and biocides, and reduced production of their own food, coupled with highly volatile prices for inputs and the export crops, and inevitably declining soil fertility has been devastating for both small land holders and the environment, further entrenching the poverty.”
Deforestation also reduces the area where endangered animals on the island can live. Like the Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher which is critically endangered. There are only between 50-249 Javan Blue-banded King fisher’s left.
Is Bio Packaging Really Compostable?
There is a worrying misconception of public that bio packaging can be composted or recycled. The bio packaging can’t be composted by normal home composting. Currently a commercial composter to compost bio packaging is required.
Australia-wide there are only 9 industrial composters that can take the bio packaging from this particular company.
Some people put it in the normal bin hoping that it will be sorted and then be taken away to an industrial composting facility where it will be composted. This is not the case, as soon as you put it in the general waste bin it goes straight to landfill. It takes at least 40 years for the bio packaging to biodegrade in landfill and during the process it releases methane and carbon dioxide – so we’re back to a similar position as with normal plastic!
Some people also put the bio packaging in the recycling bin. However, Australia has no facilities to recycle the bio packaging and in fact putting bio packaging in the recycling bin could mean that recycling is “contaminated” and then all the recycling also ends up in landfill!
What Can We Do?
First and foremost, we should push for the company to get the building blocks of their bio packaging from sustainable sources and not to entice vulnerable people anywhere to clear their land. Developing countries have already cleared plenty of land to make room for crops with disastrous effects.
We should also push for the Australian Government to get recycling facilities that can recycle the bio packaging. Another idea is that there are special bins for bio packaging so it can be taken to the commercial composting facilities that can compost the bio packaging.
We should also support companies researching and developing bio packaging that is produced sustainably and is able to be composted in our normal composters that we have at home.
Catrina is “not convinced that any throw away items are a solution – the very fact that all the energy used to grow the plants, manufacture the product and them throw them away does cost us the Earth.” Catrina’s preference is to have “products that are good for people and the Earth and promote a circular economy model. I will take my own cup to the shop if I need a takeaway.”
What do you think?
Article written by Jacob.
Collins Dictionary2018, Collins Dictionary, viewed 6 March 2020, <https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/climate-change>.
Green, M 2013, Climate Change, viewed 7 March 2020, <https://www.mrgscience.com/44-climate-change.html>.
Mannix, L 2017, The compostable cup you can’t compost, and the trouble with our recycling system, The Sydney Morning Herald, viewed 13 March 2020, <https://www.smh.com.au/environment/the-compostable-cup-you-cant-compost-and-the-trouble-with-our-recycling-system-20170701-gx2kpu.html>.
Yeung, K 2018, Top 10 Indonesian Endangered Species, Indonesia Expat, viewed 13 March 2020, <https://indonesiaexpat.biz/lifestyle/top-10-indonesian-endangered-species/>.


Prefer to use the electric tiller to break hard soil into pieces.
Posted On March 19, 2021
If you want to have a healthy garden then the soil texture is considered as one of the important factors. The best garden tiller is very useful if you want to break up the hard pieces of soil. Extra efforts are required for gardening if you prefer to use manual tillers. The fine soil texture can be obtained if you use the best tiller for rocky ground. The comparison chart can be used by the users to find the products according to their requirements. You can easily break the hard soil into pieces if you prefer to use the electric tiller. If you just push the button of the tiller and squeeze then your yard is ready for planting so you can grow fruits and vegetables.
Choose the electric garden tiller:
The tilling widths are always adjustable so you can make the adjustments according to your choice. You can work with the best tiller for rocky ground effortlessly as the unit is very flexible. Regular maintenance is not required if you prefer to choose the electric garden tiller. You can find the soil with dirt and mud as the tiller is suitable for all types of soil. It is difficult to clean the tiller as you can find the small dirt clods between the lines.
The durability of the tilling blades:
The combined performance of the tiller can be found with the help of the best garden tiller. You can decide to recover an old lawn if you are planning to develop your new garden.
The maximum performance can be guaranteed as the tilling blades are always durable. The tiller is lightweight and you can get the desired length through the slow pace movement. The great garden bed can be created if you prefer to use the best garden tiller.


I must apologize. I have gotten behind on blog posts recently. If you regularly keep up with the happenings of Lab 207 you will have realized that it has been over 2 weeks since we had any new information from students. I'm trying to get caught back up. For today's AP Biology offering we step back into the past (3/26-3/30). In those good ole days we were studying plants. I myself, am not a huge fan of botany, but there were several students that found the subject to be at least intriguing. To get us back up to speed this week, we have past offerings from Marissa, Tarynn, and Srija.
This week in AP Bio was more about plants. We learned about the processes of xylem and phloem in the plant. There was also a lab we did that showed rates of transpiration under certain conditions. The labs are always somewhat challenging so of course there was a class discussion. We learned of the functions of certain hormones in the plant. We had study guides for each chapter to further help us understand concepts. Our study guides, lab, and discussions were all used to prepare us for a quiz on Monday. Hopefully everyone does well!
This week we went more in depth about the structures and fuctions about a plant. Angiosperms specifically was discussed more in depth as far as seed dispersal goes. Friday we discussed growth of plants and the negative and good that effects plant growth. Dealing with growth and functions of plants, we got more specific and identified how receptors recieve signals, then the signal is transducted to the relay molecules, and finally one of the molecules activates the signaled function. We did a lab that signified the varied rates of transpiration in plants in certain conditions. We discussed water potential in plants. Water potential is measured by MPa. The equation to measure water potential is PSI= PSIs + PSIp. Something to keep in mind was that water moves from high concentration to low concentration.
And Srija Concludes:
This week we talked about what I thought was pretty interesting- plants and their characteristics. Though I wasn't there for most of the lab, we also did Lab 9 on transpiration. I thought that the chemical responses and the hormones that the plants used was really cool. I liked the way that Auxin does a lot of things though I think the plant response system is pretty inefficient.
Look for more current posts in a couple of days.


Bamboo fibre is the new, softer, natural, greener, renewable and eco-friendly material of the 21st Century.
It is up to 3 times more absorbent than cotton, making it kinder for your skin and it is also naturally anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-static and because it is natural these properties will never wear out.
Bamboo thrives naturally in many regions in the world. It grows organically without the need for chemicals due to its natural bacterial resistant qualities. It is actually a fast growing grass, which produces more oxygen and absorbs more carbon dioxide than an equivalent stand of trees, making it an excellent sustainable and eco-friendly resource.
When harvested the extensive root system is left intact allowing for rapid self-generation while helping to prevent soil erosion.


👩🌾 Microlot Coffee - Farmers EthicHub 🌍
Mario Roblero and Hortencia Morales' coffee is a delicious example of the coffee production of La Soledad, in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. Mario and Hortencia grew up surrounded by nature and coffee plantations, which allowed them to learn everything about coffee and its production in harmony with the environment. Now, their dedication and effort have borne fruit and we can enjoy this wonderful coffee.
La Soledad is a hidden place in the mountains, at an altitude of around 1700 meters above sea level, which is reached after crossing rivers and walking up narrow paths. Its volcanic soil and climate are ideal for obtaining coffee with spectacular flavor and quality.
Mario and Hortencia's coffee has a score of 85.25 points on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scale, which indicates that it is a high-quality coffee with an exceptional sensory profile. This coffee has a smooth and balanced flavor, with notes of red fruits, chocolate and caramel, and a medium body. All this makes this coffee a unique experience and highly valued by lovers of quality coffee.
Purchase Mario Roblero and Hortencia Morales coffee to enjoy a high-quality cup of coffee and support the coffee-growing work of the La Soledad community in Tapachula, Chiapas. Each cup of this coffee is a sample of the passion and effort of a community that produces coffee in harmony with nature.
SENSORY PROFILE: Aroma: Hazelnut, sweet spices, clove Taste: Lemon, Cherry, Blueberry Body: Creamy, Silky Acidity: Citrus
| 250 grams


Anyone who enjoys gardening and is considering starting their own vegetable garden will find growing endive in their own backyard to be a rewarding experience. Just imagine a sunny corner in your garden, where you can grow your very own crisp and slightly bitter Endive. That sounds great, right? if you’re one of the novice gardeners, you might be asking yourself, “How do I grow endive?”. Well, endives are actually not that difficult to grow. Since it belongs to the same family as lettuce, it grows somewhat similarly. It grows quickly and easily as a cut-and-come-again crop because the plants require little space and can be harvested for their leaves in as little as a month, usually with two or more pickings before they begin to flower.
Let’s explore the world of endive gardening and learn how to grow this leafy delight in your own backyard step by step with ReadZiD.
Before planting endives there are three basic essential things to take care of. They are-
Preparing The Soil:
It is ideal to grow endive plants in full light at 60°F. Although in the summer it can handle some shade. Select an area that will receive at least 6 hours each day of direct sunlight. These plants need soil that is wet, well-drained, and rich in organic content. Until you are ready to plant, keep the space free of weeds by completely pulling them out, loosening them up with a little digging, and covering the ground between the rows with aged animal dung or compost mulch. If you want to grow them in heavy soil, consider planting in an 8-inch-tall, 3-foot-wide raised bed.
Choosing The Perfect Type of Seed:
Endive comes in a wide range of appealing colors, sizes, and leaf forms, with numerous variants available for each kind. Some types grow better as cut-and-come-again crops, while others grow better as full heads, and some cultivars self-blanch. As sowing and harvesting times differ according to the variety, you should read the information on the packet before planting seeds.
You can pick between two varieties of endive:
- Batavian or Escarole – These have broad, flat, big leaves in a range of hues. They are more durable and advantageous for harvesting in the winter.
- Curly or Fringed Frisée – These have a lovely, loose rosette of frilly, thin leaves that are perfect for salads in the summer. They typically have a higher heat tolerance.
When to Plant Seeds?
It’s ideal to plant endive in April or May, three weeks before your last frost date. For a fall harvest, plant a fall crop in the late summer by sowing seeds or transplants. You can also start seedlings indoors three to four weeks before your planting date to get a head start on the season.
Endive seeds do not need any pre-sowing treatment such as soaking or stratification. You can plant its seeds right in your garden at a depth of 5mm and a spacing of 20-30cm. The soil should be kept moist but never dry or wet.
At a soil temperature of 15–18 °C, endive seeds should begin to sprout in 4–7 days. Once established, seedlings can be moved into the garden after being raised in trays or other containers. Young seedlings need to be protected from pests, animals, and weather before that. The time when seedlings are typically 5–10 cm tall, have their first genuine leaves and are large enough to handle. transplant them to the garden. You can sow them both indoors and outdoors.
- Sowing indoors:
You can get a head start and earlier harvests by sowing indoors. Pick bolt-resistant cultivars for early sowings and keep them indoors until well into spring because endive plants tend to bolt, or begin flowering prematurely if exposed to temperatures below 5°C (41°F) for an extended period of time.
The first sowings can be started indoors in pots or modules as early as February, and the young plants can be transplanted outside in late spring. To ensure that plants grow consistently, harden them off carefully. In order to transplant your small batches of seeds outdoors throughout the spring and summer, you can either sow them outside starting in April.
- Sowing outdoors:
From April through August, you can sow endive seeds outdoors in rows that are 30 cm apart, and 1 cm deep. As the seedlings ripen, gradually thin them out until they are spaced 23-38 cm apart, depending on their final size. From early spring until late summer, sow endive seeds outside once the soil is warm enough. Alternatively, seedlings can be started inside or under a cloche or fleece. For continuous harvests, sow little batches every few weeks.
You should take good care of the plants if you want to get the best results from this leafy green vegetable. To prevent drying out and lessen bitterness before harvest, endives should be routinely watered, mulched, fertilized, weeded, and blanched.
- Watering Seedlings and Plants:
In particularly warm climates and well-draining soil, you should water endive seedlings and plants regularly. Because dry soil can cause plants to bolt, resulting in crop failure. Water the soil when it dries out around 5 cm below the surface. By removing a small bit of soil with your finger, you may verify this.
Water deeply in the early morning or late afternoon. To avoid fungus infections, avoid watering plant leaves. When you are growing endive in containers, remember to water on a daily basis because the small amount of compost may dry out quickly, especially in the summer.
- Applying Mulch:
Use a thick layer of mulch, such as well-rotted manure or garden compost, around endive plants, to preserve moisture in the soil and keep weeds at bay.
- Feeding or Fertilizing:
In general, endive doesn’t need to be fed, however, on light soils or while growing in a container, you can apply a general-purpose liquid feed twice a week during the summer. No further fertilizer should be required if the soil is properly prepared. In poor soil, a high-nitrogen fertilizer or one designed for leafy greens or herbs might be beneficial, as can giving your plants a boost. When transplanting or once seedlings reach a height of 5 to 10 cm, you can use a slow-release fertilizer.
Weeds compete for water, nutrients, and sunlight with your plants. So to limit the competition for water, light, and nutrients, keep endive plants weed-free. I am quite sure that you don’t want to waste all that good soil on weeds when you’ve undoubtedly worked hard to make your land more fertile, right?
- Blanching the Endive Plants:
Blanching endive plants basically means covering them to block light. Usually, this is done to remove the bitterness from the leaves and restore the endive’s traditional yellow/white color. As a result, the leaves will gain a softer, more delicate texture.
There are several methods for blanching.
- Like, you need to fold the outer leaves over the middle of the plant and bind them with string a couple of weeks before harvest.
- Another way is to put a tile, piece of cardboard, or dinner plate over the plant’s core to create the recognizable “sunburst” appearance.
- The most common one is to cover the entire head with a bucket or a huge plastic pot with any drainage, about 10 days before harvest, which works just as well.
You should make sure of the fact that the leaves are completely dry before blanching to prevent rotting. When done, the central leaves should be much paler and fragile. Blanching typically takes two weeks, but it could take longer in cooler autumn weather. Only a few plants should be blanched at a time since they need to be utilized right away because they lose their quality quickly afterward, especially in warm or wet weather.
How to Harvest Endive:
In around 90 days, your endive will be ready for harvest. The leaves will be lush and green. Harvesting shouldn’t be put off because the leaves could turn harsh and bitter. The leaves at the plant’s base should be removed before harvesting. When gathering leaves, pinch off the outer leaves while keeping some on the plant for future development. You can just cleanly pluck or use gardening shears.
Pick when you need it because once harvested, it won’t last very long. If you harvest a head in the morning, it will last longer. This is due to the fact that plants ‘breathe in’ and absorb moisture at night and ‘breathe out’ and release moisture during the day. You can keep leaves in the refrigerator for a limited time in a perforated plastic bag.
Diseases and Issues That Frequently Affect Endive Growers Include:
Like many plants, endive is prone to a variety of pests, illnesses, and other issues. The most typical issues you could run into when growing endive plants are listed below:
- Bitter taste:
Plants that grow too slowly, experience a growth setback, or are picked too late may all contribute to the bitter taste. Harvest the plants when they are still young and sensitive. Before planting, amend the soil with aged manure. Deeply water the plants frequently.
When a plant blooms too early and sets seed, it is said to be bolting. A time of unfavorable weather could cause bolting. Only plant seeds when there is no longer a risk of frost or when it is exceedingly hot outside. Water plants thoroughly and frequently in hot weather to prevent heat stress.
- Unformed head:
Typically, warm weather or plants that develop too slowly without enough water or nutrients are to blame. Make sure the endive you are cultivating has the ability to generate heads. Endives should be grown in autumn and spring in warm climates to avoid excessive heat. Make careful to apply enough compost or fertilizer and to water frequently.
Endive Common Disease:
The most common diseases of endive include :
- Type and cause:
It is a fungal type disease that is caused by a fungal plant pathogen named Microdochium panattonianum.
- How to identify:
You will notice Dry spots that are small, irregularly shaped, and gray to tan in color on the leaves which can result in dead tissue. The affected leaf might wither if it has a lot of spots. Large necrotic patches may form as lesions coalesce, making the leaves yellow and wilt. In dry centers, lesions may split or crack.
To keep this disease under control, you must refrain from overhead watering. You shouldn’t overcrowd plants and ensure adequate air circulation. Reduce soil compaction to improve drainage. When plants are wet, avoid working around them. Besides this, you can weed out all cruciferous plants that could serve as a fungus reservoir.
Bacterial Soft Rot:
- Type and cause:
It is a bacterial disease that is caused by a bacteria named Erwinia spp. The Enterobacteriales bacterial genus Erwinia includes gram-negative bacteria related to Yersinia, Shigella, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli as well as a majority of plant pathogenic species.
- How to identify:
This bacterium thrives in cooler temperatures. This results in spots of brown water-soaked foliage that eventually turn yellow. If you observe carefully you will notice that the surface of lesions typically cracks and exudes a slimy liquid. It turns tan, dark brown, or black when exposed to air.
Since there are no chemical remedies for bacterial soft rot, cultural practices are the only means of control. You must get rid of the infected plants if you want to solve this issue. Avoid watering from above and try your best to avoid damaging heads during harvest. When plants are wet, stay away from them.
- Type and cause:
Bottom Rot is caused by Rhizoctonia solani, a fungus that can survive indefinitely.
- How to identify:
In this disease, lower leaves of the endive develop small red to brown spots on their undersides that can quickly spread, causing the leaves to rot. Leaf lesions may ooze an amber-colored liquid. As the lettuce head’s stems rot, it turns slimy, brown, and collapses; infected tissue may show a tan or brown mycelial growth.
The most effective way to treat this disease is to apply fungicides along with cultural control. Before planting, plow the ground properly. You should rotate your crops on a regular basis. Try to choose varieties with erect growth habits to minimize leaf contact with the ground.
- Type and cause:
It is a fungal disease that is caused by Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani which is actually a fungal growth that reaches seeds or tender seedlings from the soil.
- How to identify:
In this disease, the main symptom is poor seedling germination. Seeds may not germinate or young plants may start to rot as they emerge from the earth, turning mushy and soft at the base before dying. Sooner or later, you’ll notice young, brown-colored, decomposing roots.
In order to prevent this disease, you can plant pathogen-free seeds or transplants grown in sterilized soil. Treat seeds with a fungicide to eradicate any fungi or wait until the soil is warm before planting seeds shallowly.
- Type and cause:
Bremia lactucae is the cause of downy mildew. It is an obligate oomycete parasite which is a species that only develops on the tissues of living plants.
- How to identify:
This fungus causes young leaves to lose moisture and fall off. Eventually, both sides of the leaves develop whitish-gray patches on their undersides. Because of this older leaves develop a papery texture.
The main methods of disease control involve the use of fungicides and the planting of resistant varieties. You should refrain from overhead watering to stop this. Don’t overcrowd plants and make sure there is enough air circulation.
Aphids are sucking insects that are greenish, red, black, or peach in color and feed on the undersides of leaves that might spread disease. They create a sticky coating on the foliage that ants love.
To control this, introduce or attract natural predators such as lady beetles and wasps that feed on aphids into your garden. You can also use a powerful spray or insecticidal soap to remove them.
- Cabbage Looper:
These worms are roughly 1-1.5 inches long and green with a white stripe on either side. They make their way through the heads.
You should choose them by hand. Floating row coverings can help prevent eggs from being laid on the plants.
- Flea Beetles:
These little hopping beetles feed on plant foliage and have the potential to spread illness.
To control this, plants from a different plant family can be used to rotate crops. To stop young foliage from being harmed, use floating row coverings.
- Leaf miners:
These insects bore just beneath the surface of the leaf, causing uneven serpentine lines. The larvae are little black and yellow flies, while the adults are yellow cylindrical maggots. They normally do not destroy plants, but they do disfigure the foliage.
To control this the only thing you can do is to remove affected foliage.
- Slugs and snails:
These are mollusks that feed largely at night on fragile leaves and shoots, leaving slime trails behind them.
To protect your endive from slugs and snails you need to remove garden trash and weeds to practice good garden sanitation. You can plant debris to improve airflow and lessen the amount of moisture that slugs and snails need to survive. You can also sprinkle eggshells or wood ashes around plants.
In conclusion, growing an endive from seeds is an easy and satisfying process. By following these easy instructions, you can harvest an abundance of crisp, fresh endive leaves directly from your garden and enjoy the delectable flavor of homegrown, organic endive in your salads and dishes. Happy gardening!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the ‘scatter seed’ method applicable for planting endives?
Definitely, roughen the soil, scatter the seeds over the top in a uniform layer, and then quickly smooth the earth back over the seeds to cover them.
- Can you eat endive sprouts?
Yes, but make sure to get rid of any hulls the seed did not scatter.
- Why are the leaves blanched?
Blanched endive has a milder flavor than raw endive.
- Is it possible to cook endive?
Yes, but instead of cooking endive, we advise growing it as a salad green.


Where it all beganAs I was watching my weekly fix of Oklahoma Gardening on TV I was struck by a segment on the Oklahoma Food Bank and others desperately needing fresh produce. The brief segment, aimed at home gardeners, asked them to donate their extra crops to their local food bank.
At the time I had already been taking my extra produce, mainly cantaloupe & tomatoes, to a Faith Based student group at a local college that operates on 100% donated food. When they don’t have food, they can’t operate and people miss meals.
I realized that I had been called to do more. In the beginning I thought it was to just plant some extra plants. Then I realized that using my God given gifts, I needed to raise awareness and enlist others in this worthy cause. Alone I am limited by what I can physically plant and harvest, but united we can do so much more. Together, we can make a substantial impact on hunger and health across America.
I’m not talking about ditching the grass and filling your backyard with food producing plants, just planning a few extra plants and donating those crops. Even if you don’t have a yard, you can make an impact by container gardening indoors or out.
By utilizing the information this blog aims to provide, we will have fun and be more efficient gardeners. Saving time and money, though healthy organic gardening practices we will grow and give more.
Please join us!


A farm it is then
20 July 2012 Schleitheim Farm
We live on a farm. It’s probably not what your thinking. There’s no big red barn. There are no rolling fields of corn or hay. And there are no sheep dogs to call on. Since we have no sheep why would we need the services of a sheep dog?
No, that’s not quite our farm.
Our garden is simple. Why make it more than we can handle? It’s surrounded by some chicken wire on posts. And one day we may just have a scarecrow in there. We’ll need something. The squirrels got all the melon plants.
At the moment there are rows, running north and south, of earth with some compost and amendment. Some of those rows have tomatoes, eggplants and onions fighting gravity. The rest are waiting. See, we’ve only finally gotten the irrigation problem solved there. Most of it anyway.
The grapes there, just to the west of the onions but outside of the chicken wire, are doing okay now. We almost lost them. They’re babies, new to this growing thing. Just like us. But, the three of them should produce some delicious fruit next year.
And the raised beds? Those are for the strawberries. They were too late for this year, but if you look real close you’ll spot a few berries. They’re still trying. Oh, don’t tell Kimbrah but the kids and I planted some watermelon seeds in one of the empty beds. We don’t expect much from those, but we’ll give them a chance.
Now the orchard. You’ll love the orchard. You may not think it much to look at now, but you can’t just look at what you have. One thing you learn to do quickly as a farmer is change what you think when it comes to efficiency. It may be another year or two before some of the trees produce real fruit. And while that’s inefficient by the world’s standards, that sure is the efficient way God set things up. You might see just leaves and twigs on short stumps. But a farmer sees the pies, the jams, the cobblers, the tarts, the lemonades, and even the sticky fingers from eating an orange plucked right off the branch. In their time, the walnuts, pistachios, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, cherries, persimmons, pomegranates, apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, pluots, apricots, grapefruits, tangelos, oranges, etrogs, lemons, limes, figs, and olives will all do their part.
Did I not mention the yautia? Now that’s a special one. Not likely to find many of those in our zone. It’s a tropical tuber, found in Central and South America, and the Caribbean. I was able to acquire some direct from my homeland. But, I won’t bother you with the details now. Another time.
The chickens, geese, and ducks roam free. While we never lack for eggs, our original batch of chickens haven’t started laying yet. Because of this or that reason, we’ve received older hens that were already laying. Our hatchlings (well, hatched at McMurray Hatchery and shipped to us; still odd to think about) are still biding their time. Oh, when they do, though. I’ll have to get an Eggs For Sale sign prepped.
And the sheep? Well, I mentioned that already. We do want to have goats, cows, and possibly pigs and sheep. A horse? Well, maybe if we snatch up the 2 acres north of us, and those other two right behind us. Would be nice.
The farmers here are much like the farm: simple, imperfect, a work in progress, needing time and patience, dirt and clay that just needs some tilling and amendment to make it healthy and productive.
Our faith, Christians of the Anabaptist ilk, drives what we do here. This farm really isn’t ours. We’re just the farmers. And this farm isn’t just for us. While we are becoming more self sufficient and gaining more freedom, we are also wanting to:
- help families in our immediate community with food and resources
- help families in our extended community (Bakersfield) with food and resources
- educate anyone interested in doing something like us (but better of course) with raising chickens (especially for our urban brothers and sisters), having a garden, and supporting others
- provide chickens and small coops for those wanting to raise their own; or even ducks
- support the creation, maintenance, and promotion of community gardens/farms, especially on church properties (I’ll be writing more about this one; a cataclysmic issue for me)
We would never consider this a ministry, though others may. We are simply living. Trying to be simple. Trying to till the soil. Trying to be obedient. Trying to be patient. Trying to be loving. Trying to keep it all sustainable, long lasting and long producing. Trying to allow the Way of Jesus to dictate or choices, not the the way of the world. Trying to be an example. Trying to show people that you don’t have to be in bondage to the world, to the economy, to the government, to politics. Trying to show that we don’t have to be too busy; in fact we must not be too busy. Trying to shun the idol of money and live by Kingdom economics and be willing to share our time and resources.
We don’t have it all together. We need as much an education on farming as the next rookie. But we’re trying and every day is an adventure.
We do have some major, more immediate needs:
- probably the most important: some regular farm hands willing help out, whether your know about farming/gardening or nothing at all; Kimbrah’s has been having some health issues and an extra hand or five would be a great blessing
- we still need to finish fencing in our property; need an extra 150 ft. or so of the no-climb fencing
- better lighting around the house to discourage four legged predators, and two legged ones, at night
- a real fort or play area for the kids
- more and better fencing around the garden to keep out the rabbits
- to run a water line to the back of the property
- to set up a drip system for the trees in the back
- chicken processing materials
- cheese making materials
- an outdoor dog that will protect the kids and the animals
We also have minor needs. More like projects I will get to when I can:
- pond with a creek for the geese and ducks
- replace the roofing on the current chicken house (only a temporary roof on there now)
- outdoor pizza oven
- garage area
Some of that we need money for. Some only the materials. Some just time. Some a helping hand or two.
Our focus now, doing what we can, is getting the farm established. The till the soil and get a rythm and flow going. Then we’ll step out more.
If you’d like to visit us, let us know. If you want to help, have something to teach us, want to learn from us, have resources that could help us, let us know.


The hydrangea cuttings I took from around the garden are growing steadily much to my delight. I took about 30 cuttings, I am hoping that around 50% or more will make it through the winter, producing some gorgeous hydrangeas at a fraction of the price.
I'm over wintering them in the poly-tunnel, so far so good. There have been a couple of deep frosts already in early January and quite a bit of Brittany rain, but the tunnel is providing a good source of protection.
Coffee grounds add extra acidity to the soil around hydrangeas, which can result in pretty clusters of blue flowers, I look forward to trying this out with my left over coffee grounds. Also bananas are a good supplement for growing hydrangeas, the potassium helps to promote vigorous growth and flowering. My daily banana skin can also be put to good use.


Acquisition of Vineyards
The acquisition of vineyards was the initial step of this project. Factors such as the region's climate and soil, the quality of the grapes, the property's production history and the available infrastructure were carefully evaluated. The costs involved in the acquisition and the investments necessary for production were rigorously considered. Having outlined the business plan with clear goals and strategies for the production, marketing and distribution of the wine.
The first production of Dezoito by Maniche wines is launched on the market in 2018, following a rigorous production process, which included the choice of the grape varieties that gave rise to the blend, as well as the traditional harvest and treading to which the red grapes were subjected and the aging process of wines in barrels.
As a logical consequence of the brand's growth process, the market positioning and the production of superior quality wines, produced with selected grapes and subjected to a longer aging process in French oak barrels, were reconsidered. Reserve wines result from the use of better grapes, which generally come from older vines or vineyards with lower yields, resulting in more concentrated grapes with a more complex flavor and aroma. The production of these wines requires a significant investment of time and resources, resulting in a premium product.
Eco-innovation and Sustainability
Committed to the concept of Eco-Entrepreneurship, the Dezoito by Maniche brand started a new business model that advocates obtaining eco-products from winery waste, using innovative digital processes.
The wines of the first production were awarded with several national awards and with the silver medal of the prestigious organization Paris Wine Cup.
Winner of the Gold Medal at the 3rd Douro Wine Contest 2023.


- Is peeing standing up harmful?
- Is urine a compost activator?
- Is it OK to put moldy food in compost?
- Does human urine kill plants?
- Why does human pee kill grass?
- Is human urine good for anything?
- Is human urine good for compost?
- Is female urine good for plants?
- Should a compost bin be in the sun or shade?
- Is human urine good for roses?
- What plants benefit from human urine?
- Is Pee good for your skin?
- Is urine good for tomatoes?
- Is soapy water good for plants?
- What is urine made of?
- Can I use urine as fertilizer?
- What happens if you pee on plants?
- What is the best homemade fertilizer?
Is peeing standing up harmful?
Physicists have found that peeing standing up significantly increases the velocity of the stream and potential for backsplash, amounting to less hygienic, more bacteria-filled bathrooms.
So if dads are not going to pee sitting down for their prostates, than they can do it for their partners..
Is urine a compost activator?
Urine has been long-established as a free compost “activator” (aka “liquid gold”), because it’s full of nitrogen, but there are other benefits too. … Presumably the pee-soaked straw will be added in layers to the Hall’s existing compost heaps.
Is it OK to put moldy food in compost?
Answer: You can add moldy food (vegetables and fruits only) to a backyard composting bin anytime. Mold cells are just one of the many different types of microorganisms that take care of decomposition and are fine in a backyard bin.
Does human urine kill plants?
It’s been mentioned that you have to dilute urine like crazy-pants to ensure that it’s safe for the garden, because the acids contained therein will burn and kill your plants if you use it full-strength. You can, however, use that full-strength pee on weeds that you don’t want in your garden.
Why does human pee kill grass?
But pee also is high in salt and could burn and kill plants at full strength. … “Urine is simply too concentrated for most plants to withstand when either applied to the leaves or even to the soil around especially younger plants.”
Is human urine good for anything?
There’s no scientific evidence to support claims that drinking urine is beneficial. On the contrary, research suggests that drinking urine can introduce bacteria, toxins, and other harmful substances into your bloodstream. It can even place undue stress on your kidneys.
Is human urine good for compost?
People have been using manure as fertilizer for millennia. But scientists now believe they can turn human urine into liquid gold—as composting material. The premise is simple: Pee is rich in nitrogen, which plants desperately need.
Is female urine good for plants?
Human urine provides an excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and trace elements for plants, and can be delivered in a form that’s perfect for assimilation. With a constant, year-round and free supply of this resource available, more and more farmers and gardeners are making use of it.
Should a compost bin be in the sun or shade?
A worm bin is best placed in the shade. … As for a regular compost bin, direct sunlight does not cause the compost pile to heat up. The microbes working busily inside the compost are why the pile heats up. With this in mind, keeping your compost bin in the shade will decrease water evaporation.
Is human urine good for roses?
Enjoying a call of nature over a bouquet of daffodils or roses may seem bizarre, but scientists say cut flowers last up to twice as long when given a combination of aspirin and urea – the chemical found in human urine. Horticultural experts tested how long a bunch of cut gerberas would last using various treatments.
What plants benefit from human urine?
“It is totally possible to use human urine as a fertilizer instead of industrial fertilizer,” says Heinonen-Tanski, whose research group has also used urine to cultivate cucumbers, cabbage and tomatoes.
Is Pee good for your skin?
“Urine is high in urea, which is a natural exfoliant that helps soften skin and break down the top layer of skin cells,” says Dr. Gohara.
Is urine good for tomatoes?
Apparently, human urine works remarkably well as a fertilizer for tomatoes, according to a new study out of Finland. … Plants fertilized with a mixture of stored human urine and wood ash produced 4.2 times more fruit than plants without the pee, the study found.
Is soapy water good for plants?
Soapy wash water from dishes or laundry will help keep plants alive in an emergency, but you should be aware of certain possible problems. Chlorine. Bleaches commonly contain chlorine, which can damage plants, particularly if it touches the foliage.
What is urine made of?
Pee is your body’s liquid waste. It’s mainly made of water, salt, electrolytes such as potassium and phosphorus, and chemicals called urea and uric acid. Your kidneys make it when they filter toxins and other bad stuff from your blood.
Can I use urine as fertilizer?
Urine can be used as a fertiliser without fear it will fuel the spread of antibiotic resistance, researchers have revealed – although they urge caution against using fresh bodily waste to water crops. Urine is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus and has been used for generations to help plants grow.
What happens if you pee on plants?
Excess urine in the soil can introduce toxic levels of nutrient into the soil and thus kill the plant as seen in the case of urine fertilizer; the large amount of nitrogen is the main concern. A rule of thumb is that the toxic level of nitrogen is approximately four times the normal fertilization rate.
What is the best homemade fertilizer?
Here are 8 of our favorite DIY fertilizers for a variety of needs.Grass Clippings. If you have an organic lawn, make sure to collect your grass clippings to use on your gardens. … Weeds. … Kitchen Scraps. … Manure. … Tree Leaves.Coffee Grounds. … Eggshells. … Banana Peels.More items…


AUTOPOT SINGLE MODULAR SYSTEMS 15L POTS
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The Autopot System is extremely versatile and can be used for a wide range of plant types and sizes. Seasonal flowering plants and perennial shrubs thrive and produce an abundance of blooms and foliage because of the unique action of the AQUAvalve, which is designed to allow the plant to go through a wet & dry cycle.
The Autopot module is extremely versatile and can be used in the greenhouse, polytunnel, garden or home to water and feed your plants whether using hydroponics or any medium of your choice. It offers an easy and efficient watering system for tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies and all manner of crops whether edible or ornamental.
Whatever medium you choose the Autopot system caters for gardeners and growers of all abilities guaranteeing great results. The Systems are easily extended so many pots can be linked to a single tank. The pots & trays can be easily moved at will, if the plants grow too large they can be spaced further apart with ease. Once set up and a tank is filled with water & liquid feed this extremely versatile system will completely take care of all your plants needs. The 1Pot module is the number one best seller for AutoPot in the UK Hydroponics market and performs extremely well in both national and international horticultural trials.
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