Category Archives: food & kitchen gardening

Drinking the Blues

Posted on September 15, 2009 by John Walker

As concern grows over the pollution of drinking water by metaldehyde slug pellets, what role are pellet-happy gardeners playing, and why aren’t our gardening media mentioning it? By John Walker. Published in Kitchen Garden, September 2009. What’s a quick way … Continue reading →

Posted in allotments, eco gardening, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, garden centres & gardening industry, gardening footprint, green gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, pollution, published articles, renewable gardening, soil, water & 'water footprints', weedkiller residues | Leave a comment

New Sárpo ‘Superspud’ Varieties Point the Way Toward Low-Carbon Gardening

Posted on August 24, 2009 by John Walker

Exceptional resistance to late potato blight and virus diseases, high yields, even in poor soils, weed-smothering tops (haulms), drought resistance, and a long storage period. What more could you ask of the humble spud? By John Walker. Published on Landscape … Continue reading →

Posted in allotments, blight-resistant 'sárpo' potatoes, carbon footprint, ecological footprints, ecological sustainability, energy use, environment, food & kitchen gardening, fossil fuels, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, published articles | Leave a comment

Global Greenhouse

Posted on August 15, 2009 by John Walker

A new greenhouse can unleash your plot’s growing potential, but the altered climate it brings has plenty to teach us about caring for a far larger, shared greenhouse. By John Walker. Published in Kitchen Garden, August 2009. It’s just topped … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change & global warming, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, eco gardening, energy use, food & kitchen gardening, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, packaging, pesticides in the garden, published articles | Leave a comment

Worth Every Penny

Posted on May 15, 2009 by John Walker

For real gardening know-how, ideas and inspiration, forget magazines, books, TV programmes or pricey celebrity advice, and go visit an organic garden. And how about opening up your own? By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, May 2009. … Continue reading →

Posted in climate- & earth-friendly gardening, eco gardening, food & kitchen gardening, green gardening, open gardens, organic gardening, published articles, tv gardening & celebrities | Leave a comment

How Many Beans in a Butt?

Posted on April 15, 2009 by John Walker

What can you do to stop life-giving supplies of water in distant lands from drying up? Grow your own food, of course. By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, April 2009. Now, here’s a question: how many full … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological footprints, ecological sustainability, energy use, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, organic gardening, published articles, rainwater harvesting, water & 'water footprints' | Leave a comment

How Many Apples?

Posted on March 15, 2009 by John Walker

Becoming ‘food secure’ and curtailing climate change by growing our own makes a great sound bite, but where is the evidence to back it up? By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, March 2009. An apple a day … Continue reading →

Posted in allotments, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change & global warming, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, fossil fuels, mail order, media, organic gardening, peak oil, pesticides in the garden, published articles, resilience | Leave a comment

We Shop, Planet Drops

Posted on January 15, 2009 by John Walker

Prudent use of natural resources is at the core of gardening organically, so why is the nation’s head gardener urging us to shop? By John Walker. Published in Organic Garden & Home, January 2009. It’s time to grab your wallets … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, climate change & global warming, ecological footprints, energy use, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, fossil fuels, garden centres & gardening industry, gardening footprint, glyphosate, greenwash, media, organic gardening, overconsumption, pollution, published articles, tv gardening & celebrities | Leave a comment

Friends With the Earth?

Posted on November 15, 2008 by John Walker

To cut carbon emissions and help stabilise our climate, gardeners must see gardening as a force for environmental good. We should start by turning lawns into food gardens. By John Walker. Published in The Garden, November 2008. When it comes to … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, carbon footprint, energy use, environment, ethics, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, fossil fuels, garden centres & gardening industry, gardening footprint, greenwash, nature & the natural world, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, published articles, tv gardening & celebrities | Leave a comment

Hearts and Trowels

Posted on November 15, 2008 by John Walker

Is mismatched leadership and a lack of joined-up campaigning hindering attempts to rouse the nation’s gardeners to grow ultra-local, organic and truly sustainable food? By John Walker. Published in Organic Gardening, November 2008. Despite my lousy maths, I’ve been doing … Continue reading →

Posted in climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological footprints, environment, food & kitchen gardening, food miles, media, open gardens, organic gardening, published articles, tv gardening & celebrities | Leave a comment

Renewable Gardening

Posted on October 15, 2008 by John Walker

Just how sustainable and climate-friendly your gardening is depends on what kind of sunlight you use to make it happen. By John Walker. Published in Organic Gardening, October 2008. What kind of sunlight are you running your garden on? It … Continue reading →

Posted in carbon emissions, climate change & global warming, climate- & earth-friendly gardening, ecological sustainability, energy use, environment, food & kitchen gardening, fossil fuels, garden compost & composting, organic gardening, pesticides in the garden, plastic, pollution, published articles, renewable gardening, soil | Leave a comment