How did you get to work on World Car Free Day?
We’ve had some whacky and inventive ways of getting to work today, making World Car Free Day a fun day for employees at The Consortium. We’ll post up some photo’s later this week. Did you drive to work today or did you make an effort to go car free? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Being as eco friendly as possible on bonfire night
Of course we would like your garden waste to be composted as much as possible, but if you are one of many who are lighting a bonfire on fireworks night we recommend you follow these simple steps so stay safe and minimise your impact on the environment. If you are lighting a bonfire, firstly check to [...]
5 Tips For Fall Tulip Bulb Planting
Tulip or Not to Tulip? That is the question. Happens every year, as dazzlers never seen at the florist beckon from page after glossy catalog page.In addition to being beautiful (and frequently fragrant), tulips are inexpensive; the more you buy the cheaper they are. They’re easy to grow – in fact almost impossible to screw up – and in spite of the general wisdom, they often come backRed tulipsThese Giant Darwin hybrids have been around for so many years I no longer remember what they are. Probably ‘Parade,’ famous for returning almost as dependably as daffodils….
How to Fight Late Blight on Tomatoes Organically
It’s a major challenge, all right, but after losing all the tomatoes in New York, we’re trying to see if at least one of the Maine tomato patches can fight off late blight (Phytopthera infestans), one of the most devastating vegetable diseases. It’s the one that led to the Irish potato famine and it’s just as deadly almost two centuries later. P. infestans is always around, but it came early this year, and more ferociously than ever before. Farmers and home gardeners from Maine to South Carolina — and quite a way west — have already lost their crops to what has turned out to be the most widespread outbreak in U.S. history. If you see any signs of late blight, experts advise destroying all infected plants at once, to stop the spread of spores. And if you live in an area where there are gardens or farms that have not yet been hit that is the advice to take; late blight is highly contagious. But if everyone else already has it and yours is the garden that’s hanging in, you might as well join us in employing: The Organic Gardener’s Arsenal: Fungicide Fertilizer Being There Being Careful Being Realistic And — at least in our case — Being a Procrastinator. If I’d done all the tomato grafting I’d planned to do, there wouldn’t have been any leftovers in the greenhouse. Luckily, the tomato plants in the greenhouse (pictured) have so far escaped the blight. * The Fungicide we’re using is Serenade, available at well stocked garden centers or online at suppliers like Peaceful Valley Farm Supply. It’s approved for organic gardening and is a fairly effective prophylactic as long as it’s applied frequently. Late blight can’t be cured, and if it’s well established it can’t be stopped. But if it hasn’t yet taken hold it can be held at bay by Bacillus subtilis, the “good” bacteria that is Serenade’s active ingredient.
Another fun World Car Free Day at The Consortium
Once again employees at The Consortium have outdone themselves with whacky and fun ways of getting into work without using a car. This year the winners of our World Car Free Day competition were Phillipa and Nick, who came in to work in a trolley!!! It’s all above board though as it was one of [...]
