In Celebration of National Gardening Week
National Gardening Week is a wonderful reminder of why we do what we do, to nurture, grow, and give back to the living world around us.
Here at Addenbrooke, spring is in full swing, bringing new life and joy to the nursery. The quails are busy about the place with new babies hatching in their nests, and we await, perhaps a little nervously, the arrival of the insects we would rather not have in the nursery.
Being surrounded by mono cropped growers, we face potential challenges from cabbage butterflies, whitefly, aphids, slugs, snails, and a few other little pests. When the ecosystem becomes unbalanced, these can quickly become a problem for gardeners and growers alike.
Spraying toxic chemicals may remove certain pests, but it can also harm our beneficial insects, disrupting the delicate balance of nature by taking away food sources and upsetting the beautifully designed ecosystem.
Here at Addenbrooke, we have always been mindful of our precious beneficial insects and take great care in how we manage our nursery in Bombay. The weed spray we use around artificial areas is the uncertified organic Hitman, while Natural Quash, which is bran and salt based, is used for slug control only in areas where birds cannot access but slugs and snails can. Yellow sticky traps are also placed to monitor and trap whitefly and fungus gnats.
For white butterfly caterpillars and other species, we keep Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) on hand when needed.
Most exciting of all, we have recently cleared an area to plant a wide diversity of wildflowers, providing nectar and pollen for our beneficial insects. We are sourcing from BioForce to help increase diversity and support ongoing ecosystems within the nursery, nestled among our much needed vegetable growing spaces.
We believe it is best to work alongside nature, supporting it rather than eradicating what we perceive as pests. This holistic approach to nursery growing, while not without its challenges, is far kinder to the environment. It also provides a safer workplace for our team and peace of mind for our customers, knowing their plants are free from repetitive chemical treatments and that wildlife interaction occurs naturally throughout the production process.
We will also be attending the Highwic Sweet Pea and Plant Fair on Saturday 22 November from 10am to 2pm at Highwic in Newmarket. We would love to see you there. Come along, say hello, and celebrate all things green during National Gardening Week at this beautiful historic landmark.
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