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March 2020 - Timothy Walker (Bill Baker Memorial Lecture)
It was great to see Timothy Walker back with us speaking this time of the "Healing Power of Plants". As always he gave an amusing and inspired talk - so many plants in today's medicines are derived from plants and that we might be interested to know that an aspirin for a headache was originally developed from the bark of willow, we all know Lavender oil (often used in aromatherapy) has been proven to have a calming effect but not the case with Rosemary which has the opposite effect! |
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Here are some of Timothy's main points
Soil conditioning For creating a new bed from overgrown area: Dig with a spade 2 spits deep and 2 spits wide clean out all weed roots leave for 1 year to ensure it is ‘clean’. Spreading compost 3ins deep adds structure but little food therefore fertilizer is needed. Feed Alliums in February when the bulbs are developing flowers. “Don’t hanker after plants that do not like your soil acidity/alkalinity. There are plenty of plants for your soil condition”. Look what does well in local gardens. Don’t be afraid to use native plants. Hedging – Viburnham opulus, Hawthorne, Honeysuckle, Holly (all are attractive to birds). Flowers – Anemones, Yellow poppy, Ajuga, Honesty, Snowdrops, Bluebell etc. Don’t neglect to plant fruit – grow old varieties to keep gene pool going. Raise new plants in loam based composts avoiding peat. No watering except when planting new plants, then sufficient to ensuring a ‘puddle’. Avoid using pesticides, use bio-control e.g. nematodes Climate and weather. Go with the changes, nature is adapting so we need to as well. Encourage new gardeners - especially children |
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