Soilman

Good points made by Matron in her “Food Security” post of Nov 12 (can’t link direct, but it’s a short scroll down her main page):

“There will come a time in the not too distant future when supplies of water and fuel become scarce that we will all need to grow our own food. Most people in the UK have no idea how to do that, and therefore it will be up to you and I – the food growing bloggers – to show them how, before they all starve to death!”

I wish this were melodramatic, but I don’t think it is. And it got me thinking: if I were suddenly required to help people grow food – en masse – would I be up to it?

Specifically, what could I do? What specific tips would I hand out to would-be vegetable growers in the post-oil era?

Reams of detailed, complex advice would be too much for a total beginner (remember how that felt?). But trite, obvious stuff is also clearly pointless.

After much thought, I reckon my initial, brief ‘Here’s what you need to know’ checklist would look like this:

1. Prepare to irrigate. You’ll need access to water and you’ll have to water crops MUCH more than you think
2. Get a horse, or befriend an equestrian. The only way to keep up soil fertility, when fertilisers have vanished or become too expensive (already happening), will be to add TONS of compost and manure year-round
3. KILL ALL CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLIES ON SIGHT

If you had to give three specific bits of help/advice to a total vegetable virgin – once the oil and fertilisers have gone – what would they be?