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| Sprout E-News - Winter Edition 2005 |
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FIRST EDITION, WINTER 2005
THE GRASSY REPORT! |
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| In
this edition • Hydroponics Vs Soil • Wheatgrass and Peppermint tea – Brand new to Australia! – How to retain maximum antioxidants • Free postage on juicers anywhere in Australia! (This months special) |
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July
Special –
FREE POSTAGE to anywhere in Australia for any wheatgrass juicer purchase. This is a whopping saving for you– if you have been planning on getting your own juicer, do it now! Does not include wheatgrass kits sold with juicers) |
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| Hydroponics
Vs soil Numerous people equate hydroponics with healthy but there is so much more to growing a plant than just the nutrients that you feed to it. Many of you ask about whether it is better to grow wheatgrass hydroponically or in soil. As a certified organic wheatgrass grower, Sprout must use a good, healthy potting mix/soil that is made of compost and other natural materials. Here is what both NASAA and the ACO/BFA (the 2 biggest certifying organisations in Australia) have to say in their organic standards which is the set of rules (“the bible”) that all growers must abide by to be certified organic. NASAA Organic Standards 4.1 Production of seed, seedlings and plant propagative material states (Latest version- Dec 2004): Where seeds, seedlings and plant propagative material productions takes place in containers, the potting mix should be derived from compost leaf mould, worm casts and clean inert material of natural origin harvested to avoid environmental damage ACO Organic standards section: 7.2.2. States (Latest Version 6): Hydroponic systems whereby plants are fed principally through soluble fertilisers in mediums that are devoid of a healthy and complex soil ecology are not certifiable under this standard. There’s so much more to it than just the nutrients! • Earthworms – which aerate the soil and produce casting which provide great tucker for plants. • Micro-organisms – millions of mini-helpers that are too small to see such as bacteria, actinomycetes, algae, yeasts, protozoa, viruses, phages, and nematodes which help plants in heaps of different ways by breaking down organic matter in the soil, fixing nitrogen or even helping to control other harmful micro-organisms. • Fungi – There is more fungus in a gram of healthy soil than you could count in a month! All performing even more helpful functions such as to digest organic matter and convert solid minerals into plant nutrients. Many fungi produce useful antibiotic substances. Some Fungi directly support plants by connecting to the plants' roots, which assists with nutrient supply and disease resistance. • Invertebrates – More helpful little critters (these ones you can see) such as insects, spiders, mites, crustaceans and other arthropods. They can help with aeration and aid in the breakdown of organic matter. If you are growing a plant why would you want to leave out all those millions of little helpers!! Healthy soil also has many other benefits such as its ability to hold water and to support plants and the root system. On the whole, soil houses a very complex ecosystem and we still don’t understand fully how it all works. A hydroponic system uses a very sterile environment which doesn’t allow those millions of little helpers to do their job. |
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Some
great reasons to choose Sprout!
 We are proud to introduce an Australian first – Wheatgrass and peppermint tea! This is the first wheatgrass herbal infusion made in Australia. We have had a great response from those who have tried it. It is a blend of organic wheatgrass, organic peppermint and catmint combined to give you a great taste while still being able to enjoy the benefits of wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is high in antioxidants which help to preserve cells and to stimulate the transport of oxygen through your body.  For best results and to retain the maximum amount of antioxidants allow to diffuse for 3-5 minutes before drinking. Microwaves can destroy some of the antioxidants but if using boiling water from the kettle (water below 100c degrees) the antioxidants will remain and boiling water will actually help release more antioxidants. Antioxidants can slowly diminish if let to steep for too long, so drink within 15 minutes of steeping. There are more great flavours soon to be released including Wheatgrass and Lemon Scented Eucalyptus and Lavender. Stay tuned. Price: $12.95/50g bag loose leaf +$3.40 anywhere in Australia. |
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Pamela
Anderson of the fruit n veg world! It looks unnatural because the plants are force-fed and pumped up with nutrients (often using synthetic fertilisers). |
Have you ever wondered why a lot of the hydroponically grown stuff that you see in the supermarket looks like the Pamela Anderson of the fruit n veg world? • The perfect shaped tomato, shiny and plump, • Lettuces that are crispy and juicy that have never seen a snail or slug • That red capsicum that looks like it’s on steroids! Note: No offence to Pamela Anderson intended. |
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| Produce that is grown hydroponically may be high in nutrient content but it probably lacks many of the trace elements and minerals that you find in soil and that are made available to the plant with the help of our millions of little helpers. You will not see any hydroponic tomatoes in a certified organic fruit and vegetable shop because it is not grown naturally. Sprout Organic Wheatgrass recognises the importance of growing in a soil/compost based medium as opposed to hydroponically. NASAA certified organic (Lic. number 3614). Plants and trees have been thriving in soil for millions of years. Keep it natural!! Interesting fact: Soil biological life Soil is not simply the physical material on the earth's surface: probably the most important component is the living organisms within it. Healthy soil contains extremely large numbers: typically 600 million bacteria/gram (when no agro-chemicals are applied). A typical arable soil may contain 100 million bacteria/g while a desert soil, with little structure and fertility, has 'only' c.1 million bacteria/g. The rhizosphere, the thin layer immediately next to a plant root, typically has 1 million, million bacteria/g. Diversity is also important: in 1g of healthy soil there can be 15-20,000 different species of bacteria, with perhaps 10,000 in a typical arable soil and 5-8000 in a desert soil. Fungi are also very important, especially mycorrhiza which form close associations with plant roots. Fungi greatly exceed the volume of bacteria in soil, with 1km of fungal hyphae have been detected in 1g of soil.. Sources: " Soil association of SA (Encouraging organic methods of farming and gardening) |
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Please let us have your stories or experiences about wheatgrass that we could publish in our newsletter. We would love to hear them. Please contact us. Until next time, Wheatgrass - bottoms up! Richie Coutts, Sprout Organic Wheatgrass. |
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