Natural fertilizers

In recent correspondence Mr Bernard Yorke, aka the Canna Wizard of Oz, commented that "This year I have been introduced again to the wonders of horse manure in and around canna plants."

"The results have been somewhat outstanding, but then again, we are in the middle of a very hot summer with several storms each week. Last night the skies looked like something from a science fiction movie, but we survived with no damage, but again lots of rain."

Bernard have been using horse manure all this summer, particularly as mulch on the light sandy beds where in the middle of summer, the hot sandy soil actually cooks the rhizomes. As Bernard states, "The present results appear to be most satisfactory." In subsequent mail Bernard reports how he has stopped using any other fertilizers this year as the plants are excelling themselves with the combination of an abundance of nutrients and as much water as they can handle!

Those who have followed my previous blogs on fertilizers, the dangers of mono-culture and the desirability of crop rotation will not be surprised that I have also decided to go down that route. Canna features heavily as one of the most successful plants at treating wetlands and waste-water, and basically cannot be overfed! The use of artificial fertilizers does not seem to be the best way forward for us with many hundreds of stock plants to grow each year, as well as our new seedlings in our breeding programme.

Bernard Yorke - Canna Biz