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The Newsletter of Burnaby and Region Allotment Garden AssociationBARAGA , Volume 32, Number 3, October 2013

Winners in Garden Contest

BARAGA President, Abdul Majid, announced thewinners of the Best Garden Contest. The three judgesawarded the three winners as follows:

1st: Dmitry Itskovich - $60 Vancity pre-paid Visacard and a coupon for Lunch for two at Fraser ParkRestaurant

2nd: Janina Bacerak - $40 Vancity Pre-paid Visacard and a coupon for Lunch for two at Fraser ParkRestaurant

3rd: Dulls Kleamyck - $25 Vancity Pre-paid Visacard and a coupon for Lunch for two at Fraser ParkRestaurant

Seven otherprizes wereawarded(alphabetic-allylisted: AngeloAndofatto,RomanBrobrownik, JanKoziatek, EricLin, Chris Mann,FrancescoMarin,and Hildegard

Rumpf. These gardeners received a coupon for eitherbreakfast or Lunch at Fraser Park Restaurant.

The prizes were awarded for a combinationof good gardening practises, Including the variety ofcrops being grown, the neat appearance, and soundenvironmental approach of the winning allotments.

BARAGA wishes to acknowledge and thankVancity Credit Union and Fraser Park Restaurant forproviding the prizes for this contest.

Angel Food Runners

BARAGA is pleased to announce a new partnershipwith the Greater Vancouver Food Bank CommunityAngel Food Runners!

Community Angel Food Runners is theprepared and perishable food recovery program of theGreater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Through theCommunity Angel Food Runners, quality food isdonated from restaurants, hotels, cafeterias andschools and community gardens and then delivered tomeal-providing agencies. The program runs seven daysa week and saves over 870,000 pounds of food a yearwhich would otherwise be wasted. Instead we areable to provide 1.25 million meals for people in need.

If you have extra produce to donate, drop offyour donation in the white box by the second shednext to the BARAGA office anytime after 7:00 pm onTuesday evenings. Pick-up will be between 10:00-12:00 am on Wednesdays. If this works, we will addanother pick-up for Saturdays. What can you donate? h FRESH and HEALTHY vegetables – we want toprovide delicious, nutritious produce. h CLEAN (relatively) vegetables – dirt impacts the

Beautiful flowers - Doug Eng

A winning exhibit and exhibitor - Doug Eng

cleaning of the refrigerator truck. h TOPPED OFF vegetables – remove any inediblepart of the produce. Place produce in bags to help out the Food Bank folks.

.Quote from the Vancouver Sun, Monday, September23Community Angel - the food bank's perishable foodrecovery program - has two refrigerated trucks on theroad six days a week and one on Sunday, makingpickups from more than 200 regular donors, fromgrocers such as Whole Foods, restaurants, caterers andhotels including the Westin Bayshore to socialenterprise urban farms such as the DowntownEastside's SOLEfood. But home, school andcommunity gardeners, such as Burnaby's allotmentgroup and the vegetable gardeners at VanDusenBotanical Garden are also among the regulars.The trucks make up to 30 pickups a day and thenspend the last hour dropping the food off atcommunity kitchens, social service agencies and thefood bank's distribution hubs. "What's so excitingabout Food Runners is how quick it is," said Low. "Ifwe get a call, that food is being consumed by peoplewho need it that afternoon." Drivers are trained toinspect donations for quality and safety, but so muchof the food comes from food industry professionalsthat quality control is essentially built into the system."I've done a lot of things in my life, but to me this is sorewarding, because you can see how the food isreceived, they are ready for it and incorporate it intotheir meal plan for the day," said Low.

- Byron Quam

Powdery Mildew & Milk

Powdery mildew is one of the most commonand easily recognized plant diseases. Almost no typeof plant is immune, however some are moresusceptible than others. Lilacs, crab apples, phlox,monarda, roses, grapes, squash and cucumbers are alllikely targets for powdery mildew. At BARAGA themost likely target of powdery mildew are cucumbersand squash.

Powdery mildew is actually a group ofdiseases that all show up as a powdery white coatingon leaves, stems and sometimes even flowers. It doesnot usually kill plants, but it can weaken them anddiminish photosynthesis, leading to poor yield andplants that don't last the season. Most mildews arecaused by related members of a fungus family.

It is spread by fungi spores that are carried bythe wind or splashed onto leaves. Powdery mildew

favours humid, rather than wet conditions. The sporesform when the humidity is high and disperse when thehumidity diminishes. Spores can over-winter on plantsor plant debris and start the process all over again.Garden sanitation and planting disease resistantvarieties are your best powdery mildew controls. Thatmeans removing, perhaps burying deeply, all foliagefrom infected plants. The spores will likely be killed inhot compost, but will survive cold composting.

Milk has become the latest secret weapon infighting powdery mildew. Actually it's not so secretand it's been used in treating diseases for decades. It'sbeen tried as an additive to improve the spreadingand sticking of other pesticides and Dr. LindaChalker-Scott cites many studies where milk wastested against the transmission of tobacco mosaic andother viruses. - to mixed reviews.

Mostrecently, milkhas beengetting a lot ofgood press asan anti-fungalspray andspecificallyagainstpowderymildew oncucumbersand squash.Though more

expensive than sulphur, milk and whey sprays cost lessthan synthetic fungicides.

Experimenters report using a 10% solution (15grams of milk powder in one litre of water) of milksprayed on the plants to be protected every twoweeks. Since sunlight is necessary for the treatment tobe effective it should only be applied on dry, sunnydays. In the whey (part of the milk) “a protein,ferroglobulin, under the influence of ultraviolet lightproduces an oxygen radical that is extraordinarilytoxic.” This does not harm the plant which isprotected by a waxy layer, but destroys any fungusencountered. It is suggested that the most effective useis as a preventive, rather than applying after mildew isdetected.

Thanks to Sandra Riley, who suggested thistopic for an article in the Seedling and who providedan article describing the use of milk spray developedas a mildicide in the Australian grape trade. PeterCrisp, David and Barbara Bruer , all chemists andvintners connected with the University of Adelaide,Australia, participated in the experiments that are thebasis of this treatment for mildew.

Powdery Mildew

Thanks for the HarvestAll the things we get from plants

About this time of year when the author wasyoung churches traditionally celebrated a HarvestFestival. The church would be decorated with displaysof fruit and vegetables and the theme would begratitude for a sustaining harvest. The tradition iscarried on in Canada with the celebration of

Thanksgiving and formost people abounteous familydinner. What we arereally celebrating is allthe things we get fromplants.

There is goodreason to be a sunworshipper. Ultimately

we are all completely dependent on the sun.Everything we eat begins with the process ofphotosynthesis, a process performed only in greenplants. Photosynthesis is a process in which plantscapture light energy to produce carbohydrates, i.e. glucose, a simple sugar. Of course, there needs to bewater and carbon dioxide, the presence ofchlorophyll, and a suitable temperature. Oxygen is abyproduct. This is a simplification of some fairlycomplicated bio-chemistry.

And it gets more complicated; all our foodsare derived from these simple sugars . Plants arecapable of converting these simple sugars into manydifferent organic compounds to suit their needs.Proteins including DNA/RNA make the basic buildingblocks of cells. Fats are formed and become a sourceof stored energy. Enzymes influence the creation ofcarbohydrates into cellulose and lignin and variousother purposes in the plant cell.

Since no animals can photosynthesize theymust obtain all the protein, fat, and carbohydratesthey need from plants. The protein your body derivesfrom a succulent turkey breast, really derives from thegrain the farmer fed the turkey and ultimately from theenergy packet the wheat stored in its seed. The fatpresent on your buttered toast topped with a slice ofold cheddar cheese came from a cow, but reallyoriginated in the grass that cow grazed in themeadow. Everything we eat comes from plants.

Protein, fat and carbohydrate are the obviousproducts and the basic building blocks of a nutritiousdiet. However we get much more than that fromplants. Our bodies need a lot of other things tofunction. Below are some of them:

Vitamins: if you were born two hundred years ago youwould not have heard of vitamins. Their discovery andfunction is quite recent. The old people were vaguelyaware of dietary deficiencies. For instance, liver whichcontains vitamin A was prescribed for night blindness. Famously the British navy issued limes and lemonswhich contain vitamin C to its sailors to ward offscurvy. We need vitamins A, C, D, E and K, alsoseveral compounds referred to as vitamins B1,2,3,5,6,12. If you eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits andvegetables (see the recommendations of HealthCanada) an average person will get all the vitaminsrequired. There are two exceptions vitamin B12 andK. Vitamin B12 is not made by higher plants but bybacteria present in the small intestine. Vitamin K ispresent in dark green plants, such as cabbage, kale,and spinach, but is most often obtained from bacteriain the human gut. Minerals: just as we need small amounts of all thevitamins, we need very small amounts of severalminerals. About 4% of our bodies is composed ofminerals, chiefly calcium and phosphorus. Othermineral components are magnesium, sodium,potassium and chloride. There are also trace amountsof iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese,fluoride, chromium, molybdenum and cobalt. Readerswill recognize many of these are required by plants aswell, so it is no surprise that all of them can come fromplants with one exception - cobalt (which like vitaminB12, cobalamin, comes from similar sources). Phytochemicals: another thing we all get from plantsare phytochemicals. These are chemical compoundsmanufactured by plants; as yet their significance is notproperly understood, but they may be very important.(See article below: Food Colours.)

We do get calories from our food from thevegetables and fruits we grow and harvest. But caloriesare a measure of energy (a calorie is the amount ofenergy required to raise one kilogram of water onedegree Celsius). From a gram of protein we get 4calories, from any carbohydrate, 4 calories, from fat,9, and from alcohol, 7. Typically the calories in fruitand vegetables are low which means we can eat a lotof them. Also we get something called dietary fibrefrom fruit, vegetables and grains; this is indigestiblematerial (mainly cellulose and lignin) which passesthrough the gut with many beneficial effects but doesnot add any calories to food.

In this brief look at the things we get fromplants, the reader should note there is no attempt tomake any recommendations; those should come froma qualified nutritional specialist. There are dangers innot getting enough of some components and there is adanger of getting too much.

Phytochemicals

Johnny was told by mother to eat his veggies, he whined “Must I?” Then began a hargy/bargy withmum. “Why should I eat them?” It soon emerged thathe hated vegetables, whatever they were, broccoli,peas, whatever. Mother said to eat them anyway,veggies were “good for you”, end of discussion!Probably very few argumentive children would thinkto ask “Why are they good for me?” If the argumenttook place thirty years ago or more, just possiblyJohnnie might have won it, because mum probablycould not have said exactly why veggies wereparticularly good to eat.

If the argument took place today anutritionally informed mother could start a spiel aboutphytochemicals and reel off a number of multi-syllabicterms. For a start she might say that broccoli contained vitamin C and dietary fiber; it also contains multiplenutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such asdiindolylmethane (if she could pronounce the word)and small amounts of selenium. Broccoli also containsthe compound glucoraphanin, which can beprocessed into an anti-cancer compoundsulforaphane. End of discussion, big time!

What all this illustrates is the fairly new leap inknowledge about the compounds that plants containand what these compounds might do for us when weconsume them. Folks have undoubtedly known formany generations what plants were good for them,but discovering exactly why this is so is relatively newknowledge leaving much still to be learned.

Probably some people’s failure to access thisknowledge is the big words used to describe it.“Phytochemicals” just means chemical compoundsderived from a plant source. We do not like to thinkwe eat “chemicals” either, but that is what the organiccompounds that go to make our foods really are -chemicals, even if they are rather special ones.

Phytochemicals are just organic compoundsfrom plants. What’s more, we eat them all the time. Itis time to look at some obvious ones.

The Veggie Colour WheelThis summer VanDusen Garden devoted a part oftheir display to colourful vegetables. This theme isoften echoed in modern seed catalogues. Take carrotsfor instance: there are orange carrots in varyingshades, but there are yellow carrots and red ones.There are also purple carrots and white ones. Look attomatoes: not only are there red ones, there areorange, yellow, pink, white, blue and dark green ones.

The tomato’s close cousin, potatoes, comes in a likevariety of colours; did you ever try serving your dinnerguests blue potatoes? What about other vegetables:corn, eggplants, peppers, cauliflowers, all come inwide spectrum of shapes, sizes, but especially coloursthese days.

This vast variety of colour makes our foodmore exciting and our lives too. This is only thebeginning of the story, however, these pigments arephytochemicals that provide a number of healthbenefits. Let’s look at some of the phytochemicalsassociated with colours.

g Orange: is an obvious one, usually denoting thepresence of carotene. Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene,and vitamin A are found in carrots.g Blue: powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins arethe blue pigments found in blueberries, cranberries,raspberries, grapes and acai berries.g Black: fruits and vegetables that appear almost blacklike blackberries and black soya beans have extremelyhigh concentrations of anthocyanins..g Brown: anthocyanins and phenols are the pigmentsresponsible for brown and burgundy pigmentation inplants. g Green: green is due to the presence of chlorophyll,it also denotes the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.g Purple: anthocyanins, phenols and reservatrol arethe pigments that make some plants appear purple.Found in many foods from egg plants to red wine.g Pink: this pigmentation in plants is caused byanthocyanins, they that can also appear blue, red, orpurple depending on pH. g Purple: anthocyanins, phenols and reservatrol arethe pigments that make some plants appear purple.Found in many foods from eggplants to red wine.

A young plant of Purple Brussels Sprouts

g White: white colours in plants is sometimes due tothe anthocyanin allicin. Example are eggplants, radish,cucumber, onion, potatoes.g Yellow: carrotenoids and flavonoids are antioxidantsresponsible for the yellow colour of lemons, yams,peppers and other fruits and vegetables.

But the colours that indicate phytochemicalsare only a beginning. There are hundreds of them,some of them well-known, others barely known, likelymany more organic compounds waiting to bediscovered. Some of them arise from plants naturaldefences against pests; often foods have a bitter tastedue to the protective substances present. Humans getpast these tastes and the combination of a variety ofphytochemicals in food offer many health advantages.

Severalphytochemicals areanti-oxidants.Eating fruits andvegetables helpsmaintain a healthyheart, urinary tract,and memoryfunction. It can alsohelp prevent lungdisease and theslow growth ofcancer cells..Eatingthese foods helpsmaintain a healthyimmune systemand healthy eyesand it may slow theaging process. It isclaimed eatingfruits andvegetables rich inanthocyanins

maintains heart, urinary tract, and memory functions,while helping to prevent lung disease. UK researchersbelieve eating lots of broccoli may slow down andeven prevent osteoarthritis.

In the lab it was easy to demonstrate thepotential of phytochemicals. However in studies ofhuman populations the results are less sure. It appearsthat eating foods that are high in phytochemicals andeating them in great variety has many health benefits.Conversely taking supplements where thephytochemicals are very high may be ineffective andsometimes detrimental. Further, there are now somany studies of food, nutrients, and supplements thatalmost anything can be proved from them; goodscience is not easy to find.

Preparing for Fall

Providing a mulchA few years ago farmers and gardeners

thought of fall as a time to plough under spent cropsand leave the ground bare for winter. Supposedly thebare ground was ready for spring when tillage andplanting could begin again. Quite a simple methodwhen chemical fertilizers were the norm.

This is not the best way to garden. The winterrain tends to leech remaining nutrients out of the soil.Weeds, several of which grow well in winter, can takeover the bare soil and flourish. Considerable energyand time is wasted getting the ground ready for thefirst crops. If the ground is cleared of everythinggrowing or that grew the previous year, the soil isimpoverished.

A smarter, easier approach is to leave thespent crop to rot down and return its nutrients to thesoil. However what we really want is to restore fertilityas far as possible, to renew the soil, to have everythingin readiness. Think of the crops that were taken fromthe soil in the past year. Whatever is taken needs tobe replenished if we are to begin anew.

Perhaps the first consideration is protectingthe soil from winter rain. It is as simple as providing acover of some kind so soil does not get washed awayin heavy downpours. Some kind of cover preventsnutrients from being washed out of the soil andrunning down the river.

One of the many mulches available is theanswer. Possibly the best is a cover crop, such as fallrye, that will grow over winter and can than be turnedin to break down into compost in early spring.Otherwise a layer of compost, or partially rottedcompost will do, or a layer of mixed leaves and grassclippings. Failing this a black plastic mulch will do;weed seeds will not germinate in the dark, spentmaterial on the soil surface will rot and their nutrientsbe absorbed into the soil, and in spring the soil will bemarginally drier and warmer allowing for an earlysuccessful planting.

Make Soil AmendmentsThis is a good time of year think of soil

amendments, whatever is on hand to restore thefertility of the soil. A layer of compost or manure cansafely be added in fall or early winter. By planting timeit will already be partially worked into the soil by theminute denizens of the soil, or earthworms if yourgarden has them.

The pH of BARAGA soil is notoriously acid. Itrequires a dressing of lime every three years to restore

Fancy a blue tomato?

its sweetness. Remember not to lime areas where youintend to plant potatoes and acid loving crops. Limeon the soil surface takes a bit of time to work into thesoil, so an early application is a good idea.

Saving SeedsNot every plant will set usable seeds, but

many do. In particular heritage crops, as opposed toF2 hybrids, are worth saving. Good examples areheritage tomatoes such as Brandywine, Money Maker,Sungold - there are many others - that can readily besaved. Remove the pulp, dry for a few days, and storein a cool, dry place. Be sure to label. Not only cangardeners save money - seed packages can be $3 andmore - but there is the satisfaction of preserving someof our genetic heritage.

Planting Early CropsWhile the dark days of winter induce little

plant growth, an early start can be made for severalcrops. Peas and fava beans, planted and established infall, protected by a cloche from the elements, willhave more than a good head start in spring. Garlicplanted in fall will not grow convincingly aboveground but will establish roots and be off to an earlystart. Kale planted in late summer will mark time butpersist through winter and be headed to productivityas soon as the days lengthen and warm a little.

gg The BARAGA mailing address is:Burnaby and Region Allotment Gardens Assoc.Box 209, 4974 Kingsway,Burnaby, B.C. V5H 4M9gg To get Approval for the construction ofgreenhouses and sheds (or when making repairs)phone Abdul Majid (604-681-6058) or Don Hatch(604-433-8055)gg Contact phone number for plot rental or gettingon the wait list is: 604-525-4497. gg You may also e-mail us at - support@baraga.ca

This newsletter was edited by David Tamblin(unsigned articles are written by him). Views expressedin this newsletter are not necessarily those of BARAGA

Fun at the picnic - Photo by Doug Eng