The tomatoes in Ken Bourne’s greenhouse hang in thick clusters like giant berries.
By the end of the growing season, the single row of plants in his 15- by 30-foot greenhouse will have produced about 400 pounds of tomatoes. On the other side of the greenhouse, nine cucumber plants have produced 100 pounds of huge, perfect cucumbers.
A fine pumpkin is becoming a rich orange colour under large, healthy leaves. Ken has removed any competing pumpkins, so he can harvest a good crop of seeds from this beauty to share with other people interested in growing pumpkins next summer.
He attributes his success in growing outstanding organic vegetable crops in his greenhouses and in his meticulous raised beds to a simple philosophy.
“You must give each plant what it wants. Each plant in a greenhouse requires different growing conditions.
“For instance, you must not allow cucumber leaves to get wet. And tomatoes do well on a base of straw, which releases carbon dioxide to the plants.”
All of Ken’s plants grow in sand to which biochar (biochar can increase soil fertility and raise agricultural productivity) and compost are added. He waters them with tea made from willow branches several times during their growth.
Ken is a strong proponent of biochar as a plant nutrient. He makes it in an oil drum from organic matter, such as wood scraps.
Ken has an extensive background in organic gardening. Thirty-five years ago he was operating nurseries in England when he answered an ad by a multinational greenhouse manufacturing company looking for someone to set up a tomato-growing operation in Alain, in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the Middle East. He was hired and spent the next two years there.
“I was working under contract for Sheik Saeed of Abu Dhabi. At that time, growing crops in greenhouses in the Middle East was in its infancy.
“Five one-hectare greenhouses were set up. I had 60 workers from Pakistan and Afghanistan working for me.
“Sheik Saeed was a fantastic man. He was the president of the five Emirates.
“He wanted his people to prosper from the oil that made their country rich. He encouraged nomadic tribes in the Emirates to farm by giving them land, seeds and wells.
“Our project was so successful we flooded the markets of the Emirates with tomatoes. We grew over 100 tons to the acre. The surplus was exported to Jordan.
“When we started the project, we had abundant water from a natural reservoir 40 feet underground. Then the sheik was persuaded to plant wheat on the desert, so a lot of water was used for irrigation.
“When I left we were going down 400 feet for water. Now, it is 1,000 feet. The Middle East will probably run out of water before oil.”
Fortunately there is no shortage of water at the Bourne Nursery next to the community hall. There is also no shortage of innovative ideas.
Ken invites anyone interested in seeing his greenhouse or his biochar burner to stop by. He can be contacted at 250-397-2403, or e-mail him at plantmanken@bcinternet.net.
On the evening of Sept. 11, Ken answered fall gardening questions at the Forest Grove Library. Topics of special interest were how to make and use willow and compost teas.
Everyone received a generous bag of his biochar and one of willow shoots for tea.
The next gardener’s gathering will be held in the spring. There will be another seed exchange at that time.