News

  1. Tubs of compost with lollipop sticks in them.

    Cumbria composting project gets green light to grow

    We are delighted to announce that our award-winning Master Composter project has just been granted a year’s extension to branch out into new regions of Cumbria.

  2. Pile of teabags

    Are you composting your tea bags?

    Tea leaves are a good addition to the compost heap. However, tea bags are not. We have updated our advice on composting tea bags, with the knowledge that most bags include very small amounts of plastic.

  3. Additional Xylella control measures introduced

    Additional measures to control the disease Xylella fastidiosa came into effect on March 1st throughout the EU. These include annual inspections of plant nurseries and production sites, sampling and testing of plants before movement, and record keeping for three years. There will also be additional inspections of host plants if they are imported from outside the EU.

  4. Bee hovering by a sunflower

    EU safety agency concludes that neonic pesticides are a threat to bees

    In a new and comprehensive report, The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), confirms that neonicotinoid pesticides seriously affect pollinators such as bees. This report will boost the call for tighter regulation of the chemicals.

  5. Apple on apple tree

    France leads the way with organic public sector procurement

    France has announced that by 2022 at least half of all food bought by the public sector must be organic or locally produced. This includes food bought for use in schools, hospitals and prisons. The French Agricultural Minister Stéphane Travert announced the new rules as part of measures to boost the French farming sector, and to improve diets.

  6. Emma adding to compost heap

    Garden Organic brings together alliance to address food poverty in Southwark

    Garden Organic recently hosted the third meeting of the Southwark Food Power Alliance as part of the charity’s London Food Poverty – Southwark project, helping to fight food insecurity in the London Borough of Southwark.

  7. Hands holding a tray of organic vegetables including rainbow chard, tomatoes and squashes.

    Further research on the benefits of organic food

    "There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that growing and eating organic foods is beneficial to health. But proving this scientifically is difficult; do organically grown fruits and vegetables really differ enough from those grown conventionally to lead to demonstrably different health outcomes?" asks Garden Organic Trustee Dr Andrew Collins.

  8. Tomatoes growing in the green house

    IFOAM declares new genetic engineering techniques not compatible with organic growing

    IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements) has published a position paper on the new genetic engineering techniques.

  9. Insects on sunflower

    UK rivers heavily contaminated by pesticides

    Eight rivers in England are heavily contaminated with neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics) that threaten insects, fish and birds.

  10. Compost bin in the morning frost

    Frost in the garden

    Many gardeners across the UK woke up to heavy frost this morning. We recorded -11 degrees at Ryton last night! Here's some information on how to deal with Nature's beautiful, but deadly, ice maker.