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POLITICO Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:57:26 EDT
President Barack Obama won’t say whether he thinks Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich would be a tougher challenger, but, either way, he’s certain that the difference between him and the Republican at the top of the ticket will be stark.
“I don’t really think about that,” Obama said in response to a question about who would be more of a threat in an interview with Univision conducted Wednesday night in Chandler, Ariz., and released Thursday morning. “What I can say is this: That whoever their nominee is, they represent ideas that I think are wrong for America.”
“On a whole range of issues I think that whether it’s Mr. Romney or Mr. Gingrich or Mr. Santorum or whoever else they might decide to select, they represent a fundamentally different vision of America. And it’s not the bold generous forward looking optimistic America that I think built this country,” he added.
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POLITICO Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:29:49 EST
Wikipedia preps protest of SOPA, PIPA.
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POLITICO Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:09:44 EST
Consensus that Gingrich won the debate
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GUARDIAN Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:07:00 GMT
Treat your soil well and it will reward you with a bumper crop, writes Ryan Lewis
Soil is the foundation of the allotment garden. Treat it well and it will reward you.
The most important thing to remember when taking on a new plot is that you must care for your soil above everything else. When it comes to soil, knowing its type and how best to enrich it is key. You may also wish to learn more about pH, but for now we will focus on type. All soil is made up of organic matter, mineral particles and rock. In the UK, soils tend to fall in to six categories: clay, sand, loam, silt, peat and chalk. Each of these soil types has its own characteristics that will affect its ability to hold moisture, nutrients and allow the passage of air, but no matter what your soil type it can always be improved.
To determine soil type simply take a handful of soil and squeeze it. Sticky soil that holds it shape rigidly when you release it is clay; if it feels spongy it is likely to be peat; a crumbly and gritty soil that does not hold its shape will be sand, and a soil that is smooth and holds it shape well but not rigidly will be silt or loam. For more information on soil type and other tests you can perform take a look at the RHS website. Alternatively, Cranfield University in association with Defra have put together the Soilscapes Viewer which allows you to view and identify how soil types differ geographically in the UK as well as in your local area.
Once you've established your soil type, you can begin to improve it. In the spirit of organic gardening it should be the soil we feed, not the plants in it. The best – and simplest - way to do this is the addition of organic matter (eg well-rotted manure, leaf mould and garden compost). Autumn is a good time of year to do this but any time in the run-up to planting should be fine. You can also apply organic matter during the growing year in the form of mulch. Whether digging the plot or using a no-dig gardening system, organic matter will help to improve the basic soil structure by opening it up, making it more moisture retentive thus reducing watering and adding much needed nutrients. It can also help to warm the soil quicker in spring and improve the speed at which seeds germinate. Over time, this organic matter will be broken down by soil organisms creating beautiful dark humus; the key to good soil structure, moisture retentiveness and the ability to hold nutrients and sustain soil life. On clay soil you may also wish to add horticultural grit or sharp sand to further increase the soils ability to drain freely and reduce the risk of waterlogging.
This is the latest in a series of blogposts from Ryan Lewis, who writes about his small urban garden, allotment and chickens on his blog, Ryan's Garden.
Gardens
Allotments
Ryan Lewis
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