Indoors or out, more and more
North Americans are turning to
hydroponic, vertical, urban, and
traditional backyard gardening.”
from the
EDITOR
TG Toby Gorman
12
Maximum Yield
W
atching the evening news the other
night, it was more than a little
depressing to learn that virtually all of my
favorite fruits and vegetables ranked in the
most recent Dirty Dozen list.
What’s the Dirty Dozen? It’s a list of the foods
with the most pesticide contamination, and
you might be surprised what researches found.
Kale, for instance, was the third worst for
contamination according to the Environmental
Working Group’s annual list. According to
the report, 92 per cent of kale samples were
found to have the residue of two or more
pesticides, with up to as many as 18.
Only spinach and strawberries ranked
higher at two and one respectively.
Nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries,
pears, tomatoes, celery, and even potatoes
rounded out the list.
What is more frustrating is the rising
cost of these supposedly healthy items.
In 2019, the price of fruit is expected to rise
by three per cent while vegetables have
already seen a six per cent rise. What does
that mean? According to the US Department
of Agriculture, an average family of four
spends almost $14,000 a year on groceries,
or 18 per cent of the total household budget.
That’s a lot of money to spend on groceries that
are contaminated with pesticides.
If you’re thinking it might be time to start
growing your own produce, you’re not
alone. Indoors or out, more and more North
Americans are turning to hydroponic, vertical,
urban, and traditional backyard gardening.
In this issue of Maximum Yield, we advise on
how to plan a greenhouse garden, help you
understand the summer microclimates in your
outdoor garden, suggest low-cost hydroponic
technology, and offer tips on how to enhance
natural defenses for your plants so you can
avoid those pesticides, save money, and eat
healthier food.