48 min

Tamsyn Meyer — Director, Environmentalist, Sustainability Advocate

With Tamsyn Meyer — Director, Environmentalist, Sustainability Advocate

Health

In short

Tamsyn Meyer of SA Horticultural Supplies explains why living soil, hydroponics and aquaponics matter for food security, and how a home grower actually starts. Covered: jiffy pellets for germination, what makes soil "living", soil amendments, expanded clay, running a system off a single solar-powered pump, and a planned 100-tunnel project on eight hectares awaiting funding. The one takeaway: Living soil is an ecosystem of worms, microbes, bacteria and mycorrhiza whose function is to deliver nutrition to plants, and therefore to people.

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How did Tamsyn end up in horticulture after studying accounting?

She studied accounting but had always been passionate about gardening, fertilisers and biology, and how things work. That interest turned into a career she now describes as a driver and a passion, in what she sees as an up-and-coming, sustainable market and the way of the future.

Why is soil degradation being treated as urgent?

Because overworked land with too little put back has degraded nutrition to the point where, as Tamsyn puts it, you would have to eat something like 27 apples to get the nutrition of one apple in the 1940s. David cites projections of farm failure, and Tamsyn agrees the warnings point to food shortages by 2050.

What actually makes soil "living"?

Living soil is a general term for soil containing living organisms — microscopic worms, microbes, bacteria and mycorrhiza — forming its own ecosystem. All of it exists to feed the plants nutrition, so that the nutrients end up in the fruit and then in the people eating it.

Do plants grown in living soil get fewer pests?

Yes. Insects will be present because the soil is alive, but if soil and plants are healthy, pests do not take hold. Tamsyn says pest problems tend to show up where fertilisers and manures are used. David reports no insect damage at all, and plenty of bees.

What are jiffy pellets and why do they work so well?

They are compressed pellets that swell when watered; a seed goes in and, once grown, the whole thing is planted straight into the ground. Tamsyn quotes a 99.9% germination success rate, and David says he lost only one out of a large batch of previously difficult seeds.

What is the difference between hydroponics and aquaponics?

Hydroponics irrigates roots with clean water carrying dissolved nutrients and minerals, either without a medium or in a soil-less medium such as coco peat, expanded clay, perlite or vermiculite, with fertiliser fed into the tank. Aquaponics involves fish and reuses its water, so water changes are not really needed.

Can hydroponics be organic, and what yields does it give?

Yes, if organic nutrients are used, which SA Horticultural Supplies stocks. Tamsyn says a hydroponic system gives roughly ten times greater yield than a soil system, along with greater speed and efficiency, which is why she sees it as central to feeding the country.

What happens to a hydroponic system during load shedding?

Solar covers it. Growing outdoors with shade cloth removes any need for lighting, so the only real power draw is the pump — a small panel is enough to run one pump on a home grow. David notes solar can be built up modularly rather than installed all at once.

What are soil amendments and how do you know which to add?

Amendments are things added to soil to enrich it — kelp meal and diatomaceous earth among them — each playing a small role. To choose, either have the soil tested or look for deficiencies in the plant. A TDS meter gives a reading of dissolved solids in the medium.

What is the large project Tamsyn is trying to get off the ground?

A hundred tunnels on about eight hectares of land, intended to feed a large number of people across rural and urban areas while creating jobs and training. The obstacle is funding; she says the cost is surprisingly low per person fed, but investment is surprisingly hard to secure.

In their words

Taken from the recording, word for word.

Soil has an ecosystem of its own. It's got little microscopic worms and microbes and bacteria and microsia and all sorts of different things, and all this is there to basically give the plants nutrition so that we get the nutrition.

— Tamsyn Meyer

You'd have to eat something like 27 apples to get the same amount of nutrition that you would have got in the 40s

— Tamsyn Meyer

if the soil is healthy and your plants are healthy you won't have the pests

— Tamsyn Meyer

you're gonna get a ten times greater yield in a hydroponic system then you would get in a soil system

— Tamsyn Meyer

getting little hydroponic setups in our backyard or growing our own veggies, sharing with our neighbors, knowing our neighbors. You grow the potatoes, I'll grow the tomatoes.

— Tamsyn Meyer

Key takeaways

  1. Living soil is an ecosystem of worms, microbes, bacteria and mycorrhiza whose function is to deliver nutrition to plants, and therefore to people.
  2. Healthy soil and healthy plants largely remove the pest problem, whereas fertiliser- and manure-based growing tends to attract insects.
  3. Living soil is not single-use — it should be reused and enriched with amendments chosen by soil test or by spotting plant deficiencies.
  4. A hydroponic system can yield around ten times more than soil and needs only enough solar power to run a pump.
  5. Aquaponics closes the loop further by reusing water and turning the fish into food once they reach size.
  6. Food security, job creation and training are the stated purpose behind the 100-tunnel, eight-hectare project, which is stalled on funding rather than know-how.

Show notes

On this episode I chat with Tamsyn about SA Horticultural Supplies, we chat about the business as well as sustainable use of our resources.  We talk hydroponics, aquaponics and the benefits of a living organic soil amongst other things.  A great chat if you are even remotely interested in growing your own food and sustainability.

https://www.sahorticulture.co.za/

Frequently asked questions

Does expanded clay do anything beyond holding the plant up?

Yes. Its porous holes host microbes that attach inside each pebble and create their own small ecosystem. It holds water well, stays clean, and leaves no sand or sediment, so systems need little flushing or cleaning.

How long does composting take compared with buying living soil?

Composting is slow — David's heap took about a year before the cycle got going properly, which is why he bought living soil instead rather than wait.

Are orchids harder than vegetables?

Tamsyn says orchids are finicky and among the more complex plants to grow. For those trying, she points to expanded clay, specifically the three-to-eight size.

What else does SA Horticultural Supplies stock for home growers?

Coco peat, expanded clay, perlite, vermiculite, fabric pots, jiffy pellets, biochar and amendments, plus additives including pH up and pH down, since different plants prefer different pH levels.

Is the business only set up for large customers?

It is mainly business-to-business, but members of the public can buy and call for advice. Tamsyn also offers consulting, and says where she cannot help she will put people in touch with the right expert.

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