Gardening

Structures such as walls and fences can have an immense effect on microclimates by shading and moderating the weather in their immediate area. A light colored wall reflecting sunlight onto plants nearby could warm them considerably on sunny days, for instance. Shade cloth, frost blankets and insect netting are temporary ways of controlling microclimates in …

Simple field fixes such as cover crops, residue retention, buffer strips and careful machinery use can dramatically decrease runoff and erosion while simultaneously helping protect soil fertility and water quality. Infiltration testing is an integral component of designing stormwater infiltration practices, providing us with an idea of the amount of water soaking into the ground. …

Backyard chickens can be lively little workers. Given time and the right coop, these hardworking birds will provide hours of entertainment, eliminate pests, improve soil health and produce delicious fresh eggs! Though chickens may occasionally damage plants in your garden, many gardeners love working with them and cannot imagine going back. They’re Eco-Friendly Chickens in …

Arborists encounter large volumes of wood chips when performing tree care services, providing them with access to an abundant source of mulch – much better than anything available for purchase in stores. Wood chip mulch effectively blocks sunlight from soil, helping prevent weed seed germination and inhibiting some opportunistic fungal diseases that attack plants. How …

Remineralizing garden soil with rock dust for long term fertility is an inexpensive and simple way to improve both plant health and environmental sustainability. It mimics nature’s method for creating fertile soil – glaciers crush rocks, wind disperses fragments across land masses and microorganisms break them down into humus-rich materials. Remineralization goes one step further …

Wood chip garden paths offer many practical and ecological advantages, from effective weed suppression to improved moisture retention. Furthermore, they enhance soil health while offering an enjoyable surface to walk on during inclement weather. Wood chips have an effective porous structure that absorbs rainfall and irrigation water like a sponge, slowly releasing it back into …

Hedges provide shelter and add a distinct tone of green to a landscape, providing wildlife shelter. Lupine plants bloom with rows of blue-purple pea-like flowers in spring that deer can’t touch; mahonias produce orange and red colors in fall as year-round foliage; while silver lupine has unique leaf shapes. What to Plant No matter if …

Johnson su composting stands apart from traditional windrow and pile composting by creating an organism-rich compost that contains microorganisms to inoculate the soil with and help plants improve soil health, sequester carbon and increase yields. Compost builds up slowly over a year in an aerobic process and should maintain 70% moisture. High fungal content The …

Soil compaction is an issue affecting many gardens, lawns and agricultural areas. It limits root development while decreasing water infiltration rates. Foot traffic and heavy equipment use are two primary contributors to soil compaction, while tilling can aggravate this situation by compacting mineral particles tightly together and compacting the ground surface. Organic matter helps ease …

Chopping and dropping is an effective, zero-waste way of building healthy soil. By recycling prunings, weeds, and grass clippings back into the garden ecosystem, this method allows for optimal plant health. Regenerative and syntropic practices like mulching can enhance soil health, retain moisture levels, inhibit weed growth and decrease fertilizer requirements – making a natural …

Beneficial insect habitat planting offers an alternative to physical pest controls like netting, fencing and traps. By planting perennial flowers like tansy leaf, buckwheat and others in field margins that bloom periodically over time can increase parasite populations that feed upon crop pests while providing alternate food sources. Goal of this exercise: creating a self-regulating …

Water harvesting with rain barrels is an effective way to lower water bills, protect groundwater sources, and create a resilient garden – all while decreasing reliance on drought-strained municipal systems. Be sure to install first-flush diverters so as to wash away feces and contaminants before filling your barrels with water. Slow, deep irrigation is preferable …

Polyculture gardens are composed of different plants that are planted together to increase food harvests while requiring less maintenance than growing vegetables in long rows. They mimic nature’s plant guilds. When starting this type of garden, use the guidelines for square foot gardening as your starting point. Consider adding flowering plants like sweet alyssum, marigolds …

Rain barrel water harvesting can be an effective way to save money on water bills, reduce reliance on groundwater supplies and lessen drought vulnerability. But there are certain risk factors you must keep in mind before beginning this endeavor. Avoid plastics like PVC and polystyrene (recycling numbers 3 and 6, respectively), and make sure your …

Fallen leaves are an invaluable asset to any garden, offering mulch as a solution to suppressing weeds, improving soil texture and increasing fertility over time. Leaf mold differs from compost in that its transformation occurs via slow “cold” fungal breakdown. As a result, it’s ideal for improving clay soils while holding onto moisture in sandy …

Cover crops at their most beneficial when in bloom are at their height. Sugars, energy and nutrients are transferred back into the soil; but if a cover crop goes to seed it loses this function. Legumes contribute to soil health by adding nitrogen through their roots, and by producing mycorrhizal fungi that assist plants with …

Korean Natural Farming (KNF) offers an alternative growing method to those looking to reduce toxic chemical usage in their fields, by employing fermented plant inputs like FPJ and LAB made with indigenous microorganisms from your area and local plants that help increase nutrient availability, improve soil structure, and foster healthier plant growth. KNF homemade fertilizer …

To create your own mycorrhizal inoculum, combine spores and viable hyphae in a dilute compost or vermiculite mixture. Do not apply fungicides after inoculation until mycorrhizae have established themselves. To achieve optimal results, select field soil that has not been utilized within two years for growing crops that will be inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi – …

Soil food webs form the backbone of ecosystems, from supporting crops that nourish humans to wildlife like deer and wild boars – and with hydroponics or other regenerative farming methods you can join this global effort towards more sustainable farming and reduce global warming with every crop you produce. Plants Regenerative gardeners take an holistic …

Biochar is adsorptive, meaning it absorbs nutrients and water when mixed with soil, sucking up both essential elements for plant life. Furthermore, it attracts beneficial microbes like endomycorrhizae that form mutualistic relationships with plant roots thereby increasing absorptive surface area and stress resistance. Waste materials that contain carbon such as nut shells, woody invasive plants, …

Growing Egyptian onions is not simply an agricultural project; it’s an adventure through time and history. These unique onions can bring something extra delicious to your garden and add an exquisite edge over traditional varieties.

As commonly referred to by their many names, walking onions, Medusa onions or topset onions produce bulbils which root when they touch the ground – providing you with free expansion without paying for seeds! First prepare your bed by clearing away rocks and leveling, ensuring there are no low spots or dramatic slopes in it.

Egyptian Walking Onions make an invaluable and beautiful addition to any landscape or vegetable garden, self-propagating by dropping their top setting bulbils and require only minimal care and upkeep.

Egyptian Walking Onions (Allium fistulosum) initially appear just like regular onion plants in spring, but by mid- to late summer something extraordinary takes place: their leaves become long, feathery stalks.