Building Healthy Soil by Adding Organic Matter and Loosening It As we’ve seen, healthy soil is rich, full of organic matter, well-drained, well-loosened, and deep, but how do we create such soil in our garden beds? We add these things ourselves. While rich and full of organic matter or well-drained Read more
An Introduction to Amazing Soil There is absolutely nothing like soil. Its rich smell—sent north on the breeze on a late-winter day when deep in our souls we’re longing for the joys of the sun on our skin and the unmitigated smiles of peace that come unbidden while sitting on Read more
The Right Amount of Water Water. Every plant needs it. Everyone knows it. Being essential, then, also makes it essential to learn about. The Green-thumbed Secrets Simplicity and obviousness of its import, however, do not equal ubiquitous knowledge, especially of the finer points. What, then, are the secrets that green-thumbed Read more
My Voice: Why My Soul’s Still Here I’ve deliberately kept as much of my soul as possible in the book and, hence, in this blog and website. In this way (and others), it may differ from some traditional gardening literature. Books, blogs, and websites told in safe, matter-of-fact tones, bereft Read more
In gardening, simple wisdom is focusing on the fundamentals first and foremost. The core fundamentals of gardening are massive amounts of direct sunlight, correct amounts of water at the right times, and extremely healthy soil. Sun, water, and healthy soil are for your plant like electricity is for our appliances. Read more
Wise Enough to Do the Simple Things Great gardeners root themselves first in the fundamentals of gardening. Then, all actions and information falls into place, fitting into the bigger picture of their understanding. These gardeners realize the fundamentals of gardening are the most basic and most powerful aspects any of Read more
Gardening in the Information Age Gardening is a beautiful act, giving its participants a taste of the nurturing earth, self-sufficiency, and a sweetness only found in growing your own food. Yet, over the years while talking to gardeners, I’ve been surprised to find many suffering from a vague sense of Read more
All Gardeners! Neophyte, Newer, Veteran, and Expert Gardeners, alike! This website and blog, and the accompanying book, are meant to help all gardeners: neophyte, newer, veteran, and expert gardeners. For Those Newer to Gardening For those new or newer to gardening, we start with the most important fundamentals of gardening. Read more
And We Need More Than We Think! A Gardener’s Dilemma They should have been full-sized plants by now. The chunky cotyledons and first true leaves had emerged and spread, attempting to fulfill their role by absorbing as much sunlight as possible. But, as bean seedlings are wont to do if Read more