In this episode I discuss the general theme of the kind of money you can save by growing your own food, and in particular, by saving your own seed garlic, which are one of the more expensive items to buy at garden centers. Using some simple math, I show that over time, the numbers really …

In this episode I discuss the general theme of the kind of money you can save by growing your own food, and in particular, by saving your own seed garlic, which are one of the more expensive items to buy at garden centers. Using some simple math, I show that over time, the numbers really …

Many garden centers create the perception that a garden is something you can buy and then install on your lawn – like a deck – but unlike a deck, a garden is a living thing. In fact, one cubic foot of healthy soil can contain thousands of organisms, and this kind of soil cannot be …

Many garden centers create the perception that a garden is something you can buy and then install on your lawn – like a deck – but unlike a deck, a garden is a living thing. In fact, one cubic foot of healthy soil can contain thousands of organisms, and this kind of soil cannot be …

In this our 50th episode of the podcast, Greg talks about several things to consider this time of year, from easy free sources of mulch that you can find right after Halloween, leaving your root vegetables in the ground until there is some consistent frost, amending your soil, and Dave’s departure from the show.  We …

“Growing Degree Days” (GDDs) are a measure of heat accumulation that indicates how favorable the growing conditions are in your area. If the number is really high, you can grow anything, if it’s low, there’s some things you just can’t grow. Every plant has a certain number of GDDs it needs to reach maturity. GDDs …

In this episode we talked about mulches and explored the question of which mulches are best suited to gardening in the North. Order, first to last: Which break down the fastest? Hay Seaweed Grass Leaves Rotten logs Woodchips Which improve soil the most rapidly? Hay Seaweed Grass Leaves Rotten logs Woodchips Which generate the most …

In this episode we discuss and try to define the concept of “permaculture”, a term that refers to an approach to agriculture that is fundamentally different than that of conventional approaches, and we focus specifically on the thoughts of the late Bill Mollison (1928-2016), an internationally recognized permaculture writer, teacher and advocate. I refer to …

Does it make sense to plant “fall crops” if you live somewhere with an early winter, like zone 6 or colder? I think it does, but it also makes sense to broaden your concept of what “fall crops” are. In my garden, I plant Romain lettuce and cilantro in early and mid August, but that’s …

Is there really such a thing as a “green thumb”? Do gardeners buy into the idea of a “green thumb” to simply pat themselves on the back, or is this something non-gardeners buy into to console themselves? Having a successful garden depends upon many factors such as; soil quality, growing conditions, pests, plant varieties, proper …