Permaculture is a method of agriculture that results in gardens that function like natural systems such that they are sustainable over the long term, require minimal labor and inputs, and have a net-positive impact on the ecosystem where they are located. In this episode we talked a little about the concept of ‘efficiency’ in a …

Many gardeners like the idea of having an herb garden, but many of them are hard to grow from seed, and it can be costly to buy them all as transplants. In this episode we discuss strategies for building a good herb garden without spending too much money. Perennial Herbs Perennial herbs, like any perennial, …

As you garden becomes larger and more elaborate, it becomes increasingly useful to plan out the space prior to planting each year. While there is software available online for this task, I find it far simpler to just take a picture of my garden from a high point, pop the picture into MS excel (or …

One ritual of the Northern gardener is the growing of transplants in spring. For some it means the annual firing up of the improvised grow-op, whereas for others it is signified by the colonization of all the space in every south facing window in the house. In this episode Dave and I talk about all …

One ritual of the Northern gardener is the growing of transplants in spring. For some it means the annual firing up of the improvised grow-op, whereas for others it is signified by the colonization of all the space in every south facing window in the house. In this episode Dave and I talk about all …

Many gardeners time their planting dates around tables and charts that are based on “plant hardiness zones”. In this episode we discuss how they are determined, how informative they are for planning a garden, and some strategies for working around the limitations that your zone might impose on plant variety options. What Determines a Hardiness …

Many gardeners time their planting dates around tables and charts that are based on “plant hardiness zones”. In this episode we discuss how they are determined, how informative they are for planning a garden, and some strategies for working around the limitations that your zone might impose on plant variety options. What Determines a Hardiness …

Growing transplants is a great way to jump start your garden each year. Carefully done, it can result in earlier harvests, and an all-around greater yield from your gardening space over the course of a growing season. Another added benefit is that it allows the gardener to get back into gardening months before the soil …

Growing transplants is a great way to jump start your garden each year. Carefully done, it can result in earlier harvests, and an all-around greater yield from your gardening space over the course of a growing season. Another added benefit is that it allows the gardener to get back into gardening months before the soil …

It’s the time of year when gardeners start dreaming about the next garden, imagining how it will be so much better than last year’s garden, and coming up with all manner of fanciful schemes to make that happen. For me, a big part of that process is contemplating what varieties I will plant for the …