Category: Improving Your Soil
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Pollenizers: No, they’re not pollinators; yes, you probably need them
gardeners are most likely to come across the word in the context of growing fruit cultivars, many of which need pollen from one of a specific list of other cultivars in order to set fruit. A pollinator, on the other hand, is an insect, bird, or other creature that transfers pollen from one plant to…
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Which Dynamic Accumulator Plants are Actually Helpful for your Garden, According to Science?
Popular recommendations of dynamic accumulators include comfrey, amaranth, chickweed, dandelion, chicory, lamb’s quarters, nettles, and many trees; however, new research suggests that we have misidentified some dynamic accumulators. At the same time, new analysis of longstanding USDA data reveals as many as 340 plant species that could be contenders for the title.
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The Facts about Hugelkultur and Nitrogen Immobilization
Hugelkultur is an old German and Eastern European soil-building technique that involves burying logs and growing plants over them while they decompose. Many growers have one major concern when they first learn about it: Will the decomposition of wood in hugelkultur rob the soil of nitrogen and starve the plants? Nitrogen immobilization technically happens in…
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Is Holistic Planned Grazing Relevant to You?
Developed by ecologist Allan Savory to heal particular grassland environments, holistic planned grazing is a method of raising livestock that improves the health of the landscape instead of depleting it. To achieve this, holistic managers graze their animals in patterns that mimic the behaviour of wild herd animals. These patterns, which are characterized by densely…
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Sheet Mulching Problems and Solutions
As with any technique, sheet mulching cannot be applied the exact same way in every environment. The most common problems practitioners encounter can be resolved by adapting it to their own climate and site.
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When Should I Add Nitrogen to My Garden?
The question of when to add nitrogen to a garden is a complex one. Nitrogen levels in soil change frequently, and they are affected by factors like temperature, soil drainage, and the plants the soil is supporting. This makes it hard for any expert to hand down universal advice about exactly when a garden needs…
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Hügelkultur Gardening on Clay Soil
This spring, faced with establishing a new garden in hard clay soil, I wondered if hugelkultur might be a good strategy. The technique, which involves burying logs, branches, and mulch in a steep-sided mound, would certainly bring organic matter into my garden. But would they decompose properly when surrounded by clay?
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Terra Preta: How Charred Wood Created Millennia of Soil Fertility
What is Terra Preta, how does it create so much fertility, and can I apply it on a home scale in my temperate-climate garden? These questions led me on a fascinating hunt through scientific journals, newspaper gardening columns, historical accounts, and biochar-making demonstrations from both American businesspeople and Brazilian Indigenous communities. Jump to the bibliography…
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Introduction to Temperate-Climate Perennial Crops
In my experience with growing food in Ontario, food-producing perennials have been precious and always too rare. Every time I’ve gotten the chance to try growing a new one (even if I had no idea how to cook it), I’ve jumped in with both feet.