Chelsea Green Blog
Gardening
Biodynamic Farming: Unlock Fertile Fields with Cows & Compost
“An immediate halt to chemical fertilizing and returning to the use of compost instead would turn degeneration into regeneration.”
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Capturing the Crunch: How to Harvest and Store Cucumbers
As the weather heats up, now’s the perfect time to grow and pick cucumbers! With these easy tips and tricks, you’ll be prepared to successfully harvest and store the cucumbers you grow until they’re ready to eat. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs copyright © 2017 by Andrew Mefferd. The following is an excerpt from The Greenhouse and…
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Land Degradation: The Secrets of Fixing the Soil with Biochar
Some of the world’s most productive and resilient soils contain significant quantities of “natural” biochar. Author Kelpie Wilson challenges us to “change our perspective from ‘too much carbon in the air’ to ‘not enough carbon in the soil.’ We are good at being miners and exploiting resources, so let’s mine the air and stash the…
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Perennial Veggies: The Benefits of Perennial Vegetables
Think about how much work your perennial flower beds take compared to your annual vegetable garden. In a busy year, your perennial garden largely sails through despite neglect. Once your perennials are established, and if they are suited to your climate and site conditions, they can be virtually indestructible. An annual vegetable garden, as we…
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Daylily Dangers and Delights
Got some daylilies taking over your garden? Instead of weeding them out, try eating them instead! A common vegetable in China and Japan, the daylily is more than a pretty flower. These wild plants are easy to forage and packed with flavor that will serve as a perfect addition to seasonal recipes. Before trying them,…
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Reaping the Harvest: Tips for Harvesting and Preserving
Tending to your garden is fulfilling in its own way, but the real reward is when everything is ready to be harvested! See below for some tips for harvesting and preserving that’ll keep you nourished for months to come. The following is an excerpt form The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments by Nigel Palmer. It…
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Plant Spotlight: The Joyful Juneberry
All hail the joyful juneberry! While these rich and sweet berries taste wonderful when they’re fresh, you can also preserve them, use them as a substitute for blueberries in dessert recipes, and used to make wine, beer or cider. To create these delicious dishes, you first need to find and harvest juneberries. Get ready to set…
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Getting to the Root: Growing & Harvesting Carrots
Curious about carrots? There is no better time than now to get to growing. Before you get started, check out these insights on growing & harvesting carrots from gardening expert Will Bonsall. The following is an excerpt from Will Bonsall’s Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening by Will Bonsall. It has been adapted for the…
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How to Grow and Maintain Fruit Trees: General Fruit Tree Management
Thinking of growing fruit trees? While it’s no small undertaking, fruit trees are much more forgiving than annual crops once established. Fruits like apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, pears, pluots, and plums can easily be grown on trees in your backyard — you just need to know the correct management practices before you get started.…
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Food for Your Garden: Starting a Traditional Compost Pile in Your Yard
What can we do to reduce our waste? Use less, recycle and reuse packaging materials, and compost your organic waste. And if you’re a gardener, there’s no reason to throw away this beneficial (and cheap!) source of nourishment for your soil. Compost is the key to a flourishing garden. Turn your kitchen scraps and yard…
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How to Grow Healthy Plants: Strengthening Your Farm or Garden’s Immune System
Searching for tips on how to grow healthy plants? The excerpt below offers advice on how to improve your farm or garden’s immune system through providing optimal conditions, managing plant competition, and achieving optimal nutrient balance. The following is an excerpt from The Ecological Farm by Helen Atthowe. It has been adapted for the web.…
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Designing A Food Forest: The Seven-Layer Forest Garden
Get ready to create your own seven-layer forest garden! Food forests, or edible forest gardens, are life-filled places that provide habitat for wildlife and food for humans while promoting natural beauty and biodiversity. To get started, all you need is to take a page from Mother Nature’s book. The following is an excerpt from Gaia’s…
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Rewilding Your Land
Picture-perfect farms may be aesthetically pleasing, but they’re likely lacking in biodiversity. Rewilding practices allow the land to return to its natural wild state, providing more room for fruit-bearing plants to grow and animals to control small pests. The following is an excerpt from Farming on the Wild Side by Nancy J. Hayden and John…
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Drop the Beet: Growing No-Till Beets
Let’s drop the beet! Beets can be grown year-round and are a perfect, flavorful addition to meals. Get started on growing your own no-till beets with help from these tips! The following is an excerpt from The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost. It has a been adapted for the web. How to Grow No-Till…
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Rock & Grow: Adding Local Rocks & Soil To Your Garden
Looking for ways to naturally enrich your garden? The answer is all around you….literally. Add local rocks & soil to your garden to improve soil health and see your crops flourishing in no time. The following is an excerpt from The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments by Nigel Palmer. It has been adapted for the…
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Garden Strawberries — A Sweet and Delicious Ground Cover
Garden strawberries are excellent for both covering the ground and for growing fruit. If you’re planning out a forest garden, or are just looking for a plant to use as ground cover, strawberries are a great option. The following is an excerpt from The Home-Scale Forest Garden by Dani Baker. It has been adapted for…
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Compost: Small Farm-Style
With the right strategies and practices, composting on a small farm is surprisingly easy and inexpensive. Just follow these steps for making compost, and your farm will be thriving in no time! The following excerpt is from The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables by Ben Hartman. It has been adapted for the web. (All photographs by Ben…
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Fermented Plant Juice: A Drink Only a Garden Could Love
Everyone loves a refreshing, fermented, nutritious drink…even your garden! Take your fermentation skills out of the kitchen and into the garden by brewing fermented plant juice. The following is an excerpt from The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments by Nigel Palmer. It has been adapted for the web. How to Make Fermented Plant Juice Fermented…
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A Guide to Soil Fertility and Crop Health
Want to see your crops thrive this upcoming growing season? The key is in soil fertility and health. Spend time maintaining your soil’s health to guarantee bigger and better crops come harvest time! The following is an excerpt from No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture by Bryan O’Hara. It has been adapted for the web. What Is Soil Fertility?…
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Become A Plant Breeder: The Seed Series
It’s time to take control of your seeds and become a plant breeder! Saving your seed allows you to grow and best traditional & regional varieties, and develop more of your own. The following excerpt is from Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties by Carol Deppe. It has been adapted for the web. Becoming A Plant…
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The Surprising Benefits of Rewilding Your Garden
Rewilding is one of the best things you can do for the biodiversity of your farm or garden. By no longer mowing your lawn, flowers will start to grow, creating a meadow and a habitat for creatures that often get forgotten. The following is an excerpt from The Healthy Vegetable Garden by Sally Morgan. It…
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Weed Suppression: Choosing The Right Cover Crops & Living Mulches
Trying to figure out how to manage weeds in your garden beds? Use cover crops and living mulches for weed suppression while your garden flourishes! The following is an excerpt from The Ecological Farm by Helen Atthowe. It has been adapted for the web. Suppressing Weeds With Cover Crops: Getting Started Cover crops suppress weeds…
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9 Simple Steps to Sheet Mulching: Turn Barren Soil into Black Gold
To turn a barren lot into a permaculture paradise, you’ve got to start from the ground up — and sheet mulching is an easy way to start. Here are some tips to help you strengthen your soil with the power of sheet mulching! The following is an excerpt is from Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier. It…
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Choosing the Right Seed Crop: The Seed Series
How do you know if you’re picking the right seeds? Here are some easy tips on choosing the best seed crop for your environment. The following is an excerpt from The Organic Seed Grower by John Navazio. It has been adapted for the web. Seed Crop Characteristics There are a number of prominent characteristics of…
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The Miyawaki Method: Imagining a Mini-Forest’s Potential
Want to witness the magic of the mini-forest? When you practice The Miyawaki Method, a unique approach to reforestation, you’ll see an empty lot or backyard transform into a biodiverse forest before your very eyes. The following is an excerpt from Mini-Forest Revolution by Hannah Lewis. It has been adapted for the web. Photo Credit:…
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