“Fertilizer” versus fertility
The term “fertilizer” is undeniably a marketing person’s invention. Looking to the roots of the word, “fertilizer” should be that which actively creates fertility. But once we understand that the true sources of soil fertility are a rich abundance of…
Soil workhorses
daikon radish (can break up clay), a favorite of Fukuoka burdock, similarly deep and powerful root chicory, burnet, lamb’s quarters, dock – described as “deep rooted” by John Jeavons (J2) beets, comfrey – accumulate potassium (J2) clover – accumulates nitrogen…
Preparing a new garden
What we did at the Community Garden at Holy Nativity: Removed lawn. Waited for regrowth. Dug out regrowth. (We did rototill after regrowth removal.) Marked the footpaths and defined growing spaces. We have variously used wood, plastic edging, and rocks,…
As close to a closed-loop system as possible
Ultimately, to maintain ongoing soil fertility, we are faced with figuring out how to put as much material back into the soil as we drew out of it. We must offset soil losses by building up soil gains. Soil losses:…
Compost Happens
Making compost isn’t rocket science. Admittedly, upon deep scientific analysis the soil web is highly complex. But Nature knows her stuff. Don’t get in her way. Work with her, embrace her as your partner, and she’ll ably handle all those…
Healthy garden soil is ALIVE.
One teaspoon of compost may contain: 1 billion invisible bacteria(20,000 to 30,000 species of them),400 to 900 feet of fungal hyphae (thread-like structures), 10,000 to 50,000 protozoa, and 30 to 300 nematodes. Then there are algaes and slime molds, and…
Soil building
Feed your soil. Your soil feeds your plants and your plants feed you. — Paraphrased from John Jeavons When I teach the soil-building session at my class series at the Community Garden at Holy Nativity, I always bring along my…
Smooth or Chunky
In the gardens of my youth, the soil texture was definitely chunky. Chunky then meant sandstone and shale rock pieces – chunks so hard you could not break them with a pick, let alone with the tender root of a…