Search Results for: label/soil

219 results

Maggots!

Mr. Homegrown
Composting, Gardening
RLeave a comment
...ever you use the compost. To speed up the decomposition process in a single pile composter, you can remove the compost contents, mix them up with a pitchfork, and put them back in the pile. Our composter is bottomless, so the soil underneath the bin gets fertilized as the compost decomposes, so when we move the pile the previous spot becomes a fertile new planting area. There are also expensive tumblers, that rotate the compost in a large barrel....

Continue reading…

Plantago coronopus, a.k.a. Buckhorn Plantain, a.k.a. Erba Stella

Mr. Homegrown
Gardening, Vegetable Gardening
2 Comments
...cooking it with either pancetta or anchovies. As for growing Plantago coronopus, let me put it this way, if you can’t grow it consider giving up gardening. I left some in my seedling flat and, with just three inches of soil, it produced a viable crop. It’s a weed. While I’ve seen it described as a cool weather green, it grew fine this summer (admittedly a very mild summer here in Los Angeles). Do an English language search for...

Continue reading…

Moonlight Medicine Foraging Expedition!

Mrs. Homegrown
Events
2 Comments
...on is available. She designed and currently manages a large scale, closed-loop vermicompost project at a downtown homeless shelter where cafeteria food waste becomes 4 tons of worm castings a year which in turn is used as the soil that grows food to return to the cafeteria. More information on Nance can be found at her website, here: http://www.spontaneousvegetation.net/...

Continue reading…

Disconnect to Reconnect: Ditching the “Flushie” for a Composting Toilet

Nancy Klehm
Composting, Gardening, Humanure, Preparedness, Thoughtstylings
14 Comments
...ection. Pooping into sawdust allows you to observe your waste, an indicator of healthy body function. This is commonly understood in the medical community be it Western, Aruvedic or Chinese. Human waste is a source of healthy soil if properly composted. (subset of consideration #1) It is sane and safe to compost your human waste if you are a competent (read: very experienced) composter of other organic waste and have the place to do so that will...

Continue reading…

Self Irrigating Pot Patent from 1917

Mr. Homegrown
Self Watering Containers
4 Comments
...Burleigh of Chicago. From the patent description: “My invention is concerned with flower and plant boxes, and is designed to produce a device of the class described in which the proper moistening and aeration of the soil in it can be easily and cheaply effected by simply pouring water into the funnel with which it is provided until the proper amount is supplied, which amount will be indicated by the overflow from a suitably located a...

Continue reading…

Joshua Tree Earthen Oven Class

Mr. Homegrown
Events
2 Comments
...nd do-it-your-selfers, and is a great introduction to adobe construction and earthen plasters covered in more depth in adobeisnotsoftware’s other classes. Topics Include: Local considerations and the siting your earthen oven Soil and material selection, sourcing and testing Foundations and oven base design and materials Sizing Sand Form and Oven Domes Natural oven plasters and finishes Firing and baking in your oven. Instruction Type: This is...

Continue reading…

Hugo, humanure and nettles

Mrs. Homegrown
Composting, Reviews
10 Comments
...with fodder, gives gloss to the hair of animals; the root, mixed with salt, produces a beautiful yellow coloring-matter. Moreover, it is an excellent hay, which can be cut twice. And what is required for the nettle? A little soil, no care, no culture. Only the seed falls as it is ripe, and it is difficult to collect it. That is all. With the exercise of a little care, the nettle could be made useful; it is neglected and it becomes hurtful. It is...

Continue reading…

Homesteading Disasters: The Skunk Menace

Mr. Homegrown
Mistakes
16 Comments
...e)! Deer harassed readers are welcome to share their horror stories in the comments. More on that kooky new keyhole garden in another post . . .   *Ed. note:  Skunks are actually digging for insects. The irony is that better soil (moist, rich with life, etc.) invariably attracts skunks. In that way, you may wish to consider skunk attacks a sign of gardening success....

Continue reading…

More on our gardening disasters

Mrs. Homegrown
Gardening, Mistakes, Thoughtstylings
15 Comments
...te change–frost!–have played their part. But my gut on this is that it comes down to our lack of true engagement with the garden. In short, it’s an attitude problem. Ever since we learned we have lead in our soil, the garden has been all about containment and management and safety and compromise. And none of those things say “fun.” I think the best gardening comes about through curiosity and joy. We should all be lik...

Continue reading…

Cargo Bike Roundup

Mr. Homegrown
Bikes, Transportation
9 Comments
...kes to America. We’ve found hauling cargo on a bike to be tremendously enjoyable. It’s an entertaining challenge to see how many ridiculously heavy things you can carry. Sixty pounds of dog food, bags of concrete, soil and many loads of groceries have all traveled on our Xtracyle. It’s allowed us to get rid of one of our cars and save thousands of dollars. While many of the bikes above are on the expensive side, if you replace a...

Continue reading…