Search Results for: label/soil

219 results

Iron Sulfate as a Concrete Stain

Mr. Homegrown
Design, How-to
9 Comments
My concrete Platonic solids stained with iron sulfate. I’m not a big fan of concrete in the garden. It raises soil alkalinity (a problem for us, here in the Southwestern US) and it prevents rain from infiltrating into the ground. That being said, concrete is occasionally useful and/or unavoidable. But I also don’t like the color of bare concrete, nor can I afford the high price of concrete stains. Thankfully there’s a...

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Infinite Green Onions

Mrs. Homegrown
Food, Gardening
16 Comments
Here’s a handy little tip. I’m pretty sure I heard it first from Mr. Jack Spirko: Save the root ends of your green onions (aka scallions) — the parts you cut off when you’re cooking. Plant those, roots down, under about an inch of soil and they will generate new green onions. Keep this cycle going throughout your growing season and you should have an endless supply of green onions for your table. It’s much easier t...

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Huntington Ranch Workshop: Foraging and the Living Kitchen

Mr. Homegrown
Events
RLeave a comment
...d plants around us. Led by Nance Klehm, this workshop will walk participants through the Huntington Ranch and discuss the strategy of food foresting that specifically incorporates or allows for spontaneous vegetation to build soil health, create habitat, and provide food and medicine for humans. During the tour, participants will explore the web of relationships of these plants as well as taste, smell and gather wild plant material to prepare a l...

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What’s the dirt on soap nuts?

Mrs. Homegrown
Miscellaneous
46 Comments
...iquid? How long have you been using them? Do you find a big difference between brands? If you could shoot me a comment, I’d really appreciate it. On a more advanced level, I’m curious about their interactions with soil and compost, so if you have any thoughts on that, I’d love to hear them. I’m curious as to how they’re harvested, and if their growing popularity is impacting their local ecosystems. If you’ve ne...

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Pee on your Compost

Mr. Homegrown
Composting
RLeave a comment
...wheat and corn that we as individuals consume. And urine is sterile and safe unless you’ve got a bladder infection. Urine should be diluted before applying directly to plants since salts in your pee can build up in the soil. Dilution should be at least 10 parts water to one part urine. Peeing directly on plants can burn them as anyone who owns a dog already knows about. Urine is easiest to apply to non-food crops, though it’s perfect...

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Know Maintanance

Mr. Homegrown
Gardening, Resources
8 Comments
...t garden unless it has a striking form (spiky, billowing, vertical spire), strong foliage color (blues/golds/purples, etc), or a long season of blooms (2 month minimum). We had to redo our yard after last year’s lead soil reports (more on that in another post), and the design of our own space is a frequent source of marital disagreements. After reading Rainer’s advice together we vowed, “plant drama, not couple drama.”...

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Ordo Ab Chao

Mr. Homegrown
Gardening, Vegetable Gardening
10 Comments
...nization. With Jeavons, you project how much of a particular vegetable you’d like and plant with tight hexagonal spacing. Plan ahead and you get an abundant and attractive garden assuming you’ve taken care of your soil. At least it works for me. My new commitment for our summer garden is to carefully choose what I’m going to grow, how much of it to plant, and stick with the program. No last minute improvising. And better note ta...

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Greywater Precautions

Mr. Homegrown
Water Conservation
2 Comments
...tact with contaminated water is low. Do not apply greywater to lawns (lawns are evil anyways) or to the foliage of any plant as this can cause a microorganism growth party. Remember that greywater is treated by moving through soil. Greywater tends to be alkaline, so avoid using greywater on acid loving plants such as citrus, ferns and other forest plants (pretty much anything that grows in the shade). Occasionally irrigate your plants with fresh...

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How To Manage a Compost Pile Using Temperature

Mr. Homegrown
Composting, Gardening, How-to
5 Comments
I’ve always been confused about when to turn a compost pile. Some people suggest lots of turning while others don’t turn at all. I built a pile in December using a technique I learned from Will Bakx, soil scientist and operations manager of Sonoma Compost. Bakx recommends keeping the pile between 131° F (55° C) and 163°F (72°C) for a period of 15 days. The only time you turn is when the pile starts to dip below 131° F or to prevent...

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How To Design a Garden Step IV: Clues to Care

Mr. Homegrown
Garden Design, Gardening
6 Comments
...re. In general, most folks don’t like a residential front yard that looks like a farm, or anything that looks too “wild.” Clues to care include: Defined pathways Raised beds Mulched beds and paths (vs. bare soil) Artwork Trellises and other attractive supports Birdbaths Benches While the above items fall under the category of hardscape, clues to care also include aesthetic choices in planting and arranging the yard. For instan...

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