Difference between soil and dirt

The difference between soil and dirt from the expert:

Difference between soil and dirt... it ALL starts in the soil

If you're not here yet, you've got to catch up.

Elements of Organic Gardening: Putting Your System Together

Elements of Organic Gardening: Putting Your System Together

Earthmister Trial - save even more water than drip systems?

Another good one from John. He installs and demos a Earthmister system which supposedly saves 20% OVER other drip systems.

Man Sentenced to 30 Days for Catching Rain Water on Own Property Enters Jail

Click here for article entitled, "Man Sentenced to 30 Days for Catching Rain Water on Own Property Enters Jail."

No-till Garden Workshop

Organic Tomatoes = Higher Antioxidants

"ScienceDaily (July 3, 2012) — A study conducted at the University of Barcelona shows that organic tomatoes contain higher levels of phenolic compounds than conventional tomatoes. Phenolic compounds are organic molecules found in many vegetables with proven human health benefits. The UB's Natural Antioxidant Group, headed by lecturer Rosa M. Lamuela, had previously demonstrated that organic tomato juice and ketchup contain higher polyphenol content than juice and ketchup made from conventionally grown tomatoes."

Click here for full article.

A reminder... it's all about the soil. The soil feeds plants, we don't.

Here's a great chart of what to eat seasonally. CLICK HERE to go to the chart and more information.

I love this video. Alice says it better that I ever could.



Please share this with others.

Start with the soil

Architects and engineers designing buildings start with the foundation. So should you in your garden. Almost everything starts there. There is a whole web of life going on in your soil that can be fostered and assisted using natural products and techniques.

Watch this video and prepare to be amazed:

With remineralizing the soil, and compost, he was able to grow food with amazing yield and quality naturally. He used volcanic rock dust.  Some sell and use glacial rock dust. I am conducting an experiment in my garden with different types of rock dust - results to be published here later.

A couple of other ways are growing green cover crops in the winter, especially nitrogen fixing plants like legumes.  Or grow a crop with the intention of tilling it under in the spring - it's called green manure.

You could try the no-till method.  This is a method of gardening or farming where tilling is kept to a minimum or not at all. The thinking behind this is to keep the soil from becoming a dust bowl again - tilled over and over until it is no longer arable.

You can read about soil biology here. You'll be a wiser gardener/farmer for it.

The Role of Cover Crops

This should get you revved up for this fall's cover crop. Understand why it's so important and how it yields better with lower costs. No brainer, right?

Using Biochar (charcoal) in your garden

I've noticed something new in this year's spring gardening videos and the blogsphere, biochar. "[B]iochar can increase soil fertility, raise agricultural productivity..."

Last year I saw a video of the guy organotill.org show how he grows mycchorizal fungi:

Then he mixed the biochar and mycchorizal fungi. The fungi find a home in the soil stable biochar. As you know from previous posts, mycchorizal fungi acts like a root extender. Adding a stable home for it, by way of using biochar, grants the fungi longevity in your soil. Thus moving toward a true no-till garden.

Here are several other videos where you can learn more about biochar:

One way to make biochar"

Enjoy!

Move

The move went well and all is well here in zone 8b or 9. Completely different soil and weather patterns than I'm used to but it's a large enough city and there's work to be done :-)

You should be thinking about:
- what to grow this spring and summer
- when are you going to plant
- tilling under the hairy vetch and clover I'm SURE you planted last fall
- seeing how your compost is coming along

If you haven't had a soil test completed by your county extension agent, get one and amend soil as specified. This is a no-brainer and the single best thing you can do to ensure garden success.

I will miss my Paw Paw trees, my Artic Kiwi, blueberries, and great soil I had created in the garden. And the herbs, oh yeah. If you've never cooked with fresh herbs, go to the back of your cooking class and take a knee.

Comment on this post to let me know what YOU are doing to prepare for the summer.