Can you compost diseased plants, namely, powdery mildew leaves? There are a lot of conflicting answers to this question, but maybe this article can help to clarify some of them using a bit of research and, of course, personal experience. First, let’s look at the compost bin and how it works. Personally, I don’t think…
Mycorrhizae (plural for mycorrhizal fungi) are ubiquitous in garden soils. People often see the long thread-like filaments entangling flowers and vegetable roots and mistake them for plant roots. Let’s take a more detailed examination of the use and benefits of these good fungi. Adding granular or water-soluble mycorrhizae inoculant to the soil immediately after transplanting…
Ants can both be bad and good for gardens depending on your experience. I believe there is a need for a healthy ant presence in any garden because ants are generally beneficial for plant life. A good sign of an out-of-control ant population is the presence of large numbers of aphids that secrete honeydew.
You might be facing this situation: you’ve assembled your first compost heap ever, waited for a few months, and now you’re wondering whether to turn it. Aside from the burning curiousity of looking inside, do you really need to turn compost? Most information out there says you do, but is turning compost the main factor for success?
The Dutch hoe is a type of scuffle hoe originating from Holland that has gained popularity in the UK and the US thanks to its simplicity and ease of managing. In fact, the word “scuffle” itself is an English reinterpretation of the Dutch word “schoffel”, which means shovel, or hoe.
As organic gardeners, we have a duty to protect our health, our plants’ health, and the environment – but this is no easy task. Plenty of unwanted bugs and microorganisms come to feast on our vegetables. While a few of them are acceptable, we need to take serious measures when we’re dealing with infestations. Organic…