Photo © Dreamstime.com. One of the best ways to reduce tillage and increase our enjoyment of gardening is to construct permanent beds. When we stop tilling, it is important to avoid compaction as...
Nature-Friendly Gardening
Gardening without Tillage—Why?
Photo © Dreamstime.com. I realize that having a garden without tilling might sound strange. My earliest memories of gardening include plowing, disking, and tilling. For many years I never knew there...
The Other Most Important Nutrient
The Most Important Garden Nutrient
What is the single most important nutrient for growing plants? There are two possible correct answers, water or carbon. Both of these run in global, sun-powered cycles and provide renewable energy....
Tree Fruits
Photo © Dreamstime.com. When are the two best times to plant a fruit tree? The best time was ten years ago! The second best time is this spring or fall, depending on your climate.If you want to...
Yielding Seed After His Kind
Storing the Bounty
Photo © Olga Volodina/Dreamstime.com I am a strong proponent of extending the growing season whenever possible, and utilizing row covers, tunnels, and greenhouses to keep up the flow of fresh foods...
Preparing Your Garden for Rest
One of the blessings most North American gardeners enjoy is the cyclical nature of the pastime. While I have written about the joy of season extension and greenhouse production, having a season of...
Nature-friendly Exterminating
When big black ants began chewing the foam insulation that had been spray-applied to the ceiling of a storage barn, I was not pleased. I purchased a spray of some sort from a garden supply, pumped...
Learning About Plantain
I love getting out the binoculars to watch birds at the feeder. I love seeing deer, porcupines, mice, and other animals. I love watching the moon and the stars in their phases and seasons, but of...
October 2017 Study Guide – Solar Eclipse
October 2017 Study Guide 2017 Solar Eclipse. Photo © Kevin Shank, Nature Friend Magazine.
