Materia organica

In my previous article (see FW, 15 & 22 January 2021), I dealt with the chemical and organic fertilisers that need to be worked into the soil. These will not create healthy soil overnight, however; the organic content of the soil has to be increased

First, the bad news: if you are starting a small vegetable farm, you will have to wait several years before nutrient recycling takes place in the soil. Now for the good news: if you follow the guidelines in this series, your lands will be productive

“While coffee grounds contain a small amount of nitrogen, they are not actually fertilisers,” Leslie F. Halleck, M.S., a certified professional horticulturist explains. It turns out that coffee’s nitrogen, an essential nutrient that plants need to gr

It’s easy to take soil for granted… until you decide to grow something! Even though we are often trying to cover up the ground with plants, a lush garden really does rely on soil quality. Plants don’t need a lot of extra care when they’re grown in am

Scientists have stumbled upon a new form of calcite that could be used to clean up ocean spills.

Most of us are familiar with the much-maligned Western diet and its mainstay of processed food products found in the middle aisles of the grocery store. Some of us beeline for the salty chips and others for the sugar-packed cereals. But we are not th

“Shelter in place,” “keep your distance” and “stay at home” are all phrases that have recently become part of our everyday language. People are stocking up on paper products, buying chest freezers and trying to figure out what their next move will be

Planting food plots for wildlife is the single-most effective way to attract, hold and grow deer on your property, and providing food on a year-round basis is critical. One of the most common times to plant food plots is in the late summer or fall of

Rehydrating landscapes relies on small and slow solutions, and therefore the benefits start small and build over time. Benefits include reduced erosion and salinity and increased soil health and productivity. But they also increase your property’s re

If we observe nature over a long enough period of time, we begin to notice the distinct way in which nature operates and what makes it so sustainable. Nothing is ever wasted; all things are cycled and recycled, over and over. Old life gives rise to n

When we think of invasive species, earthworms rarely come to mind. And yet earthworms are foreign invaders that were first introduced to this country by European settlers hundreds of years ago and have been making their home here ever since. “We’ve

Soil isn’t just dirt. There are lots of things going on in healthy soil to keep it healthy, and lots of things you can do to be sure the soil in your food plots becomes healthy and remains healthy. Here’s what the Natural Resources Conservation Servi

If we really want to cool the planet, it’s the hydrological cycle we need to focus on, not carbon. That was one of the key messages that noted soil microbiologist and climatologist Walter Jehne gave at the Organic Dairy and Pastoral Group’s conferenc

LET’S SAY THAT the fundamental currency for exchange in the universe is energy. Even paper and digital money we handle each day is a proxy exchanged for and representing the energy we spent on someone else’s behalf. The plant kingdom (with extremely

Have you ever noticed it takes longer for your garden to get wet in dry weather? Ever watered a pot plant and watched the water run out the bottom while the plant remains dry? This is a result of potting mixes breaking down and waxy substances formin

Compost comprises of decomposed organic matter such as twigs, clippings and kitchen scraps. It is estimated that between 10 and 30 per cent of landfills are made up of garden and household waste that could have been used to make this environmentally

WHAT IS THE FIRST COLOR that comes to mind when you envision soil? Is it brown, black, yellow or red? How about white, gray, green or blue? Any of these answers are correct—it depends on where you come from. Several forces, which soil scientists call

Organic matter in soil is really at the heart of organic growing. The benefits that soil organic matter bring are improvement in soil structure, soil biology and soil fertility in general. In recent years there is also focus coming on combatting clim

Regenerative agriculture is attracting a lot of attention as a way to reverse declining soil fertility while pulling carbon out of the atmosphere and stashing it back in the ground. Yet, restoring soil health is not just for farms. It is something we

Maintaining your own compost heap is a cheap and effective way of ensuring a ready supply of soil-enriching organic matter — and you’ll reduce the amount of garden clippings and food waste that need to go to landfill, which is good for the environmen

Soil is teeming with life. The populations of species fluctuate with the seasons, the presence of organic matter and competition from other organisms. All these changes make it hard to really pinpoint the biological condition of a soil. A soil biolog

Leaf mold—a type of organic matter, not a fungus—is what you get when leaves are partially or completely decomposed. You use it like compost, says University of Connecticut soil scientist Dawn Pettinelli , but it’s a lot less work, and you don’t need

The success of any gardening endeavour begins and ends with the quality of the soil. Most plants require a soil that drains well but retains sufficient moisture and nutrients for plants to grow. Sandy soils tend to dry out more easily but all soil ty

Soil may not be the most obvious element in a great garden—after all it’s usually covered with plants. But when this essential element is out of balance, undernourished or unhealthy in some way, your plants just can’t thrive. Unless you’re a scientis

When you first think of stunning outdoor areas, an assortment of plants and pavers may come to mind, but garden edging is rarely at the top of the list. You’d be surprised to know just how much clean borders and raised garden beds can set your landsc

Starting a new garden isn’t difficult. Most people begin by going out into their yards with a shovel or garden tiller, digging up the ground, and putting in a few plants. Add a little mulch or compost, and you’re well on your way to homegrown vegetab

Most of us basically understand the carbon cycle. It starts when carbon gets ‘fixed’ by plants (i.e. used to build tissues, along with inorganic nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). The plants get these nutrients from the soil, an

On a farm nestled in the subtropical rolling green hills of Mullumbimby in northern NSW is a delightful home inhabited by Jan, who has found inspiration in every garden she has tended, and her housemates, arty jewellery-making daughter Deah and Deah’

BARBARA PLEASANT Gardener, and author of several books, including Homegrown Pantry. Read her article about organic pest control on Page 71. QUESTION: Do compost accelerators work? I’ve heard that they speed up composting and result in better compost.

Whether you’d like to grow your own veggies for fun at your off-grid homestead or you’re preparing for a long drawn-out crisis that’d require the ability to harvest fresh produce for several seasons, you’ll have many problems to surmount. One of the