Vote for Gardenerd

Continue ReadingVote for Gardenerd

And now a moment of shameless self-promotion...

I've entered the Gardenerd Test Garden in a competition for cash and fame, and I need your help. YourGardenShow.com has partnered with Mother Earth News to give two lucky gardeners $500 cash and a chance at being featured in an upcoming issue of Mother Earth News Magazine.



We're currently holding in the Top 25 Gardens, ...

Aquaponics: A Field Trip to EVO Farm (Now Ourfoods)

Continue ReadingAquaponics: A Field Trip to EVO Farm (Now Ourfoods)

Aquaponics is a combination of hydroponics and aqua-culture. It is a closed-loop system that uses aquariums (or aquaria if we're going to use proper Latin) of fish to produce the nutrient fertilizer for plants to feed upon. The plants then grow in the water that is infused with fish droppings (and filtered for solids). It uses no soil. The water recycles back through the system to the fish and the whole process starts all over again.

I paid a visit to EVO Farm, a local experimental site that combines yardsharing with aquaponics. ...

Ask Gardenerd: Starter Advice for Container Gardening

Continue ReadingAsk Gardenerd: Starter Advice for Container Gardening

I love when questions like this come from fresh gardenerds:

"I just stumbled on your website and am interested in gardening classes. I started gardening this spring by using pots and hanging pots. My veggies and herbs did extremely well. I put seedlings in potting soil, watered occasionally, and voila! I'm an Ocean Park farmer! But now I'm excited and want to learn the basics. Can you provide me with upcoming class information and recommend an introductory book?  Thanks, Bob Meepos"

Hi Bob,

I'm glad to ...

Experimenting with Biochar

Continue ReadingExperimenting with Biochar

Ever heard of biochar?  Maybe the term "Terra preta" rings a bell?  Back in 2008 National Geographic published an article about a discovery of man-made nutrient-rich soil in the Amazon. Yes, man-made. It appears that by layering soil, charcoal, pottery sherds (yes, that's the correct spelling), and plant and animal wastes, the soil was transformed from nutrient-poor, desolate soil into the fertile ground that grew sustenance for ancient jungle inhabitants. I remember reading about it and thinking, "Hey, this could save ...

Pesto Madness

Continue ReadingPesto Madness

This is the time of year when the abundance of basil in the garden can often overshadow the need in the kitchen. What's a gardener to do?  Make pesto, of course.

Whether you preserve pesto by canning or freezing, you can make the flavors of summer last a long time. To start off the pesto season, I took a field trip to Pesto Madness, the Learning Garden's annual fundraiser.  


David King, the illustrious leader of the Learning Garden, was giving a ...

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