We expect our first frost of the year in mid-late October most years. Before the first frost arrives in your own area, there are a number of jobs you should consider. Before the first frost you will likely want to: Finish the job of harvesting and storing crops. Some plants will happily stay in theContinue reading “Jobs to Do in the Garden Before the First Frost”
Tag Archives: gardening
How To Use Pruned Branches From Your Garden
As winter and the dormant phase approaches, you may well be undertaking a wide range of pruning jobs in your garden. I’d like to take a moment to explore what you can do with the branches you prune. Even on a small property, you can have quite a lot of wood from pruning – especiallyContinue reading “How To Use Pruned Branches From Your Garden”
Propagating Plants in a Permaculture Garden
At this time of year, saving seeds is often an important job. By saving our own seeds from our gardens, we can save money and, over time, create strains of certain species better suited for growing in our own particular gardens. Thinking about how we can increase our plant stocks is essential in planning inContinue reading “Propagating Plants in a Permaculture Garden”
Case Study: Simple Example Garden Layout
This is one part of a series of garden layout plans I created recently. In this image, you can see a potential layout for a small 4×4 ft garden bed for USDA zones 7-8. (I also created sample layout plans for zones 5-6 and 9-10, for full sun and for more shaded spots.) The clientContinue reading “Case Study: Simple Example Garden Layout”
Saving Time for Sustainability
Permaculture zoning is all about analysing our patterns of human movement, and how we use our time. When we carry out an analysis of the inputs, outputs and characteristics or each element in a garden (or in another system), we can work out where to place them to make most efficient use of our time.Continue reading “Saving Time for Sustainability”
Forest Garden Tips
If you are familiar with my work, you will no doubt have noticed that I am passionate about forest gardens. This form of food production can provide generous yields for remarkably little effort once established. And of course there are many other benefits to forest gardening too – for our households, communities and the widerContinue reading “Forest Garden Tips”
No Such Thing as ‘Too Many’ When It Comes To Garden Crops
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard gardeners complain that they have ‘too many courgettes’ to get through. Or that they have too much lettuce… But as permaculture gardeners and growers know, excess abundance should not be viewed as a negative. Successional sowing and careful planning can help to spread out harvestsContinue reading “No Such Thing as ‘Too Many’ When It Comes To Garden Crops”
Ideas For Using Raspberries From a Garden
It has been an excellent year for soft fruits here. If, like me, you love raspberries, you might be interested in some of the different ways to make use of them. Of course, you can simply enjoy some raspberries in a fruit salad, or with some yogurt for breakfast. But there are also plenty ofContinue reading “Ideas For Using Raspberries From a Garden”
Empowering Children To Make Sustainable Change
Children will not only will they grow up to inherit the world we have created – they can also play a major role in creating the world we all wish to see. All too often, children are sidelined. They are viewed as powerless dependents, who are merely there to be guarded and protected. But childrenContinue reading “Empowering Children To Make Sustainable Change”
Tips for Choosing Plants for Your Garden
Sometimes, no matter how experienced we are as gardeners, it is a good idea to get back to basics. So today, let’s take the time to think about some of the important considerations in choosing plants for your garden. Choose Plants For Your Environment First of all, of course, it is important to select theContinue reading “Tips for Choosing Plants for Your Garden”