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Cover Crops and Green Manure
If compost is the gardener’s black gold, then cover crops are the living green shield of the soil. They keep the earth covered, feed it while they grow, and give …
tomatoes
Composting A to Z
If healthy soil is the foundation of food gardening, compost is the mortar that holds it together. Compost feeds the microbes, balances nutrients, improves structure, and turns yesterday’s kitchen scraps …
Soil Care in Warm & Tropical Climates (Zones 9–12)
In Zones 9–12, the growing season hardly ever ends. You can harvest greens in January, tomatoes in March, and papayas or citrus almost year-round. But while the climate seems like …
Soil Care in Moderate Climates (Zones 6–8)
For gardeners in Zones 6–8, the soil feels like a gift. Winters are short enough to grow cover crops (or even hardy greens), summers are long enough for tomatoes, peppers, …
Summer: Feeding the Feast
By summer, the garden is in full swing. Tomatoes sprawl across their cages, peppers swell on the stem, beans climb skyward, and zucchini plot to overwhelm you. It’s a season …
Vegetables: Feeding the Family
If herbs are the seasoning, vegetables are the meal. They’re the backbone of the food garden—the peas in spring, the tomatoes in summer, the kale in fall, and the carrots …
Containers: Small Spaces, Big Potential
Not everyone has a backyard or a patch of land to cultivate, but every gardener has at least one thing in common: a container is always an option. Whether it’s …
Raised Beds: Soil Layering, Refreshing, and Renewal
Raised beds have become the poster child of modern food gardening—and for good reason. They’re neat, productive, easier on the knees, and they let gardeners sidestep stubborn native soils. But …
Building Soil from Scratch: Raised Beds and Containers
Sometimes, amending existing soil feels like teaching an old dog new tricks. It can be done, but it takes time, patience, and persistence. For many food gardeners—especially those in urban …
Amending Existing Soil: Fix, Don’t Fight
If there’s one universal truth about gardening, it’s this: none of us start with perfect soil. Maybe yours is sticky clay that clumps on your shovel. Maybe it’s sandy grit …
