In the most comprehensive global analysis of genetic diversity ever undertaken, an international team of scientists has found that the genetic diversity is being lost across the globe but that conservation efforts are helping to safeguard species.
Landmark genetic study: Fresh shoots of hope on the tree of life Read More »
I plan on writing a story involving that delves slightly into agriculture. I need to know, what kind of cover crops can grow through a snowy winter but would be around in a midevil time period and serve a function outside of just soil enrichment.
I know it’s a strange question but it seems you guys know your stuff so any help is appreciated.
submitted by /u/The-Observer-2099
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I was feeling quite accomplished today going through the bottom of my first large compost bin. I started a cast iron worm bin because of all of the worms
Fun learning point for me was watching a video from Canadian Permaculture Legacy on the YT titled, “ A complete guide to soil biology.” I learned that the biotic glues I was referring to are actually Extracellular Polymeric Substances that stress byproducts of living soil microbes. Not the remnants of dead ones like I thought. But the dead ones do release nutrients too. Just to things higher up in the food chain. Bacteria and fungi are eaten by Protozoa, which are in turn eaten by nematodes which are then eaten by arthropods, and on it goes. It’s fascinating really and I’m thrilled to use this compost.
It’ll also continue to get better as a start harvesting worm castings and making biochar
submitted by /u/PosturingOpossum
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Some of todays adventures Read More »
My house is on a 2 acre lot and I was thinking of starting a food forest but too too sure where to begin. We have a 100x50ft space in the front yard we cleared out next to the road. We thought planting some fruit trees in that area to help reduce sound and break line of sight would be nice.
Where’s the best place to start? Best trees to plant first? What should I do to the area to get it ready for this year? Next year? Would native plants produce enough?
In on the edge of zones 7a and 7b in New Jersey. The town I’m in gives compost away to residents so I have plenty of that on hand. I have chickens and goats on the backyard already as well so fertilizer isn’t an issue.
I’ve had success with gardening in the past but never really planned anything out or put much thought into where or what needed to be planted.
Any advice?
submitted by /u/LadyYokie
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How should I start a permaculture garden? Read More »
I’m trying to look into edible plants to grow, as someone who can get seeds to sprout but never grow very far. In my few attempts at growing plants, I usually have to container garden, which I know isn’t great for certain plants. I’m a little overwhelmed with research.
Any recommendation for US region 5-6? I wanted to look into potatoes and squash, but I have heard those don’t really like containers 😅.
submitted by /u/Fuzzy-Scratch391
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Where should a newbie start? Read More »
Download the newly redesigned February gardening calendars, courtesy of Jason from GoWild Images. Available in PDF format, these calendars can be viewed online or printed for your convenience. To access the December gardening calendars, use the download links provided below:
New February Gardening Calendars Available for Download Read More »
Here are the February gardening calendars for all Australian climates – Temperate, Cool & Alpine, Subtropical, Tropical and Arid. Use the links below to view monthly gardening calendars or download printable documents. Temperate Climate February Vegetable And Herb Gardening Calendar For Temperate Climate Australia Cool […]
Australian Gardening Calendars February 2025 Read More »
Hi friends, I’m working on getting my garden set up for the spring. I’ve got some seriously aggressive grass/groundcovers that kicked my butt last year. I’ve had cardboard and mulch down since September and I’ve been clearing grass/weeds that are trying to creep under the edges. I’m thinking of doing a semi-buried rock/urbanite/brick edging, and then planting something around the outside of that border for an extra layer of grass barrier. Any recommendations for something that might be sturdy enough to keep the grass at bay but not so aggressive I’m fighting it instead of the grass?
submitted by /u/hinghanghog
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Plants for edging garden/barrier Read More »
Any advice appreciated.
Last summer, I collected wild berries from a few trees. I put them in the freezer for a month or two, and then planted them in containers. I watered them and waited and nothing grew.
They seem to be such hardy wild plants! Anyone got a better approach? Anyone done this successfully?
submitted by /u/workerbotsuperhero
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Please give me advice on growing mulberry trees from wild berries Read More »
Welcome to the back garden! Come on in and let’s start the tour. Today we’ll see what the garden looked like at the end of the 2024 growing season—these photos were all taken last September. As you might have already guessed, it’s gonna be a very long post!
The orange wall is the neighbor’s garage and the north boundary of the upper garden. The brown wall is the back of our house.
My garden is small, our lot measures 45′ wide and 111′ deep, and of course a chunk of that is taken up with the house, driveway and garage. The house sits to the front of the property, so the back garden is larger than the front.
Looking west, down at the patio, which (in case you didn’t already know) is a lower level than where I’m standing to take this shot. We’ll work our way down there eventually, but first we’ve got more to see in the upper garden.
To help orient yourself, that’s the same paver pathway as in the above photos, but now you’re looking south, at the side of our garage. I use those branches of the Metapanax delavayi and Schefflera delavayi as structure to hang other plants from.
Like this planting of Pyrrosia lingua.
There’s also a pair of rusted metal trellis that are installed perpendicular to the garage, which divide the planting area into front and back spaces. They were originally put in place for vines, but once the vines were shaded out they too became a place for hanging containers and mounted plants. I do lot let space set empty!
This year (last year? the 2024 gardening season) I changed things up with new pedestal plantings showcasing three different types of pyrrosia.
Clockwise from the top; Pyrrosia sheareri, then P. sp. SEH#1511 and sp. SEH#12547. The SEH refers to Steve E. Hootman, Executive Director of Horticulture and Curator at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden (where I got the pyrrosia).
Turning now to look at the other (south) end…
That’s Passiflora lutea growing up the palm trunk.
Behind the bench there are a few new rhododendrons that were planted this spring, which will grow and make more of a statement.
A late addition (not in the above photo), Doodia media, a fern.
Turning again and looking to the southwest and the shade pavilion behind our garage.
And the bromeliad dish I added for height in this section of the garden after last winter took out so many things.
Hanging from Clifford, our big-leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is a planting of Pyrrosia lingua, a cryptanthus and Fascicularia pitcairnifolia I put together back in 2023. As with many of the container plantings it’s in the basement now, since the cryptanthus is not winter-hardy here.
Okay, it’s (finally) time to take the steps down to the patio, but not before stopping to look at last summer’s fern planting that replaced a dead Nolina ‘La Siberica’. I absolutely love this spot now, much more than I did before.
A glace to the left and the shade pavilion.
And to the right, and the first of many (MANY) containers on the patio.
Our original Yucca rostrata, Sammy, the steps I just walked down are on the far right.
The backside of the new fern planting, as well as a view of the paver pathway back to the entrance.
Stepping to the south and looking back at the same area.
A close up of the container to the right above.
The Pyrrosia lingua has been growing on that rock since early summer 2023—an experiment that’s performed very well.
I couldn’t resist highlighting the whale’s spiky fins (they call Agave ovatifolia the whale’s tongue agave, I prefer to think of them as fins rather than tongues).
Another past project that’s doing well (this one copied from a friend).
The view across the patio, looking south, from where I took that last photo.
And then I skipped ahead to another shot of the shade pavilion and the plants on the south end of the patio. What you missed wasn’t a lot, just a few more containers and the plantings on the west side of the patio.
A close-up of the container grouping to the right side, that aeonium (inherited from a gardener who was downsizing) has so much personality.
Ferns that don’t look like ferns; Lepisorus rostratus MD 15-09 and Lemmaphyllum microphyllum.
This creation (my fern frame) has also been in the basement since sometime in October. It’s holding up well.
Turning now to the bromeliad and rhipsalis pedestals in the far southwest corner.
This is where we end the tour! A reminder, on Friday I’ll share some videos I took around the same time I snapped these photos. They’ll give a different perspective on the space. Hope you’ll return for that…
My back garden, 2024 tour Read More »
