Here I am going to provide a collection of articles, which will present the essential information for the beginner vegetable gardener or homesteader. A Vegetable garden consists of 4 key systems: Soil, Water, Plants & Animals. These systems are connect and influence each other, which can be illustrated as follows: Integrative Organic Gardening IOG The… Continue reading Advise for the Beginner Vegetable Gardener
Category: Soil care
An Introduction to the Soil Micro-Ecosystem
To the majority of people soil is just soil – a sandy/clay substance in which plants grow and where little boys dirty their clothes, but to the savvy vegetable gardener, we know that the soil is the essential foundation from whence plants gain their nutrients. Without the correct balance of nutrients; plants grow poorly and… Continue reading An Introduction to the Soil Micro-Ecosystem
Utilisation of Kitchen Scraps
Due to the technological and financial advantages of our modern age a lot of food simply gets wasted. You would think that with the development of all our superior food production and storage capabilities food will not go to waste so easily. The average person today is more wealthy that many medieval kings, yet… Continue reading Utilisation of Kitchen Scraps
Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 4): Vegetable Garden Planting Guide & Management
When you consider an ideal vegetable garden I imagine that many of you (as well as myself at one point too) had the following image in mind: Vegetables arranged in neat regimented lines or blocks containing one type of vegetable, perfectly bordered by some type of hedging and clear weed free paths between the planted… Continue reading Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 4): Vegetable Garden Planting Guide & Management
Natural (Bio)fertilisers & Living Mulches: The Edible Legumes
I have been running several posts on using plants as biofertilisers, living mulch and even chicken feed. This post is a follow up on the living mulches that I have been experimenting with. Several plants (which include many legumes) that can be used as green manures and green chicken forage. Previously, I have used Penny… Continue reading Natural (Bio)fertilisers & Living Mulches: The Edible Legumes
Comfrey: How To Grow – Herb of the Month
Comfrey stats/requirements at a glance Ease of Raising: 3/5 – Bi-weekly check-ups Water: 2/5 – Minimal, twice per week (especially, container) Sun: 4/5 – Full sun, shade tolerant Training: 1/5 – Minimal (harvesting keeps plant in shape) Fertilise/Feeding: 1/5 – Minimal, at least during the growing season Time to Harvest: 1/5 – Immediate (seedling) to… Continue reading Comfrey: How To Grow – Herb of the Month
Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 3): Integrated Organic Gardening
My vegetable garden is entering its 8th year and it has been a long journey of trial and error, many a dead or diseased plant and lots of research into various facets of food production along the way. As I have mentioned many times, organic gardening principles are not properly integrated and do not provide… Continue reading Sustainable, Productive and Economical Vegetable Gardening (Part 3): Integrated Organic Gardening
Whisker Flowers 