Mulch
Warmer Soils
The Canadian plant hardiness zone maps have been updated and Cowichan has moved from zone 8b to 9a. So what does this mean? From a plant perspective, warmer-season crops are more likely to grow without protection. For example, watermelon and okra may now thrive in the garden. Cold-hardy citrus is more likely to survive without […]
Berries for Breakfast
Picking berries for breakfast is one of my favourite things to do in the summer. First to ripen are always the haskaps (also known as honeyberries, most of mine unfortunately went to the birds this year). Then just as I was about to get out the nets there came a very satisfying observation…. the birds […]
Lovely Legumes
Many legumes (plants in the pea and bean family) possess a cool skill. In an energy-intensive process that involves partnering with soil biology at almost every stage, they take nitrogen from the air and convert it into plant-available form. While other types of plants rely on soil biology to convert sources of nitrogen below ground […]
No-till Inspiration
No-till Inspiration February is usually the time when I a) really wish I’d written down all the ideas I had for this year’s garden while I was packing up at the end of last season and b) start to flip through books for inspiration and new planting ideas. Do you ever find yourself relating to […]
Let There Be Air
Compaction is a pretty big deal when you’re trying to grow plants. How far can roots go down before they hit “hard pan” and must go sideways? How far can water infiltrate until it, too, must go sideways, leaching soluble nutrients and potentially carrying precious topsoil away? Compaction can be caused by the weight of […]
Spring Tips for Nurturing Soil Microbes
With the spring warmth comes that sense of shift in energy and vitality, like something inside us is unfurling. Soil microbes also undergo this transformation, emerging from dormancy to partner again with above-ground life. Plants need both energy and nutrients to unfurl themselves – with the sun and air comes that energy, and with the […]