I am a writer, lifelong plant lover, permaculture gardener, and unabashed nature nerd. I’m endlessly fascinated by the natural world and its curious inner workings – from the invisible microbes in soil that help our plants grow, to the hidden (and often misunderstood) life of insects, to the astonishing interconnectedness that lies at the heart of our forests. And everything in between.
My gardening philosophy is simple – work with the forces of nature to foster balanced ecosystems in the landscape. By taking advantage of 470 million years of evolutionary wisdom, suddenly the garden is more resilient and self-sustaining. By restoring biodiversity, we get built-in nutrient cycling, pest control, climate regulation, and widespread pollination. By building healthy soil and supporting the food web, we can have lush gardens and do a small part in healing our local biomes, too.
On my own humble patch of earth in zone 5b, I’m slowly reclaiming the land and planting it densely with native wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees. I also tend a food forest, herb garden, and an ever-expanding plot of fruits and vegetables, where I abide by the old adage, ‘One for the mouse, one for the crow, one to rot, and one to grow’.
Ground covers are low-lying plants that spread by creeping along the surface of the soil. Spanning beautiful flowering plants that carpet the landscape to handsome foliage that brings texture and …
Melothria scabra goes by many names but perhaps cucamelon is the most fitting. Also known as Mexican sour gherkin, mouse melon, pepquiño, and sandiita which means “little watermelon” in Spanish. …
The aroma and texture of finished compost – or humus – is a divine thing. Rich, dark, and crumbly, humus has a sweet, loamy, and deeply earthy scent that is …
When you reside in climate with a winter solstice, any way you can extend the growing season is an absolute win. For many, starting seeds indoors will help to jump …
Gardens of the north enter a state of deep slumber from December to March. Covered by a blanket of snow, winter temperatures are often too cold and daylight hours too …
Nature abounds with the perfect materials for decorating the home this Christmas season. Pine cones, evergreen sprigs, leaves, berries, branches, birch bark, and more, can often be found right in …
A mainstay in herbal gardens the world over, basil (Ocimum basilicum) is an intensely fragrant culinary herb in the mint family. Basil is a sun loving plant, native to the …
Native to the Middle East, the pistachio tree (Pistacia vera) is a long lived desert plant that bears clusters of small reddish drupes. Pistachio drupes need long, hot, and dry …
Turning food scraps, yard waste, and other organic materials into free fertilizer is one of the best things you can do to elevate your gardening game. Not only does composting …
Composting is nature’s inherent nutrient recycling system. Anything and everything of organic origin is part of it, where death and decay means a return to life and growth. Over and …
Cardboard is certainly a welcome sight in the eye of the gardener. Often free and fairly ubiquitous, cardboard is a biodegradable and earth-friendly material that enriches as it breaks down. …
Bacon is like no other protein. As a type of salt cured pork, bacon has a unique flavor profile that is above all savory and salty. Made crunchy or chewy, …
A super spicy cultivar within the chili pepper family, the habanero (Capsicum chinense) is like a little ball of fire. Native to the Amazon and domesticated some 8,500 years ago, …
Flowering bulbs (and corms and tubers) are early harbingers of spring, providing some much needed color and beauty after a long and dreary winter season. Aside from buoying our spirits, …
When you live in a part of the world with distinct seasons, dutifully checking the weather forecast every day is a semi-annual gardening tradition. Sudden swings in temperature in late …
Lemons are such an amazing and versatile ingredient, it’s always a good idea to have some on hand. The sweet and sour flavoring of all parts of the lemon fruit …
Broadly defined, invasive plants are non-native species introduced to a particular region where they are able to spread far and wide. Exotic plants from faraway lands may be beautiful but …
Unless you have a bidet, you likely have a constant stream of toilet paper rolls coming through the home. While you can certainly recycle them or tear them up to …
Wasps have earned a reputation for being the absolute jerks of the flying insect community. With menacing looks and an aggressive behavior that fears precisely no one, wasps are equipped …
The key to a low maintenance and low cost garden is to grow a variety of plants that readily self-seed. While most of the typical garden cultivars would require you …
Mushroom growing – or fungiculture – is a fun, fascinating, and rewarding hobby that offers an altogether different experience from cultivating green plants. Successfully rearing mushrooms requires three basic things: …
Shade loving plants are adapted to very little sunlight because of their place in the forest understory. Since the canopies of larger trees and shrubs block as much as 95% …
Lemon balm is an easy and versatile plant to grow that will provide an abundant harvest throughout the growing season. It’s also a perennial herb so will return year after …
Often associated with vampires, witchcraft, and darkness, bats have gotten a pretty bad rap in our stories and lore. And yet, bats are a sure ally in the backyard, helping …