grow

Growing herbs is often the gateway to becoming a gardener and eventually starting a vegetable garden.

Rambutan is a member of the family Sapindaceae or Soapberry family of the genus Nephelium L. or nephelium P. There are 124 listed species of which four are accepted but are not listed in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classification.

As you plan your garden for this year, consider what type of gardener you are—or want to be. Some folks love spending meditative hours in the garden, pruning and weeding and maintaining plants. Others (like me, this year) may prefer to “sow and go”—to set seeds and watch the magic happen without extensive investment of time and energy.

Our first and most essential biological need as humans is air. Without water we would survive three days, without food we would survive three weeks. But without air we would only survive for three minutes.

Are you interested in eating in a way that nourishes you, others, and the planet? If so, the food sovereignty movement is for you. This movement recognizes that food is about more than just physical sustenance; it’s about people, the planet, and nourishing the soul. I recently had the pleasure of talking with food sovereignty champion Mariah Gladstone, who is actively working to restore and advance Native American foodways. Here’s what she had to say about food sovereignty, how you can get involved, and traditional Native American foods. 

Bitter melon is a member of the family Cucurbitaceae or the Cucumber family of the genus Citrullus Schrad, also known as watermelon P, and contains two species. The plant is native to India and regions of Africa and through trade it was introduced to areas of Asia like China and Japan. It then made its way to the Philippine Islands and regions of northern and eastern Europe.

Don’t let your plants “just be” in the winters. Make sure you stockpile their larder with the best organic fertilizers for winter.

Endive is a member of the family Asteraceae, commonly known as the Aster family of the genus Cichorium L. or chicory P that contains two species that include cultivated endive P and chicory P. The plant has three main varieties: the Belgium endive, the curly endive, and the broad leaf endive. It is native to Asia Minor but is now found growing in North America and Europe.

Earlier this week, I harvested the last of my vegetables: huge zucchini, dark purple eggplant, shiny red peppers, stalks and stalks of celery, and the remaining cherry tomatoes.

The conventional methods of putting the garden away involve pulling up your hard-grown plants and tilling your soil. While this method works for a few seasons, permaculture has a longer-term view of soil health. Tilling the soil destroys much of the delicate soil structures that allow for high levels of biodiversity. There are little pockets of water and air in the soil where nutrient-carrying mycorrhizal fungi can grow and beneficial insects can reside.