Gardening Tips

When compost smells bad like garbage, rotten eggs, or even poop, it has turned anaerobic.  But can you still use it for plants? It is not recommended to use smelly compost, especially for edible plants, because it can carry pathogens, ammonia, and alcohol that can hurt plants. Also, it may contain weed seeds. Here are […]

Are you planning a vacation but worried about the fate of your thriving seedlings? You can keep your seedlings watered while you are away using hydrogel crystals, plant bath, automatic watering system, wick system, plastic bag greenhouses, topdressing/mulch, cluster setup, and help from friends and neighbors. In this article, we will navigate through these 8

Are you wondering about the differences between humus, humic acid and fulvic acid? In this article, we will explain their differences in uses for plants and how to apply them in your garden. 1. Appearance Compost and humus have a similar appearance both being dark brown with a soil-like texture. Humic acid is also dark

Microbes are a key component in healthy, organic gardens.  Among the many ways to increase beneficial microbes in the soil, a quick and effective way to do so is to add an inoculant. What are the different types of inoculants you can use? The most commonly used soil inoculants are mycorrhizal fungi to improve water

If you have propagated stem cuttings before, you must have wondered if you should let them callus for a week or so before planting them into the soil.  And why should you? Letting stem cuttings callus before propagation is a prerequisite for most plant species (especially succulents and perennials) to develop roots.  It reduces the

People often put molasses or sugar in compost teas to water their organic garden.   Can sugar be really used as a fertilizer? Sugar feeds the microbes in soil and can be used as a fertilizer to boost the decomposition of organic matter (called the “priming effect”), resulting in the release of more nutrients available

It is common for compost to get moldy when it is moist over a period of time. Is moldy compost dangerous? Moldy or decaying compost can carry airborne toxic bacteria that can result in the deadly Legionnaire disease after inhaling.  A mask should be worn when handling compost because the mold spores can get stirred

Your concerns are legit. Tilling can kill the hardworking beneficial earthworms in your garden. Even to shallow depths, tilling can greatly reduce the earthworm population and changes their diversity in the soil.  Anecic and epigeic earthworms are most affected because tilling can injure them, remove their food source, and change the conditions of their habitat

The old saying goes “feed the soil, not the plant”.  Microbes are essential for strong, healthy plants.  How do we increase soil microbes? To cultivate soil microbes, we can maintain soil moisture by mulching, and growing cover crops. We can feed them with sugar, compost, and add worms. We can introduce more microbes into depleted

If you could move anywhere for your passion in gardening, where would that be? Which gardening zone is the best? We have found zone 8, 9, and 10 to be the best for gardeners for the diversity of crops and plants that can be grown due to moderate temperature and the length of the growing