Today, my coworkers and I hauled away blackberry brambles and covered new plants with straw.
Ted Talk
Apparently people like mulch! This blog has seen a steady increase in hits since I posted the ‘free mulch’ tidbits several weeks ago. So, I thought I’d take this opportunity to preach to the choir about some mulch benefits: Mulch keeps the soil warmer Mulch retains more water Enough mulch naturally squelches weeds Mulch adds more nutrients to soil, especially … Continue Reading →
The History While putting the Tolman Guide together, we learned that poplar trees are great soil remediators. They take up toxins from soil, cleaning the soil. I already knew that sunflowers do the same thing, and in ten years sunflowers when planted on a brownfield will clean the land. What I didn’t know, and was sad to learn this year, … Continue Reading →
A lot dealing with sustainability answers the question, “How can I do for myself?” A major component of sustainability is keeping things local, and what’s more local than supplying for yourself from your place on this earth? Whether it be an apartment, a small house with a small yard, or a farmhouse, a new book breaks it down in simple … Continue Reading →
There seem to be a lot of misconceptions about soil, what makes good soil, and why urban soil is so different than rural soil. First, it’s important to understand the components of soil and how healthy soil differs from soil in the built environment. Second, we need to know what an impervious surface is and how it differs from pervious … Continue Reading →