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Soils vary greatly from one place to another, even in your own garden. No matter how much work you do in your garden, all may be in vain if the quality of your soil is poor. Listed below are some things you can do to get to know your soil.
Earthworms are an excellent indicator of healthy soil. Photo, Sippakorn Yamkasikorn, Pexels Dirt and soil are NOT the same thing. Dirt is a lifeless mixture of minerals, air, and water.
Once youve got healthy soil, keeping it that way is mostly about maintaining a desirable environment for the many creatures that live there. Here are some of the ways to keep your soil healthy. Allow leaves to decompose in the garden.
To garden successfully as our climate changes, we must adapt our practices. Select climate-appropriate plants and then keep them healthy. Healthy plants are more resilient to climate disruptions. Determine your baseline by documenting your gardens characteristics.
Dry summer hills and fog, typical of our Mediterranean climate. Photo: pxhere.com Like soil and water, climate is a key factor in assessing your site, choosing plants, and ultimately growing a successful garden.
Most California native plants like this California fuchsia (Epilobium canum) are adapted to our summer dry/winter wet climate. Photo: Linda Stiles The best overall description of the climate zones in Marin County can be found in the Sunset New Western Garden Book.
Have you ever wondered why your neighbors tomatoes may be ready to pick while yours are still green? Or why you can grow citrus and they cannot? Across a single town or neighborhood there can be many microclimates. You might have various microclimates in your own yard.
Click on image to view or print full pdf Climate change refers to long-term alterations in our average weather patterns. Human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, have increased greenhouse gas levels in Earths atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses trap heat.
In the context of climate change, mitigation means reducing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The good news is that several home gardening practices can do just that. If we all take little steps to reduce CO2 emissions, our small differences can add up.
Earth-friendly Gardening is our advice for creating sustainable landscapes that benefit the broader environment and make things easier for the gardener. By adopting these practices, you can grow a healthy garden that is beautiful, in sync with nature, and less prone to problems.
