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Plants

Image | How to Identify and Use the Common Mullein
How to Identify and Use the Common Mullein
by JW

An interesting look at uses for mullein to add to your knowledge base.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/survivalist/how-identify-and-use-common-mullein-natural-uses-and-survival-situations

How to Identify and Use the Common Mullein
 by JW

An interesting look at uses for mullein to add to your knowledge base.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/survivalist/how-identify-and-use-common-mullein-natural-uses-and-survival-situations

Image | How to Start Your Seeds Indoors
How to Start Your Seeds Indoors
by bgarrett

It’s that time of year when you can start planning for your planting!

Many people are beginning to plant vegetables and flowers indoors in order to transplant them outdoors when the weather is warm enough. This helps you get a head start on your spring garden. Check out the advice below to see what things you can do to start your indoor seeds.
How to Start Your Seeds Indoors
 by bgarrett

It’s that time of year when you can start planning for your planting!

Many people are beginning to plant vegetables and flowers indoors in order to transplant them outdoors when the weather is warm enough. This helps you get a head start on your spring garden. Check out the advice below to see what things you can do to start your indoor seeds.
Image | How to Build and Plant Large Hugelkultur Berms
How to Build and Plant Large Hugelkultur Berms
by Phil Williams

Hugelkultur is basically soil over wood. Hugel beds can be any size, use different sizes of stumps and branches, and different decomposition stages of the wood & different types of wood. There are allelopathic trees that you would not want to dominate your wood. It is OK to have a little black walnut, spruce, or hackberry but these alellopathic trees should not predominate. Also, if you use mostly pine, you will end up with more acidity in the soil.
How to Build and Plant Large Hugelkultur Berms
 by Phil Williams

Hugelkultur is basically soil over wood. Hugel beds can be any size, use different sizes of stumps and branches, and different decomposition stages of the wood & different types of wood. There are allelopathic trees that you would not want to dominate your wood. It is OK to have a little black walnut, spruce, or hackberry but these alellopathic trees should not predominate. Also, if you use mostly pine, you will end up with more acidity in the soil.
Image | Using Garden Fertilizers
Using Garden Fertilizers
by Phil Williams

If you are growing an annual vegetable garden, having sufficient fertility is of paramount importance. Most people know that plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to grow. These elements are represented on fertilizer bags everywhere in percentage terms by the three numbers prominently displayed. For example a 24-18-12 fertilizer has 24% nitrogen, 18% phosphorus, and 12 percent potassium. This is also an example of a chemical fertilizer.

This I can tell simply because the percentages are too high for an organic fertilizer. An organic fertilizer rarely has more than a single digit percentage of any of the NPK ratio. There are also secondary elements and micronutrients that are often overlooked but still vital. For example, if you have a calcium deficiency you can apply all the NPK you want, but the plant will not be able to use it.
Using Garden Fertilizers
 by Phil Williams

If you are growing an annual vegetable garden, having sufficient fertility is of paramount importance. Most people know that plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to grow. These elements are represented on fertilizer bags everywhere in percentage terms by the three numbers prominently displayed. For example a 24-18-12 fertilizer has 24% nitrogen, 18% phosphorus, and 12 percent potassium. This is also an example of a chemical fertilizer.

This I can tell simply because the percentages are too high for an organic fertilizer. An organic fertilizer rarely has more than a single digit percentage of any of the NPK ratio. There are also secondary elements and micronutrients that are often overlooked but still vital. For example, if you have a calcium deficiency you can apply all the NPK you want, but the plant will not be able to use it.
Image | Growing Nitrogen Fixing Plants
Growing Nitrogen Fixing Plants
by Phil Williams

For those of you into permaculture, you know the importance of nitrogen fixing plants. These plants, especially when pruned release nitrogen into the soil, helping to boost fertility to the plants nearby. By practicing chop and drop when moisture exceeds evaporation, you can supercharge the establishment of a food forest, or a timber forest. These plants can also be great companions in a garden or orchard. Be careful in the garden, as some nitrogen fixers can be invasive.
Growing Nitrogen Fixing Plants
 by Phil Williams

For those of you into permaculture, you know the importance of nitrogen fixing plants. These plants, especially when pruned release nitrogen into the soil, helping to boost fertility to the plants nearby. By practicing chop and drop when moisture exceeds evaporation, you can supercharge the establishment of a food forest, or a timber forest. These plants can also be great companions in a garden or orchard. Be careful in the garden, as some nitrogen fixers can be invasive.
Image | 40 Edible Plants That Will Grow in Partial Shade
40 Edible Plants That Will Grow in Partial Shade
by JW

Learn about crops that don't require full sun to grow and prosper in your food production plans and garden.

http://www.realfarmacy.com/40-edible-plants-will-grow-partial-shade/
40 Edible Plants That Will Grow in Partial Shade
 by JW

Learn about crops that don't require full sun to grow and prosper in your food production plans and garden.

http://www.realfarmacy.com/40-edible-plants-will-grow-partial-shade/
Image | Multi-Functional Plants for the Permaculture Garden
Multi-Functional Plants for the Permaculture Garden
by Phil Williams

If you have a choice of planting a tree, shrub, vine, herbaceous plant, or groundcover that only has one function or another species that fills that desired function and also provides three other benefits, why wouldn't you plant the more functional species. In permaculture, elements of our designs should serve at least 3 functions. Many species can do much better than that. Below is a list of some of my favorite multi-functional plants that I am currently using on my permaculture site.
Multi-Functional Plants for the Permaculture Garden
 by Phil Williams

If you have a choice of planting a tree, shrub, vine, herbaceous plant, or groundcover that only has one function or another species that fills that desired function and also provides three other benefits, why wouldn't you plant the more functional species. In permaculture, elements of our designs should serve at least 3 functions. Many species can do much better than that. Below is a list of some of my favorite multi-functional plants that I am currently using on my permaculture site.
Total 20 items

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