Tag: soil

Why Food Prices Are Expected to Skyrocket

Food shortages and skyrocketing food prices now appear inevitable. The global food price index hit its highest recorded level in March 2022, rising 12.6% in a single month. On average, food prices were one-third higher than in March 2021. In the U.S., food prices rose 9% in 2021, and are predicted to rise another 4.5%…


Testing Soil

Soil is your plants’ food. And, just like you, your plants need nutrient-rich food to stay healthy. But too much or too little nourishment can have a negative effect, so it’s important to understand the condition of the soil you are working with and what your plants need. For optimum results, experienced gardeners recommend testing…


Rhododendrons: Guide to Planting, Growing, and Care

While this article applies to Rhododendrons, 99% of it also applies to planting and care for Azaleas, as they are in the same genus, Rhododendron. While all azaleas are rhododendrons, not all rhododendrons are azaleas. Leaves and flower characteristics differ, but site requirements, soil, and care are for the most part identical. Naturally, as with anything…


Where to Get Your Garden Soil Tested (State-by-State U.S.)

Garden soil testing, especially in vegetable gardens, should be done periodically. Because you’re growing plants that demand more than their fair share of resources to produce food, your soil may at some point become less fertile and produce stunted plants, low yields, or other problems. But the only way to know for sure if the problem…


A 3-Minute Composting Primer

Perfecting the art of composting can be tricky, but it’s essential to the health of your garden. Compost adds beneficial microbes to the soil and provides the highest nutrition for your garden plants. Composting is an essential part of organic gardening. It’s the ultimate recycling of your grass clippings, food waste, and yard waste. It also adds…


Are Your Lawn and Garden Chemically Dependent?

Your lawn and garden simply don’t need chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. In fact, these chemicals weaken your plants. What your plants need is properly managed soil, which is not as difficult or mysterious as it sounds. Good Soil Management Reduces the Need for Fertilizers and Pesticides In the vegetable and fruit garden, different plants have different needs. Some,…


The Complete Guide to Composting

When you start composting, it’s remarkable to see how much less trash you generate every week. For instance, in my house, with 2 adults full time and 2 kid on weekends, we went from 4 bags a week to 2, and sometimes 1 (we’re prodigious recyclers, too). Multiply that by the number of households in…


Compound in Dirt May Fight Super Tough Bacteria in Hospitals

Researchers have discovered a compound that could outmaneuver resistance to an antibiotic long used as a crucial last option. In animal experiments, this prospective antibiotic was highly potent against dangerous opportunistic pathogens like Acinetobacter baumannii, the most common cause of infections in health care settings. For years, public-health experts have sounded the alarm about the next…


Top 10 Reasons to Eat Organic

Eating organic isn’t a fad. In fact, a 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that sales from U.S. organic farms reached $9.9 billion, a 31 percent increase from 2016 and 2019. Whether you’re avoiding pesticides, looking for a healthier diet, or concerned about the environment, there is no shortage of reasons to eat…