Category: Biointensive

Join me for a 3-Saturdays Workshop!

3 Saturdays Workshop Poster

I wanted to keep you in the loop about Ecology Action’s upcoming workshop, and hope you will share this message with friends, family, and like-minded gardeners who could benefit from learning the GB method: We are excited to announce our annual Fall 3-Day GB… Continue Reading “Join me for a 3-Saturdays Workshop!”

Save Water! Use Seedling Flats!

Or: How to feed an extra person and still save over 5,000 gallons per year. It may be a little late in the season for this post (at least in this hemisphere), but we just had a series of storms that would feel right… Continue Reading “Save Water! Use Seedling Flats!”

Can You Dig It? How Deep Soil Preparation and Structure Makes All the Difference to Your Plants

These images are from the section “Living Quarters for Plant Roots—A Picture Story of How Soil Conditions Determine Root Development” by Henry C. De Roo

So, here’s another post about roots. This time, I want to talk about how deep soil preparation (double-digging) works to increase the health and yields of plants by giving them room to spread out. Did you know that the average carrot puts down an… Continue Reading “Can You Dig It? How Deep Soil Preparation and Structure Makes All the Difference to Your Plants”

“Pricking Out”: Greatly Increase Plant Health and Yields by Transferring Seedlings from Flat to Flat Before Final Transplanting

“Pricking Out” Greatly Increase Plant Health and Yields by Transferring Seedlings from Flat to Flat Before Final Transplanting

Spring has sprung, and it’s time to get your seedlings in gear for a productive year! In keeping with the season, I thought that this would be a good time to discuss the benefits of pricking out your seedlings before you transplant them. Many… Continue Reading ““Pricking Out”: Greatly Increase Plant Health and Yields by Transferring Seedlings from Flat to Flat Before Final Transplanting”

Feed the Soil

Feed the Soil - little-known soil-building legumes and other crops, as well as enhanced descriptions of well-known ones

In the 1980s, Ron Whitehurst of ACRES U.S.A. wrote: “Central Florida is being mined down sea level for phosphate clay; and spiraling natural gas prices are making synthetic nitrogen fertilizer exorbitantly priced. Even using all the solid and liquid wastes from the cities, there… Continue Reading “Feed the Soil”

Urban Farms Podcast! And Gardenerd! And TUC Radio!

  423: John Jeavons on Biologically Intensive Gardening & Farming (Part 1)   More recent podcast interviews with John: Online: John Jeavons is featured on TUC Radio John Jeavons was featured as a part of a TUC Radio mini series on Soil, a response… Continue Reading “Urban Farms Podcast! And Gardenerd! And TUC Radio!”

1-Day Workshop in Olympia WA

UPDATE: Tonight’s presentation is cancelled due to snow! If it continues to snow, tomorrow’s workshop will likely be cancelled, too. 🥶🌨☃️❄️ Join me for a full day of Biointensive fun at Evergreen College in Olympia WA on February 10, 2019! PLUS: A Free Evening Presentation on… Continue Reading “1-Day Workshop in Olympia WA”

Soil is the Solution

This month (December 2018) a commentary piece, Put More Carbon in Soils to Meet Paris Climate Pledges, was published in the journal Nature. It was written by scientists specializing in climate change and agriculture who serve on the science and technical committee of the organization… Continue Reading “Soil is the Solution”

Help Wanted at Ecology Action!

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIC BIOINTENSIVE FARMERS NEEDED  Do you want to give up your commute, grow organic food, live and work in a rural community in harmony with nature, and help solve our climate, hunger, and sustainability issues with a group of like-minded people? Well, Ecology… Continue Reading “Help Wanted at Ecology Action!”

Cover Crops! Interplanting with Legumes

With summer drawing to a close, it’s time to start thinking about your winter garden, and that means cover crops! Here are some things to consider when planting your cover crops this year: Normally, a gardener or farmer planning a crop rotation (over time)… Continue Reading “Cover Crops! Interplanting with Legumes”