Biochar – Does it Really Work in the Garden?

Biochar is a special kind of charcoal that seems to have many benefits as a soil amendment. It holds water, acts like a fertilizer and grows bigger plants. While doing all this it is also eco-friendly and sequesters carbon in the soil for many thousands of years. Sounds like a win-win-win.

What is biochar? Are the claimed benefits real? Should gardeners be using this product to amend their soil? Let’s check it out.

Different samples of Biochar, photo from UC Davis Biochar Database
Different samples of Biochar, photo from UC Davis Biochar Database

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Pros & Cons of Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Kratky, Aerogardens

Hydroponics is becoming much more popular with home gardeners and there are a number of different systems including regular hydroponics, aeroponics, kratky hydroponics and indoor hydroponic gardens such as AeroGardens and LetPot. This post will examine the differences between these systems and provide a pros and cons list for each one. Armed with this information you will be able to select the right one for your situation.

girls slicing tomatoes beside a counter hydroponic system
The LetPot aerogarden hydroponic system

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18 LED Grow Light Myths You Should Know About

LED Grow Lights are becoming very popular and they are a good choice if you are buying a new grow light system or upgrading your old florescent fixture. This post about LED grow light myths will save you time and money.

As with any new technology there are many myths about LED grow lights. Some are started because of a lack of knowledge by the general public, but many are started by manufacturers who are trying to sell their product. Some of them prefer to keep us in the dark so they can make outrageous claims, but the better companies don’t do this. We need to do our part and become educated consumers so that we can properly evaluate both the message being broadcast and the product itself.

Don’t go shopping for LED grow lights until you read all of this post.

LED grow light myths, showing a red and blue LED
LED grow light myths, showing a red and blue LED

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Does Planting With The Moon Work?

The idea that the Moon affects plant growth is an old one that is believed for many moons. It can be found in the folklore of ancient societies ranging from the Celts in Britain to the Maoris in New Zealand. Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, in his History of Nature, Book 18, gives much advice on planting by the moon phases. Today, it is still a rural tradition and in most countries you can buy moon gardening calendars.

The lunar experts suggest that you pick fruit at the full moon for the market as it will weigh more and pick at the new moon for personal consumption because the fruit stores better. Seeds also germinate faster when planted under the right phase of the moon.

A picture was posted recently in a Facebook Group showing a Planting by the Moon calendar on sale. I made a comment about being surprised people still believe in such things. That was a big mistake. Dozens of people jumped on me for not being a believer. How dare I say anything derogatory about what granny believed. Not one person came to my defense. The belief in planting by moon phases is still very common.

Planting by the moon phases
Planting with the moon phases

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What’s New in LED Grow Lights for 2024

LED Grow lights have come a long way in the last 5 years and there are some great new designs and changes that make these lights even more attractive to home gardeners. In this review I will have a look at some very important innovations and price changes that make LED grow lights an even better choice.

What's New in LED Grow Lights for 2022
What’s New in LED Grow Lights for 2023, source: Sylvane

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What is Salt – It May Not be What You Think

Some people won’t use synthetic fertilizer because it contains “salts”. For years I was told not to use mushroom compost because it contains “too many salts”. Salt is also recommended to kill weeds and just today I saw a post which suggested pink Himalayan salt makes plants grow better. You can buy commercial sea salt to fertilize your plants. This doesn’t make sense. Salt is a weed killer and it’s a good fertilizer?

As a gardener it is crucial that you understand which salt is being discussed so you don’t use the wrong one and harm your plants. This blog will help you through the maze of salt crystals.

Picture showing salt shaker and a bag with NPK on the label, and the word VS between the two
What is Salt?

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Best Way to Water Indoor Plants

Watering indoor plants seems to be one of the most complicated things for new gardeners to learn, which is surprising since it’s really simple. The problem is that a lot of the information out there makes the subject complicated and it gives new gardeners bad advice.

In this post I am going to give you some simple rules that work for any houseplant and makes watering easy. I’ll help you decide when to water and show you the best way to do it.

Girls water houseplant
Watering Indoor Plants – Watering Houseplants

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Mycorrhizal Fungi – The Latest Scientific News

I had the pleasure of listening to a seminar given by Dr. Hafiz Maherali, Director of the University of Guelph Phytotron, about the latest mycorrhizal fungi (mycorrhizae) news. This post summarizes some of this fascinating new information about this important group of organisms that every gardener should understand.

white fungus growing on a log
News about mycorrhizae, source: julie burgher

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Is Fall a Good Time to Plant?

Is fall a good time to plant perennials and trees? Most people plant in spring, but many have suggested that fall might be an even better time to plant. It is cool, the above ground part of the plant is going dormant and so root growth does not have to compete with top growth. A lot of plants are on sale in fall so that is certainly a plus, but is fall planting better than spring planting?

Is Fall a Good Time to Plant?
Is Fall a Good Time to Plant?, source: Speak for the Trees Boston

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Watering Seedlings – Bottom or Top Watering?

What is better for your seedlings; top watering or bottom watering?

Lots of online sites and social media discussions recommend bottom watering for seedlings – are the claimed benefits real? If rain works in nature, why do we need to bottom water when starting seeds in the house? I am going to sort all this out in this blog.

Watering Seedlings - Bottom or Top Watering?
Watering Seedlings – Bottom or Top Watering? source: Floret Flowers

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Does Cedar Mulch Repel Pollinators and Other Insects

We all know cedar chests repel moths and cedar shavings are routinely used in homes to control insect pests. Based on this, gardeners have concluded that cedar mulch will repel insects in the garden and will negatively impact pollinators trying to get to flowers. For these reasons they recommend you should not use cedar mulch.

Is there any science to support these claims? Does it harm bees? Does it affect ants and termites?

Should you stop using cedar mulch?

Does Cedar Mulch Repel Pollinators and Other Insects
Does Cedar Mulch Repel Pollinators and Other Insects

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