Plant identification apps for phones and tablets have become very popular, but they are not all created equally. In this article, I will compare 7 popular apps to see which ones perform best.
I’ll also provide pros and cons for each app.
Logic would have you believe that adding gravel or pot shards in the bottom of a pot or container will increase drainage and this has been a common practice for a long time. More recently some gardening experts and scientists have declared this to be a myth, claiming that gravel does not increase drainage when placed in the bottom of a pot. That is the current thinking.
New science has now been published that debunks the claimed myth and concludes that drainage material in the bottom of a pot or container does increase drainage.
Hydroponics can be a great way to grow plants but it is important to make sure the nutrient solution contains enough food for the whole growth cycle. If either pH or EC (electrical conductivity) is out of whack, plants grow poorly or stop growing all together. It is therefore important to measure and control the nutrient solution. This post will look at what the numbers mean and what you should do about them to keep plants growing well.
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Dr. Elaine Ingham and the Soil Food Web School promote a number of controversial topics in soil management and in this post I would like to have a closer look at a number of these.
Raised beds can be a great way to garden but don’t believe everything you read about them. They aren’t magical! They are a box, that holds soil or a soil-like material. Plants get water and nutrients from the sun and the sky, just like plants growing in the ground.
If you understand these myths you will grow great food.
Every gardening book and web site recommends that you get your soil tested and one of the main tests is for pH. You can get a professional lab to do the test, or you could use one of the convenient soil pH test kits made for gardeners. How useful and accurate are the results of such tests? It is more complicated than you think. Let’s have a close look.
Fall leaves are a great resource for the garden, but there are some problems with the way they are used. Should they be left on the lawn? Should you compost infected leaves, like maples with black spots? Will too many leaves kill your plants? Do leaves rob soil of nitrogen? Let’s have a look at these and other myths.
Its cold and the snow is blowing. All you want to do is get out in the garden, play in the soil and smell some flowers. Even weeding would be a pleasure this time of year. I have good news for you. This blog is chocked full of winter gardening activities you can enjoy right now.
Don’t wait until spring – start gardening now and chase those winter doldrums away.
Electroculture is one of the hottest new gardening techniques, or at least that is what social media wants you to believe when they say things like, “Electroculture gardening is a cutting-edge and fascinating method of plant cultivation”. It has actually been around for a long time, and that should be a clue. If it works so well, why is agriculture not using the technique? Maybe it is too difficult to implement on a large scale and is best suited to smaller backyards? Let’s have a closer look.
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I had never researched biodynamic gardening/farming very much, but I did know about the magic produced by aging manure in cow horns. I was introduced to “peppering” in a recent post in our Facebook group, Garden Fundamentals, and had to have a closer look. If this thing works, it would be a cure for just about every pest problem in the garden.
I have been aware of Korean Natural Farming (KNF) for some time but never had a close look at it. KNF is not very popular in North America but apparently it and other forms of Natural Farming are popular in Asia. It is time to have a close look at KNF. What is it and does it work?
Homeowners and DIYers call them clay pot heaters, while commercial outlets make them sound fancy using terms like Tea Light Oven, Ceramic Radiators, or Terracotta Candle Heaters. Fancy ones on Etsy will run you $300 US? DIY options can be made for $15.
This idea may have started on TikTok a number of years ago, and it is still being promoted to heat rooms, trailer homes, and greenhouses. If you need to heat a space at a low cost, clay pot heaters might fit the bill – but do they work?
