Author Archives: zack

Plum Gone Wild

Posted on October 20, 2011 by

This fruit is from either from a wild plum tree (Prunus americana), or else from an ordinary plum tree gone feral. More likely the latter, since California doesn’t appear to be in the natural range for wild plum. In any … Continue reading →

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“How about not doing that?” A Lesson from Fukuoka

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

To the north of the garden proper and the food forest is a nearly pure stand of Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menzeisii)  Very little sunlight reaches the ground here, and the forest floor is piled high with generations of madrone leaves, … Continue reading →

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Jerusalem Artichokes – Neither from Jerusalem, nor Artichokes

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus), also called sunchokes, grow really well in my garden, and I’ve planted some in the food forest as well. I’ve grown them for a number of years – they don’t require much care, just a sunny … Continue reading →

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Hügelkultur Fruit Tree Mound

Posted on October 12, 2011 by

In a previous post, I described preparing a future planting site by burying horse food.  This weekend, I created an actual, official hügelkultur mound, using a big old rotten log, as well as two other mounds, one filled with forest … Continue reading →

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Hügelkultur for the Older Horse

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

I’ve been reading up on hügelkultur, which is the process of creating raised beds over decaying wood.  As the wood breaks down, it provides warmth, and increases the water holding capacity of the soil.  There’s no shortage of decaying wood … Continue reading →

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DIY Multi-dibble

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

I’m fascinated by the range of tools created by humans to make certain jobs easier.  This beautiful gallery of Antique Farm Tools from England, Scotland and Wales includes such specialty implements as turnip hooks, beet knives, and various dibbers (also … Continue reading →

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Gardening With Safety Goggles

Posted on October 6, 2011 by

I’ve been gardening for a number of years, but I can’t recall another time when I had to wear nitrile gloves to sow seeds. As mentioned in the prior post, I am interested in germinating a whole bunch of elderberry … Continue reading →

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Elderberries and Acid

Posted on October 5, 2011 by

Sulfuric acid, that is. I collected a pint glass full of Sambucus cerulea berries the from a big old bush on the side of the road a couple of days ago, and this evening I processed them to extract the … Continue reading →

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The Herbaceous Layer – Garden Sorrel

Posted on October 3, 2011 by

I’ve written about sorrel, Rumex acetosa, before.  It’s a perrenial herb that, once established, produces a whole lot of juicy, sour leaves that are great in a salad or soup.  They figure prominently in my food forest plans as one … Continue reading →

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Adventures in Open Pollination

Posted on September 21, 2011 by

These are mustard seedlings that I’m growing to donate to the El Dorado County Master Gardener plant sale.  I have them in a little covered wagon sort of structure, over which I drape floating row cover to keep the grasshoppers, … Continue reading →

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