What Are Soil Microbes & What Do They Do?

You can’t see them. You don’t pay them. They work for free. Are we talking about nocturnal elves? Only if you’re a fairytale cobbler. In the garden, soil microbes are your champion workers and BFFs. They keep your plants healthy, boost soil...

A Gardener’s Guide to Growing Cherimoya in SoCal

Mark Twain called it “the most delicious fruit known to men.” He was referring to the cherimoya, a living fossil from the highland valleys of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Ripe cherimoya spoils quickly and is hard to ship, so it’s considered a luxury...

What Is Permaculture Gardening & Why Is It a “Growing” Trend?

Nothing lasts forever. Civilizations rise and fall — none have endured more than a few thousand years. The sun will run out of usable hydrogen in roughly 5 billion years. The Milky Way will collide with the Andromeda Galaxy in ~4 billion years, forming a new galaxy....

No-Till Gardening Methods for Southern California Planters

Everything has its fads — even gardening. Pizza gardens with each “slice” growing a different pizza ingredient. Plant parenting, or treating garden plants like pets or children, complete with names, personalities, and even Instagram accounts. Moon...