Mulch Volcanoes: Another Bad Gardening Idea

...n: the infamous mulch volcano. For whatever reason, I don’t see this viral gardening phenomenon much here in Los Angeles but it’s really common elsewhere in the US. Mulch volcanoes are generally considered to be a bad idea. It’s thought that the lack of air circulation at the base of the tree can lead to disease problems and you don’t want roots to grow up into the mulch so close to the trunk. When applying mulch you should keep it a few inches aw...

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Admitting Gardening Mistakes

...As Hermann von Pückler-Muskau advises in his 1834 book Hints on Landscape Gardening, I know of nothing more pathetic than when a failed detail is allowed to remain as an eyesore in a completed project, rather than being removed and replaced by a better idea, simply because it has already cost such and such in the first place, and changing it might cost again as much. . . Once changes have been found advisable, though, it is also dangerous to put...

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Gardening in an Apartment Windowsill

...eans, endive, dill, arugula, oregano, parsley, stevia, green onions, thyme, strawberries, mustard greens, lemon grass, and what Helen describes as “a curryish plant that is awfully nice for smelling but underwhelming for cooking.” Read an interview with Helen about this garden here. Gardening is not about the quantity of space one controls or the weight of the food harvested. It’s about a love for beauty, an attention to detail and an appreciation...

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Urban Homesteading and Homeowners Associations

...ne. I’m curious to hear from readers who live in an HOAs. Did you get into urban homesteading before or after moving to an HOA? Have you ever gotten in trouble? What did you do about it? Do the benefits of living in an HOA outweigh the restrictions? And there are less restrictive HOAs. I once met a couple who live in an HOA in Orange County, CA that allows chickens. Flagpole antenna. Source: The Doctor is In Some HOA residents take a stealth appro...

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Permaculturalist Paul Wheaton in Los Angeles

...LA’s food culture. Darren Butler of EcoWorkshops.com 3:30pm to 5pm Systems Gardening Does gardening have to be such hard work? Learn how to work with Nature’s systems to make your garden easier to manage and more productive than ever before. Paul Wheaton on Irrigation Free Gardening at Armory Center for the Arts 6pm to 8pm Paul will discuss Permaculture strategies to eliminate the need for irrigation in our gardens. An especially relevant talk giv...

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