Encyclopedia Botanica

Spending a little time in the fall taking notes on what happened in your garden over that past season is a great way to get a jump start on your garden planning for the following spring. In this episode we are going to briefly introduce garden mapping and then Kellie and I will share our favorite crop varieties of the 2016 garden season. Also, we need your support in order to continue providing you with fresh, quality weekly content. We've started a Patreon page so if you're enjoying this podcast, consider making a contribution:  https://www.patreon.com/encyclopediabotanica Don't forget to Tweet us @seattleurbnfarm using hashtag #EBpodcast with your garden questions!

This episode we are going to delve into the wonderful world of soil pH. Managing the pH of a garden may sound super complicated or perhaps a bit over-the-top for the beginning gardener. However, checking and adjusting the pH of your garden soil is actually very easy and very important. Also, we need your support in order to continue providing you with fresh, quality weekly content. We've started a Patreon page so if you're enjoying this podcast, consider making a contribution:  https://www.patreon.com/encyclopediabotanica Don't forget to Tweet us @seattleurbnfarm using hashtag #EBpodcast with your garden questions!

This week we will be discussing how to use compost as a fall garden amendment. In particular, we're going to talk about it how you can use compost to improve and protect your soil over the wet winter months. Also, we need your support in order to continue providing you with fresh, quality weekly content. We've started a Patreon page so if you're enjoying this podcast, consider making a contribution:  https://www.patreon.com/encyclopediabotanica Don't forget to Tweet us @seattleurbnfarm using hashtag #EBpodcast with your garden questions!

Cover cropping is the practice of growing a crop specifically to generate organic matter, protect the soil, and increase soil nutrient levels.  In this episode, we discuss how cover crops work and why they are an incredibly important and effective way to maintain soil health and capture soil on site, but also why the practice of cover cropping can be tricky to employ in a home garden. Also, we need your support in order to continue providing you with fresh, quality weekly content. We've started a Patreon page so if you're enjoying this podcast, consider making a contribution:  https://www.patreon.com/encyclopediabotanica Don't forget to Tweet us @seattleurbnfarm using hashtag #EBpodcast with your garden questions!

Last week Kellie and I went to a community field day and variety tasting event put on by the Organic Seed Alliance. The event celebrates the second annual harvest at OSA’s Washington research farm, which serves as the hub of OSA’s Pacific Northwest organic plant breeding, seed education, and variety trial program. In this episode, we’ll discuss OSA’s mission and some of the work they do and we’ll also share their technique for saving tomato seeds. HOW TO LISTEN: Listen right now in your browser by clicking above. Subscribe in iTunes (or your favorite podcast player) to have our podcasts sent directly to your device. Stream from SoundCloud SHOW NOTES: In this episode, we discuss: What the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) is and their mission. Why organic farmers and gardeners are reliant on organizations like the OSA to help develop seed adapted to their specific farm conditions and climates that don’t require the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers How to save tomato seeds. Important Take-aways: Se

These easy-to-grow plants tend to get neglected, but they’re actually really easy to keep nice and tidy. With a few simple steps, you can care for your herbs while also harvesting your crop! Join us as we chat about pruning herbs, using lavender, sage, and rosemary as examples.

It may be a surprise to some listeners that, not only are hops relatively easy to find a place for in the home garden, but they are also beautiful and really rewarding to grow. I love the way hops look and smell! In this episode we will talk a little bit about how to grow them, how to harvest them and how to use them.

The ‘winter’ in winter squash refers to the time of year the crop is eaten, rather than planted. The winter squash category includes to storage squashes (butternut, spaghetti, and acorn), as well as pumpkins. In today’s episode, we cover everything you need to grow perfect winter squashes, including the lifecycle of the plant, when to harvest, and how the fruits should be cured for storage.

Today’s episode is all about garlic! Garlic is a member of the Allium family, which also includes onions, leeks, scallions, and chives. In most climates, garlic is planted in the late fall and harvested mid-summer the following year. Join us as we chat about selecting garlic seed, explore the differences between softneck and hardneck garlic, and, of course, discuss planting techniques and tips.