Like so many gardening enthusiasts, this is my favorite time of the year. Planning, building, and planting my outdoor gardens is something I look forward to all winter. Yes, I have an indoor garden that satisfies my gardening addiction, but it isn’t the same as being outside. I am a bipolar grower; mineral-based nutrients indoors and organic outdoors. I love amending and feeding my soil garden beds. I make my own compost, teas, and ferments, testing new methods, often getting my inspiration from these very pages. We’re fortunate to have exceptional writers passionate about various feeding and growing regimes.
In this edition, we focus on two distinct subjects: organic growing and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). We have consistently advocated for reducing all dangerous chemical inputs, primarily toxic sprays used to kill bugs. Many IPM strategies help manage pests and diseases. As put so perfectly by Dr. Colin Bell in his article, Mastering Organic and Natural Pest Management, “Natural pest management is not about spraying after an outbreak. It is about building resilient growing environments through healthy soil, biodiversity, and cultivation practices that strengthen the growing system as a whole.”
A.C. Cameron Moon, our featured author in this edition, echoes Colin’s sentiment in The Dance of Nature: Building a Balanced IPM Strategy. When we establish a conservative, balanced organic grow site, it fosters long-term homeostasis for the garden and lets Mother Nature work her magic.
Gareth Hopcroft is a UK-based organic guru, and if you are thinking about giving organic a try, don’t miss Living Soil Indoors: Practical Guidance for Stable, High-Performance Systems. The advice he offers in all of his articles will surely provide you with the knowledge and confidence to give organic growing a try and succeed.
These are just some of the amazing articles in this edition. Trying new things is a big part of what makes life exciting and interesting. Hopefully, we can motivate you to try something new.
Life is a lot like organic growing. When you force things, problems show up fast. But when you work with nature, stay patient, and keep things in balance, everything grows stronger over time.
Happy Growing
Integrated Pest Management is more than pest control—it’s a holistic approach to creating thriving, balanced garden ecosystems naturally. A.C. Moon explains.
5 cool ways to outsmart garden pests naturally with organic pest control strategies, beneficial insects, smart watering, and Integrated Pest Management tips.
Living soil indoors can thrive with the right balance of biology and control. Learn practical strategies for cover crops, chop-and-drop, mulch, and no-till.
Sitting on 5 acres of green space leased from the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, this urban farm boosts the local food economy by providing Cleveland residents with fresh, healthy produce grown close to home.
This 8-acre farm is the largest in the city and sits on the ancestral lands of the Duwamish people. It was founded in 2009 by local residents and activists who wanted to improve food security,…
