Horticulturist Nancy Rose’s article in the November/December issue of Northern Gardener talks about the importance of knowing your soil for more garden success. Here are her instructions for testing the texture of your soil. How to Test Soil Texture While not as precise as a lab test, this is a quick way to determine if…

Let’s talk soil, which is the basis of how well your garden grows. The ideal garden soil is loamy—loose textured for air circulation and drainage and filled with nutrients and microscopic life. Unfortunately, many soils in Minnesota are heavily clay, which holds onto water too long, compacts easily and makes it difficult for trees, shrubs…

Think of Christina Chung’s new book, The Layered Edible Garden, as permaculture made easy. Chung, a horticulturist known on social media as @Fluent.Garden, guides gardeners through the steps of creating a lush, fairly easy-care edible garden, using many of the principles and ideas of permaculture. Permaculture argues for creating a garden that is more like…