The Maritime Gardening Podcast

This episode is part 1 of my talk with Robert Pavlis, author of the book “Garden Myths”, a book that pit’s his no-nonsense, scientific approach to gardening against many commonly held myths of gardening. In this part of the conversation we talk about myths related to germination, the toxicity of rhubarb, and fertilization.

It’s the end of May and I know what many of you are thinking: How am I going to get it all done? In this podcast I share a few thoughts on this aspect of gardening, and how I’m going to deal with it this year!

Whether you’re a “foodie”, a phytotherapist (herbal medicine person), or just hate buying things that you could otherwise grow yourself, growing an herb garden is a desirable goal for many. In this episode, I discuss how to grow herbs without a dedicated herb garden bed. With only a handful of exceptions, they may even be …

One of the things I like most about gardening is how it always seems to be a little bit different each year. Whether that’s the result of seasonal variations, trying new varieties, or trying new techniques, there’s a great deal of anticipation each spring when I get started and can’t wait to see how things …

In this episode I talk about my new sponsor: “Safers Gardening Products” and the coupon code they are offering to all my listeners, a 15% off discount (code = “maritime”) on all Safers and Chemfree brands offered on Woodstreambrands.ca and saferbrand.com (for U.S.A.). I also talk about birds, ants, moles and snakes, and why you should be glad to …

The “no-till” gardening approach works great, and I practice it in my entire garden. That said, I think there are a good many people, who, in their enthusiasm, take the “no-till” idea to extremes that can result in sub-optimal yields in the first year. In this episode I give my reasons for why I think …

It’s early March and this is the time of year that many gardeners start their transplants, or at least start thinking about transplants. Last year I grew all of my transplants outdoors in coldframes and hoop-houses, and it worked great, so this year I’m doing the same. In this episode I talk about all the …

Welcome back to the third season of the Maritime Gardening Podcast! It’s February and we gardeners have seeds on our minds, so I thought I would talk about the difference between heirloom seeds, open pollinated seeds, and hybrid seeds, and speak to the relative merits of each. I also have a new sponsor: Vesey’s seeds, …

It’s finally the end of another gardening season. I harvested my last kale on December 31, and now it’s time to take a break, and start dreaming about next year. In this episode I tie up a few loose ends to finish out the 2017 season for this podcast, I talk a little bit about …

In this episode I contrast the notion of “hobby gardening” with that “food gardening”. If you are the type of gardener that seems to want to grow a little more every year – you’re a food gardener! If that’s you, listen in and I’ll share some tips for how to get the most out of …

In this episode I discuss the general theme of the kind of money you can save by growing your own food, and in particular, by saving your own seed garlic, which are one of the more expensive items to buy at garden centers. Using some simple math, I show that over time, the numbers really …

Many garden centers create the perception that a garden is something you can buy and then install on your lawn – like a deck – but unlike a deck, a garden is a living thing. In fact, one cubic foot of healthy soil can contain thousands of organisms, and this kind of soil cannot be …

In this our 50th episode of the podcast, Greg talks about several things to consider this time of year, from easy free sources of mulch that you can find right after Halloween, leaving your root vegetables in the ground until there is some consistent frost, amending your soil, and Dave’s departure from the show. We …

“Growing Degree Days” (GDDs) are a measure of heat accumulation that indicates how favorable the growing conditions are in your area. If the number is really high, you can grow anything, if it’s low, there’s some things you just can’t grow. Every plant has a certain number of GDDs it needs to reach maturity. GDDs …

In this episode we talked about mulches and explored the question of which mulches are best suited to gardening in the North. Order, first to last: Which break down the fastest? Hay Seaweed Grass Leaves Rotten logs Woodchips Which improve soil the most rapidly? Hay Seaweed Grass Leaves Rotten logs Woodchips Which generate the most …

In this episode we discuss and try to define the concept of “permaculture”, a term that refers to an approach to agriculture that is fundamentally different than that of conventional approaches, and we focus specifically on the thoughts of the late Bill Mollison (1928-2016), an internationally recognized permaculture writer, teacher and advocate. I refer to …

Does it make sense to plant “fall crops” if you live somewhere with an early winter, like zone 6 or colder? I think it does, but it also makes sense to broaden your concept of what “fall crops” are. In my garden, I plant Romain lettuce and cilantro in early and mid August, but that’s …

Is there really such a thing as a “green thumb”? Do gardeners buy into the idea of a “green thumb” to simply pat themselves on the back, or is this something non-gardeners buy into to console themselves? Having a successful garden depends upon many factors such as; soil quality, growing conditions, pests, plant varieties, proper …

In this episode Greg and Dave discussed lacto-fermentation, a method of preserving vegetables that predates modern pickling techniques that employ the use of vinegar. Lacto-fermentation uses natural lactic-acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts that are present in the actual vegetables to create an acidic environment that preserves the vegetables, is probiotic, and results in really tasty …

In this weeks episode Greg and Dave talk about Ticks and the growing epidemic of Lyme Disease. If you spend any amount of time outdoors (yes, even in your garden) here in Atlantic Canada, or even any part of North America or Europe for that matter, be aware of the very real dangers that Ticks …

This weeks episode is a recap/discussion about some recent videos Greg shot of his gardening including, Sand Gardens, Rock Borders, and our most “viral” video to date in which Greg plants potatoes using the Ruth Stout Method.

In this episode Greg talks about the main pests that attack brassicas like kale, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbages, etc., the different varieties of kale and their relative pest resistance, and organically acceptable solutions to those pests. Kale Varieties – Scotch curly kale (most pest resistant) – Lacinato kale (least pest resistant) – Red Russian kale …

In this episode, Greg talks about various ways to define your garden beds. Vermicompost update – Lots of worms – no smell, totaly works in a garage setting – really not worth the effort IMO, cannot keep up with supply – would need a wall of them to keep up with houshold kitchen waste – …

In this episode, Greg talks about how there is little time left in the season to get planting. Topics covered include; wild edibles (dandelions – give it a try), radishes (are they worth it?), early greens (thinning), wild strawberries, key indicators from nature for planting times, wisdom from angling (spring peppers = smelts), red buds on the maple trees begin to …

This week we revisited the issue of how important mulches are in a permaculture garden, with a focus on how mulches act as “irrigation systems”. We talked about how employing a mulch copies the successful systems that occur in nature, and how planting at grade (not in a raised bed) also brings the plant closer …

In this episode Greg talks about the use of mulches in vegetable gardens. Why Mulches are important -weed control -water retention -fertilization -ideal environment for beneficial organisms -generates compost in your garden Types of mulch: -ramial woodchips -leaves -grass clippings -rotten logs -seaweed -hay -straw -spruce boughs Mulches and permaculture design – Permaculture is about …

In this episode, Greg gives us an update on how his garden is progressing as of Early May. Topics covered are; beets, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, peas, fava beans (windsor beans), kale, swiss chard, chicory, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, onions, spinach, dill, parsley, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, cold frames, drip irrigation and more.

In the last episode we talk a little about permaculture garden designs, and how they tend to be very efficient from a “calories in/calories out” ration point of view. Well what could be a more efficient way to produce calories and bee keeping? The bees do all the work and you eat half their honey! …

Permaculture is a method of agriculture that results in gardens that function like natural systems such that they are sustainable over the long term, require minimal labor and inputs, and have a net-positive impact on the ecosystem where they are located. In this episode we talked a little about the concept of ‘efficiency’ in a …

Many gardeners like the idea of having an herb garden, but many of them are hard to grow from seed, and it can be costly to buy them all as transplants. In this episode we discuss strategies for building a good herb garden without spending too much money. Perennial Herbs Perennial herbs, like any perennial, …

As you garden becomes larger and more elaborate, it becomes increasingly useful to plan out the space prior to planting each year. While there is software available online for this task, I find it far simpler to just take a picture of my garden from a high point, pop the picture into MS excel (or …

One ritual of the Northern gardener is the growing of transplants in spring. For some it means the annual firing up of the improvised grow-op, whereas for others it is signified by the colonization of all the space in every south facing window in the house. In this episode Dave and I talk about all …

Many gardeners time their planting dates around tables and charts that are based on “plant hardiness zones”. In this episode we discuss how they are determined, how informative they are for planning a garden, and some strategies for working around the limitations that your zone might impose on plant variety options. What Determines a Hardiness …

Growing transplants is a great way to jump start your garden each year. Carefully done, it can result in earlier harvests, and an all-around greater yield from your gardening space over the course of a growing season. Another added benefit is that it allows the gardener to get back into gardening months before the soil …

It’s the time of year when gardeners start dreaming about the next garden, imagining how it will be so much better than last year’s garden, and coming up with all manner of fanciful schemes to make that happen. For me, a big part of that process is contemplating what varieties I will plant for the …

It’s March, and this time of year I like to look back on the previous gardening season and reflect on what went wrong the previous year, and I thought that it might be of interest to the listeners to hear a discussion about mistakes, and what can be learned from them. The first of these …

The 2017 gardening season is about to begin, and as we all contemplate our plans for next year’s garden, I thought it would be useful to discuss why gardening makes sense from a financial point of view. So much of gardening today seems to be about buying fertilizers, amendments and accoutrements, but I think that …

As the 2017 gardening season approaches, Greg and Dave talk about recent developments for the podcast. We review our end of season 1 survey results. We announce our first podcast partner, Kent Building Supplies. Videos produced in the recent months. Available listener support/donations (see donation button in sidebar). Greg speaks to his first ebook that …

It’s fall and that means that people are putting out bags of leaves on curbs all over the place. What a colossal waste of an extraordinary resource, and a what a great opportunity for you to stock up and hoard this most excellent garden resource! In this episode, Dave and I talk about leaves in …

In this our final episode of season 1, we reflect on the first season of The Maritime Gardening Podcast. Listen as we discuss how the show came to be and learn more about us (Greg and Dave), for example, Greg owns and operates Sun and Soil, a custom organic garden business. We also end the season …

Many people view fall as a time of year that symbolizes the end of the gardening season – and to some extent that is true – but it’s also the beginning of next season in many regards, and can also be a time of great activity for a gardener. Here’s a list of things to …

The concept of no till gardening has been around since the 70’s, yet few people practice this time saving, and highly productive form of gardening. Outside of its labor saving advantages, and of all the benefits to soil health that it has to offer – at the very least – the potential that this form …

Fall is fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about next year’s garden. A garden plan is a great way make the most of your gardening space, and the best time to plan next year’s garden is now, because everything that went right and wrong this season is fresh in your mind – so …

My oldest memory of canning involves Mason jars, sterilization, stock pots, time, effort, logistics, division of labour, etc. – basically a big overwhelming production for a few jars of pickles. In this episode I discuss a method of preserving any sort of ‘acidic’ preserve that is very easy to do, and can be scaled down …

A vegetable garden can be defined as an outdoor area that has been cultivated and planted with plants that taste far better than what typically grows in the wild. Given this definition, is it not totally natural that every herbivore in nature would want to eat the plant in your garden? Pests are a part …

There are plenty of gardening books and resources that speak to the merits of cold frames. At least in principle, cold frames can extend your growing season, provide produce in the winter, and give you an early start in the spring. With all that said, based on my experience, in terms of them being a …

You will find few gardeners that do not grow tomatoes each growing season, and many treat this particular plant with extra special care. The entire growing season is spent in anticipation of fresh red tomatoes growing on the vine, destined to be the star of countless salads on the dinner table. In this episode I’ll …

Saving seeds continued… How To Save Seeds The right way to save seeds is different for certain kinds of plants, so in order to keep it short, I’ve simply outlined the generalities below. If you want more information, a good online resource is the “International Seed Saving Institute” website. When Are They Ready The leaves …

Imagine if you could buy a steak at a grocery store, and then use that steak to make more steak. Well, with many garden plants, that’s exactly how it works if you know what you are doing and have a little foresight. Saving seeds not only saves you money, it will also give you a …

Whether it’s fruit trees, berries, rhubarb or herbs, perennials are the plants that just keep giving! In this episode we’ll talk about the numbers, and why it makes so much sense to get your perennials in the ground now. Many perennials all take a number of years to get established such that you can start …