Author Archives: Independence Gardens

‘Tis the season for seed catalogues! We assume that most people who are checking out our website are Pacific Northwesterners. Probably Oregonians. Perhaps Portlanders. So here’s a list of local, organic, heirloom edible-focused seed catalogues that are suitable for gardeners in … Continue reading →

Lasagna gardening (a.k.a. sheet mulching) is a slow composting method that is used to create and maintain planting areas. It is useful during the growing season for controlling weeds and keeping soil healthy, and it is an especially easy way … Continue reading →

Composting can be complicated. But it doesn’t have to be! The first step in setting up a successful compost system (and the only step we’ll cover here) is knowing what you can put in your pile. You might be familiar … Continue reading →

In the Portland metro area, we are lucky. Very lucky, in fact. With the right planning and preparation, we can harvest year-round from our edible gardens. What follow are some of the pieces of information we find most crucial for … Continue reading →

It might be worth stating, as a start to this blog entry, that we don’t view any plant as inherently BAD. Nope, not even weeds! Weeds are just plants doing the work they were programmed to do, in conditions favorable … Continue reading →

It’s spring! Even as the rain keeps coming down between the sunbreaks, we’re starting to see flowers bloom…garlic stretch to the sky…pea shoots unfurl…and weeds start to get a foothold in our overwintered gardens. We did the first spring weeding … Continue reading →