Edible, ecological gardening

No-dig organic gardening is the best approach to building healthy, living soil that grows nutrient-dense foods. Whether you’re a newbie or a life-long gardener, we’ll help you grow better and discover amazing edibles you’ve never heard of (including native plants) while creating a wildlife sanctuary in your yard.

Which gardening topic would you like to explore?

What do you want to grow?

Find edible inspiration for the type of plants you want to grow:

Fruits

Nuts & Starches

Edible Flowers

Veggies

Herbs

Tea

When are you planting?

get growing (or planning) in any season!

Find season-specific gardening resources below. In many climate regions, you can grow food year round with the right plant selection and tools. No matter the season, we can help you grow!

Recent Gardening Posts

Will mulching reduce soil nitrogen?

Will mulching reduce soil nitrogen? Our 15 years of mulching experience and review of the research literature gives a clear answer: NO. In fact, mulching INCREASES soil nitrogen.

Benefits of a backyard pond - pros and cons of backyard pond

14 benefits of adding a backyard pond

What are the benefits of a backyard pond? Pros and cons? We’ve had a small backyard pond for over a decade — here’s what we’ve discovered!

Guide: How to grow Meyer lemons in pots or containers.

How to grow Meyer lemons in pots – anywhere!

Come find out how to grow your own Meyer lemons in pots and containers using organic methods in any climate zone!

Yuzu: a rare citrus you can grow in cool climates!

Looking for a cold-hardy citrus? Here’s everything you need to know about yuzu (Citrus junos) to grow your own — even in cooler climates!

How to grow ginger anywhere – cool zones, pots, and more!

This ginger growing guide is chock full of helpful tips to help you grow ginger anywhere: cool climates, warm climates, in pots or indoors!

deer-proof and deer-resistant garden plants

Deer-resistant plant guide: edibles, ornamentals, and natives!

Select deer-resistant plants to create a deer-proof garden! Use our lists of edible, ornamental, and native plants that deer don’t like.

How to use American beautyberries as food and mosquito repellent

American beautyberries are a gorgeous native plant that produce edible berries and mosquito-repellent leaves. Find out how to use beautyberries here!

Aronia: how to grow or forage the world’s highest antioxidant fruit

Native to North America, Aronia melanocarpa may produce the highest antioxidant fruit in the world. Find out how to grow, forage, & use aronia!

Dad’s trick: how to keep deer out of your garden or yard (with video!)

Tired of deer eating your plants? Spending money on fixes that don’t work? Here’s how to keep deer out of your garden cheaply and effectively!

Florida betony pickles with hibiscus roselle

Recipe: Florida betony and hibiscus pickles

A simple and delicious pickle recipe featuring Florida betony tubers and roselle, aka the vibrant red calyxes of Hibiscus sabdariffa plants.

how to raise monarch butterflies at home

Complete guide: How to raise Monarch butterfly caterpillars at home

A detailed, step-by-step guide with photos and videos showing you how to successfully raise Monarch butterflies at home.

green coriander - how to grow, harvest, and use

Green coriander: tips & recipes for a secret ingredient

Green coriander is a unique garden-to-table delicacy. Come find out how to harvest and use it in the kitchen — including our top recipes!

How to do no-dig gardening / beginner's guide

How to start a no-dig garden and do seasonal bed transitions

Find out how to start a no-dig garden and see how to do seasonal crop transitions in our beginner’s guide to no-dig gardening!

or use the search box to find something specific.

Foraging

Unlock the bounty of nature’s grocery store by learning to safely find, ID, and use edible plants and fungi growing in your bioregion.

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Lion’s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) are gourmet mushrooms that taste like crab meat & can be easily grown or foraged. Here's how to make our favorite lion’s mane recipe: lion’s mane crab cakes!

recipes

Discover recipes to transform your foraged or garden-fresh ingredients into healthy, gourmet, homemade meals and beverages!

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svetlana and jackson ducks resting under a shrub

raising ducks

Find out if ducks are the right animal for you, and learn everything you need to know to raise happy, healthy pet and backyard ducks!

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A female buff goose picked a not great place to make her nest

raising geese

MJ Smith shares everything you need to know to raise domestic geese in your backyard, homestead, or small farm!

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our book

The Impractical Guide to Raising Ducks

How to joyously produce the world’s most expensive eggs from the world’s most adorable animals

The Impractical Guide to Keeping Pet & Backyard Ducks isn’t just a detailed how-to guide for raising happy, healthy, long-lived ducks. It’s also a humorous and heartfelt rethink on how and why backyard poultry enthusiasts should raise ducks in the first place — and a call to action to do it better, for the sake of people, poultry, and planet.

Learn More