Weatherproof Outdoor Storage Solutions
I opened my patio storage bench one spring to find that water had gotten in over the winter. The cushions…
Blog
Hugelkultur Raised Beds: Building Mounds From Logs and Branches
The first hugelkultur bed I built was a disaster of ambition. I piled logs six feet high, covered them with…
Extending Solar Light Lifespan in Humid Coastal Climates
Living near the coast has its advantages. Ocean views, mild winters, sea breezes. But if you install solar lights within…
Keyhole Garden Construction: Composting-In-Place Bed Design
The keyhole garden solved a problem I did not know I had. I was running a compost pile thirty feet…
Solar Path Light Brightness Comparison: 12 Models Tested
Path lights are the workhorses of solar outdoor lighting. They line walkways, define garden borders, and provide just enough light…
Lasagna Gardening: Layered Bed Building Without Soil
Lasagna gardening is the method I recommend to every new gardener who tells me their soil is impossible. Clay hardpan,…
Square Foot Gardening: Maximizing Yield in Small Spaces
Square foot gardening changed how I think about space. Before I tried it, I planted in rows like every gardening…
Recycled Aluminum Solar Lights: When Sustainability Meets Durability in Outdoor Lighting
The solar lighting industry has a dirty secret hiding in plain sight. For every outdoor solar light that gets installed…
Permaculture Design Principles for Backyard Gardens
Permaculture is the most useful framework I have found for designing a productive landscape, and it is also the most…
Food Forest Design: Layered Edible Landscaping
The food forest I started five years ago looked ridiculous for the first three. Saplings stood in a sea of…
Outdoor Kitchen Design Basics for Beginners
I helped a friend build an outdoor kitchen a few summers ago, and the moment that stuck with me was…
Solar Lights for Outdoor Yoga and Wellness Spaces: Designing Calm With Light
The first time I designed lighting for an outdoor yoga space, I made every mistake available to me. I bought…
Cover Cropping for Soil Health: What to Plant and When
For years I let my vegetable beds sit bare from November to April, watching the winter rain leach nutrients from…
Crop Rotation Planning: 3-Year and 4-Year Schedules
The year I planted tomatoes in the same bed three seasons running was the year I learned why crop rotation…
Succession Planting for Continuous Harvest: Timing Charts
I learned about succession planting the hard way. My first summer garden produced a mountain of lettuce in June, then…
