Simple Food Gardening! Houston, TX Made by Biodiverse for Life Visit our web site at biodiverseforlife.orgbiodiverseforlife.org

Simple Food Garden Installation : Raised Beds Clear and break ground. 1.Place organic matter ~6-12” deep, 2.Cover with shredded hardwood mulch, ~3” 3.Water, plant, and water Use any dead stuff: i.e. mushroom compost, leaves, yard trimmings, composted manure, etc. Optional: add edging Site selection: Sun or shade? Both can work! Optional: add drip irrigation Maintenance? Water and Add MORE Dead Stuff !!! Also: add native plants! They will attract and support pollinators and beneficial insects! More information can be found here And here More on native plants

Will I Get: RATS ? SMELLS ? BUGS ? Simple Composting : 2-Bin, No Turn Method Great to Compost! Dead stuff. Rat Food! Bread, pasta, and grains Meat, eggs, cheese Final compost coarse? OK! USE IT! It will last longer and provide better habitat for beneficial micro-organisms in the soil. Supports biodiversity: Food base for lizards, toads and birds: One of at least TEN systems positively impacted by the ONE decision to COMPOST! ‘Power of 10’ X X X XX Layer: 1.Wet dead stuff 2.Dry dead stuff 3.WATER !!! 4.Repeat Fill one bin, then start the next bin. When the second bin is full, the first bin will be ready. (Won’t smell bad.) Honest workers! Cleaning up and purifying our waste! OUTSIDE! More information here

Or kitchen waste is trucked to landfills to create hazardous waste…… Example of Example of finished coarse compost ready to use!

Anaerobic fermentation: ‘Bokashi’ Method ? Examples of Compost Bins Rat Food? Bread, pasta, and grains Meat, eggs, cheese Simple pile Contained pile Maximum security! (Holes punched in bottom and sides) Contents must be kept damp in order to decompose.

WEEDS ! Simple Maintenance MICROLIFE ! SOIL TESTING ! FERTILIZERS ! N-P-K BALANCE ! PEST MANAGEMENT ! SOIL AMENDMENTS ! !?! Occasionally a crop will fail. Usual cause: weird weather or wrong season. Not your garden’s failure. Protect through diversification. : Relax ! Additions to dirt: 1.Dead stuff. Pest control : 1.Biodiversity Minimal and infrequent: 2. Pest caterpillars: Bt 3. Fire ants: Spinosad bait Snails, Squirrels, Birds, Hurricanes, Freezes: Humility builders!

Simple Food Preparation Meal of fall- and winter-planted vegetables in early spring All garden grown except for the egg!

HERBS and GREENS! And don’t be shy about using…. HERBS AS GREENS ! Big veggies are great. However, for a maximally useful and nutritious home food garden, the plants to grow the most of are …… Herbs don’t just taste great, they are nutritional powerhouses! (for example see: parsley nutrition)parsley nutrition

Example of a large summer garden in Houston, TX: mostly herbs and greens. THE STAGE:

For additional information on growing and harvesting, for recipes,growing and harvesting recipes and to post questions or comments: For a slide show on great food plants for the Houston summer: Click Here