Permaculture Tips and Tricks

If your veggie beds and perennials are looking a bit dramatic right now—wilting at noon, crisping at the edges, or suddenly becoming a buffet for pests—you’re not doing anything “wrong.” Mid-summer is intense, especially here in BC when the heat settles in and the rain forgets we exist. But here’s the twist: a little stress can actually help plants handle summer better. Not the “I forgot to water for a week” kind of stress. I’m talking about short, manageable bursts of challe

No matter where in the world you garden, you’re already sharing your space with an army of tiny helpers. Some pollinate. Some recycle nutrients. Some are predators and parasitoids that keep pest populations from exploding. This guide is a practical, yard-focused look at the beneficial insects you’re most likely to meet—and how to invite them in without turning your garden into a high-maintenance project. We’ll cover what “beneficial insects” are, the jobs they do, and an exte

Mulch is one of the simplest tools you can add to your garden — and one of the most powerful. Whether you're working with a handful of wood chips, a patch of clover, or a roll of biodegradable film, covering your soil means less weeding, less watering, and more life thriving beneath the surface. In this guide, we explore the three main types of mulch, biodegradable alternatives, and how mixing them can create a healthier, more resilient garden — no matter your energy level or

If you’ve ever pulled back a bit of mulch or lifted a rotting log and noticed fine white threads in the soil, you’ve probably met mycelium. It can look like fuzzy cotton, delicate webbing, or thin white strings running through leaves and wood. It’s easy to mistake it for mold and assume something is “wrong,” but in most healthy gardens, mycelium is a sign that your soil is alive and working. Mycelium is one of the most important (and most overlooked) parts of a thriving garde

If you’re gardening with limited time or energy, it’s tempting to keep things simple: a few familiar crops, planted in neat rows, and called good. But one of the most helpful permaculture shifts is planting with diversity in mind—growing a wide range of plants (both edible and non-edible) so your garden becomes more resilient, more productive, and often less work over time. Diversity doesn’t mean chaos. It means building a garden that functions more like a healthy ecosystem:

Want to learn all about Pollinators!? This post is all about pollinators. Who they are, what they do, what flowers they prefer and how to keep them coming back year after year!

Nitrogen Nodule Nitrogen Fixing, Explained: How It Works (and How to Use It in North American Gardens) Nitrogen is one of the biggest “growth drivers” in a garden. It’s a key ingredient in leafy growth, chlorophyll, and overall plant vigor. It’s also one of the nutrients gardeners most often feel like we’re chasing—through compost, fertilizers, manure, and constant amendments. Nitrogen-fixing plants offer a different approach: invite living systems to do some of the work for

If you’ve ever stood in front of a patch of stubborn ground and thought, “Maybe I should just till it and start fresh,” you’re not alone. Tilling can feel like the fastest way to “reset” a garden bed. But in permaculture, we try to work with soil life rather than against it. And tilling the soil can cause damage to your soil, the nutrients and microbes beneath the surface and actually increase your weeds for the up-coming season. The good news: you have lots of effective opti

Let's face it, buying soil is EXPENSIVE and usually difficult to get, especially when you are low on time, money, energy and the use of a truck. On top of all that most of the soil you purchase from hardware stores come from far away and are primarily peatmoss. Which isn't a very eco friendly or biodiverse option. Building soil year round is a permaculture tool that helps us to reduce our inputs while increasing our outputs in small manageable ways. The more we let nature d

If you've ever wondered why some plants thrive side by side while others seem to struggle, you're about to unlock one of gardening's oldest secrets: companion planting. What Is Companion Planting? Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together so they can support each other. Some plants repel pests, others attract pollinators, and some improve the soil for their neighbors. Think of it as building a thriving community in your garden—where every plant has

Are you ready to turn your kitchen scraps into garden gold? Whether you're new to composting or looking for methods that work with limited mobility or small spaces, we have two free courses designed just for you. Here's a summary of what you'll learn! Easy Accessible Composting This course is perfect for individuals with limited mobility, those living in urban settings, or anyone looking for simple composting methods that don't require heavy lifting or extensive outdoor space

With the weather being unpredictable and the last frost date for my area is coming up in a couple months its time to start organizing my seeds and planting some seeds! Organizing With the weather being unpredictable and the last frost date for my area coming up in a few months, it's time to start organizing my seeds! I keep my seeds in a bin, sorted by plant type—leafy greens, herbs, root vegetables, etc. At the start of each year, I reorganize them by planting and starting t