LH 159: How To Be A Better Food Gardener!

LH 159: Using Science to Improve Flavor & Food Production

We’re always looking for ways to make our garden better. In this episode, I brought back author Dr. Lee Reich to make us a better gardener…using science!

When we fully understand the reasons behind the gardening techniques, we are better equipped to handle any problems that come along. And Lee is just the person to explain the real reasons behind why we need to do what we do.

You will learn:

• How ethylene really works to ripen our tomatoes
• Why some fruits should never be picked early
• The 3 benefits of organic matter in our soil
• The real truth about drainage in flowerpots
• How to improve the flavor of certain fruits
•  The secret to keeping your seeds in long term storage
• And SO much more…

Dr Lee Reich:

Lee Reich, PhD dove into gardening over 40 years ago, initially with one foot in academia, as an agricultural scientist with the USDA and Cornell University, and one foot in the field, the organic field.

He eventually expanded his field to a farmden (more than a garden, less than than a farm) and left academia to lecture, consult, and and write.

He is the author a number of books (A Northeast Gardener’s Year, Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden, The Pruning Book, Weedless Gardening, Landscaping with Fruit, Grow Fruit Naturally, and, most recently, The Ever Curious Gardener – See links below), and his syndicated column for Associated Press appears bimonthly in newspapers from coast to coast.

His farmden has been featured in Martha Stewart Living and The New York Times. Besides providing a year ‘round supply of fruits and vegetables, the farmden has an educational mission, and is a test site for innovative techniques in soil care, pruning, and food production.

Science and an appreciation of natural systems underpin his work. His goal is to get more people, whether in backyards or small farms, to grow more food sustainably and organically.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

The Ever Curious Gardener – Lee’s Latest Book

Grow Fruit Naturally

Weedless Gardening

The Pruning Book

Uncommon Fruits For Every Garden

A Northeast Gardener’s Year

Landscaping With Fruit

Related Episodes:

Growing Blueberries 

Transcript:

Click here for the full transcript for Episode #159