Author: Ea Murphy
Publish Date: Spring 2015
Former OSU Small Farms instructor for southern Oregon, Ea Murphy, has written a new book.
How do you recognize healthy soil? When and why should you fertilize, till (or not till), weed, and water? What’s the secret to using cover crops and amendments to transform poor soils? How can you work less and grow more?
The answer to these questions and more lies in seeing not just the plants, but the whole, living system that grows them. Building Soil: A Down-to-Earth Approach is a commonsense, practical guide for the care and feeding of your living soil. Written for gardeners, farmers, and soil lovers of all stripes, Building Soil puts a whole soil perspective into practice by explaining the secrets of soil organic matter; guiding fertilizer and fertility choices; providing step by-step instructions for growing your own amendments; and simplifying how and when to mulch, water, weed, and till. By working with whole, living soils, Building Soil reduces work and improves productivity, creating more sustainable gardens, cities, and farms for a better planet.
Written by former OSU faculty, gardener, soil scientist, and farm lover Elizabeth (Ea) Murphy, Building Soil draws on more than a decade of growing, teaching, and soils research. You can follow her soil lover’s blog and visit her book page at Dirty Little Secrets, www.dirtsecrets.com/building-soil.