eco updates
 Press/Publications
Pacific Horticulture July/August/September 2010
"Fresh: The Late Show Gardens" Garden Design, January/February 2010 Read Article
"The Late Show Gardens blossom at Cornerstone" Sonoma Valley Sun, September 25, 2009 Read Article
"Landscape Design With Legs" Pacific Sun, September 11-17, 2009 Read Article
"Turf Wars" Press Democrat, August 19, 2009 Read Article
"Petaluma Gets Its Sheet (Mulch) Together..."
The Petaluma Spectator, May 18, 2009 Read Article
The Bottom Line Business Environmental Alliance, Page 3 "Building a Sustainable Landscape" - Spring 2009 Read Article (pdf)
Letter to the Editor Argus Courier, February 20, 2009 Read Article
"Bay Area Green Business" Marin Independent Journal, August 16, 2006 Read Article
Articles
Compost Tea: A Secret Tool for a Healthy Garden
by Heather Picard
 When it comes to creating a healthy, vibrant garden, nutrient rich soil is paramount. Microbes, beneficial bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and nematodes all need to be present to create an environment that sustains life. When present in the soil these microscopic creatures are free to go about their business of breaking down organic matter, delivering nutrients to plants and breaking down toxins. Dirt without these elements can grow little to nothing... Read complete article
Soil: The Forgotten Miracle
By Patrick Picard
Soil is the unsung hero of our natural world. We walk on it every day and yet seldom stop to think what a miracle it is. Below our feet billions of organisms, some microscopic, some much larger, are busy decomposing today’s dead material, turning it into tomorrow’s living nutrients. They are the most efficient recyclers on the planet, with next to nothing being wasted. For the last billion years the soil food web, as these organisms are referred to, has been making all life possible on this planet. The extent to which these bacteria, fungi, earthworms, etc. are active in our soil determines the fertility of our land. Without these organisms we would undoubtedly perish... Read complete article
Ending the Chemical Dynasty:
Children & Pesticides
by Heather Picard
As we enter spring and celebrate the myriad of religious and folk holidays of this time, I am reminded of the story of the Easter ham. After observing her mother chop the ends off of a ham before placing it in a baking dish, a little girl asks her mother why she is cutting the ends off. Her mother replies that she does not know why, but that she has done it all her life because as a small child, she saw her mother do the same thing. When the mother calls the grandmother to inquire about the practice, the grandmother laughs and replies that she cut the ends off of her ham because she did not have a pan big enough to fit the whole thing! ... Read complete article
From Water Scarcity to Water Security
by Patrick Picard
Whether this year turns out to be a drought year or not, here in Northern California, it is imperative that we re-examine our water use habits. We first need to look at ways to reduce our consumption. Second, we need to implement water recycling and catchment to harness this life-giving element. Nature provides us with an ample amount of rain: an average of 33 in/yr. We have simply done a poor job harvesting and managing this resource in order to take advantage of what is being given to us freely. Each one of us can help conserve water by catching it, reusing it and aiding the earth in absorbing it... Read complete article
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