[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/joelampl/GGW036.mp3]
As an avid reader of gardening magazines, there’s one author I’ve been following for a number of years. And it’s hard not too since he’s in just about every magazine I read. I’m referring to author, professor, and horticulturist Lee Reich, Ph.D. He’s all about the art and science of building the garden from the ground up, with an emphasis on organic gardening, compost and healthy soil. He’s my kind of guy and I thought it was time we got together for a podcast conversation about some of those very issues, along with one that has me most intrigued. Lee wrote a book about the weedless garden, and I just had to learn more. This podcast covers that topic as we meet Lee and learn more about the man who’s writing the articles we read so often.
Show Notes
The Weedless Garden & More; An Interview with Author, Lee Reich
I’ve been reading gardening magazines and books for a long time. One of the first experts I really took note of was Lee Reich. He’s one of those guys who you feel like you can relate to. Even though he has a ton of impressive credentials, he always seems to be writing to just me, yet I’m sure just about every person that reads Lee’s articles or books feels the same way. But I was always impressed that he was always writing about subjects near and dear to my heart; compost, building the soil with natural inputs, organic gardening, growing edibles, etc.
I finally had the chance to meet Lee in person when we were both speaking at an event a few months ago. Just as I imagined, Lee’s a down to earth guy who loves to garden, make bread and beer, and partake of his creations. I liked him as a gardener. I really like him when you add bread and beer maker to his list of skills.
In this podcast, we learn a bit about Lee’s background and how he became so focused on his niche of organic gardening and building the health of the soil naturally. And we discuss a good bit about the concept behind his most interesting of books; The Weedless Garden.
Learn more about Lee and his books byt visiting his website or keep up with his gardening life and more through his blog. But for now, sit back and take a listen to the podcast. I think you’ll really enjoy getting to know Lee here, just as I have.
If you have a question or comment, you can call our comment line and leave a recorded message any time at 202.337.0375 or send me an email at heyjoe@joegardener.com. And be sure to check out our website for all the podcasts and show notes in this series as well as all the episodes from our television series by the same name. You can also watch Chef Nathan Lyon’s cooking videos, get the recipes, read articles and so much more. Lastly, we’re on Facebook and Twitter and I hope you’ll follow us there as well.
Thanks for listening and we’ll be back soon with another brand new podcast episode.
Joe Lamp’l
Special Thanks:
MSC Certification Label
This podcast episode was made possible thanks to the support of the Mulch & Soil Council. If you want to know that the bagged mulch or soil that you’re buying is free of unacceptable contaminants, such as arsenic from pressure treated wood, make sure that it has the certification seal on the bag. Learn more at their website; mulchandsoilcouncil.org.
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About Joe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
Too long winded.
I don’t garden, saw your show on KCETV in Los Angeles, CA. Found the episode 036GGW, about weedless gardens very interesting. I am now thinking about starting a garden in my backyard. a very goo show, I came to the website to learn more about organic gardening. I will use your website as my guide.
thank you
Thanks Renee! Love hearing this. I think we have a good site to help you as you begin your organic gardening journey. I hope you’ll visit often and let us know what questions you have. Thanks for watching and writing!
Hello Joe,
A few weeks ago I listened to part of this podcast and was interested on the “Weedless Gardening” which I got yesterday from the local library and just makes so much sense what Lee’s said that I wonder why never occurred to me about the little details he mention that makes a world of difference in the way people garden. Recently I started to garden “the organic way” and people wonder why I make things more “difficult” when “you can just spray” as they said, the true is I have three little kids and I want them to live in a cleaner world, not the other way around. Thank you for your pod cast and for the show, that I haven’t watch it all, but I am working my way in there.
Estefania
Hi Estefania. I’m very glad you’ve found us and happy you are finding the information helpful. I promise if you make it to watching any of our episodes, you’ll be hooked. I’m proud of you for gardening the “organic way” and not surprised that other people think it’s “easier” to just spray. But they are speaking out of ignorance by not having all the information. It’s up to people like you and me to educate those who take such a casual and uninformed approach. Spraying can be easier temporarily, but the long term cost far outweigh the short term benefits.
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hey Joe,
I am so glad that I found your show on PBS – then the website and podcasts. I have listened to them all now and can’t wait for Season 3!
Just what I like to hear MJ. Thanks a lot! We’re hard at work on Season 3 now and already have some great shows lined up. They start airing the first week in July.
Best,
Joe
i have just read Lee Reichs’s book Weedless Gardening. We traded books and we do agree on many subjects. Mostly where the plant food, from Organic matter is processed by Mother Nature for plant growth. I started Organic Dairy Farming in Vermont in 1950. I wrote a book Learned by the Fencpost Lessons in Organic Farming and Gardening. In 1958 I won the New Endland in Winter Green Pastures Contest over several hundred Chemical Farmers. Also many roughage awards at the Verrmont Farm Show. I do mulch my garden here in gGode Virginia and put down compost and plant a cover crop in the fall. it is plowed every spring. The book explains my success and experiences over 50 years ago and the present.
Thanks Jay. Glad to be back. I love doing the podcasts and look forward to doing more soon. It’s just the busy schedule that gets in the way of my doing them more often.
Thanks for comming back to us on the padcasts. You were missed.