Jordan Laio

Jordan Laio

Jordan Laio is an organic gardener in Southern California. He is the founder of the fermented living foods company Brassica & Brine. http://www.brassicaandbrine.com/

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Growing a Garden from the Grocery Store

Posted by Jordan Laio | May 24, 2012

If you've ever kept a compost pile, then most likely you've seen some squash or tomatoes growing out of it at some point and wondered, “How did that pop up there? I didn't plant...

A gopher emerges from his hole. (Photo: goingslo/Flickr)

Gophers in my garden... now what?

Posted by Jordan Laio | May 08, 2012

It is spring and you've just turned over your winter green manure, double dug your beds, and transplanted seedlings. The soil looked perfect, the sprouts just taking off, and suddenly,...

Organic gardener Jordan Laio is here with tips for growing beautiful, delicious tomatoes.

Growing Perfect Tomatoes 101

Posted by Jordan Laio | Apr 19, 2012

My friends ... perfect tomatoes are not those red tasteless orbs for sale at your local grocery chain store, however nice they look. The ideal tomato is the one you're going to grow...

My seed catalogs. --Jordan

A Guide to Heirloom Seed Catalogs

Posted by Jordan Laio | Feb 01, 2012

It's already February! The days are lengthening and hinting at the promise of long summer days spent in the garden yet to come. These are the days that we gardeners spend poring over...

Giant pumpkins at the National Heirloom Expo. --Jordan

10 Giant Edible Crops You Can Grow

Posted by Jordan Laio | Jan 19, 2012

I had the great pleasure of attending the first annual National Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa, CA. Among thousands of heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties, some of the biggest attention-grabbers...

A russet potato-sized Jerusalem artichoke. Photo: Jordan Laio

The Easy-to-Grow, Delicious Potato-like Plant You've Never Heard Of

Posted by Jordan Laio | Dec 29, 2011

One of the least appreciated and perhaps most misunderstood food crops is the Jerusalem artichoke. Having nothing to do with either Jerusalem or artichokes, the plant is a North America...

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8 Great Plants to Give as Gifts

Posted by Jordan Laio | Dec 15, 2011

It's the middle of December again and grocery stores and gift shops are overflowing with those ubiquitous cheery red poinsettias. They make for festive holiday presents, but why not...

DIY shot glass Chanuka lamps by the author

Making Sustainable, DIY Chanuka Lamps

Posted by Jordan Laio | Dec 06, 2011

The Jewish festival of Chanuka takes place every year around the time of the winter solstice. It is both a celebration of the defeat of the Greek armies in Jerusalem in the second century...

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Winter Gardening: The Art of Growing Garlic

Posted by Jordan Laio | Nov 28, 2011

Now is the time to plant garlic if you haven't done so already. Like other bulbs (think tulips), garlic enjoys overwintering in cold conditions (a process known as stratification)....

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Raising Hens at Home

Posted by Jordan Laio | Nov 04, 2011

You don't need to be a farmer to have chickens. Keeping chickens for eggs in an urban setting is fun and educational for kids (and adults), provides companionship and access to fresh,...