Stack's Urban Harvest

10/25/2026

Researchers in Texas tested pigeon peas and found not only all the benefits we typically tout -- nitrogen-fixing, drought-tolerance, shade for other plants and w**d suppression, wind break for other plants -- but a potential for growing where other plants struggle or die.

The idea is that the roots create a chemical process that binds iron -- which already is bound to phosphorous -- and in so doing the phosphorous can be released for the plant to use as a nutrient. This allows pigeon peas to thrive in degraded soils where phosphorous may be unavailable to many crops. Like what other crops? Well things like corn, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli are dependent upon phosphorous being available but do not have the same capabilities of unlocking it.

The more we learn about pigeon peas, the more and more it makes sense of WHY they thrive in conditions where nothing else wants to grow.

(Pictured are new blooms on one of our Follower's pigeon pea trees, revealing the beautiful yellow blooms. She wrote: "The tree has made a beautiful addition to my yard and provides needed shade. Thank you for sharing the seeds. I can't wait to share mine with my neighbors soon."

And....
From the study........
"Pigeon peas are able to exude piscidic acid. Piscidic acid chelates iron, which releases the phosphorus to the plant (Ae et al., 2010). This is very advantageous for pigeon pea because it is able to exclude iron uptake and can grow in soils that would be toxic to other plants."

If you'd like free pigeon pea seeds, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Blue Kitchen Inc., PO Box 4, Goldenrod, Florida 32733.

https://www.ncat.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/IP621-pigeon-pea-tipsheet.pdf

10/20/2026

🌱 Can your garden help recession-proof your household? 💰

Have you looked at your grocery bill lately? 👀

With food prices continuing to climb, there's never been a better time to grow some of our own food. And here's the thing: you don't need a huge backyard or a food forest to make a difference!

I've put together 10 practical ways to make your garden more productive, resilient, and affordable. We'll talk about getting more bang for your buck from what you grow, building a productive system, reducing expenses, and making better use of resources you already have.

Whether you're growing a few vegetables in containers, tending raised beds, or developing your own food forest, these are strategies you can put to work.

But there's another benefit I think is just as important. Growing food helps build stronger, more resilient communities. Sharing seeds, plants, knowledge, and harvests can make a difference well beyond our own backyards. 💚

Now I'd love to hear from you!

💬 What's your favorite way to save money in the garden? Or what's one gardening expense you've managed to eliminate?

🌿 Live regeneratively, and let's grow together!

10/17/2026

🐦🌿 Want to bring more birds to your garden?

One of the joys of creating a wildlife-friendly garden is welcoming our feathered visitors! Native plants provide food, shelter, and habitat, while a well-placed bird feeder lets us enjoy these beautiful creatures up close.

I've partnered with Kingsyard to bring the Stack's Urban Harvest community a special offer!

🎉 SAVE 20% on Kingsyard bird feeders and more!

🏷️ Use code: STACKSBIRD

🐦 Visit the link in my bio and look for the Kingsyard offer!

Whether you're an experienced birdwatcher or just getting started, there's something special about seeing your garden come alive with birds! 💚

Affiliate Disclosure: I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

10/15/2026

🌱 Why am I HAPPY to find these knots on my roots? 🤔

Because these aren't root-knot nematode galls. They're nitrogen-fixing nodules! 🎉

Here's an easy way to tell the difference: Nitrogen nodules are attached to the roots and can usually be rubbed or popped off. Root-knot nematode galls, on the other hand, are swellings of the root tissue itself. They don't simply rub off.

These beneficial nodules house bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form plants can use. It's one of the many reasons I love growing legumes as cover crops in my food forest!

🌿 And I have a new FAVORITE cover crop: MAVUNO COWPEAS!
I've grown plenty of cover crops, but these Mavuno cowpeas have absolutely blown me away with the massive amount of biomass they produce and their impressively THICK vines! 👀

Even better, they spread across the ground like a living mulch, helping shade the soil, suppress w**ds, and build organic matter. Unlike many vigorous cover crop vines, Mavuno typically doesn't climb neighboring plants, making it especially useful between young fruit trees.

When I terminate these vines, I'm returning all that wonderful organic material to the soil. Chop, drop, and let the soil food web do its thing!

💜 And then there are my VELVET BEANS!

These haven't produced nearly as much biomass as the Mavuno cowpeas in my food forest, but they're fascinating! Their beautiful purple flowers and fuzzy, dark velvet-covered pods are worth growing just to admire.

But there's another reason I'm excited about them: Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) has been studied for its ability to suppress root-knot nematode populations. That's a particularly welcome benefit when you're working to build healthy, biologically active soil!

Different cover crops bring different benefits, and I'm enjoying discovering what works best in my developing food forest.

A big THANK YOU to my friend Dan Sobien who shared the seeds for both my Mavuno cowpeas and velvet beans! 🌱💚 I'm having so much fun experimenting with these two cover crops and seeing what each brings to my developing food forest.

If you'd like to try growing Mavuno cowpeas yourself, you can learn more about this incredible cultivar and purchase seeds from Cody Cove Farm & Nursery here:
https://codycovefarm.com/product/mavuno-cowpea/

Live regeneratively, and let's grow together! 🌱💚

10/12/2026

🌱 PREMIERING TODAY AT 11 AM ET! 🎬 (Link in comment! 👇)

After 9 years of battling root-knot nematodes, what FINALLY worked?

Join me for the YouTube Premiere of my interview with Anni Ellis on WMNF 88.5 FM's Sustainable Living Show! We're talking soil solarization, regenerative gardening, and why working WITH nature changed everything.

💚 I'll be in the live chat, so come say hello!

10/07/2026

A weird software glitch turned into something I never expected. 🌱
My payment went through, but my order didn't. What Josh Jamison of Cody Cove Farm & Nursery did next says a lot about the person behind the plants and ultimately led to a conversation that changed how I'm approaching my food forest.
Sometimes the best stories start with something going wrong.
Watch the full Cody Cove story at StacksUrbanHarvest.com or on YouTube. 🌱

10/05/2026

15% off TeraGanix TCM (Formerly EM-1®), Bokashi bran, TCM Compost Accelerator, Bokashi Compost Starter Kits, and more. 🌿

TCM is a liquid probiotic that contains a combination of beneficial microorganisms, including lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and photosynthetic bacteria.

It can be used in a variety of applications, such as agriculture, gardening, waste management, and cleaning.

When applied to soil or plants, TCM helps improve soil structure, increase nutrient availability, and promote plant growth.

Effective microorganisms for soil microbes and composting. TeraGanix TCM (formerly EM-1®) is a trusted EM-1 alternative with unchanged application methods.

10/01/2026

October is the month for most Florida gardeners to make the full transition to cool-season crops. Now is the ideal time to plant beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, chives, collards, fennel, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mizuna, mustard, onions, parsley, English peas, radish, spinach, strawberry, turnips and any other cultivars of Brassica. If you want to grow garlic, soft-neck varieties need to be in the refrigerator now, and planted out in December for the best production. Right now, seeds or transplants are fine to put in the ground for any of the cool-season annuals. Most of Florida is entering the dry season this month, so plan to water new plantings regularly until they get established.

In the South Florida growing zone, you still have time to put in transplants of peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, and to seed snap beans, corn, cucumbers, Seminole pumpkins and summer squash in addition to the above items.

For the whole southern half of the state (where no hard freeze is expected), perennial vegetables that can be planted any time include achira, aibika, cassava, chaya, katuk, longevity spinach, moringa, Okinawa spinach, and tindora. In North Florida, most of these will require some winter protection.

Follow this page for regular updates on what to plant and harvest each month, as well as growing tips all month long!
https://www.facebook.com/GrowerJimsPlantsAndProduce/

10/01/2026

The roselle harvest keeps coming! ❤️🌺

With eight plants producing, I’m harvesting another batch of these thick, fleshy calyces every couple of days, and I’m definitely not complaining. 😋

Most of this harvest is going straight into the freezer. I’m saving up enough to make my own roselle “cranberry” sauce for Thanksgiving this year, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how it compares to the traditional stuff.

I also want to use some for tea, but with this much roselle coming in, I’m ready to experiment!

If you grow roselle, what else should I make with it? Recipes and ideas welcome! 👇