34 episodes

Do you want to bring nature to your backyard, grow food, and help heal our living world? Join Daron Williams—restoration ecologist, permaculture enthusiast, and lifelong gardener—for concrete steps you can take at home to cultivate abundance for people, plants and wildlife. Tune in, grab a shovel, and make the living world around you come alive.

Growing with Nature Daron Williams

    • Science
    • 5.0 • 27 Ratings

Do you want to bring nature to your backyard, grow food, and help heal our living world? Join Daron Williams—restoration ecologist, permaculture enthusiast, and lifelong gardener—for concrete steps you can take at home to cultivate abundance for people, plants and wildlife. Tune in, grab a shovel, and make the living world around you come alive.

    Goumi Berries - A Great Nitrogen Fixing Berry

    Goumi Berries - A Great Nitrogen Fixing Berry

    Nitrogen-fixing plants can help your other plants grow. Plants like your fruit trees and berries. But there are some edible nitrogen-fixing shrubs. One of my favorites are goumi berries. These great berries not only provide food but will also fix nitrogen helping your other plants thrive.
    In this episode, we look at goumi berries and how to add them to your growing areas.
    Check out the show notes to learn more about goumi berries and get access to the resources mentioned in this episode.
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    • 11 min
    Introducing Cascara—A Fantastic PNW Native Tree

    Introducing Cascara—A Fantastic PNW Native Tree

    Cascara is a fantastic Pacific Northwest native tree. Adaptable, great for wildlife, and not too big this is a great native tree to add to your property.
    In this episode, we dive into cascaras and how to grow them on your property. Plus we will look at some of the uses of these great trees.
    Check out the show notes to learn more about Cascara trees and get access to the resources mentioned in this episode.
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    • 11 min
    Use Small Spreading Native Shrubs to Create a Dense Hedgerow

    Use Small Spreading Native Shrubs to Create a Dense Hedgerow

    Making a dense hedgerow can be a challenge. But by planting small spreading native shrubs you can easily have a dense hedgerow. Native plants like Nootka rose and snowberries will quickly will in the gaps can make your hedgerow solid enough to keep even deer out.
    In this episode, we look at the role small spreading native shrubs can play in creating a dense hedgerow. We use 2 Pacific Northwest native plants as examples of how you can use this strategy.
    Check out the show notes to learn more about how to use small spreading shrubs to create a dense hedgerow and get access to the resources mentioned in this episode.
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    • 13 min
    3 Tips to Salvage Native Plants for Your Property

    3 Tips to Salvage Native Plants for Your Property

    Buying native plants can be expensive but salvaging them is a great option when you don’t have a lot of money to spend on new plants. But doing it right without damaging the living world is important. Plus, you want to make sure your new plants survive.
    In this episode, we look at 3 tips for salvaging native plants for your property. Specifically, we look at how to salvage native plants by transplanting them and how to salvage native plants by collecting seeds, cuttings, or live stakes. Plus, we look at where you can salvage native plants and how to do so responsibly.
    Check out the show notes to learn more about salvaging native plants and get access to the resources mentioned in this episode.
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    • 17 min
    How to Get Started with Live Staking

    How to Get Started with Live Staking

    Live staking is one of the easiest ways to get a ton of new plants. But not all plants can be live-staked and there are some tricks to doing it successfully.
    In this episode, we look at how to get started with live staking including a list of Pacific Northwest native plants that can be live staked successfully.
    Check out the show notes to learn more about how to get started with live staking and get access to the resources mentioned in this episode.
    Support the show

    • 12 min
    How You Can Find Material for Mulch and Critter Homes

    How You Can Find Material for Mulch and Critter Homes

    Finding material for mulch and critter homes can be a barrier to getting started. But there are some simple and cheap ways to find woodchips, leaves, logs, and other materials.
    In this episode, we look at several ways you can find material for mulching and building critter homes without spending a ton of money. I’ve used all these methods at my place, and you can use them too.
    Check out the show notes to learn more about how to find material for mulch and critter homes and get access to the resources mentioned in this episode.
    Support the show

    • 17 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
27 Ratings

27 Ratings

PNWNativeGardener ,

Wonderful resource

This podcast offers a wealth of ideas and resources for those new to gardening with natives. It is particularly good for people in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve learned so much!

trumpeting_angel ,

So informative!

For those new to Permaculture, regenerative, agriculture, and other important new ideas, this podcast provides a gentle, easily understood introduction.However, more advanced listeners will find much of interest.

Beatrizsunshine ,

Easy & digestible for beginner growers

I am doing the People’s EcoChallenge and one of the daily actions was to listen to a “food podcast”. I looked up “food & nature” podcasts and this one came up. The way he delivers information to those who have never grown food before (like myself) is easy to understand and very encouraging. I also love he describes the what and how and why, which makes everything come full circle. Love this podcast, wish I had come across it sooner & I hope he makes more episodes soon!

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