Permaculture
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Kurpfalz Medlar: The Low-Tannin German Variety and the Codling Moth Problem
Four years growing it, now finally fruiting. Kurpfalz medlar barely needs bletting — but codling moth takes most of the crop. The honest reality of growing medlar in Sakarya.
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Queen Palm: The Tropical Beauty I Brought from the Mediterranean to Sakarya
I bought this Queen Palm from a nursery on the Mediterranean coast two years ago. It spends summers showing off in the garden and winters in my greenhouse. The price of tropical beauty in Sakarya.
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Halhalı Olive: The First Fruit After 4 Years
Four years of waiting, no fruit. This year, two tiny purple olives appeared on the branches. The honest truth about growing Halhalı olive in Sakarya: don't expect a harvest, but do expect beauty.
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My Wild Garden Bed: Cardoon, Pampas Grass and a Lemon Finally in the Ground
After 3 years in a pot, the lemon finally went into the ground this spring. Surrounded by cardoon and pampas grass in a wild garden bed. This is the story of this year's most dramatic corner of the garden.
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Aloe arborescens: Can It Overwinter in Sakarya?
I collected Aloe arborescens cuttings from a roadside in Kaş and rooted them. Now the real question: can they survive winter outdoors in Sakarya? A field experiment begins.
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Black Kale: The Winter Vegetable That Feeds the Table All Season
Black kale grown from saved seed, harvested all winter long. It gets sweeter after frost, and makes the best stuffed cabbage leaves.
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Luffa: How to Grow Your Own Natural Bath Sponge
From garden to bathroom: grow your own luffa and make a natural bath sponge. The fully biodegradable alternative to plastic sponges, and surprisingly easy to produce.
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Jerusalem Artichoke: The Most Effortless and Delicious Plant of Autumn
While the last yellow flowers of autumn bloom, delicious tubers are ripening underground. Jerusalem artichoke is one of the most effortless plants in our garden — once planted, it renews itself for years. We use it both cooked and pickled.
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Air Layering: The Propagation Method I Learned from an Accident
A trimmer accident that stripped the bark of my pomegranate led me to discover air layering. By summer's end, beautiful roots had formed. I now use this method every year on jujube, magnolia and silk tree.
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Halina Jujube: The Easiest Fruit Tree I Added to My Garden
One of the first fruit trees I added to my garden, the Halina jujube exceeded all my expectations. Easy to care for and perfectly suited to the Sakarya climate.
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Pampas Grass: My Garden's Majestic but Invasive Guest
The pampas grass I added for landscaping puts on a spectacular show every autumn with its massive feathery plumes. But I should be clear: this plant is invasive and aggressive. I'm growing it until the other plants establish, then I'll decide what to do.
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What Is Reuben Blackberry? Taste, Harvest Season, and Growing Guide
I first mistook this blackberry's name for a raspberry cultivar, but research showed it's actually a patented blackberry developed by the University of Arkansas. Thanks to its primocane trait, it fruits on a new cane every year.
Read more"Keep the cycle, the future is in your hands."
— HE-QA Garden
Permaculture for me is not just a gardening technique — it's a life philosophy. To repair the soil, keep the cycle and leave a richer nature for future generations. Every seed is a trust, every cutting a hope.
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Letters from the Garden
Seasonal planting calendars, rare plant introductions and permaculture tips. Once a week.