| Author/Contributor(s): | Hartman, Ben; Frost, Jesse |
| Publisher: | Chelsea Green |
| Date: | 4/27/2027 |
| Binding: | Paperback |
| Condition: | NEW |
Modern gardening relies on heaps of plastic—plastic pots, landscaping fabric, row covers, and more. In the US alone, growers generate more than one billion pounds of plastic waste annually. This is a tragedy unfolding in plain sight all around us, because in the long run, plastic does more harm than good to soil, plants, and people.
Ben Hartman is the author of the beloved Lean Farm series of books, instructor of the popular Lean Micro Farm masterclass, and owner and operator of Clay Bottom Farm in Goshen, Indiana, with his wife, Rachel Hershberger. For the past four years, they have been on a journey to drastically reduce their use of plastics, which is now down 80 percent. The plastic-free innovations Ben shares here come from this direct experience. In seven chapters, this book will instruct readers on practical alternatives to plastic for use both in farming and home gardening. Methods include:
- Seeding with paper pots
- Trellising with jute and bamboo
- Using burlap rolls as a shade cloth
- And, more!
In conclusion, Ben will provide a vision for a plastic-free future. The tone will not be preachy—plastic is unavoidable, perfection impossible. Instead, Ben’s goal is to inspire gardeners to assess their use of plastic and try something new.