10/15/2024
Have you heard of regenerative gardening? A regenerative gardener grows and protects the relationship between them and the ecosystem and recognizes that they are a part of it. Because regenerative agriculture works with nature instead of against it, it becomes more than just sustainable.
Indigenous peoples have been using these techniques for years—long before the boom of industrial agricultural practices became the rage. The benefits range from healthier soil to improved diversity of bird life, plants, bees and insect populations.
SOIL HEALTH
The goal is to make your soil healthier than its current state. Planting crops using the no-till method minimizes disturbances in the soil’s community of living components. This can be difficult since we may be growing on land that's been mistreated for centuries. Working in the no-till method also may not look the same for every gardener.
BIODIVERSITY
Nowhere in nature will you see just one variety of plant. Growing different crops and pollinator plants together encourages all of them to thrive and supports a diverse range of insects, birds and other beneficial wildlife, creating a more robust ecosystem. Providing the habitat and food for predatory and beneficial insects can help to control the pest population in your garden, too.
COMPOSTING
Composting is one of the better-known practices of regenerative gardening. It helps regenerate the soil’s natural biodiversity while remediating compacted/contaminated soil. By supporting crop health, compost makes plants more resistant to pest pressure and diseases.
NO PESTICIDES & CHEMICALS
The use of pesticides and chemicals poses an undeniable threat to building healthy and biodiverse soil. Although they may be used to rid your plants of unwanted pests and diseases, you have to think of the ecosystem and the microscopic participants in that system before you reach for a chemical. Making sure the soil is healthy can help reduce the need for potentially harmful substances. Because most pests like unhealthy plants, the bottom line is that healthy soil makes for healthy plants!
-Kymisha, CGC Urban Agriculture Coordinator
