We asked our farm manager, Aris Curtis, about practical ideas for incorporating sustainability in our home gardens. The following are some tips for maximizing your garden yields while working within a sustainable philosophy.
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1. Crop rotation – Regularly rotating crops limits disease and pest issues without the need for herbicides and pesticides.
2. Diversity – Try to create as diverse an ecosystem as possible in your home garden.
3. Companion planting – Certain plants work well together, help each other grow, and prevent pests. More info on companion planting here.
4. Planting Design
- Dense planting enhances the beds canopy coverage which keeps the plants/soil cool, decreases evaporation, suppresses weeds and supplies you with more food
- Implementing more perennial plants (promotes carbon sequestration and enhances biological life)
Together, these four ideas are powerful ways to make your home garden both sustainable and productive.