Experts in This Article
Acadia Tucker is a regenerative farmer and author of multiple gardening books.
This results in more nutritious food for us.
Once youve built this ecosystem, its actually much easier to grow food, she says.
Keep reading for pro tips on how to start practicing regenerative gardening in your own backyard.
10 tips for practicing regenerative gardening
1.
Refrain from tilling
The most crucial component of regenerative gardening is soil health.
Acadia Tucker is a regenerative farmer and author of multiple gardening books.
We spent six months working on our soil alone at our biodynamic farm at the Inn before planting anything.
The best soil is hydrated, aerated, and has a thriving population of microbes and worms.
The first thing I tell homeowners is to ditch that rototiller, she says.
Instead, Tucker and Kennedy both recommend a method Tucker calls sheet mulching.
This replenishes and regenerates the soil so that its revived for another round of planting, she says.
Good composting practices help to amend existing soil, says Kennedy.
Acompost binor a small rotating composter works very well for small spaces.
Kennedy utilizes two different methods for speeding up the composting process.
The second isbokashi fermentation, which speeds up the composting process by adding yeast to the process.
Acadia Tucker is a regenerative farmer and author of multiple gardening books.
Plant a diverse crop
One of the trademarks of regenerative gardening is crop diversity.
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Practice companion planting
Companion planting is another helpful technique for growers looking to optimize the health of their garden.
Such strategic planting can further reduce the need for pesticide use, too.
This is known astrap cropping.
Its not foolproof, though, Tucker cautions.
Theres an old farmer saying: You plant some for yourself, and you plant some for the thieves.
Its not as convenient to do that on a small scale.
More specifically, Tucker recommends using a legume, e.g.
field peas or clovers, as a preferred cover crop.
They have this relationship with bacteria that actually helps to add nitrogen into your soil, she explains.
So thats a way to naturally fertilize your soil.
Other cover crops that can be advantageous are those with really long roots, like grasses or winter rye.
Its roots create organic matter that adds to soil nutrients.
Pack em in
Seed spacing is another consideration for the regenerative gardener.
Kennedy is a proponent of intensive planting, which basically entails planting crops close together.
Thatll deter rodents from going into your garden because they dont like to be out in the open.
Garden according to the moon
Kennedy is an advocate of gardening in accordance with the lunar cycle.
This allows the garden to take a break and regenerate, she says.
During those days when the gravitational pull of the moon is strongest, we also deep water our gardens.
This allows the plants to deepen their roots and strengthen their trunks.
As a professional farmer and gardener, she says she kills plants all the time.
If one thing didnt work, try something newas long as that new thing is never tilling!
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