By Valerie F. Reinhardt, Horticulture Education Specialist
Over the last century we transitioned from an agrarian society to an urban society. Small family farms went by the wayside and large commercial operations took their place. With the advance in large-scale farming came large-scale use of chemicals and mechanical methods to produce our food. With the abundance of commercial food now available came concerns over what chemicals have found their way into the food chain and what impact they are having on the environment and our health.
In the past, there have been periods where home gardening flourished; victory gardens blossomed during WWII in response to food shortages; the 1970s brought the rise of organic gardening in response to worries about chemicals used in large-scale agriculture; the 1990s brought an increased interest in gourmet cooking, fresh produce became the rage and grow your own became a tag line. People started taking an interest in growing their own food because they wanted more control over what they were eating.
Organic is good, but we need to go beyond and be sustainable. It’s a holistic look at gardening that avoids harsh chemicals and has a low impact on the environment. In short, gardening that works in harmony with, rather than against, nature. It starts with the soil. Healthy soils grow healthy plants. Soil is the storehouse of nutrients that plants need to grow, but if it isn’t maintained it will become depleted. Chemical fertilizers weigh heavily on macro nutrients for plants that use the most. However, fertilizers fall short on micro nutrients for plants that use a small amount. Replacing chemical nutrients with organic amendments like compost helps replace needed nutrients in the right balance, improves soil texture and encourages beneficial microorganisms in the soil. The next step is to choose the right plants, such as using drought tolerant-plants where water is limited and planting rain gardens to catch runoff before it makes its way into storm drains. For landscaping, use native plants that are disease resistant and better suited to the environment where you live. Areas of native plants will also add to biodiversity and invite beneficial insects.
When planting vegetable gardens and fruit-bearing plants, look for those being developed for disease resistance which makes them less dependent on fungicides and pesticides. Using mulches in gardens will help retain soil moisture, prevent water stress and inhibit growth of weeds that compete with the plants for nutrients. Stressed plants invite disease and insect problems.
Use rain barrels to collect rainwater for garden use and a soaker hose, which will put water in the root zone to keep plant tops dryer and discourage fungal disease. Practice companion planting by adding flowering plants in your vegetable garden to aid plants and encourage beneficial insects. For instance, marigolds inhibit root-knot nematodes and pollen producing plants bring in beneficial bees, hoverflies and predatory wasps.
Using a mulching mower helps recycle organic matter back into the soil to feed the grass. Make sure not to cut grass too short, as this produces shallow roots giving the grass less access to water and nutrients, which stresses the grass and invites weed growth. Also, be sure mower blades are sharp, as clean cuts help prevent disease.
These are just some of the methods you can use to maintain a healthy, eco-friendly garden. Plants sustain us both through nutrition and beauty to enhance our lives and how we grow them can improve the environment and create a more sustainable way of life.