What is regenerative gardening you ask? Regenerative revolves mainly around the idea that we should build soil quality over time. This is the process of soil regeneration.
It’s a sustainable way of thinking about long-term land management.
That we give more than we take from the soil.
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At its core, regenerative gardening revolves around the prioritization of soil health.
The concept is simple: if you want healthy plants, put them in a healthy environment among a healthy ecosystem and feed them healthy soil.
Somehow agriculture has strayed away from this very obvious connection between soil health, ecosystem health, and plant health.
Chemical agriculture and soil neglect have become so bad in the last century that we’ve degraded the majority of the arable soils the entire globe over.
The aim of regenerative agriculture is to halt this degradation, focus on soil health and remediation, and reverse the downward trend. By improving soil quality every year, we can heal the land and bring ecosystems back into natural balance.
This approach nurtures the long-term health and vitality of the land, understanding that healthy land produces healthy plants.
Let’s jump into some of the tenets of regenerative gardening, and look at the keys this mindset holds to a more sustainable and resilient future.
Soil Health
Unlike conventional practices that exploit and deplete the soil, regenerative ag. embraces a holistic approach to land and ecosystem management.
This harmonious relationship with the soil forms the foundation of regenerative and sets it apart from “traditional” agricultural methods.
At its heart lies soil regeneration and remediation – the improvement of dirt in order to allow land to support more life.
From an agricultural perspective focused on plants, the connection between soil health and plant health should be clear.
Animal agriculture and fungal agriculture also both rely on soil health, plant health, and ecosystem health.
Seeking to understand soil health and being able to nurture it are therefore paramount to a regenerative approach to agriculture.
Systems Thinking & Ecosystem Holism
Through the regenerative lens we see our gardens and land as complex interconnected systems. Each element and character has a vital role to play and balance is the name of the game.
Rather than isolating species (as in monocropping) and demonizing parts of the ecosystem (pesticides / herbicides) regenerative gardening takes a holistic approach to harmonize with the natural system.
Read more about: Systems Thinking in Regenerative Gardening
Water Conservation
Nutrient Cycling And Input Reduction
Promoting Ecological Biodiversity
Reversing Soil Degradation
For too long our soils have been subjected to relentless exploitation, resulting in widespread degradation.
The chemical agricultural practices of the past century have led to the erosion of topsoil, loss of biodiversity, and depletion of essential nutrients.
The regenerative paradigm seeks to reverse this trend by implementing techniques that restore and rejuvenate the soil.
Through the use of cover crops, crop rotation, and minimal tillage, we can improve soil structure, enhance water retention, and increase organic matter content.
These practices not only mitigate erosion and promote nutrient cycling – they also contribute to carbon sequestration. This, in turn, plays a vital role in combating climate change as we seek to revert atmospheric carbon back to sequestered solid carbon.
Carbon Sequestration
Final Thoughts…
Happy growing, y’all.
If you’re lookin’ to dig into a more advanced regenerative gardening topic, check out Regenerative Gardening And Systems Thinking.