#month_june_week_2

[tameblog]

Floating candles are a lovely way to add a little fire to a floral centerpiece, and they are surprisingly easy to make using metal tart molds. Made with sweet-smelling beeswax, these floral-shaped DIY floating candles will be the buzz of the party. Flowers are the ultimate pick-me-up. Whether you are giving a bouquet to a loved one, arranging them to brighten up your home, or planting them in the garden to attract bees and butterflies, flowers add life, colour, and joy to any space. Next time you are feeling a bit blue, head out and smell the roses. It will certainly help to improve the day! That’s why I love to bring them inside or use them to decorate whenever I get the chance. Clipping a few blooms here and there from my garden brings me so much joy! I use these DIY floating candles and fresh flowers to make gorgeous centerpieces for the home. You can put them in practically any vase that has a wide enough mouth to fit the candle in. Beyond a centerpiece, you can also put them in a pool, a garden water feature, and in large bowls to decorate inside or out. Before we learn how to make floating candles, let’s talk about how to properly use them! Fresh flowers are submerged in water under the candles. How Do Floating Candles Work? Every candle can’t be a floating candle. The secret is to use candles with oversized tops and small bottoms to keep stable. The candles displace more water weight than the weight of the candle, ensuring that they won’t tip or accidentally invert themselves. The trick to making floating candles is finding the right kind of mold. And they aren’t as tricky to find as you may think! I actually use mini tart molds that can be found online or in the kitchen section at a home goods store. Because of their shape, they burn relatively quickly. Consider them more like tea lights. Keep an eye on them throughout the night and refresh them as needed. Any wax that doesn’t burn away should keep on floating, so feel free to scoop it back up and save for future candles. You can also add any colouring or essential oils that you like. Citronella oil may even help to keep the mosquitoes away during an evening outdoors! However, avoid using these essential oils and colour for pools or garden features as the oils can leak into the water. They’re best kept in the vase displays. These candles burn as quickly as tea lights. Floating Water Candle Safety As with any candle, you do want to practice regular fire safety with these candles and never leave them unattended or under anything that could catch fire. Keep items away from the sides of the water so they don’t accidentally burn anything. That being said, there are minimal safety risks with these DIY floating candles. The water itself makes them safer than the average candle. Once they burn down, they extinguish themselves. You also don’t have to worry about the flowers inside the vase. They will be too waterlogged to catch fire and should also sit completely underwater the whole time. The flowers within the vase won’t catch fire as they’ll be so wet. How to Make Floating Candles Makes six floating water candles Materials: Make sure your mold has a small base and a wide top. Equipment: Make it! Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. Keep a close watch on it so that it can be poured as soon as it’s completely liquid. Wipe out the tart molds to be sure the insides are quite clean. Place the tart molds on a baking sheet lined with paper to protect the countertops from spills. Use a baking sheet and parchment paper to keep the wax off the counters. Spray your molds with mold release. Carefully pour the wax into the tart molds, making sure that they stay level and wax doesn’t pour over the edges. Use a pour spout to help evenly pour the wax into the molds. As the wax starts to cool and turn opaque around the edges, place a wick into the center of each one. The wicks are short and should easily stay in place. You can poke the wick in. Let the tarts cool and cure for 24 hours undisturbed, then remove them from the mold. If you use the mold release, the candles should easily pop out. Note: when making candles in a container that you want to remove them from, choose a wax formulated for votives or pillar candles, or use a candle release additive or spray to allow the wax to pop out of the mold more easily. In the event that the wax doesn’t release, pop the mold in the freezer for ten minutes, then try again. Keep freezing at ten-minute intervals until the candle can be removed. Just be sure not to leave the candle in the freezer for an extended period of time, or it may crack. Use both foliage and flowers in your vase display. Create a Floating Flower Candle Display To create a lavish display with these floating flower candles, fill a wide vase with freshly cut flowers and fill it with water to cover the blooms completely. Go out to the garden and pick anything that looks pretty to you. My selection included chive flowers and sage, which are a bit unusual to add to arrangements, but they look really pretty. Submerge the flowers in water in a large glass vase. Then float a few candles on the surface and light them up! Be careful when dropping the candles into the water, and make sure you don’t get the wicks wet. Most wicks are 100% cotton, and this can affect the burn time. You want them glowing as long as possible. You can use one of these nifty glass floating candle holders to keep the candles separate from the flowers in the vase, if you prefer. That’s it! This arrangement makes a beautiful summer table centerpiece or hostess gift. The flowers will continue to look great for a few days, submerged in water. Floating glass candle holders can be helpful. Other Candle Projects to Try DIY Floating Candles These simple diy floating candles will add a touch of whimsey to centerpieces, pools, baths, or anywhere else you'd like to enjoy them. In the double boiler, melt the beeswax until totally melted.Meanwhile, place clean tart molds on a baking sheet. Spray with mold release.Pour the wax carefully into the molds. Don't allow the wax to go over the edges of the molds.Then, allow the candles to cool a bit. Once they begin to turn opaque, add a wick to the center of each.Let the diy floating candles dry for 24 hours. Arrange in the vase with submerged flowers and enjoy! A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tameblog]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[ramestoryworld]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[alexha2210]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[angusstory]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[tumibaba]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[romaleen]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

[monaleen101]

With the rise of organic farming and localized food movements, we’re slowly changing how we interact with nature. Old practices are becoming new again, once again bringing forward the rise of polyculture gardening. By planting different varieties and species of plants, we can set up the garden for better diversity and resilience. Trust me, it’s not as hard as you may think! People often ask me, “How do I build a polyculture garden?” In reality, that question doesn’t make sense. Polyculture is a method of growing, not a type of garden you can build. In gardening, we can practice monoculture, where we only grow one plant in an area. Alternatively, there’s polyculture, where we grow many plants. Some refer to polyculture gardens as guilds or food forests. But those are not the same things! If you’re confused, don’t worry. This post will really break down everything you need to know about employing polyculture practices in your garden. Likely, you’re already practicing it to some extent! This post will cover… Polyculture is one of the main practices I discuss in my book, The Regenerative Garden. Inside, you’ll find over 80 projects that you can try in your own garden. Deeply rooted in permaculture practices, it allows you to take your garden one step further towards becoming more sustainable, diverse, and self-reliant. Polyculture vs Monoculture Monoculture is when you only grow one crop at a time in a specific area. Typically, farmers will grow plants that thrive in their specific weather conditions and microclimates. They can focus on one crop at a time and not worry about varying planting schedules, maintenance, and harvest times. Growing these main plants is the simplest way to keep up with the demand for food. It allows farmers to specialize in one crop, understanding its needs to thrive and unique problems to solve. This reduces costs and increases profits. The concept can also be applied to livestock. Polyculture planting, on the other hand, is where you simultaneously grow different crops at once in the same area. By pairing complementary plants, they no longer battle for the same resources and nutrients and have the same weaknesses. This can result in increased biodiversity, better productivity, fewer pests, and better soil. It’s also a great insurance plan, as if one crop fails, there’s another to harvest. Also known as intercropping, you can apply polyculture practices everywhere, from a kitchen garden to a full farmer’s crop. Planting vegetables that are ready for harvest at different times, succession planting, and sowing multiple varieties of each vegetable are all part of growing a polyculture garden. For example, the indigenous people of America used the Three Sisters method of growing beans, corn, and squash together. The corn provided support for the beans to grow upwards, beans provided nitrogen, and squash covered the ground to prevent weeds and retain moisture.   Polyculture practices can be applied to vegetables, perennials, annuals, and all other kinds of plants. Why is Polyculture Better Than Monoculture? Throughout history, polyculture methods were much more common. Now, monoculture practices have taken over in Westernized countries. Humans went from harvesting perennial plants in polyculture practices to monoculture practices favouring annual plants. Monoculture cropping is done to manage large volumes of production of one crop at a time, but it comes with many problems. Overproduction of one crop can lead to waste of what cannot be used or sold before it spoils. It invites pests and disease problems to thrive. Most pests and diseases have preferred plants and environments and will home in on their favourites. If they find a full crop of food they like, they’ll come in, eat, and reproduce more efficiently. This leads to an increased need for pesticides. Monoculture practices also deplete the soil of the nutrients the crop needs since the plants all require the same type and amount of nutrients. This can also decrease bacterial and microorganism varieties to keep the soil fertile. This results in a higher need for synthetic fertilizer. Soil erosion is also more likely as it requires multiple root levels to be stopped. These problems are quickly beginning to outweigh the benefits, and farmers are returning to polyculture, planting many species and varieties of crops to more closely follow the natural processes of nature. These polyculture practices can work wonders in the home garden as well. Are There Any Disadvantages of Polyculture Gardening? Yes, there are a few reasons why farmers and bigger entities favour monoculture practices. Because you’re going to have multiple plants in one area, it makes things more time-consuming for the farmer. It becomes more difficult to plant and harvest these plants as they may have different harvest times and require different tools. Planning can also get complicated. You need to research companion planting, as some plants don’t like being near others. You need to understand the needs of all the plants and their plant families for growing. Monoculture also tends to bring forward easier yields as you can create the perfect conditions for that specific plant that may not be as ideal for others. However, if you do your research, you can still get very high yields from a polyculture garden. I get it. I know why farmers want to grow monoculture gardens. It makes their life easier and gives them the best bang for their buck. But sometimes, the easy way isn’t always the best way. When it comes to the garden, however, polyculture practices are much less difficult to do. Polyculture gardening allows you to better stagger and extend the harvest season. How to Use Polyculture Methods in Your Garden Here are some tips for creating biodiversity of plants that will allow for more fruitful harvests and gardens. Sow seeds densely and eat what you thin. Plant several varieties. One or two may perform better than others. Reserve a minimum of 30% of the best plants for seed saving. Plant fast-growing edible plants and plants that take a long time to mature. Plan varieties to ripen at different times to extend the harvest. Plant early and late-season varieties. Sow seed varieties that mature at the same time every week or two, so they are ready for harvest every week or two. Plant groundcovers below tall sun-loving plants. Ground cover plants help prevent bare earth and suppress weeds. Research plant partners. Plant varieties that help each other grow, ripen, or stay safe from pests and disease. Plant deep-rooted plants with shallow-rooted plants. Mix plant families and species to discourage disease and pests from coming back in future years. Plant annuals around young perennials as they fill in the space and mature over the years. Polyculture practices take a little more time to plan to implement, but have long-lasting results in the garden. Polyculture Gardening FAQ What is an example of a polyculture? Here’s an example of how you could easily implement polyculture practices into your vegetable garden. Grow one row of vegetables, then a row of a different vegetable. Try to intermix as much as possible, and sow another round of vegetables weeks later to stagger the harvest.Between your vegetables, add herbs and flowers. Many herbs and flowers can help keep pests away by masking the smell or even attracting the pests to themselves rather than your vegetables (these are known as trap crops).Overtop, you might have larger fruit or nut trees, as well as shrubs, perennials, and vines along the edges. These can be edible too, or provide habitat for beneficial insects. What is the difference between polyculture and permaculture? A polyculture is where you grow different plants in the same area at the same time. You grow complementary plants, and in turn, increase biodiversity and productivity.Meanwhile, permaculture is another gardening practice where you design a garden to be productive all on its own. It mimics natural and local ecosystems and focuses on sustainability. What is the importance of intercropping? Intercropping and polyculture gardening are the same thing. It’s where you mix complementary plants together in the same area.Intercropping is beneficial because it helps to support the soil rather than deplete it. Plants aren’t competing for the same nutrients, which limits the need for synthetic fertilizer. It also prevents soil erosion.Intercropping also results in fewer pests. Since most pests have preferred foods, they will come in and devour entire crops when they find a large supply of their favourite plants. Certain plants can also deter pests, and be mixed in amongst the crops. Interested in learning more about polyculture gardening and how to create a thriving ecosystem in your own yard? I invite you to check out The Regenerative Garden, where I give more than 80 different projects and ideas to do just that! More Gardening Practices to Try A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link