Regenerative gardening is a novel movement that is increasing in popularity, but its roots lie in history and nature. This is an environmentally conscientious approach to managing and planting gardening, much like our predecessors did in their farms and gardens before the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Regenerative gardening focuses on nourishing the soil naturally and continually to improve soil health and increase biodiversity of all species in the garden including plants, fungi and animals. Healthy soil contains billions of organisms and is the foundation for a thriving garden.
At its core, soil is made up of minerals, water, air, and organic matter. Soil also contains multitudes of organisms including mycorrhizae, bacteria, algae, fungi, and nematodes. These organisms work to break down organic matter, breaking up soil so that air, water and roots can penetrate it easier. Increasing organic matter helps these organisms to thrive and in turn will increase the rate at which your soil is processing organic matter, creating a higher percentage of it in your soil. By maintaining a high soil organic matter content, food and a favorable habitat can be built for a diverse community of soil organisms. Not only does organic matter provide good habitat, but it also greatly benefits chemical and physical soil characteristics. Moisture, pH, nutrient supply and the biological community are all more stable, or buffered, as soil organic matter increases. Organic material also helps maintain soil porosity, which is essential because most beneficial soil microbes and processes are aerobic, meaning they require oxygen.
Regenerative soil-building techniques are forgiving and flexible, it is really a trial and error of what works for your specific soil. This can vary depending on soil type, moisture, and current management. Most methods are low to no cost, as many of the materials you may already have on hand (e.g., straw, garden clippings, plant-based food waste). Using these techniques to build soil keeps plant waste out of landfills, sequesters carbon, and saves water.
Common Regenerative Practices:
