The more you can be self-sufficient in your gardening endeavours, the more sustainable your efforts can be. So let’s take a moment to look at some of the ways you can boost self-sufficiency in your garden:
- Make your own compost.
- Harvest rainwater and manage water effectively.
- Fertilise your garden organically and for free, with natural mulches.
- And with liquid feeds.
- Make your own biochar to add fertility to your growing areas.
- Create leaf mould from autumn leaves.
- Use household waste to start seeds and for containers and cloches.
- Or use a soil blocker to avoid the need for plugs or small containers at all.
- Upcycle old items to use as planters and containers.
- And/or use natural or reclaimed materials for bed edging/ raised beds.
Think about including plenty of perennial plants in your garden, in polycultures with annual crops, or in forest gardens or other perennial growing systems. Perennials will require less input from you, and will thrive in your garden year after year.
Finally, boost biodiversity – so you have a vibrant ecosystem that can be more self sustaining as well as providing for your needs and wants. This is, perhaps, the most important way to boost self-sufficiency. The more species of plants and animals there are in your garden, the more beneficial interactions there will be. And the more beneficial connects are forged, the more stable and resilient an ecosystem will be.
EWSP Consultancy 