Farmers feed the world. Whether raising corn, celery or cabbage, the hard-working folks in agriculture stake their livelihood on producing healthy food. You can apply their expertise to improve your backyard garden. Here are some methods used by farmers that you can try for yourself.
Cover Crops
Experienced farmers understand the importance of cover crops. Typically grown off-cycle from cash crops like wheat or soybeans, cover crops limit soil erosion, restore nutrients and improve overall soil health. Cover crops contribute to the resiliency of agricultural land by aerating the soil and preventing soil loss to erosion. When plowed under at season's end, the organic matter enriches the soil and increases the yield of the cash crops to follow.
The specific cover crop best suited to meet the needs of your farm may vary by purpose and region. In your home garden, sow a crop of clover or alfalfa after your last harvest. About a month before planting next year's garden, till the plants into the soil.
Crop Rotation
Planting the same crop for multiple seasons in the same field depletes the soil of the nutrients used by that crop. To ensure that your soil remains productive, crops can be rotated among sections of your garden. Crop rotation also reduces the chances of infestation by pests and diseases. Another benefit is that you won't need to use large amounts of pesticides on your food crops.
Certain families of plants are beneficial when planted in sequence with others. The planting bed that grows tomatoes this year could be seeded for spinach or herbs next year. Also, consider including fallow ground or a cover crop in your rotation.
Fertilization
Restoring soil nutrients allows for higher yields and increased quality. Fertilizers typically contain three basic elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The source of these soil additives can be manure, crop stubble or chemical fertilizers.
Alternatives to fertilizers include planting legumes, which capture nitrogen from the air and return it to the soil. Cover crops enrich the soil by adding organic matter and micronutrients.
Fertilizers help crop growth, but overuse has consequences. Excess nutrients wash into waterways and create dead zones. Too much of a single element can harm crop quality. Be sure to have your garden's soil tested and only add the necessary amount of fertilizer.
Backyard gardening is agriculture but on a small scale. Learning to use the same techniques as farmers can result in bigger, tastier produce for your family to enjoy. Take care of the soil and you will reap the rewards.
Now what to do with all that great produce..cook..of course! For some great recipes get your copy of one of the books in the Gourmand World Award Winning book series The Basic Art of Italian Cooking..