Regenerative Gardening Resources
Modern regenerative gardening and agriculture are deeply rooted in millennia of Indigenous land management practices. Many techniques now considered innovative were developed and practiced by Indigenous peoples globally long before they were formalized in Western contexts.
Regenerative gardening is an eco-friendly approach to gardening that focuses on building healthy soil and creating a self-sustaining ecosystem within your garden. Key practices include using a no-dig method, adding compost and mulch, planting a biodiverse mix of plants, and managing water efficiently. The goal is to mimic natural processes so the garden becomes resilient and requires less human intervention over time.
On a large scale, regenerative agriculture turns dirt from overused industrial farming into organic soil. Synthetic fertilizer is removed and tilling is minimized; more soil biology means tomatoes taste like the tomatoes from two generations ago and contain the nutrients that we think tomatoes have. What really amazed me is the critical role of carbon in soil. Soil carbon is a key driver in soil health and water-holding capacity. Plants absorb carbon in the air, release it through the roots to feed microbes in the soil. The plants, in return, benefit from the nutrients released from the soil. Microbial activity also drives the process of soil aggregation, enhancing soil structure, aeration, infiltration, and water-holding capacity. The amount of carbon transferred from the air to the soil is astonishing. A 1% increase in soil organic matter equals an average of 10 tons of below-ground carbon stored in the soil, per acre.
Tons of resources in this area. I will add more over time.
https://makegathergrow.com/blog/regenerative-no-till-gardening
https://makegathergrow.com/blog/regenerative-sheet-mulching
https://www.carbonharvest.co/carbon-farming
Book ‘Lawns into Meadows - Growing A Regenerative Landscape’, by Owen Wormser
Bool ‘Nature's best hope - a new approach to conservation that starts in your yard’, by Douglas Tallamy
Book ‘Prairie Up - An Introduction to Natural Garden Design’, by Benjamin Vogt