Page 23 - LandscapeSA Issue 110

ENVIroNMENTAL FEATUrE

understands that soil is alive, one is naturally inclined
to nurture and protect it, and good gardening
practices, such as the following, will then follow:
• mulching, which controls weeds and holds water;
• a ‘no dig’ policy so as not to kill microbes, earthworms
or destroy healthy fungal soil networks;
• using organic soil amendments instead of synthetic
ones so as not to increase the salinity of the soil; and
• being informed about the magical benefits of
compost.
Heron explains that compost helps grow larger,
healthier plants with vigorous root systems, and
gardens built on healthy soil enhance biodiversity,
attracting birds, bees and butterflies.

Victory gardens
During the First and Second World Wars, governments
promoted home vegetable gardening or ‘victory
gardens’ in order to build citizen morale as well as
to reduce pressure on countries’ food supplies. In
the same way, today’s gardeners are also helping
to fight climate change, only this time their carbon
gardens sequester (remove) carbon, build health,
reduce organic waste going to a landfill, encourage
biodiversity and feed communities.

Photo source: Unsplash
Filip Urban, Jonathan Kemper and Mike Erskine
Text supplied by Out There Global n

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