The low impact garden
Kitchen Garden|January 2021
In this first of a bi-monthly series on gardening organically Dr Anton Rosenfeld, knowledge officer for Garden Organic, explains the basic principles involved in planning for an environmentally low impact garden
The low impact garden

garden organic

The last year has seen interest in gardening skyrocket. While this is a welcome side effect of lockdown we mustn’t forget that the climate crisis hasn’t gone away. We need to ensure that our surge in enthusiasm is having a positive impact, not only on the immediate environment within our garden but also beyond the confines of our fence.

This advice is not new. National charity, Garden Organic, has been promoting this way of thinking for more than 60 years. But too often organic gardening is considered as too difficult and so not attempted. But if you consider what it actually involves it is much easier than you think!

In this bi-monthly series I will be helping you to make this journey of change.

WHAT DOES ORGANIC, LOW IMPACT GARDENING INVOLVE?

Chiefly, it involves making the best use of natural resources, and working with nature’s natural processes rather than trying to fight them. I find it a more enjoyable way to work. It is more creative, and I take pleasure in trying to understand everything that happens in the garden, even the mishaps!

January is a good time for you to plan your ‘low impact’ garden. You should use as many resources from within your garden as possible, so you are minimising the resources that are being sucked from elsewhere. This goes for seeds, soil fertility, compost, water and any structural materials such as pots or supports.

SEEDS

So let’s start with seeds. Old packets of seeds which are past their use-by date may still have some life left in them so don’t throw them away, continue to use them.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 2021 من Kitchen Garden.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January 2021 من Kitchen Garden.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من KITCHEN GARDEN مشاهدة الكل
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
Kitchen Garden

SEPTEMBER SPECIALS

This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
Kitchen Garden

FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES

September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Kitchen Garden

SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN

Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
Kitchen Garden

A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS

KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
RESTORING THE BALANCE
Kitchen Garden

RESTORING THE BALANCE

The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Kitchen Garden

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Celebrating Organic September!
Kitchen Garden

Celebrating Organic September!

In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
SEEING RED
Kitchen Garden

SEEING RED

Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Kitchen Garden

NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!

Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024
A NEW kitchen garden
Kitchen Garden

A NEW kitchen garden

Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2024