Page 14 - Off Grid East Cost Spring 2017

Carbon Gardening
By Bob Ewing
Carbon gardening is a way of growing of plants using regenerative techniques that increase the capacity of plants and soil to absorb and store carbon. This in turn reduces the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
Photosynthesis (no, it’s not the latest app for
your iPhone)
Plants need carbon dioxide to flourish and they get
it through a process called photosynthesis. As part of this process, the plant converts four elements – sunlight, water, soil nutrients, and carbon dioxide – into the glucose/sugar that feeds the plant and makes it grow. Carbon in the air is naturally absorbed by the plant and then pumped through its root system and surrounding soil where it is stored and kept out of the atmosphere.
While this carbon-storing process happens in every garden, regenerative techniques increase the plant’s and soil’s ability to capture and store larger amounts of carbon, which in turn creates healthier plants. A win-win situation!
“A successful gardener grows soil, not plants”
This is a saying that I personally live by. To grow healthy plants that give the greatest yield and capture the maximum amount of carbon, it is vital to have healthy soil. There are a number of ways to achieve this.
First, stay away from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. There are natural methods that will do
the job as well, or better, than any synthetic. For example, adding compost, including your household vegetative waste, to the garden bed at the beginning, middle and end of the season. You can also make compost tea and use it as a foliar spray applied directly to the plant leaves or use it to water the plant itself.
No-till gardens top my list
My personal favourite is to create a garden that requires no digging or tilling. The no-till approach begins just like any other garden by deciding where
14 off the grid