Methods of Gardening
You may be thinking 'there's different ways to garden?!". The answer is yes, and there are lots. Really there's too many for me to list and describe so I will only go into detail about those I've done myself or researched.
Basic; Tilling
This method is your basic garden bed where you till the ground or soil. When you plant the seeds will usually be in vertical or horizontal lines. Fertilizer is commonly used. A lot of watering also goes into keeping your plants alive and growing. Weeds are an issue and are difficult to remove in this method, as the soil is hard and compacted. Most plants roots will be short and will have limited growth space. Overall, this method (though most often used) takes a lot of hard work and time. Produce may be average in quality and production.
Raised Garden Beds
Raised garden beds are just what they sound like. Here, you will build a box like structure. Many people line the bottom with plastic, wire cloth, or cardboard to deter pests like moles or gophers. Then you just fill the box up with soil and plant. Some gardeners set up irrigation lines in their boxes. This method requires regular watering and weeding. Fertilizer may be added.
Vertical Tower or Bucket
Using the vertical tower method is a unique, space saving gardening technique. Towers can range in height, width, and capacity level. For instance, a five gallon bucket can grow over 20 plants, or a fifty gallon barrel can house over 50 plants. Different varieties of plants can be grown in the tower. Kale, spinach, lettuce, and tomatoes are among the most popular. These systems may be brought indoors if the weather demands it. Many videos on Youtube will show you different ways to build your own tower. You can also purchase these garden towers from a provider. These systems can be built to self-water or they can be set up to be manually watered. Weeding is kept to a minimum because the soil does not have close contact to the ground. Larger systems may include a composting tube in the center of the tower, where food scraps and worms can be placed.
Permaculture
Permaculture is working with nature rather than against. This method involves different layers of vegetation, such as trees, ground cover, shrubs, and vines. Diversity is highly encouraged: growing several species of plants together instead of strict separation. Animals also have their place in the garden. Ducks are used to decrease slug populations, guinea fowl to remove bugs, and many other animals can serve a purpose to the garden. Keep in mind that with permaculture, you are striving to build a small ecosystem that is mostly self-sufficient and does not require a lot of human intervention. This system should include renewable resources. Manure and garden compost is recommended to increase the fertility of your soil and the health of your plants. Mulch is popular to stop weeds from encroaching.
Hugelkultur
Hugelkultur is a form of permaculture. In this specific method, rotting wood, compost, and straw is layered to form a raised bed. Rotting wood and plant materials are placed at the bottom of the structure. Then a layer of compost is added on top of the rotting material. Finally a layer of straw will finish this garden. The wood is for retaining and releasing water to water the garden. As the materials break down, important nutrients are released for your growing plants. The straw is used as a mulch to deter weeds. Keep in mind that the more decomposed your rotting materials get, the better your plants will grow and produce.
Back to Eden
Otherwise known as the wood chip method or sustainable permaculture, this method uses layering of wood chips on top of soil to conserve an ecological balance that is self-sustainable. Paul Gautschi is a well known figure in this method. Using manure, rocks, straw, and grass clippings can be used in place of wood chips. It is noted, though, that wood chips having a longer lasting effect on the soil health and use as a covering. Wood chips also are great at retaining water for dry seasons. Compost is used to speed up to process of building soil fertility and, therefore, plant health and production. The process of building this garden is simple. First, cover your grass area you want to garden in with paper. Second, lay down a 2-4 inch layer of wood chips. Third (optional), your layer of compost is to be layered over the wood chips. DO NOT mix the layers. It is important to note that using partially decomposed wood chips in the beginning will give you the best results. Wood chips should be different sizes (fine, twigs/shards, small blocks) and should have green matter in it. Manure compost will greatly benefit your garden and make your plants and soil very fertile and healthy. Though this method takes time (2-3 years) for the garden to begin to reach potential, fruits and vegetables produced are large, has great water quantity, and has large amounts of minerals and vitamins. If done right, the amount of production and quality of produce should increase over growing seasons, and work to keep garden in good condition should decrease. This method also works great for orchards.
Food Forest
Also known as an Edible Forest Garden, this method uses all the layers and mimics a real forest. Plants and trees are placed in way that creates beneficial relationships to each other. This system is used to create a very efficient ecosystem that is graded upon it's overall productivity, versus the individual plants' production. Your input to this system should remain very low since it does not require much tending. Letting your garden act wild within boundaries can increase productivity. The more energy you put into making this system neat and tidy, the less the system may be productive. Remember, you are trying to mimic a forest. Diversity is key here, and mostly perennials are used because annuals are often nutrient expensive. Ideally, you will have plants that serve purposes for food, fuel, fiber, fodder (animal food), medicines, and framing (timber or building materials). You should also incorporate plants that serve system functions. An example of a plant like this is comfrey. Comfrey brings bees to your garden and feeds the fruit trees by making potassium available to the trees. It is important to note that local plants can be of benefit, since they are already acclimated to your climate and invite wildlife into your garden. Ponds can also be beneficial due to their ability to support native wildlife, such as frog, newts, and bats. These animals will help control snail and slug populations, and the bats will keep tree moths from attacking your fruit trees. You should also try to incorporate fungus to your ecosystem and use evergreen ground cover to protect your soil.