Jamie Walton

Grow a Polyculture - More food, Same Space! 👨🏼‍🌾

A polyculture is one of the easiest and most productive way of growing your own food. 😊🌱

It is the opposite of a mono culture (which is one crop per growing space) and this diversity of plants increases biodiversity, soil health and yields, as well as reducing pest pressure and you don’t need a lot of space.

To sow a polyculture simply prepare any bed or growing container by top dressing it with a layer of organic compost and then around mid-to-late April (here in zone 9a) I just broadcast (or scatter) a diverse array of seed within it at the some time that produce at different points throughout the season.

I’m sowing: Rocket, which will produce first,
Mixed lettuce, which will be harvested second,
then Rainbow chard, spring onion, beetroot, parsley and carrots, and later in the season the Chicory (Radicchio) and parsnips will be ready to harvest. 🥕🧅🥬

You can even add vertical structures and sow some climbing varieties like peas, beans and outdoor cucumbers. 🫛

And why not add a few beneficial flower seeds to the mix such as: Calendula & marigolds 🌼

Then gently rake the seeds in, and regularly water the bed. 💦

Just be sure to harvest crops as soon as they are ready, to ensure there’s enough space, light, and water for the next plant in the succession to grow on.

This bed should then produce an abundance of crops throughout the season with very li

2 years ago

Welcome 🌱

I’m Jamie and for those of you who are new here I just wanted to introduce myself. 😊

I’m an ecological gardener growing food, flowers and microbes in a small town here in North Yorkshire and I spend most of my time these days wandering around the garden or within nature. 🧑🏼‍🌾🌱

But over the last year or so, I have been sharing aspect of what I am lucky enough to get to do everyday online, I started posting with no real intentions, so I’m still not quite sure how it happened, but now 1 million of you gardeners and nature lovers have decided to follow my gardening journey and I’m truly thankful for every follow, like, share and supportive comment. 😊💚

I still record every video on my phone and have learnt how to make them as I go, but my hope now is that I can continue to help others along their own gardening journeys, no matter their circumstances.

So, whether you have an allotment, a yard-en, a balcony, a windowsill, or just enjoy the slower pace of gardening and nature based content, stick around as I’ll continue to offer you my best and most accessible tips and advise to help you sow, grow, preserve and forage more successfully and consciously. 🌱🌼🐝

And to show my appreciation for your support, I’ll randomly send 10 of you that comment below a special gift from me to you! 😊👇🌸

So once again, thank you so much for being here and I’ll see you in the garden again soon! 😊🌱

#vegetablegarde

2 years ago