Kitty Durham, head gardener at the Shaker Village, shares tips on organic gardening, including plot rotation, companion planting, and the use of swales to manage soil health and pest control. The techniques, adaptable to any garden size, emphasize sustainability and a closed-loop energy system to enhance productivity and resilience.

Gardening Tips from the Shaker Village: A Guide to Organic Practices

Introduction to Organic Gardening at Shaker Village

Welcome to Shaker Village at Pleasant, where I’m Kitty Durham, the head gardener. Our certified organic garden here produces around 10,000 pounds of vegetables annually for our Trustees’ Table Restaurant. While your garden may not be as large, the practices we employ can be implemented on any scale. Join me as I share some valuable tips and tricks for your own garden.

Key Gardening Practices

Weed and Insect Management

Effective weed and insect management is crucial for a healthy garden. We focus on maintaining soil health as a foundation for our gardening practices.

The Importance of Plot Rotation

One of the most important techniques we use is plot rotation. We have six main plots, which we rotate clockwise each year. This means the crops grown in a plot one year will not be grown there the next. This rotation helps maintain soil nutrition, as different plants deplete the soil of different nutrients. It also aids in insect control; for example, moving crops like onions to a new plot can disrupt the life cycle of pests like onion flies.

Even if your garden is smaller, you can apply this practice by dividing your garden into smaller plots or quadrants and rotating crops annually. Keeping good records of what you’ve planted will also support your garden’s health.

Companion Planting for Pest Control

In our potato plot, we use companion planting by including flowers like marigolds and nasturtiums. This technique helps deter pests and attracts beneficial insects that manage harmful ones. Companion planting can also increase yield and improve flavor. It’s important to research which plants work best together, as some combinations can be detrimental.

Embracing Polyculture for Diversity

We practice polyculture by interplanting various crops, such as kale, mustard, cabbage, and peas. This diversity helps protect against pest infestations; if an insect targets one crop, it may not easily find another of the same type. Diversity enhances resiliency, ensuring a better yield even with insect pressures. You can adopt this method by staggering different crops in your garden beds.

Mechanical Weed Control

As a certified organic farm, we avoid synthetic herbicides, using mechanical methods instead. One effective technique is using a silage tarp for solarization and occultation. By laying a tarp over a plot before planting, weed seeds germinate and die off underneath, leaving a clean garden bed. You can replicate this at home using a tarp or weighted trash bags.

Composting: A Closed-loop Energy System

Composting is vital for feeding our garden. At Shaker Village, we maintain a closed-loop system, recycling kitchen scraps into compost with the help of chickens. The compost cures under a tarp to prevent weed growth and is later used to nourish our garden. You can establish a similar system at home with a compost pile or tumbler.

Building Raised Beds with Swales

Our plots are based on a raised bed system with aisle ways designed as upside-down arches, or swales. These swales retain moisture from rain, reducing the need for additional watering. Later in the season, we top dress the swales with mulch and straw to maintain moisture and suppress weeds. This method can be applied in any garden, helping conserve water and reduce costs.

Conclusion: Continuous Learning in Gardening

We’ve covered a range of tips and tricks for organic gardening. While you don’t have to apply all these practices, I hope you’ve learned something valuable for your home garden. Remember, having a green thumb is about learning and improving each year. If you have any questions, feel free to visit us at Shaker Village. We’d love to welcome you here!