Getting To Know Your Growing Site

Before you even start thinking about seeds and growing your own food, it is a good idea to make sure that you know your growing site. Observation is key. Understanding where you are to grow is essential to success in your organic gardening endeavours. In organic gardens, the key is to work within natural systems, rather than trying to fight nature to achieve our goals. To novice gardeners, this may sound complex, but it really could not be simpler. Let’s take a look at the things we should learn about our gardens before we get growing:

Energy Flow Through Your Site

One of the most important things to understand about your growing site is how energy flows through it in the form of sunlight – the most important source of energy for all life – as well as wind, which is also a key actor in what happens on organically managed land. Observation and a little research can tell you everything that you need to know. Ask yourself:

 Where does the sun rise and set each day on your site? How does this change throughout the year?
 How much shade/ sunlight does each area of your garden receive? Is shade created by surrounding trees or building?
 How does the sunlight (or shade) in your garden influence the temperature on each part of the site? (You may find, for example, that a shady area beneath trees on one end of your site will be far cooler in midsummer than a bright, exposed area. On the other hand, a dip or shady area may be more prone to frost in winter.)
 How many hours of sunlight are received by your main growing areas (or intended growing areas). Learning this could dictate which plants will be best to grow.
 Where does the wind most often come from on your site?
 Is the site predominantly windy or sheltered?
 Is forest fire an issue where you live? If so, which direction might you expect the conflagration to come from?

Answering these and other similar questions will help you to establish what remedial activities (if any) you may need to take before preparing your growing areas. You may have to consider removing foliage to reduce shading, or planting more to create cooler growing sites. You may have to consider planting a wind break to reduce risk of damage to crops, or a break in vegetation and a pond in order to minimise the risk posed by wild fire… there are plenty of things to consider, and the best time to consider these things is before you get started with growing efforts.

Water on Your Site

Another key thing to consider on your growing site is how water behaves as it traverses your space. Water is another essential element for plant growth, but too much or too little can both be serious problems. Before you get growing you should ask yourself:

 How much rainfall do you get on your potential or current growing space?
 When rain does fall, does it quickly leave the vicinity (flowing downhill?) or is it effectively caught and stored?
 Do any areas of your site become extremely arid, or waterlogged at any particular time of year?
 Where water is stored, where is it stored? Water may be stored in a pond or basin catchment, in water butts or barrels, in the soil itself, and in your trees and other plants.
 Do you have flowing water on your property? If so, is the watercourse in good condition?

In an organic growing area, it is important to take measures to preserve and protect fresh water. In order to be able to do so effectively, you need to be able to understand how water currently behaves on your site and the problems and opportunities which this poses for you as a gardener or farmer.

Soil on Your Site

One often neglected component of any growing system is the soil in which we grow. In an organic garden, it is vitally important to conserve our topsoil, and to create growing systems which allow its soil ecosystem to thrive. The first stage in doing this is understanding what sort of soil you have where you live and what best to grow in it. Ask yourself:

 What type of soil particles are predominant where you live? (E.g. clay, sand, silt…)
 How deep is the top soil in your growing area or intended growing area?
 Is the topsoil rich in humus or poor in organic matter?
 How quickly does water drain through the soil substrate?
 What is the pH of your soil? (Is it best for acid-loving plants or is it more alkaline?)
 If possible, try to determine the history of the site – has it been contaminated? What has the land previously been used for?

Understanding the soil on your site can help you to conserve or improve it, and grow food more successfully moving forward.

Existing Plant Life on Your Site

The existing plant life on your site can give you a lot of clues about the conditions as they stand and how you can improve them to better suit your particular growing needs. It can also help to inform you about which plants may grow best where you are gardening or farming. Observe the local plant life to see what they can tell you about how best to progress with your efforts.

Wildlife on Your Site

Observing local wildlife and how this interacts with local plant life can also help you to develop a sustainable organic growing system. It will also help you when it comes to thinking about which creatures you may wish to encourage to come into your garden to help with pollination and pest problems, and which creatures you may need to control.

Whether you are new you growing food, or a seasoned grower, getting to know your site can help you to gain a worthwhile yield throughout your growing seasons.

Craig Hubbard

Sustainable Grower and Director at Shambhala Farm