How Does Your Garden Grow?
Old-fashioned gardening
meets modern science
By Melissa Sutton-Seng
WITH all the extra time spent at home during
2020, many of us returned to old hobbies or
picked up skills that would make our grandpar-ents
proud. We learned to knit scarves, make
home repairs, and preserve fruit.
And millions of people across the United States and around the
world turned to gardening as a way to get outside and feel productive.
Besides putting food on your table, gardening reduces stress and
anxiety, provides a rhythm for regular physical activity, and ensures a
good dose of vitamin D. Community and family gardens create con-nections
and foster a sense of belonging.
It might seem counterintuitive to think about gardens during
February, but winter is the best time to start planning for the spring
and summer. For optimal benefits, you might even consider estab-lishing
an organic garden this year.
We talked to local experts to get the why and how of organic
gardening in the Cape Fear region. Evan Folds is a member of
the New Hanover County Soil and Water Conservation Board of
Supervisors and the founder of Be Agriculture, and Kyle Stenersen
is an organic farmer and the owner of Humble Roots Farm. Both
agreed that healthy soil is the key to a productive garden, and that
means going organic.
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WBM february 2021