This post continues with our discussion on enhancing nutrient cycling to meet your plant nutrition needs, rather than always relying on fertiliser. We introduced the topic extensively here then talked about earthworms as one way to enhance that cycling.
This post is about supporting that cycling with plant species diversity.
Let’s face it: there are things legumes can do that grasses can’t. There are things forbs can do that legumes don’t excel at. When we put them all together, it turns out that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Research (like the Jena experiment) and farmers’ observations are showing that where there are multiple plant families outcomes are much better on many fronts. Contrary to ideas that the plants would compete, typically all plants are healthier, soil is cooler, better structured, and holds water better, soil life is more beneficial, and so on.
At the end of the day, if we choose a monoculture we are also choosing the route of fertilisers and pesticides. If we choose to add more plant families, we can start to reduce those inputs.
Adding more species doesn’t have to break the bank, and it doesn’t have to disrupt the way you have been doing things. This video gives an example of a few species that may be used with a planting of oats or rye, as an example.
You are more than welcome to get in touch to discuss this further. If you’d like to get your multi species seed mix off to the best start possible, use Biocast as a seed primer. Check out the instructions here.