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Fennel looking a little feeble? Growing enough vegetables to feed yourself depends on these 3 things
Jul
Cultivation of land within the city limits is on the rise As countries become more urbanized, people are trying to connect with the source of their food and improve its sustainability.
But despite the productive potential of home vegetable gardens and the like, they are rarely studied as grave agricultural systems. There is little data, for example, on how much can be grown on the average suburban plot.
As the climate changes is threatening However, to ensure global food supplies, creating sustainable urban food systems will be crucial.
Our research aimed to find out how productive the average home vegetable garden is and how you can make the most of your plot.
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Lawn salad?
Urban farming refers to the cultivation of agricultural products and livestock within city limits. In Australian cities, it can include a home vegetable patch, a community garden, backyard beehives, an edible rooftop garden, indoor hydroponics, a communal orchard, and more.
Sometimes, especially in developing countries, urban farming can lend a hand solve problems such as poverty, unemployment and food insecurity.
More broadly, it can boost access to vigorous, fresh produce and lead to more sustainable food production. It can also lend a hand us save money and improve our well-being.
Societies have traditionally borrowed for urban farming in times of stress. It’s no surprise that the practice has seen a resurgence during the COVID pandemic. In Australia, edible gardening has significantly helped people stay mentally vigorous during the crisis, especially low-income people.
But how much can we rely on our home gardens to meet all our fresh produce needs? Our research shows that these three factors are key.
Read more: 3 ways community gardens often exclude migrants and refugees — and how to change that
David Crosling/AAP
1. Give up part of the lawn
We he was looking at food production potential in approximately 40,000 residential properties in Adelaide’s suburbs – mostly detached houses.
We calculated the amount of land needed for a household of 2.5 people to grow the recommended five servings of vegetables per person every day. Then, using high-resolution aerial imagery to get a bird’s-eye view of the properties, we identified those that had enough lawn to achieve this.
Around 21m² of lawn is needed to produce the recommended vegetable intake. In a high-yield scenario, this would require converting 23% of the lawn area on a typical plot to a vegetable patch. Of the modelled properties, 93% had space to create a 21m² garden from the total lawn area.
In an average-productivity garden, 72% of the lawn on a typical plot would need to be converted to produce enough vegetables to feed a household – the equivalent of 67m².
We narrow the study to in-ground vegetable production and did not include fruit trees. So the potential for the property to grow food would be even higher if there were already vegetable gardens or fruit trees, or other garden beds or paved areas could be converted.
Dave Hunt/AAP
2. Improve your gardening skills
Tests from Adelaide, where a survey of about 30 home gardeners was conducted, found Yields per square metre ranged from 0.24 kg to 16.07 kg per year. This suggests a high rate of variability in home garden productivity – despite the fact that people grow different crops.
Not all of us have a knack for gardening, and in some cases your vegetable patch may not yield as much as you expected.
You may have given it too much or too little water. You may not have had time to pull the weeds or harvest the crops. Pests and fungi may have ruined your crops. You may have planted the wrong seeds at the wrong time or you simply have penniless soil.
Our research suggests that low-yielding gardens would require 1407 m² of converted lawn to meet the household’s vegetable needs. However, less than 0.5% of properties in the Adelaide locations studied had this much land. Medium to high yields are preferred to achieve self-sufficiency in urban farming environments.
Skilled high-yield gardeners will need significantly less land. Given the space constraints in cities, upskilling gardeners is crucial to maximize production.
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3. Find out what’s in your soil
Good soil is a key factor in productive gardens. It requires good structure (which allows water and air to enter and leave easily, while retaining sufficient moisture), an profuse supply of plant nutrients, and a prosperous microbial community.
In urban areas, soil and bulky metal contamination can be a problem.
We have investigated soil in 12 urban agricultural areas in Adelaide and in all cases metal concentrations were found to be within residential health standards – even in sites with an industrial history.
But this may not always be the case. analysis for example, residential and community gardens in Melbourne, showed that some soils were contaminated at levels that could pose a risk to human health. This highlights the importance of testing urban soils before planting.
Proper management of inputs – especially fertilisers – is also crucial. tests found that urban gardeners can choose from a variety of organic fertilizers based on waste materials such as coffee grounds, food scraps or grass clippings. But this abundance can lead to an imbalance.
In Adelaide, for example, the widespread apply of freely available horse manure led to excessive levels of phosphorus in almost all 12 sites tested. This imbalance can inhibit plant growth and harm the wider environment.
Read more: These 3 tips will lend a hand you create a prospering, pollinator-friendly garden this winter
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We lend a hand urban gardens flourish
Urban agriculture is identified as a $4 billion AUD economic growth opportunity for Australia. However, suburban blocks are moving towards smaller backyards with less space for growing.
Given the many benefits of urban farming, it’s time to think more seriously about maximizing efficiency and scale.
Community gardens are a great place to share knowledge. Tests Research carried out on 13 community gardens in Sydney showed that yields are very high – around twice those of typical Australian commercial vegetable farms.
Funding more community gardens and other educational opportunities for urban gardeners would be a valuable investment in improving public health and sustainability.
These actions should go hand in hand with political and planning decisions aimed at increasing the amount of space available for urban farming in our cities.
Read more: Could We Learn to Love Snails in Our Gardens?
