THE MAGIC OF GARDENING
B Y T O N Y G L OV E R
The Sustainable Vegetable Garden The 150-foot-deep Providence Canyon in Southwest Georgia (pictured above) formed rapidly during the 19th century due to poor farming practices.
Gardeners have the same challenges as farmers in maintaining a sustainable growing system. We all know that soil conservation is the most important part of agriculture sustainability. This same philosophy can and does apply to home gardens as well as large farms. Home gardeners can learn several things from modern soil conservation practices. Almost everyone has heard of the Dust Bowl that occurred during the 1930s. The frequently-plowed precious topsoil that had accumulated over centuries dried in the summer heat and extended drought and was blown away during
that decade. However, in the Southeast our main problem was soil eroding away in water rather than blowing away. In Stewart County, Southwest Georgia, not far from Eufaula, Alabama, there is a state park called Providence Canyon. The misnamed Providence Canyon at over 150-foot-deep is less due to the providence of God and more due to the poor decisions of man. In fact, this canyon formed rapidly during the 19th century primarily due to poor farming practices. On a smaller scale, home gardeners experience similar problems. In addition to soil lost through water and wind, you can also lose scarce organic matter April 2020
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