To grow in the time of climate change

Grow your own

Drought, heavy rain, threatened insects, and soil depletion. Climate change affects our cultivation in many ways, including the one that takes place in our own gardens. But what can we do? Here we take a closer look at how we, to some extent, can mitigate the effects on a small scale.

The climate changes are here, there is no doubt about it. We can already see such severe drought periods in Europe that entire crops are lost. And, on the other hand, heavy rain causing powerful floods. Here in the North, we also notice that summers are getting warmer and winters more unpredictable. The temperatures fluctuate in a different way than before, affecting both plants, animals, and insects.

Several drought periods mean that we have to save water. Through mulching, we can reduce the amount of water needed by around 70 percent. Mulching also increases microorganisms and the number of earthworms in the soil, which helps to retain water, oxygen, and nutrients in the soil in a better way. The soil simply becomes more resilient when we cultivate organically and add organic materials such as animal manure, compost, and bokashi - it contains all the nutrients the soil needs and also benefits microorganisms and insects.

Heavy rain

Increasing heavy rainfall causes the soil, and the nutrients in it, to be washed away and end up in lakes and waterways. This can lead to eutrophication in lakes and waterways, while the remaining soil becomes drained of nutrients. It is difficult to protect against this, but conservation tillage is also a good tip here, as healthy soil holds together better and absorbs more rainwater than soil without microorganisms. A good soil structure helps the soil manage water levels more effectively. Good drainage in vulnerable areas can also help.

Impoverished soil

More and more of the soil around the world is being depleted of nutrients, partly because we use too much artificial fertilizer and too little organic material. This leads to less humus, microorganisms, and earthworms, resulting in poorer soil quality. In our own gardens and flower beds, we can counteract this by practicing organic gardening, avoiding toxins, and regularly adding compost, bokashi, and natural fertilizer. This way, we will have a balanced soil that not only thrives but also produces good and healthy crops.

Fewer insects

Climate change, pesticides, lack of diversity in agriculture, and outdoor lighting are some of the reasons why there are fewer and fewer insects in the world. According to research reports, it is likely that insects as a whole will be extinct within about a hundred years if nothing is done. This would mean the end of our ecosystems, and for us, since insects not only pollinate a large portion of what we eat, but also contribute to decomposition and are part of many food chains

Many insects only move a few meters in their lifetime, so what we do in our small gardens makes a difference. By cultivating diversity, that is, growing many different flowers for insects, we contribute greatly. Also, avoid using pesticides. Billions of insects die each year while flying around outdoor lights, so it's a good idea to turn off outdoor lighting. Insects navigate by the stars and the moon, and this is disrupted by outdoor lighting.

Unreliable winters

In recent years, our winters have become more unstable. Temperatures fluctuate more, and it can be both milder than usual and suddenly very cold. This can lead to us no longer always succeeding with seeds that we used to sow in the fall, ones that require a stable cold winter to then sprout in the spring. For example, a seed may sprout too early and then freeze to death if a new and unexpected cold period arrives. Instead, pre-cultivating indoors, for example in the refrigerator, is one way to avoid this uncertainty.

The fact that winters can no longer be completely relied on also affects insects and pollinators. They may wake up too early, before the flowers have had a chance to bloom. Here, we can try to help by ensuring that there are flowers in the garden early, for example by planting spring-flowering bulbs in the fall.

Although weather changes are negative in most ways, they can also offer certain opportunities when it comes to plants. For example, there is a greater chance of success with plants that do not quite fit in the hardiness zone the garden is in when winters are milder. There are no guarantees, but it may be worth trying.

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Grow your own