Workbook: Introduction to organic principles

Simply put, ‘biodiversity’ means many different life forms. For the gardener, encouraging more biodiversity can be done in three simple ways:

• Growing diverse types of plants, so that a variety of flowers, vegetables, trees, and shrubs are all present.
• Providing habitats and food for wildlife. They are not only a delight to look at, but each species has its role in maintaining a natural balance.
• Feeding the soil life. Healthy soil is full of bacteria, fungi, microbes, and creatures which create the right environment for plants to thrive, releasing nutrients and creating good soil structure.

With this variety of species, all working together, the organic grower encourages a healthy interdependency between plants and wildlife. This, in turn, creates a resilient growing area.