Koren Helbig, a sustainable city living educator, is making headlines in Tarntanya, a suburb of Adelaide, for her innovative gardening techniques. As an advocate of permaculture, Helbig not only grows organic food in her small urban backyard but educates others about sustainable practices. With winter rapidly approaching, she is doing a few things to make sure she has a bountiful spring harvest.
Helbig’s holistic approach to gardening stems from a permaculture principle of using self-regulation and feedback. This philosophy inspires her as she explores her home garden and its ecosystem. She feels that the more you attune yourself to the cycles and rhythms of your natural environment, the better chance you have to garden successfully. During these fallow months, Helbig takes time to recharge her soil. All this advance planning means her garden is poised for a remarkably productive warm season to come.
Composting and Soil Enrichment
In winter, Helbig’s backyard is still a hive of activity. After cutting back her plants, she is suddenly sitting on plenty of material to keep her compost system well-fed. This strategy is a win-win for the environment, decreasing waste headed to the landfill and improving soil health. Helbig throws stinging nettles into her compost, knowing that their presence can help activate the composting process. Their thin, compounded leaves are above all extremely good at breaking down organic matter.
One other great tip that she uses is to turn your compost once or twice over the winter months. This is essential to keep its numerous activities going and to make sure that good microbes flourish. By continuously engaging with her composting efforts, Helbig demonstrates the importance of being adaptable and responsive to the needs of her garden.
Helbig’s use of stinging nettles goes well beyond tastier compost, though. She regards the plant as a winter weed wonder, leveraging it in both her garden and personal kitchen. By steeping stinging nettle leaves in water, she makes a free fertilizer high in nitrogen that can help plants grow fast and strong. This clever repurposing of materials is just a glimpse of her sustainable gardening practices.
Managing Weeds Naturally
In her book The Bad Tempered Gardener, chronicling her moves toward sustainable gardening, Helbig advocates negotiating with weeds rather than declaring war on them. She’s identified ways to organically down-regulate the growth of invasive weeds without undermining the health of the surrounding soil. For example, she makes impromptu, self-sustaining borders on her garden walkways with thick layers of stacked-down cardboard and shredded bark. Along with controlling weeds, these barriers increase moisture retention and create a more robust soil structure.
Helbig’s view of weeds is a delight — she views weeds more as allies in the ecosystem rather than enemies. By learning to identify the plants that will be most helpful to her, she encourages a healthy ecosystem that contributes to her success as a gardener. Whatever their motivation, gardeners need to shift the way they think about coastal growing conditions. This approach really shines by making that need clear.
As the winter wears on, Helbig will be adding the new varieties to her current tree. This new addition will complement the growing biodiversity of her organic garden. She is passionate about growing unique varieties of fruits and vegetables. With this commitment, we can dramatically accelerate the pace of ecosystem restoration and build healthier, more resilient and productive ecosystems.
Preparing for Spring Harvests
As the weeks of winter pass, Helbig’s eyes are set to spring, concerned with producing the best possible conditions for the following spring’s harvests. By amending the soil with compost and creating a full recharge, she is laying the groundwork for healthy crops during the growing season. Her dedication to sustainable practices serves as an inspiration for urban gardeners looking to maximize their yield while minimizing their environmental impact.
Helbig’s work is an excellent example of how everyday people are able to make a positive impact in their communities. Through mindful gardening practices like composting, permaculture principles, and natural weed management, she demonstrates that sustainable living is achievable even in small urban spaces.
