Just how much food?

Top organic gardening influencer Huw Richards explains how to maximise the pickings from growing spaces big and small

- Huw Richards

With the abundance of summer gluts fast approaching, just how much can a garden produce? Of course the short answer is - it depends. The long answer is that the vast majority of your yields only depend on two factors.

The first, of course, is soil health. Your responsibility as a gardener is to create the right environment to make soil health thrive.

You don't need to worry about all the microorganisms you can't see, just worry about what you are giving your soil, because if you treat the soil right, the micro-organisms will do their magic and the plants will thrive.

How does one create that environment? Organic matter. Organic matter is the end result of composting and is rich in nutrients and incredibly high in carbon. Carbon is the building block of life, and a high carbon content in the soil through adding organic matter is what creates the environment soil life needs. This is usually done by mulching with compost annually, at least 2-3cm (lin), as well as growing green manures, incorporating manure over winter and adding light mulches when suitable.

The second factor is succession planting as soon as one crop is harvested, the next crop gets planted. My rule is simple: have no bare ground between June and August. Even if it is just a small gap between two clumps of beetroot, I will transplant or direct sow something to utilise that redundant space.

Succession planting requires some planning, but utilising this method can almost double the potential of what your garden can produce.