before you roll your journey into self-sufficient gardening, read what experts have to say about the topic.

Meet the Expert

What Is Self-Sufficient Gardening?

A garden in itself can be self-sufficient when it relies as little as possible on external materials and supplies.

Vegetable garden

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Examples areusing compostinstead of commercial fertilizer,saving seedsfor planting, andcompanion plantingfor natural pest control.

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Bordessa adds that growing your own food may also reduce your grocery bill.

Tomato plants

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Eco-Friendliness

The more you harvest in your yard, the smaller your carbon footprint will be.

For homegrown produce, there are many options that avoid single-use packaging.

Next, determine which vegetables your household appreciates the most, Bordessa suggests.

Strawberries grown in a container

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With that list in hand, Bordessa recommends that as the next step, calculate yourneeds for garden space.

To minimize the risk of diseases and pests, take preventative steps.

She also wants you to use mulch and cover crops because they greatly increase crop success.

Vegetables, all types of herbs, strawberries, and even small berry shrubs can begrown in containers.

Four Ways to Grow a Bountiful Arkansas Garden.