It's time to get rid of that old and tired stereotype of the gardener using a trowel and suitcase digging deep into the soil. Master gardeners all over the country are actually turning the traditional wisdom on the head with the technique of 'reverse planting' or 'top-down gardening.' While it may seem contrary, this approach to gardening is proving to be useful for home gardens and our environment.
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Have you ever seen a forest grow? If you have, you have witnessed nature's perfect gardening technique. Trees do not need anyone to dig holes for their seedlings. They allow leaves and organic matter, and other debris from above, to build organic soil from the top down. The Garden Continuum states that this natural process is what the reverse planting method is trying to emulate.
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Sarah Chen, one of the Master Gardeners I spoke to in Seattle, says, "Instead of working against nature, we are beginning to learn how to work with nature." She goes on to say, "Instead of destroying a soil's ecosystem by digging down, we are starting to build up more layers of organic matter and allowing the ecosystem to do its job."
Why Are Traditional Planting Methods Getting Another Look?
This shift in focus is an intentional strategy. According to Green America, traditional tilling and soil mixing techniques can cause previously sequestered soil carbon to become airborne, worsening climate change. Additionally, repeatedly disrupting soil can injure the complex system of fungal strands and beneficial microbes that support plant growth.
Traditional planting methods can also:
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- Interfere with the vital layers of soil that have developed over the years.
- Bring dormant weed seeds to the surface so that they can germinate.
- Create a hardpan layer below the digging depth
- Increase water runoff and erosion
How Reverse Planting Actually Works
Instead of digging holes for planting, users of this technique will place plants directly on the existing soil and build up around the plants with layers of organic materials. This can be thought of as making a lasagna with each layer serving a specific purpose:
- A primary layer of cardboard or newspaper to smother pre-existing grass or weeds.
- A thick layer of compost or aged manure
- The plant itself, placed on top
- A combination of compost and topsoil accumulated around the root ball of the plant
- A last mulch layer to hold moisture and keep feeding the soil
Asked what surprised him, Chen replied, \"The speed at which plants set roots and grow leaves. They draw from nutrients in their surroundings, and their roots strengthen as they grow.\""
The Benefits Beyond Your Garden
This reverse way of planting is part of the larger movement towards the practice of regenerative gardening. It's rewards go beyond simply healthy plants, and it also provides:
- Improved water retention and reduced irrigation needs
- Enhanced carbon sequestration in the soil
- Better habitat for beneficial insects and soil organisms
- Reduced back strain from less digging
- Natural weed suppression
- Healthier soil structure that improves year after year
Changing Things Up in Your Own Garden
If this method intrigues you, start small. Try converting one bed or garden area to the reverse planting method and compare it to your more traditional plantings. Because the winter months give time for the layers to settle and begin decomposing, fall is a good time to start. This will help to spring growth.
Keep in mind that this is not only about putting plants on the surface. It is about creating a space that fosters life in the soil. With more people using this technique, a more positive way of growing plants may be emerging that is beneficial to our backs, our gardens, and our planet.
Next time you reach for the shovel, take a step back, think about planting backwards. It might just be appreciative of you and the earth.
