What is a polyculture crop?
We’re growing a polyculture crop. Do you know what a polyculture crop is? What are the benefits? What is it useful for? First, we need to understand what a polyculture is. According to Wikipedia:
In agriculture, polyculture is the practice of growing more than one crop species in the same space, at the same time.
Why grow a polyculture crop? Why not grow a monoculture crop of only one plant species? Polyculture crops imitate the diverse plant species of natural ecosystems. Why is this important? Wildlife as well as livestock need a variety of forage in order to meet their dietary needs. Therefore a polyculture crop is an excellent source of feed. But that’s the tip of the iceberg. A polyculture crop also feeds the biology in the soil. There are beneficial fungi in the soil. When the fungi has organic material to decompose they grow and build pathways between plants that nutrients are absorbed through to the plant. There are also beneficial bacteria in the soil which greatly benefits from polyculture crops. Bacteria helps break down organic materials into nutrients beneficial to plants which is called nutrient cycling. They also reduce plant disease and bind soil particles together to increase water holding capacity and reduce soil erosion.
Some plant species such as legumes, are nitrogen fixators meaning they give off nitrogen as they grow. Other plants need high nitrogen in order to thrive. Planting multiple plant species together is mutually beneficial and by planting these species together you reduce the need to fertilize and therefore reduce input costs.
Polycultures increase water absorption and water holding capacity in the soil for future use. Think about the root systems. A turnip for example has a very different root system than a wheat plant root. When you have a variety of root systems in the ground there are many benefits including increased water infiltration. Water is the lifeblood of the soil. If water is not able to be absorbed into the soil nothing grows or survives.
In summary, a polyculture crop does many great things to build a soil up to grow more nutrient dense food. It increases water infiltration and holding capacity. It feeds the biology in the soil including insects and worms which all play a key role in breaking down organic matter and turning it into plant digestible form. It reduces soil erosion and plant disease. Those are all great reasons to try it!
For more information on soil biology, here’s a very informative website.