Regenerative Gardening and More…

Discover Regenerative Gardening at the Sprouted Root.

It has been over a 40-year journey to discover regenerative gardening. I learned about gardening from my mom. In our garden in Connecticut, I first learned how to sow vegetable seeds, make compost, make compost tea, and grow food for the family. She sprouted my love for gardening, which continued to my own home in Massachusetts.

Many years later, I moved west to work for a company that grew and sold microbes. The desert soil and climate changed, and so did how plants grew. I quickly learned that the same plants up North don’t grow as well with the intense desert heat. And the lack of organic matter in the soil causes the soil to dry quickly, proving the importance of regenerative gardening practices.

Introduction to Microbes

My career changed in the 1990s. Before my discovery of regenerative gardening, I had spent 16 years working in restaurants and was a French-trained sous chef by the time I was 22. In 1997, my in-laws introduced me to a microbial product, and I began working with beneficial microbes. I never imagined how this would change my life. I moved out west to Arizona to work for the company, and in 2005, I started a marketing company that sold in 2021.

While with the company, I visited farms across the United States, learning from the farmers, sometimes in awe of how they could grow so well in the desert. Eventually, I worked with gardeners and farmers worldwide, consulting with conventional, organic, and regenerative gardening enthusiasts.

Transition In Gardening Techniques

Many gardeners know their garden better than anyone. Each area has a microclimate that can vary, even within a neighborhood. Over my career, I have had the fortune of speaking with thousands of gardeners and farmers, and I plan to share what I have learned here on The Sprouted Root.

Back in the mid-1990s, before my discovery of regenerative gardening, I started growing organically, first because of the taste and later because of the health benefits. In my gardens back East, I began using microbes and making bokashi to create a rich soil. I refused to use harmful pesticides or fertilizers and grew amazing plants with organic inputs. I tilled the soil to amend and plant the first year I had my home. I added tons (literally 20 tons) on my half-acre property and never tilled it again. I hand-pulled all of the weeds and used water to wash off any aphids. It was fun and the food was delicious.

The Concepts of Permaculture

In the early 2000s, I learned of permaculture. By that time, I was living in Arizona. A customer would come by my work and talk about permaculture, a holistic approach to growing food. It made sense for a remote place then, but now I see how it can work at any level.

My Discovery of Regenerative Gardening

My discovery of regenerative gardening began around 2016. A customer called me excitedly. He had learned about the potential of regenerative farming and told me all of its benefits. He explained all of the concepts behind it and tied in a lot of logic and connections to the microbes. I was hooked. A few years later, Kiss The Ground came out on Netflix, and the term became well-known.

The principles of regenerative agriculture, permaculture, organic farming, nature farming, biodynamic farming, etc., all fit into gardening (that’s the “Regenerative Gardening” part of the Sprouted Root). I created this site to discuss all of the information I have learned over the years (the “and more” part) and share it with others interested in it. I hope you (the visitors) contribute your experience as well.