Intercropping – nature's own fertilization strategy
Intercropping is one of the most effective methods for creating healthy soils and nutrient-dense food. When different plants grow side-by-side, interactions occur that both reduce the need for fertilization and strengthen the soil's biological life.
Plant interactions
In an intercrop of oats and field peas, a unique exchange takes place:
- Oats need nitrogen to grow.
- Field peas, thanks to their nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules, can absorb nitrogen directly from the air.
- Through root exudates, oats can signal their need for nitrogen, and field peas increase their nitrogen fixation – a living example of how plants communicate through the soil microbiome.
Rapeseed and white clover – a necessary partnership
Rapeseed cannot maintain the soil's microbiome on its own. When grown with white clover, the dynamic changes:
- Clover protects and maintains the microlife in the soil, allowing important fungi and bacteria to survive.
- At the same time, clover provides nitrogen and other nutrients to the rapeseed, making it grow stronger and more resilient.
- When the main crop is harvested, the clover takes over and continues to grow during the autumn. In this way, nutrients are bound for the next season – completely biologically and naturally.
No external fertilizer needed
With good intercropping and healthy soils, no external fertilization is needed. Nature's own systems provide the necessary nutrients:
- The balance between crops and microlife builds carbon in the soil.
- Nutrients are released at the right pace through biological processes.
- The soil becomes richer and the plants more nutrient-dense – without artificial additives.
References
- Brooker, R. W. et al. (2015). Improving intercropping: a synthesis of research in agronomy, plant physiology and ecology. New Phytologist, 206(1), 107–117.
- Bedoussac, L. et al. (2015). Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 35, 911–935.
- Li, L. et al. (2014). Crop diversity for yield increase. PNAS, 111(46), 16624–16629.
