In the spirit of "if it isn't broken, don't fix it," some ancient gardening techniques can't be beat. On Reddit, a gardener shared their project inspired by a 4,000-year-old practice.
The scoop
In r/homestead, a photo of a Zuni waffle garden recreation was shared by a high desert climate dweller.
Taking inspiration from the local Zuni Tribe of New Mexico, Zuni waffle gardens consist of clay-walled, sunken garden beds designed in a grid pattern to conserve water by trapping rainfall.
Another photo showed a muddied thumbs up as a sign to show the method was a success.
"A reminder that these gardens will mainly work in arid climates but as the environment changes I imagine this will be a technique good for a lot of people," the OP wrote in the comments.
How it's helping
One of the biggest expenses of gardening in the desert is water. In a climate that doesn't get a lot of natural rainfall, utility bills can get steep. This technique helps capture and retain natural resources, saving you money and helping your garden thrive all at the same time.
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Gardening and growing your own food come with an abundance of benefits. Not only will you save money on grocery bills, but your produce will taste better too since there is less time spent between the vine and your fork.
That's why farm-to-table restaurants have a reputation for higher quality, more flavorful plates — less time spent on a truck. It also reduces the need for mass-produced, plastic-packaged, overpriced fruits and vegetables.
Make sure to incorporate native plants and soil into your gardens to boost productivity and benefit the surrounding ecosystem. Native plants require less water, fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, which means fewer chemicals contaminating our waterways.
Gardening also does wonders for your physical and mental health. Due to the nature of the hobby, gardeners get more exercise and consume more fiber than those who don't. Being outdoors has been proven to increase optimism and make people happier. In fact, national park passes are now being prescribed by doctors, giving a whole new meaning to the term "take a hike."
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Making it look better 🌱 What everyone's saying
The ancient gardening technique was very much welcomed, with several requests for updates on the progress.
"I want to see how this works," one Redditor mused. "Maybe I'll give it a go."
"Super cool! I hope it turns out well for you! You should check out Gary Nabhan's book 'Growing Food in a Hotter Drier Land'. He talks about waffle beds and a bunch of other techniques," another shared.
"This is fascinating," another marveled.
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