The GROW BIOINTENSIVE® Food-Raising Method developed by John Jeavons and Ecology Action is an easily learned whole-systems, organic method of raising food crops that dramatically increases crop output and soil health.

Most life in nature occurs at the interface of soil, water, air and sun. GROW BIOINTENSIVE soil preparation creates growing beds with more surface area, maximizing nature's life processes. Beds are double-dug, with soil loosened to a depth of 24 inches to aerate the soil, facilitate root growth, improve water retention, and allow healthy growth of micro-organisms. Fertility of the soil is maintained through the use of compost. Close spacing (intensive planting) of plants increases yields, facilitates the optimal use of nutrients, light and water, and creates a vibrant mini-ecosystem under the canopy of leaves. The use of open-pollinated seeds helps to preserve genetic diversity and enables gardeners to develop their own acclimatized cultivars. Companion planting takes advantage of natural synergies that increase yields, and some plants attract helpful insects while others repel pests. A focus on the production of calorie farming for the gardener and carbon farming for the soil ensures that both the gardener and the soil will be adequately fed and that the farm will be sustainable.

Some important components are:

1. Double-dug, raised beds
   In this method, crops are planted in beds that are "double-dug." The gardener digs 12 inches down and then loosens the soil to a depth of 24 inches. The loosened soil enables plant roots to penetrate easily and allows more air in the soil, creating a "raised bed" effect. Moisture is retained without waterlogging, weeding is simplified because of the looseness of the soil, and erosion is minimized. (close)
2. Composting
   The higher yields resulting from intensive planting would not be sustainable without a way of maintaining the health and vigor of the soil. Chemical fertilizers, which are derived from petroleum, are expensive and have been shown to deplete the soil over time so that as soil quality deteriorates, increasing amounts of chemical fertilizers are needed to sustain yields, further harming the soil structure and microbiotic life.

   The GROW BIOINTENSIVE Food-Raising Method avoids these problems through the recycling of organic waste products in the form of compost. Kitchen waste, garden trimmings and many other forms of organic matter, when properly composted, provide the elements necessary to maintain the biological cycles of life that exist in the garden. The structure and the microbiotic life of the soil are improved by compost, which creates better aeration and water retention. As the soil’s health improves, optimum plant health is maintained, so that garden yields are maximized. (close)

3. Intensive planting
   Seeds or seedlings are planted in 3- to 5-foot-wide beds using a hexagonal spacing pattern. Each plant is placed the same distance from the others so that when the plants mature, their leaves touch. This provides a shaded “mini-climate” under the leaves which retains moisture, protects the valuable microbiotic life of the soil, retards weed growth, and facilitates higher yields. (close)

4. The use of open-pollinated seeds
   With GROW BIONTENSIVE techniques, high yields can be obtained with normal open-pollinated seeds which have been selected by nature over centuries because of their advantage. Special hybrids are not needed for excellent results. In this way, a wonderful variety can be grown while the world’s genetic diversity is preserved. (close)

5. Companion planting
   Research has shown that many plants grow better when they grow near certain other plants. Green beans and strawberries, for instance, thrive better when they are grown together. Some plants are useful in repelling pests, while others attract beneficial insects. Borage, for example, helps control tomato worms, while its blue flowers attract bees. Also, many wild plants have a healthy effect on the soil; their deep roots loosen the subsoil and bring up previously unavailable trace minerals and nutrients. Use of companion planting aids the gardener in producing fine quality food crops and helps to create and maintain healthy, vibrant soil. (close)

6. Carbon farming
   Soil fertility is facilitated by planting approximately 60% of the growing area in dual-purpose seed and grain crops. These particular crops produce a large amount of carbonaceous material per unit of area, and they are used to build compost for improving and maintaining the soil ecosystem’s microbial life. These crops also produce a significant amount of calories. Corn, wheat, amaranth, millet, and oats are some examples of carbonaceous crops. Growing compost materials on the farm will be important in the future, since large amounts of organic matter and nutrients are currently being “mined” from soil in one area and used to improve the soil in other areas. Instead, gardeners can produce more organic matter and retain the nutrients within their own farm on a "closed-system" basis. (close)

7. Calorie farming
   The production of sufficient calories efficiently in a small area is achieved by planting special root crops in 30% of the growing area. These crops include potatoes, sweet potatoes, salsify, burdock, garlic, and parsnips and produce a large amount of calories per unit of area. (close)

8. A whole-systems gardening method
   It is important to realize that the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Food-Raising Method is a whole system, and that the components of the method should all be used together for the optimum effect. If all of the components are not used together, the soil can rapidly be depleted because of the method’s close planting. (close)