December 29, 2025 - As we close out another year in East Texas gardens, sometimes soggy and sometimes sun‑scorched, it’s worth looking ahead to a concept that’s gaining real traction across the country: regenerative horticulture. It’s a mouthful, but the idea is simple. Instead of gardening in ways that merely sustain the soil, regenerative gardening actively improves it. Think of it as leaving your little patch of Earth better than you found it.
That may sound lofty, but regenerative practices are surprisingly practical. At its heart, regenerative horticulture is about working with natural processes rather than against them. Healthy soil generally grows healthy plants, and healthy plants often require fewer inputs: less fertilizer, less water, and fewer pesticides. That’s good for the garden, good for the gardener, and good for the pocketbook.
One of the foundational principles is keeping the soil covered. Bare soil is an invitation for erosion, weeds, and nutrient loss. Winter is the perfect time to rethink how we protect our beds. A simple layer of leaves or pine straw, something most East Texans have in abundance right now, does wonders. Leaves and needles break down slowly, feeding soil microbes and improving structure. They also prevent erosion, keep the soil warmer, and protect overwintering pollinators. In beds and under trees they can be left alone (think forest understories) and in lawns they can be mowed, mulched, and left in place. If you’ve been bagging and hauling them to the curb, consider this your invitation to stop.
Another regenerative practice is minimizing soil disturbance. Many of us grew up believing that a garden wasn’t “ready” until it had been tilled into a fine powder. But tilling disrupts fungal networks, burns off organic matter, and leaves soil vulnerable to compaction and erosion. Instead, try the gentler approach: add compost on top and let earthworms and microbes do the mixing. Over time, you’ll notice richer soil and better moisture retention.
Plant diversity is another key. A landscape filled with nothing but exotic turfgrasses and foreign shrubs is essentially a biological desert. But mix in native American shrubs, perennials, and vines, and suddenly you’ve created habitat. Local pollinators, songbirds, and beneficial insects that evolved here respond quickly.
Cover crops, long used by farmers, are also making their way into home vegetable gardens. A winter stand of rye or wildlife mix can protect soil, add organic matter, plus prevent weeds and erosion. I myself choose to use a mixture of turnip and mustard greens providing both cover and harvestable food as well. Come spring, you simply cut, mow, mulch, or plow it under to provide organic matter.
Regenerative horticulture isn’t a trend; it’s a return to older wisdom, backed by modern science. It asks us to slow down, observe, and trust natural systems. As we head into a new year, that feels like a fitting resolution, not just for our gardens, but for ourselves.
If you are already practicing organic gardening, ecological gardening, or Earth-Kind gardening, it’s basically the same thing with a new label. All are intelligent, responsible, and honorable resolutions for the new year.
Greg Grant, Ph.D., is the Smith County horticulturist and Master Gardener coordinator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Tyler. He is the author of Texas Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, Texas Home Landscaping, Heirloom Gardening in the South, and The Rose Rustlers. You can read his “Greg’s Ramblings” blog at arborgate.com, read his “In Greg’s Garden” in each issue of Texas Gardener magazine (texasgardener.com), or follow him on Facebook at “Greg Grant Gardens” or “Pines, Pawpaws, and Pocket Prairies.” More science-based lawn and gardening information from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service can be found at aggieturf.tamu.edu and aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu.
