Gardening can feel like a daily battle against fickle weather, patchy soil and ever-rising water bills. With thoughtful techniques that work with nature rather than against it, even a small plot or balcony garden can flourish through the cooler months. 

Two such practices, namely chop-and-drop mulching and aquaponics for small spaces, offer compelling benefits for soil health, water conservation and productive winter vegetable growth. 

Let’s understand how these approaches can elevate your gardening efforts, reduce labour and build a more resilient growing environment.

Chop-and-drop mulching involves cutting back spent plants, weeds or prunings and leaving them on the soil surface rather than removing them. This creates a natural mulch that slowly breaks down and enriches the soil.

1. Improves soil structure

As the plant matter decomposes, it feeds

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