Permaculture!

Did you know that instead of water hungry, useless lawns that require hours of time away from your family, you can plant something useful in your back yard that is beautiful, edible and self sustaining? This may seem like quite a feat, but it’s one step beyond a simple backyard garden.

Some people call them Food Forests, some call it eco farming, and some call it permaculture.  Whatever you call it; this is an amazing way to cut down on your grocery bill! And the time you spend gardening helps the environment by being part of the soil replenishment process.

The techniques used in permaculture are ideal for small spaces because every available space is used; with raised beds for veggies and fences for vertical planting.

Part of the permaculture garden way of life involves water collection, composting, and true appreciation and thorough use of the land. Nothing is wasted! It is truly putting science to use in gardening.

The garden is both attractive and productive. You can have veggies, edible flowers, fruits, herbs and pretty much anything you can grow. Once established, these gardens  require very little work to keep them producing.  Unlike traditional gardens, there is no digging after it is set up nor does the design require you to turn under the soil every season. Add a greenhouse to the equation and you can produce different varieties of plants all year long.

During World War II we had Victory Gardens. Perhaps this new way of gardening could become the 21st century’s version of the Victory Garden. We could call them Success Gardens or something like that to give us the impetus to keep them going; especially considering the impact on your budget and health these gardens could have.

Many cities over the world are using permaculture technology to fight poverty.  Self sustained and strategic planting of veggies, fruits, and edible flowers, can change an entire village – not only in terms of feeding people but actually contributing positively to the environment.

Google “permaculture” and see what you might be able to do in your own backyard! If this kind of gardening seems too daunting, remember just planting a few tomatoes in a couple of patio planters can be accomplished easily and save you a ton of money this summer rewarding you with a bounty of fresh tomatoes!