Sustainable Gardening

While it may seem like a daunting task, creating and maintaining a sustainable garden is completely achievable!  There are many different types of sustainable gardens, but a basic sustainable garden consists of a compost, a water catchment system, and, of course, a garden.  Sustainability is all about cycles, and these components all work together to form a cycle that allow the garden to thrive.  Dead plant matter can be composted and then mixed into the soil to give the plants the nutrients they need to thrive.  Compost also keeps more moisture in the soil, reducing your water use (See our composting page for more information on how to make wonderful compost!).  Your plants will probably still need some watering during dryer months, so make sure you have some sort of water catchment system, such as a rain barrel, to make the most of the rain you do get.  Having a garden rather than concrete also allows more water to be absorbed into your groundwater or evaporate to become rain again rather than going into the sewer.  If you want to go an extra step, you can incorporate animals into your garden as well!  Chickens can be fed by plants in the garden and insects in the soil, as well as contributing egg shells and chicken poop to the compost.  If you have fish, you can use the water they live in to water your garden, and then refill their container or tank with rain water, as fish poop contains many nutrients that help plants thrive.