Welcome to Herbal Treasures
Know Your Weeds      Herbs to Have in your Garden  Seasonal Recipies
Sage Lake Farm's Herbal Materia Medica   Products

BASICS OF SUSTAINABLE GARDEN MANAGEMENT
Keeping an organic, sustainable garden is easier than you might think. If you are starting from scratch, raised beds are easiest to maintain no wider than 2 feet from reach areas for upkeep. You can use many different materials to build the beds or just create a berm with organic materials. A mulch of newprint or cardboard will return lawn to wonderful beds. You don’t have to buy expensive soils if you make your own with compost or locate a farmer who is giving away manure. Remember, llama and rabbit manure can be put directly into gardens without composting! Don’t forget to use simple compost and plant-based teas periodically for a punch of nutrients for your plants.

Let go of conventional ideas in the content, shape and direction of your beds. Think edible landscapes. Think curvy lines. Think vertical. Think planting in levels. This will allow the beds to multitask and yield more food and medicine. In choosing your plants, be sure that each performs at least two functions. They can provide food, medicine, fiber, dye, shade, wind break, insect repellent, etc. Think seasons. You want to have food throughout the growing season so plant through the seasons, and extend your season with cloches, tunnels and cold frames.

Good heavy mulching will reduce watering needs and keep unwanted plants out, while good planting schemes that allow mature plants to cover the open soil will naturally discourage weeds. Companion planting for pest control and guild planting for dynamic growing and use of the bed area will produce the most healthy and vibrant plants. Check out some books on both concepts from your local library.

Know your weeds. Don’t waste time and energy pulling useful herb weeds that you could harvest for food and medicine. Make a mental shift and welcome them into your garden and your life.

Reduce your watering and tending needs by planting natives that naturally thrive in your zone and the specific site where you are growing it (sun, shade, wet, dry, etc). You can also get through droughts by using collected rainwater and grey water from washing dishes, etc with a mild biodegradable soap. If you must water, remember that soaker hoses under the mulch is usually the most effective water method. Allowing a few ducks and chickens to free range will not only help to water the lawn but also keep the pests down. Control unwanted insects by encouraging beneficials like lady bugs, etc. Companion planting for insect control is effective as well. Remember healthy plants are more hardy and less succeptable to pest damage. Finally, if you have an infestation for some reason, remove and burn the infected plants and use a eco-friendly insecticidal soap spray.

Harvest frequently and your garden will continue to produce heavily and happily. Share your food and medicine with animals, friends and family. Preserve your bounty for later use. Save seeds to sow again and let natural sowers do their own job. Depending on your area, you can now have your cool weather winter crops growing or move the growing into your home-made-from-recycled-materials greenhouse to grow through the winter.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABLE GARDENING?  ASK about upcoming classes and check out our educational programs.

Know Your Weeds
Herbs to Have in your Garden
Sage Lake Farm's Herbal Materia Medica
Products

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