Gardening

• Know your soil. Understanding the type of soil in your garden is crucial to determining which plants will thrive, and which won’t.
• Use a watering can or a soaker hose to deliver water directly to the roots, and avoid getting the leaves wet.
• Soak weeds in a container to extract nutrient. Water your plants with that every now and then. If it looks sad, it needs water (a good rule for houseplants and humans).
• Adopt permaculture principles, which mimic patterns found in nature to create a self-sustaining ecosystem. The 12 principles are:
  • Observe and interact.
  • Catch and store energy. For example, capturing rain water.
  • Obtain a yield.
  • Apply self-regulation and accept feedback.
  • Use and value renewable resources and services.
  • Produce no waste.
  • Design from patterns to details.
  • Integrate rather than segregate.
  • Use small and slow solutions.
  • Use and value diversity.
  • Use edges and value the marginal.
  • Creatively use and respond to change.

Resources

• Self Sufficient Me.
• Epic Gardening.