Why Permaculture Is A Natural Progression In Gardening

By Al Dancel

Permaculture guilds are an extension of a common gardening technique called companion planting. Companion planting is used in home gardening to increase the yield a certain area produces in a season. While permaculture guilds are almost exclusively used in permaculture, companion planting is more widespread.

It's often used in traditional gardening, and actually, our grandmothers knew a thing or two about companion planting. Aside from the promise of higher yields, there are many more potential benefits of companion planting. Industrial agriculture focuses heavily on monoculture.

The paradigm shift required to live within our footprint will demand that we radically contract into a conserver society, get over our 'Affluenza' quick smart, and embrace frugality as a moral obligation. If we don't get tough on ourselves, the world will get even tougher on us as the consequences of inaction or insufficient action take their toll. The future is most certainly in our hands in a more profound way than ever before in history.

This would include the ecological processes of plants, animals, their nutrient cycles, climatic factors and weather cycles and integrating these into the design as well as being inter-dependent on each other. Within a permaculture system, work is minimised, "waste" is made into a resource, productivity and yields increase and environments are restored using principles that can be applied anywhere, on any scale, from one individual home to entire regions.

While there are many small things we can do immediately through behavioural adjustments and becoming more aware consumers, the paradigm shift to become an effective agent of change demands a degree of knowledge, skills, and practical ecological savvy that has been seriously neglected in our education systems. There is so much to learn, and little time to waste.

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Find out more information on Permaculture, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=209kJD-M3_A

Easy Ways To Go Green With Your Yard

By Roland Stockwell

If you love a lush yard, but really want to reduce your water usage and live a greener life, it can be done. It doesn't require that you concrete over your lawn and paint it green, either. With some careful and thoughtful planning, a beautiful eco-friendly yard can be yours.

When you plan out your yard, consider using native plants. These plants are already acclimated to the soil and amount of rainfall typical for your area. There are plenty of beautiful choices no matter where you live, including trees, ground-cover and shrubbery. Visit a nursery that specializes in selling the native plants in your area, and you will probably be surprised by the choices.

When you do water your lawn, be sure that you are consistent and that you are not overwatering the lawn. If you are unsure, purchase an inexpensive lawn moisture meter and check the water level in your lawn. If it is too much, shorten the time that you water. If you are planning out yard space, try to limit the amount of grass that you use. A little green goes a long way, so small patches of well-irrigated grass are not only eco-friendly but easier to maintain and cheaper because they require less water. If you really want grass but live in a very dry climate, consider looking into synthetic grass which provides the look without the drain on the environment.

One easy way to cut water bill costs but still have enough water for your garden and plants is to use a rain barrel. The amount of water that falls off of your roof during a rain shower is astounding. For every inch that falls, you can collect as much as 600 gallons of water in rain barrels. You can use this water for watering the yard and garden and even use it for you houseplants. This is basically free water and it is far better to use reclaimed water for the yard than water that should be used for cooking or drinking.

You can place rain barrels under downspouts, particularly those that are close to areas such as your flower beds or garden for easy watering. Because this water will often sit in the barrel for many days or weeks, it is imperative that you keep it clean. Using a product such as the Healthy Ponds' Rain Barrel Water Cleaner is a great, eco-friendly way to go. This product uses natural beneficial bacteria to keep water clear and safe. It is veterinarian approved and safe for all animals and people, so you don't have to worry about harsh chemicals in your water and yard.

If you have other water features, such as bird baths or even a small pond or fountain, there are other Healthy Ponds products to consider. All of them use combinations of bacteria instead of chemicals to keep water clean and safe throughout the year.

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Roland Stockwell loves blogging about natural products. To discover some good natural products from Bioverse, or to know further about other products like bird bath cleaner solutions, please check out the Bioverse.com website today.