These simple tips will help you plan and grow a more sustainable garden, no matter how much gardening experience you have.

Whether you’re completely new to gardening, or you have been growing a garden using conventional methods and would like to begin transitioning to a more sustainable garden, many aspects of gardening are fairly basic and easy to learn.

However, for a truly sustainable garden, there are a few differences you will want to keep in mind when designing and planting your garden.

While organic gardening does include some of these aspects as well, “organic” tends to refer to avoiding the use of chemicals in your garden, while sustainable gardening focuses more on working with and supporting the natural ecosystem.

For example, an organic gardener might try an organic neem oil spray to deal with a particular garden pest, while a sustainable gardener will try to encourage the pest to eat something else by planting another plant that it likes nearby, or if the problem is too bad, perhaps by choosing to grow a different crop entirely that is more naturally resistant.

The tips below can apply to any garden, but specific considerations for sustainable gardeners are also addressed:

Where to Plant

…Walk out to your yard and look for a flat, sunny area with good drainage. Establish the shape of the garden by laying out a hose before you start to dig. Remember that your vegetables want sun and water. Find a spot where rainwater has time to seep in, rather than having to run off and stripping the soil of its nutrients.

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Organic Composting

Before you till your garden, remove all the grass and weeds, and add plenty of compost…. If you don’t have a compost pile, it’s a good idea to start one – maybe in the back corner of your yard. Start saving kitchen scraps like coffee grounds, fruit like banana peels and vegetable peels, table scraps like leftover pasta or uneaten bread, eggs, grass and raked leaves.

Eliminating Weeds

Now that your vegetable seeds or transplants are in the ground, it’s time for a thin layer of finely chopped mulch…. Rain water soaks into the mulch and is slowly distributed, keeping plants from quickly drying out on hot and dry summer days. It also gives your plants a head start against weeds.

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Sustainable Garden Watering

Water, or the lack of it, is a primary issue for sustainable gardeners – one reason why mulching is so important. There are lots of ways to conserve water in the summer. One is to collect rainwater off your rooftop in rain barrels and use it to water your garden. Another source may be gathering water from your dehumidifiers, or even collecting shower water while you’re waiting for the water to heat.

It’s best to water your sustainable garden in the morning instead of the heat of the day. And water with the most direct method possible – using a drip hose or by hand. Sprinklers aren’t as effective, as a significant percentage of the water evaporates before it ever makes it to your plants, or doesn’t get to the plants effectively.

Cover Crops for Sustainable Gardens

After you’ve harvested your vegetables or other items, it’s time to prepare your bed for next summer’s crop. Many successful sustainable gardeners grow cover crops over the fall and winter to protect and improve the soil….

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For more information, check out the full article at HealEstate.com…