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The idea behind planting an eco friendly permaculture garden is to refrain from using chemicals and reduce your effort. The only tools you’ll require are a spade, trowel and rake. You need to learn some fundamental information regarding tools and techniques for preparing the garden, in addition to the best way to plant and take care of a garden which is raised sustainably.

The secret is to not disturb the ground as much as possible. Digging the earth will allow in excessive oxygen, which will destroy the soil organisms which exist on and surrounding the roots of the plant. This allows for the proliferation of weeds, which are less picky regarding the soil in which they grow.

Preparing the plot for a permaculture garden could be as simple as putting down a layer of cardboard or a bundle of newsprint where you are going to grow your garden, which will act as mulch. If the weeds are well established, chop them down prior to layering the cardboard or paper. Don’t be concerned about existing vegetation because the dense mulch will destroy the weeds. Over this you will place 6 to 12 inches of straw set out in rows to permit you to walk in between them. The concept is to have the rows only as wide as you can easily reach from either side.

You should be able to sow the seeds right on the soil’s surface in most cases. Then pull a bit of the straw mulch over top of them. The mulch helps the soil to hold on to moisture, and that means you don’t find it necessary to water as frequently. It gradually breaks down and supplements the soil as the seeds germinate and develop. Planting seedlings is as straightforward as pulling back the mulch, poking an opening in the cardboard, inserting the seedling, and pushing back the straw.

In the case of pulling the weeds from a permaculture garden, it’s a simple matter of snipping the weed as it emerges and adding it to the mulch. The idea should be to not let the weeds get to the blooming phase where they will rapidly release their seeds.

When it’s time to harvest, for instance a head of lettuce, you just cut off the head and leave the roots. The lettuce will continue to produce leaves until the first frost. During the cold months the roots will die and enrich the earth. In the case of plants such as peas or tomatoes, you collect the harvest and uproot the plant itself and leave it there to decompose with the mulch. And therefore there’s no waste, and also no composting required.

Here’s another useful tip for a sustainable garden: collect rainwater and use it to give your plants the moisture they need. Click here to learn about the advantages of garden rain barrels.