1) Makes your landscape more interesting, attractive, unique and valuable.
a) Lots of colors and textures not available from flowers.
b) Odd and interesting conversation pieces.
c) Increases the monetary value of your place, too.
2) Save money (fresh fruits and veggies are much more expensive)
3) Healthier living
4) Convenient for harvesting for dinner - zone 1 food.
- Expain permaculture zones.
a) Better care for plants.
b) More attention to the plants
c) More convenience in harvesting means you'll eat them more.
5) Biodiversity AND soil improvement, increasing production
a) Monoculture problems
b) Discuss legume/rhizobium interaction.
c) Dynamic nutrient accumulators
i) Comfrey, Lamb's Quarters, Dandelions, etc.
6) Make better use of your land.
a) Stacking functions in time:
i) Spring bulbs bloom then go dormant; summer annuals over them.
ii) Sugar snap peas, then sunflowers, then acorn squash, then garlic.
b) Stacking functions in space:
i) One space growing three different things, supporting each other:
- Bulbs and groundcover at the bottom.
- Herbs and forbs above.
- Trellis in the rear growing beans, clematis, rose, etc.
(or an arbor over the whole lot growing a beautiful grape vine)
c) Herb spirals are excellent structures for this.
7) Companion plantings
a) Discuss garlic and roses (ALL roses, including fruits) as a prime example.
b) Herbs
c) Nasturtium, deters aphids & pests of curcurbits.
d) Marigold - The workhorse of pest deterrents.
