Key Note presentation for the 2015 Master Gardener Class, Albuquerque, NM

1. The Seven Tenets of
Sustainable Gardening
Peter Sinanian
January 6, 2015

2. WHY DO WE GARDEN
“I think that if ever a mortal heard the
voice of God it would be in a garden at
the cool of the day.”
~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace

14. Ecosystem Services

15. Purified Water – from osmosis
Oxygen – from photosynthesis

16. Food – from pollinators

18. Sustainable Gardening
Respect nature’s principles
Conserve natural resources
Don’t harm natural systems

19. Solve problems
Give research-based information
Serve the community
MASTER GARDENERS

20. Lessons For Today
Work with nature, not against it
Be an agent of change
Lead by example

21. The Seven Tenets
1. Obey Your Sense of Place
2. Nourish The Soil
3. Strike A Balance
4. Manage Water Wisely
5. Encourage Diversity
6. Practice Prevention
7. Share The Utility You Create

23. Place
Soil
Climate
Materials
Water
Plants
Culture
Less Work Lower Cost
Authentic Sustainable

24. FACT: Worms
turn over 25
tons of soil per
acre per year.
FACT: Soil on a forest
floor loses only 2% of its
nutrients annually; heavily
fertilized agricultural land
loses 25-60%.

25. Soil Is The Foundation
Vertebrates
Insects
Plants
SoilFungi Bacteria
Amoebae
Worms
Beetles
Mites

26. Scientists know,
although still cannot fully
explain, that soil
organisms help protect
plants from disease and
transfer certain essential
nutrients

27. Humus Is Your Friend
O
- Copper
Potassium
Ammonium (N)
Magnesium
Zinc
Calcium
Manganese

28. Runoff
Rain Harvesting
Good Bugs
Bad Bugs

29. Imbalance Example

30. in·ert iˈnərt/ Adjective
1.lacking vigor.
2.chemically inactive.

31. 1
2
3
Design
Capture
Store

32. Contouring

33. Obey Micro-climates

34. Be Water Wise

35. Capture & Store

36. Mulch

37. Humus!

38. “Ride the tracks laid down by nature.”
–Toby Hemenway

40. Diversity
Soil
Multi-
function
WildlifePlants
Insects
Stable Healthy
Balanced Sustainable

41. Multi-Function Stacking
Mulch
Habitat
Compost
Nectar
Nitrogen
No fuss
Shade * Food * Habitat
Windbreak * Water Purifier
* Soil Builder Compost *
Oxygen Pump * Mulch

43. 6. Practice Prevention

46. Sustainable Gardens Are…
Edible Low(er)
Maintenance
Happy
Places
Lower(er)
Cost
Functional

47. “People are turning to their
gardens not to consume
but to actively create, not
to escape from reality but
to observe it closely. In
doing this they experience
the connectedness of
creation and the
profoundest sources of
being.”
-- Carol Williams
Bringing a Garden to Life, 1998

48. Conclusion
 In closing, I ask you to go read, educate yourselves,
and invest the time
 Be good stewards of the environment
 Experience personal expression, life affirmation,
accomplishment, and spirituality
 Create beauty and peace for others
 Renew your efforts – gardening is forgiving: If you
mess up, you can always fix the problem

49. References
 New Mexico State University publications
 Down To Earth, By Albuquerque Master Gardeners – Focused on ABQ and its
many microclimates
 City of Albuquerque – How To Guide To Xeriscaping
 Gaia’s Garden, Toby Hemenway
 Natural Capitalism, Amory Lovins, L. Hunter Lovins, & Paul Hawkin
 The Soil and Health: A Study of Organic Agriculture (Culture of the Land), Albert
Howard
 The New American Landscape: Leading Voices on the Future of Sustainable
Gardening, Thomas Christopher, Rick Darke, Douglas W. Tallamy
 Attracting Beneficial Bugs To Your Garden, Jessica Walliser
 New Mexico Gardener’s Guide, Judith Phillips
 Biophilia, Edward O. Wilson