Urban Permaculture

Urban Permaculture
Sustainability
Crops well-suited for apartment gardening are those with low to moderate light needs, minimal required soil-medium depth, and short time to harvest. Generally speaking, leafy greens or crops cultivated
at a developmental stage prior to full maturity will make the best choices. Other types of edibles, including those cultivated for their root, fruit, or seed require significantly more energy and time, and are not ideal for limited space gardening. Popular leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula, kale and others have the added benefit of a shorter time to harvest, typically less than 2 months from seed to dinner plate.

Permaculture in the Urban Setting
While Permaculture has traditionally been applied in rural settings where time and space may be more plentiful, there is considerable room for these ideas in urban settings as city dwellers seek to optimize their surroundings for beauty and sustainability. Urban environments are often limited by several factors, chiefly space, soil, and light. A permaculture approach would seek ways to take advantage of these 'limitations' and make the best, most efficient use of available resources. Transforming vacant lots into community gardens, building greenhouses, composting organic waste to produce topsoil and making provident use of shade and light cycles from tall urban structures are just a few means to add vigor to urban environments with permaculture.