About Us
Mission
The mission of the sustainability garden is to involve students and the community in sustainable gardening and provide education, outreach, as well as greenspace to bring more people closer to nature. The sustainability garden is ran by the Department of Geosciences, Chemistry, and Physics, and vegetables are donated to the Tarleton Food Pantry for students in need.
Future plans include expansion efforts that include vertical gardening, better maintained crop rotations, and added study and relaxing areas for students that will eventually include benches and charging stations.
Methods
Irrigation
The sustainability garden utilizes a timed drip irrigation system that can be adjusted by the season, as well as adjusted for rain already received. This maximizes water conservation while allowing for hydration exactly where it is needed.
Composting
Compost beds are in place at the sustainability garden on campus; composting helps sandy soil retain water and nutrients, loosens tightly bound particles in clay or silt soil so roots can spread, and promotes soil structure, making it less likely to erode, and prevents soil spattering on plants—spreading disease.
Pollinator Attracting Varieties
The sustainability garden has several mints, basil, sunflowers, morning glories and lemongrass that make great pollinator attractors to promote pollination rates and crop yield.
Crop Rotation
The sustainability garden is composed of permanent crops as well as crops that are rotated seasonally. Permanent crops include Pecans, Blackberries, and Strawberries; Seasonal crop rotations include:
FALL
| Beans (pole) |
| Corn |
| Garlic |
| Okra |
| Onions |
| Peas (bush) |
| Peppers* |
| Tomatoes* |
WINTER
| Cabbage |
| Carrots |
| Kale |
| Potatoes |
| Spinach |
SPRING
| Beans (bush) | Peppers |
| Corn | Roses |
| Cucumbers | Squash |
| Fruit Trees | Strawberries |
| Marigolds | Sunflowers |
| Peas | Tomatoes |