• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Nancy Reading
  • Carla Burke
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Liv Smith
  • Leigh Tate
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Maieshe Ljin

Best plants for over a septic field?

 
pollinator
Posts: 203
Location: Southern Ontario, 6b
106
cat forest garden food preservation cooking writing ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm about to leave the gardens I've been working on for the past 14 years and move to a larger blank slate property in 6b. ( this is hard, but exciting)

While I've lived on septic in the past, it was before I was serious about the permaculture gardening. The septic bed is in a premium, full sun, southfacing spot. I know I can't do trees, shrubs or raised beds on it but I don't want to leave it as lawn.

I have found that having a good range of perennial flowers, that cycle so something is always in bloom, has let me host a wide and healthy range of pollinators. I'm leaning towards using the septic field as the main flower area. Are there likely to be any issues with this plan? Any things that would be especially suitable for this kind of space? Would roses or lavender be fine?

The main plants I have or can easily get are: roses, peony, lavender, yarrow, hardy geranium, poppy, iris, day lily, milkweed, liatris, sage, Russian sage, sedum and spiderwort.
 
pollinator
Posts: 1445
Location: NW California, 1500-1800ft,
439
2
hugelkultur dog forest garden solar wood heat homestead
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I have considered growing grain for chickens on a septic as well. Interested to see some better informed answers though!
 
master pollinator
Posts: 4987
Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b
1351
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Think shallow, shallow roots. If it reaches deeper than white clover and grass, it's a recipe for trouble.

Messing with a septic field is a very expensive gamble, on the order of $20K to play.
 
Posts: 47
Location: Ensley Center, MI, USA
15
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I like to corn over my septic field.
 
steward and tree herder
Posts: 8380
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Nearly 70 inches rain a year
3973
4
transportation dog forest garden foraging trees books food preservation woodworking wood heat rocket stoves ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm thinking of raspberries over my neighbour's leachfield which is on our property - it has shallow roots but likes it damp and shady though.
 
Look at the smile on this tiny ad!
12 DVDs bundle
https://permies.com/wiki/269050/DVDs-bundle
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic