Can Cardboard and Scraps Power a Garden?

What do cardboard, compost, and a trash can have in common?
They’re all tools for catching and storing energy in the garden!
In this episode of Edible Trails Garden, we explore Permaculture Principle #2 and show you how to build resilience in your garden — even without irrigation.

🌿 You’ll learn:
• How to use cardboard to build a DIY solar oven
• Why compost is nutrient-rich energy for future plants
• How to build a DIY rainwater catchment system from a trash can

Whether you’re just getting started with permaculture or want practical ways to reduce waste and save water — this one’s for you.
🛠️ Catch it. Store it. Use it. That’s the permaculture way.

👇 Share how YOU catch and store energy in the comments!

📸 Tag us @EdibleTrailsGarden and use #CatchAndStoreEnergy on social media!

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#PermaculturePrinciples #CatchAndStoreEnergy #DIYGardenProjects #SolarOven #RainWaterHarvesting #LowBudgetGardening #GardenHacks #EdibleTrailsGarden #OffGridCooking #DIYRainCatchment #SustainableLiving #CardboardProjects #Under30Dollars

Welcome to another episode of Edible Trails Garden. We capture and we store. Today is all about capturing and storing energy using cardboard, trash can, and our kitchen scraps and putting it to work right here in our forest garden. [Music] This is the second episode in our permaculture principles series. catch and store energy means saving the sun’s heat, rainwater, sometimes our own energy, and the nutrients that nature already gives us. So, today we will explore three simple and budget friendly ways to do just that. Build a solar oven using cardboard. Create rain catchment with the trash can. And let’s talk about what to do with all those kitchen scraps. Oh, here’s the deal. I don’t have irrigation out here in Edible Trails Garden. When I plant something new, I hand water it like by hand from buckets. Great for the biceps, not so great when there’s no rain for two weeks. So, a rain catchment will allow me to collect water and get it to the plants that need it the most. Here’s a quick rain catchment hack with just a few simple tools. Trash can, spot, zip ties, and a screen. First, you’ll add your spot to the bottom. Then, you’ll want to cut a hole in the lid to catch the rain. Cover the hole with mesh or screen just to keep the debris out. And bam, you’ve got a portable rain catchment you can roll around the garden if you want to. I plan to keep mine under the RV to collect water straight from the roof. To harness the sun’s energy, you don’t need a big fancy oven. Just two cardboard boxes, a magnifying lens, some reflective material, and a bit of black paint. That’s it. Paint the inside of the small box black. Put the small box inside the big one. Add the reflective lining. Drop in the lenses. And boom, you’ve got a solar oven. It’s like a slow cooker’s offgrid cousin. I even baked some biscuits in mine while I kept working on the garden. Amazing. [Music] [Applause] And finally, let’s catch and store nutrient energy. Kitchen scraps and garden waste can turn into rich compost while mulch keeps moisture in the soil. And compost, compost feeds it. It’s stored energy in the most delicious form. Well, at least for the plants. Add some kitchen scraps. Add your wood chips or leaves. Just like that, you have garden gold. Don’t forget to check out the permaculture trail book. Principle number two is waiting for you with reflection prompts, space for your own notes, and ways to bring these ideas to life in your garden. It’s all about working with nature’s gifts. See you on the trail. Let’s grow.