Strategies: Here's a good idea that will grow on you

— -- For St. Patrick's Day, I typically write a column advising small businesses about how to be more environmentally sustainable — in other words how they can, ahem, "go green."

I usually detail all the things a business can do to improve their business practices so they can save the environment and money at the same time. I list things like eliminating waste, using public transportation, buying recycled and sustainable inventory and raw materials, and so on.

This year, I've got some new and unusual advice. It's a bit out of left field for a business column: Go out and plant an EDIBLE garden.

Gardening??? That's not exactly the kind of small business advice you expect. But besides being a terrific metaphor for running a business (more about that later), gardening helps contribute to a more sustainable planet, it's good for your physical and mental health, perhaps even opens up a new business path for you.

All this with a garden? Remember, I said an edible garden. In other words, plant vegetables, herbs, fruits. Good, healthy things you can put on your table, make into a meal, share with your staff and friends.

Now, before you write me off as a committed gardening hobbyist, you should know I'm a new and fairly lackadaisical gardener. In fact, I'm the ultimate city girl. But last year my friend Jan and I planted our first garden in our neighborhood park community plot. By the end of summer, we had an amazing bounty of the most delicious tomatoes (a huge variety; we particularly loved the Orange Russian — YUM!), beans, peppers, squash, eggplant and flavorful herbs. We had so much, I even tried canning (but to be honest, I haven't eaten any of my canned stuff yet, I'm still a bit terrified).

But back to the business benefits of planting an edible garden. It:

•Gives you more energy. When you eat right, you feel better. When you feel better, you have more energy to put toward your business. Nothing is healthier than just-picked vegetables and fruits.