Maegan-Leigh JacobsThrough every season, treading lightly on your personally beloved patch of earth is one of the sweetest love labours you can offer the planet.
Give your garden a gentle hug with these tips:
Reduce water waste
Water conservation is one of the most important ways you can make your garden more environmentally friendly. You can reduce the amount of water you use in your garden by targeting the roots when you water plants and mulching to retain moisture. Avoid sprinklers and use drip irrigation instead. You can also water your garden in the early morning when it’s cool out, so the plants have time to absorb water before the sun dries it out.
Plant native species
To make your garden more eco-friendly, consider planting species native to your area. Your garden will work with the environment rather than against it, and as an added bonus, they’ll be easy to grow. Native plants attract local wildlife, so you can watch your garden bloom into a haven for pollinating insects and birds.
Invite wildlife
Creating a habitat for local wildlife in your garden can be beneficial for you and for them. Planting flowers will attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden. Plants that produce berries will invite birds, and flat, decorative rocks attract lizards that will be happy to take care of your garden’s pests. The more welcoming you make your garden for local wildlife, the better your garden will do.
Grow vegetables and fruit
What better way to live more sustainably than by growing your own food? Oftentimes, produce is shipped and trucked for long distances, which sends emissions into the atmosphere. By growing fruit and vegetables at home, you reduce emissions. Not to mention, you get fresh, pesticide-free produce. Vegetables you grow at home are usually richer in nutrients than store bought produce, so your eco-friendly garden is good for you and for the environment.
Be garden savvy this Autumn
Use fallen leaves!
Mulch them down so the broken down leaves can decompose – this acts as a wonderful natural fertiliser and weed assists in controlling weeds as well.Bonus points for less landfill waste, especially organic materials that don’t get to break down while trapped between synthetic waste.
Put your water bottles to good use!
The change of season tends to feel like it happens overnight. Use cut off water bottles to create a mini-greenhouse for seedlings and any plants that may be struggling through their next growth spurt as cooler weather arrives.
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