We are all looking for ways to be kinder to the planet, and in the garden is a great way to start. The benefits of using natural products and growing organically have a huge impact not only on the environment but also on your family’s health. There’s lots of easy ways we can garden more sustainably, here are some of our top tips:
Compost
Have you tried making your own compost? It’s the most natural and environmentally friendly way to create a nutritious growing medium for your plants, making efficient use of your kitchen and garden waste. Only the smallest gardens will struggle to find space for a compost bin, and it is best to place one in a shady corner of the garden, often making use of space where most plants will struggle to thrive. The ideal consistency is made up of between 25-50% green waste (this includes grass cuttings, kitchen vegetable waste and weeds) and the rest brown waste (cardboard, paper, prunings or wood chippings).
We have a selection of compost bins which can suit any space or requirements, ask our expert team in store for advice.
Natural Fertilisers
Using an organic fertiliser such as bonemeal, fish, blood and bone or well rotted manure is a great way to ensure your plants are getting the best nutrients to help them grow. Using products like these which are derived from plant or animal sources may be slightly slower to act as the large organic matter needs to be broken down in the soil.
Watering
Collecting rainwater is a great way to conserve this vital resource, plants much prefer it to tap water too! The best way to do this is collecting from the roof of your house, or greenhouse from a downpipe into a water butt. You must ensure that the water is used frequently to prevent it collecting fungus, growing mouldy and smelling and also ensuring you clean out your water butt regularly.
It is also possible to use grey matter to feed your plants, as household soaps and detergents aren’t harmful to plants; but do not use if any bleach or disinfectant is present.
Pest Control
Controlling unwanted pests without chemicals is an important way to have a more positive impact on the environment through gardening actions. You can pick off slugs and snails by hand and remove them from your plants, and you can use the hose to wash off greenfly infestations.
Not all insects are pests, and encouraging predatory insects can help nature to do it’s thing and remove pests from your garden. Insects such as hoverflies or ladybirds predate on pests, so planting flowers such as chrysanthemums, marigolds, and dahlias will encourage them to visit.
Weeding
If you are making way for some of your favourite flowers by removing weeds, the kindest way is to pull up the weeds (getting the roots and all) by hand. There are also some great natural products on the market now, ones that do not contain glyphosate which are safe for children and pets when used correctly.