Sustainable gardening means adopting practices that preserve our natural resources so they can continue to give back to us.
Caring about yourself and nature means being less wasteful and saving money, too. Who could argue with this? If you are a gardener, here are just a few ideas:
Buy in bulk when you know that you’ll need a lot of topsoil, mulch, compost, or other materials. This cuts down on plastic bags. Many garden centers will even deliver right to your yard. Also check with your city recycling center or Department of Transportation—they might offer free compost, soil, sand, or other materials.
Reuse, recycle, or return old plastic pots and trays. See six ways to reuse pots and containers and how to repurpose common household items to use in the garden—and save money!
Plant pots right into the ground! Here are 10 types of biodegradable pots.
Stop Pesticides and Chemicals in the Garden
Most of the beginner gardeners who we meet want to start growing without chemicals or pesticides—in a way that works and even saves money. Much of this is simply about focusing less on the plant and more on the health of the soil that supports the plant. If it’s nutrient-rich with organic matter, plants thrive.
See how to use organic soil amendments to turn your poor garden soil into a nutrient-rich paradise in which plants will thrive.
You don’t need chemicals to get rid of pesky garden pests: Companion planting, natural remedies, and attracting predators to your garden can save you money and also save your plants. See how to control pests in the organic garden.
Some bugs are good for the garden! Here’s a list of some of the best beneficial insectsto have in your gardening space, with pictures and tips for attracting them.
It’s easy to use an organic plant fertilizer—made from just weeds and water. Does it sound strange to make plant fertilizer by using other plants? This is how nature works! Here’s a simple recipe for DIY organic fertilizer—without using chemicals or animal waste—right from your garden!
Gardening and farming methods such as not tilling the soil, growing cover crops during the off-season, and rotating crops (and grazing) help to retain organic materials in the soil.
Here are tips on organic seed-starting and our Beginner’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening to get you started.
Conserve Water!
We waste a lot of water. Avoid overwatering your plants and improve their health by knowing how much your garden really needs. Avoid watering your garden vegetables and plants from overhead, which invites fungal disease. Water at the soil level.
See our top tips for watering wisely in the garden or our video demonstrating 10 smart watering tips. For gardens, flower beds, trees, and other non-lawn areas, consider installing a drip irrigation system or hose with irrigation holes that puts the water right into the soil, where you want it. If you must use sprinklers, put them on timers.
Harvest your rainwater from a roof, gutters, and sky with a rain barrel. If you have a low-lying area, consider planting a rain garden, which captures runoff, filters out pollutants, and provides food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds, and other wildlife. See plot plans for “sun” and “shade” rain gardens.
Learn more about EvCC Sustainability www.everettcc.edu/green or email to sustainability@everettcc.edu