In recent years, words like eco-friendly and climate change have become more and more familiar. For many people, these words have inspired efforts to make our world a cleaner, happier, and more thriving place to live. So, how can you do your part and make use of your green thumb at the same time? Sustainable gardening.
The rules of sustainable gardening are simple. If you want to grow a sustainable garden, you do everything you can to conserve resources and cause the least amount of harm to the world around you. This includes keeping the water, air, and land as pure as possible so that it continues to give back to us.
Below, we’ll discuss six sustainable gardening practices, so you can (sustainably) have your produce and eat it too.
#1 Stop Using Chemicals
Pesticides may diminish the number of plant-eating pests in your garden, but they can also harm helpful insects like butterflies and bees.[1] Instead, you can create your own natural pesticide that can rid your garden of unwanted insects and keep them from coming back.
Here’s a simple recipe to try:
- Step 1 – Add 20 drops each of peppermint, citrus, cedarwood, rosemary, and eucalyptus oil to one ounce of water. (It may smell excellent to you, but not so much for unwanted pests). Blend together to create your essential oil blend.
- Step 2 – Mix a quart of warm water with two teaspoons of natural liquid soap. Be sure the soap is natural and doesn’t include any additives that could harm your sweet plants.
- Step 3 – Next, add 10 drops of your essential oil blend to the water and soap mixture.
- Step 4 – Once combined, put the natural pesticide in a squirt bottle. That’s it! You’re ready to spray away the pests on your plants.
#2 Begin a Composting Pile
A compost pile is a natural mixture of decomposing materials—leftover veggies, egg shells, you name it—that you can create from the comfort of your backyard.[3] It can offer your garden and the environment plenty of benefits, including:
- Helping you dispose of food waste in an environmentally friendly way
- Providing high-quality soil for your plants
- Filtering the water your garden receives (and the water that flows to the ocean)
- Controlling erosion so that there is more farmable land
#3 Use Water Wisely
Depending on where you call home, you may know that an endless supply of water isn’t always easy to come by. Whether you live in the lush green mountains of Washington State or the arid deserts of Nevada, being conservative with your water usage can benefit the world around you in a few ways:
- It reduces your carbon footprint – Using less water reduces the amount of energy being spent on water processing and bringing it to your home.
- It leaves water for surrounding ecosystems – Animals and plants around you need water, too. From marshlands to forests, our earth’s ecosystems need fresh water to flourish. Using less on your garden leaves more water to help them thrive.
#4 Plant Seeds Native to Your Area
Plants that are native to your climate are more likely to flourish.[5] They may also require less love and support from you (not that they don’t appreciate all you do for them). Other sustainable advantages to planting native seeds include:
- Some may require less water
- They may better support local pollinators (like bees, beetles, and butterflies)
- Native plants may need less fertilizer to thrive
#5 Start Mulching
If you use natural mulch in your yard, congratulations—you’re already practicing one sustainable gardening habit. If you’re not, it’s one of the easiest ways to dip your foot into the welcoming waters of sustainability, and your garden may appreciate it, too.
There are quite a few advantages to this sustainable gardening practice, including:
- Protecting your plants from quick changes in temperature
- Repurposing sawdust, wood chippings, old leaves, and other materials you would have otherwise thrown away
- Preventing weeds from growing in your garden
- Conserving water by reducing the amount that evaporates from the soil
Begin Your Sustainable Gardening Today with Kurtz Bros., Inc.
If you want to make the world a better place to live in, there’s no better time to start than right now. Why not grow your sustainable lifestyle with something you love, like gardening?
To start with, your garden will probably appreciate your homemade pesticides and vitamin-rich composting soil. But you’re also making a long-term investment in something that’s even more important—the future of the earth (and everyone that’s in it).
Kurtz Bros has everything you need to start your sustainable practices, from mulches of all sizes and colors to compost packed with nutrients and organic matter your garden will love.
Take the first step and start your sustainable garden today.
Sustainability and environmental responsibility is very important to our team at Kurtz Bros. Learn more about our sustainability efforts: