Many people are thinking about zero waste these days, but all too often, the progress made does not extend from the home into the garden. If you are someone who want to make sure that your garden is as low waste as your home, here are a few simple tips or suggestions:
- Make sure you are making the most of all the natural resources your garden can provide. (Including seeds and plants for propagation, that help you avoid buying in seeds and plants, materials for creating your own compost and mulches, and things like logs or branches for bed edging, fencing, plant supports, plant fibres for garden twine etc..)
- Avoid waste of seeds and plants. Try to sow only what you need, and give excess seeds and plants away to family and friends before they are no longer viable. Swap, share and perhaps even sell…
- Ensure that you choose the right plants for your climate zone and your particular garden. Make sure you are not wasting plants by planting ones which are unlikely to thrive where you live.
- Make sure you care for your plants correctly and garden organically and sustainably to avoid (wherever possible) killing off or damaging your plants.
- Avoid water waste by setting up sustainable rainwater management and irrigation systems where these are required.
- Choose plastic-free and long-lasting alternatives when it comes to garden tools, meshes, row covers, plant labels, garden twine etc..
- Make full use of natural or reclaimed materials when building garden structures, fences, raised beds, bed edging etc…
- Don’t waste the food you grow. Be prepared for the harvest. Harvest on time. Make sure you have some good recipes ready, and preserve whatever you cannot eat right away.
- Make sure fruit and vegetable scraps end up in the compost. But before they do, think about other ways you can use them – to make vegetable stock, and even for natural dyes, for example.
These are just a few simple, zero waste tips to help you make sure your garden is as sustainable and non-wasteful as possible.
EWSP Consultancy 