When it comes to the subject of sustainable gardening and looking after the environment, sustainability is defined by the United Nations as when “design, construction, operations, and maintenance practices […] meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Sustainability has become an increasingly important issue in recent years, not just in the larger global, but also in our day-to-day lives. Whether it’s recycling, riding a bike to work, or reducing the amount of plastic we bring into our homes, we’re all trying to do our bit for the environment. And if you have a garden or balcony with plants there is a lot you could do towards sustainable gardening to help the environment.
Working in our gardens seems like a pretty environmentally-friendly activity, whether we have a classic back garden, an urban community garden, or even a modern roof garden. If you are a green-thumbed person there are additional things you can do to ensure that your gardens are environmentally-friendly and continue to be sustainable. Planting flowering varietals, keeping a space for vegetables, and shrubbery that works in harmony with the local environment.
1. Environmental protection; Discover the benefits of planting trees in 2023 for sustainable gardening
When it comes to planting trees there are many environmental benefits. Tree planting is one way to improve your garden aesthetically and make it a healthier environment. The beauty of trees is that they actually store the carbon from the atmosphere that your soil needs to become more fertile and fruitful. Of course, not everyone’s garden has enough space for trees, so why not volunteer with a local organization planting trees in communal areas?
2. Avoiding chemical pesticides in an effort to protect our environment beyond 2023
To ensure our gardens and the habitats in them stay healthy, it’s a good idea to avoid using synthetic fertilizers, and chemical pesticides, when you can. Do you really want all those chemicals making their way from your vegetable patch to your dinner table? There are many other sustainable ways to help your garden thrive and grow—the most obvious of which is using compost. Filled with all the natural nutrients your garden needs, it’s an eco-friendly way to keep your plant beds growing strongly. You can even make it yourself, maintaining an effort towards sustainable gardening in 2023.
3. What is compost and how will this help protect nature in 2023?
Recycling is an important part of sustainability; this includes our food and garden waste. By making your own compost, you’re ensuring that all that leftover food and lawn clippings don’t just up in a landfill somewhere. When you make your own compost a good tip is to keep a balance between the brown and green plant matter. You’ll be surprised what you can put in your mixture.
To keep that good bacteria busy and active, the green matter is helped by grass clippings and kitchen waste. You can use your fruit peels, vegetables that are past their prime, and even coffee grounds. The brown plant matter is helped by adding shredded newspaper, wood chips, and dry leaves, so you can keep hold of yesterday’s sports pages, and the leaves you rake up from the lawn and driveway. Think of it as food for your natural garden!
Photo from Earth Easy.
4. How getting rid of weeds can help to protect the natural environment that surrounds you in 2023: weeding for sustainable gardening
Every area has weeds that are native to it. It’s important to find out what may be growing in your area and in which season before you start getting rid of weeds, Sometimes the worst garden weeds look like wildflowers minding their own business, so it’s important to know the difference. It’s pretty tempting when you see evidence of weeds in your garden to get the herbicide out, but there are natural ways to go about weeding. Tricks such as using salt, vinegar, boiling water, or simply removing them by the root can often be enough to put a stop to them.
5. Why plant diversity is key to a healthy garden and one of the top environmental protection examples of 2023
When planning out your garden, try to get as many different species of plants as possible and encourage plant diversity. Creating biodiversity is a good way to ensure that your prize flowers bloom for as long as possible, as well as one of the best environmental protection examples for 2023. A wide range of plants also encourages local wildlife to visit your garden.
Small birds and insects are an important part of a garden’s life cycle, especially when it comes to pollination. Encouraging these habitats to thrive helps to keep your garden in ecological harmony with your surrounding environment.
Want to take sustainability to the next level? Expand your eco-friendly way of life to the day-to-day with some of our favorite wellness tips!
