6 Top Tips for a Sustainable Garden

From reducing our carbon footprint to eliminating harmful chemicals from the food we eat, our gardens have immense potential to help create a more sustainable future that benefits both us and the environment. 

Whether you're creating your dream garden in your new home, or looking to update your current space, anyone can transform their outdoor space into one that conserves resources, supports local insects and wildlife, and minimises your ecological footprint.

And we're here to help you do just that. Here are our top six tips and ideas to help you create and maintain a more sustainable garden.

1. Compost

A compost heap is an essential for any garden. The RHS reports that ‘every 1kg of homemade compost saves over 0.1kg fossil CO2 emissions, which could save more than 5.1 kg carbon, per gardener, every year.’ As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, composting has several other benefits for you and the environment. 

Benefits of Composting

• Diverts waste (food scraps and organic by-products) from landfill and incinerators by turning it into a valuable resource.
• Prevents soil erosion by binding soil together and increasing infiltration.
• Improves soil health by improving the biological, chemical and structural health of soils and helping to retain moisture. 
• Promotes healthier plants, by increasing the availability of nutrients to the soil.
• Minimises need for pesticides, which have been linked to several health conditions, including skin and eye irritation, asthma, and diabetes.

And it’s simple to get started. Invest in a compost bin and “feed” it with a mix of green and brown materials, such as weeds, uncooked vegetables, wood chippings and shredded paper. 

As part of your wider mission to be more sustainable, you should also make the move towards biodegradable household items, such as bamboo products, which can be added to your compost bin after use. 

2. Implement Water-Saving Practises

Implementing water-saving and conservation practices can help to minimise your water usage. You should —

• Fix leaky taps, dripping hoses and sprinklers.
• Use a drip irrigation system to water your plants. This saves both water and nutrients, by allowing the water to drip slowly to the roots of plants.
• Water your garden in the evening to reduce loss from evaporation.
• Install a water butt or rainwater collection system to capture rainwater and use this for watering your garden. 
• Use compost and mulches to help retain moisture in the soil.
• Track and monitor soil moisture levels to avoid over watering your plants.

3. Use Natural Pesticides 

Although effective for boosting plant growth, pesticides contain toxic chemicals that have been linked to the contamination of air, soil and water sources, and the harm of animal, aquatic and human life. 

Farm workers face significantly higher exposure than the general population, with a 2020 study finding that of the estimated 860 million agricultural workers worldwide, 44% are affected by pesticide poisoning each year. Early symptoms of pesticide exposure can include headaches, nausea, dizziness and respiratory secretion, though it can lead to long-term conditions, such as asthma, Parkinson’s disease and macular degeneration. 

Natural methods can help to repel and control pests without the need for harmful pesticides. 

• Grow plants that repel certain insects, such as rosemary to deter cabbage moths, mosquitos and flies, or marigolds to deter hornworms and slugs. 
• Natural sprays made from mild soap and vegetable oil (or water) can help to remove aphids, mites and similar species.
• Create natural barriers, such as the sharp edge of eggshells to deter slugs. 
• Consider companion planting, which encourages you to plant mutually beneficial species together.