Plant Your Sustainable Spring Garden

Making your home more eco-conscious can be bewildering if you’re new to an organic lifestyle. There are plenty of ways you can incorporate ecological living into your home. Your garden is a great place to start.

If you’re growing your own food in a garden of your own then you are already doing a lot to ensure yourself a less harmful place in the environment.

However, if you want to make sure you’re truly doing your best for the natural ecosystem, there are a few things that ensure your garden is sustainable for the planet.

It’s a Thirsty World – Use Water Wisely

Water usage is one of the biggest concerns in gardening, and environmentally conscious homeowners can feel anxious that they’re not conserving as much water as possible. However, there are rainwater collection systems you could install in your home that allow you to keep and use water that would otherwise be wasted.

You could invest in a drip irrigation system that uses less water than your typical sprinkler system to keep your plants looking healthy and well-watered without overdoing it.

Another form of water conservation you could utilize throughout your garden is via the gray water created in your home from untreated wastewater. This is water coming from washing and showering etc., not water intended for the bowels of the sewage system. 

Feed Your Garden Well

Healthy soil that’s rich in minerals, microbes and organic matter is going to be key to creating a garden that flourishes. In most cases, gardeners must add supplements and inputs to create thriving soil and plants.

 However, if you weren’t already aware, composting at home is more than possible.  

Look into different devices that allow you to take scraps and turn them into soil.  

There are plenty of options out there, like the Lomi composter, which reduces your waste at home and helps your garden flourish at the same time. Some other benefits of composting include reducing landfill waste and putting different organisms back in the soil that can help decompose organic material.

After harvest, simply repeat the process by composting the unused parts of the plants and replenish the soil.

You can also purchase organic inputs like AgroThrive at your local garden store. It’s a liquid organic fertilizer that stimulates the growth of root hairs and increases microbial activity.

Protect Your Local Biodiversity

When growing food in your own backyard, there’s always the risk of your garden being eaten by little ones running about. There’s plenty of rabbits and deer who will nibble your plants to the nub.

While it might mean more work, such as relying on non-chemical pest deterrents, you should avoid using pesticides and herbicides as best as possible. Chemicals get into water supplies and the food cycles of local wildlife.

Instead, invest in a small eco-friendly fence made from recyclable materials, like bamboo or even a living fence. This helps keep critters out of your garden area while also allowing you, your kids and pets from toxic exposure.

Build a Home for Nature

While you don’t want the local wildlife to come and eat your dinner, you don’t want to eliminate the biodiversity around you.

Protecting your garden with fencing is a good idea, but don’t be afraid to incorporate a refuge for nature. Plant a wildflower patch for pollinators, hang a bird feeder, keep the birdbath brimming. Or you can go wild and put in a stone pond with lily pads afloat.

In terms of protecting your garden, a living fence is the most eco-friendly option as it’ll allow you to protect your garden while also providing habitats for insects, birds and other little critters.

Don’t Have the Resources? 

If you’re looking for ways to finance a new fence or garden addition, look into a home equity line of credit that could give you money for this project as needed while offering a lower interest rate than credit cards.

This can also help you pay for your composter, new sprinkler system or that stone pond you were looking to add. Given how much our homes have encroached on the natural habitat of thousands of animal species, it’s only right that we offer some room back to protect them as well.

With these tips, I send you forth to create a sustainable garden. One that puts fresh organic food straight on your plate.