Sustainable Gardening: Getting Started Making The Switch

Hey Guys, 
I hope everyone is doing well.

Recently, wee been talking about how making your garden more sustainable has many different benefits, and as promised, we will look a little into that in a future blog post.

But before we do, let's dive right in on getting started with sustainable gardening;
Starting a sustainable garden involves several key practices such as choosing native plants, conserving water, promoting soil health and minimising waste.
In addition, you can also go a step further by reducing chemical usage such as pesticides and herbicides, encouraging wildlife, which promotes biodiversity and reusing or recycling materials which helps save money and reducing waste.

By focusing on the above principles, you can get started in creating a sustainable garden, all the while minimising your environmental impact.

Let's take a closer look at these principles in detail:

1: Choosing Native Plants-  As a starting point, consider  researching which plants are native to your area and incorporate as many of those plants into your garden as possible. Native plants are adapted to your area's local climate and soil. This means they need less watering and less overall maintenance which is really helpful for people who are pushed for time. 
Native plants also support your area's local wildlife because native plants provide habitat and a food source for birds, insects and other creatures and as we all know, nature needs a little helping hand right now.

2: Conserving Water-  Everyone knows just how precious a resource water actually is and as our climate continues to change, many of us risk having shortages of water, which as we know can be a total disaster for our gardens. However, not all is not lost, there are a variety of ways in which we can all do a little more to conserve water.
Consider implementing water saving techniques such as installing a rain barrel to collect rain water, using a soaker hose or drip irrigation for targeted watering, which does significantly reduce the amount of water waste, or you can mulch around your plants to help retain the plant's moisture which means less overall watering.
In addition, you can also consider using plants that are draught-tolerant such as succulents, cacti and certain grasses to reduce your overall water consumption.

3: Promote Soil Health- Here's a simple breakdown of easy methods you can use to promote soil health in your garden:
⦁    Composting kitchen and yard waste creates nutrient-rich soil for your plants which is a very cost-effective method.
⦁    Mulching really helps retain plant's moisture and goes a long way in promoting soil health and it helps with water usage and also reduces water waste.

Okay, this has been a quick overview of how to get started in making the switch to sustainable gardening.
Take a journey with me as we explore further into the world of sustainability.

Thank you for reading, 
Until Next Time,
Kim.