Five ways to make your garden more sustainable

It’s not just in the garden where being green is important today. But there is a lot that we can do in our own outdoor spaces to help create a healthier environment and reduce our own carbon footprints! Now is a great time to consider your outdoor practices.

Here, the gardening experts at Toro have shared five ways you can do your little bit for the environment, from your own garden.

Plant choice

Your choice of plants for your garden has more impact on the sustainability of your garden than most people think. Picking plants that are native to your area and thrive in the conditions of your climate are the ideal choice for your garden. Finding plants that can tolerate the weather conditions in your area, for instance in high rainfall areas, tall perennials would be one of the better choices. Deciding upon plants that are better for your area will reduce the amount of wasted plants you go through, as they will be much more likely to survive longer term. Besides, nature has designed these perfect plants to survive in specific micro-climates. Having a wealth of plants in your garden will support the absorption of CO2 emissions so where possible opt for long living plants such as shrubs and trees ferns or ivy as they are particularly effective.

Compost

Making the most of your garden waste through composting is one of the single most impactful ways you increase your sustainable garden habits. By recycling the garden waste that you create, such as lawn trimmings or fallen leaves, you’ll be creating less material that will go to the landfill and will instead provide valuable organic material to enrich your garden. A compost bin where excess garden waste can be disposed both improves the look of your garden, reduce the waste going to landfill and provides a valuable resource you can use further down the line. There are other similar ways you can use the compost process without investing in a bin. For instance, leaving some grass trimmings on the lawn after a mow or mow over autumn leaves to create a fine mulch will add nutrients back to the grass. The Toro PoweReverse features the Recycler Cutting System which works to re-cut the grass clippings into a fine mulch, which is then spread across the lawn providing an easy and fresh compost for your grass. You can also use your collected grass trimmings as added nutrients for your flower beds.

Chemicals in the garden

Cutting out the use of pesticides is a great way to start caring for your garden more, especially in the long run. Using pesticides has contributed to a catastrophic decline in insect populations, so cutting them out will positively affect both animals and insects that feed on the various plants. Why not try using natural methods of pest control? Certain flowers and plants will emit strong odours that will discourage certain insects away from your other plants. And instead of using weed killers, maybe try the good old-fashioned method of pulling them out yourself – it’s not only greener, it’ll give you some great exercise as well!

Use less water

Being smarter with the amount of water you use is another great step towards making your garden more sustainable. Adding mulch to your flowerbeds and around the base of shrubs and trees will help the soil retain moisture and prevent evaporation during dry periods. Watering at the right time of day is also crucial in making sure you do not waste water and ensures it cares for your plants rather than evaporating. Only water then when the soil is dry about a spade-deep down and avoid watering when the sun is bright and opt for morning or evening once the temperature has cooled down a bit. Collecting rainwater to use on your plants will also save you using water from a hose or tap. It can be easily collected by diverting the water from your drainpipe into a water container.

Consider the tools you use

Using more energy efficient gardening tools is a great way to cut down the impact on the environment when tidying your garden. For example, the PowerPlex range from Toro is an entirely electric range of garden power tools, all powered by a 40V lithium ion rechargeable battery. The PowerPlex range offers a brushless blower, chainsaw, hedge trimmer and string trimmer/edger, all of which can share the same battery. The range will still give you an easy experience when tending to your garden, while simultaneously being better for the environment.

A few simple changes like these, you can make a major difference to the sustainability and health of your garden, allowing you to protect and care for your outdoor living space by instilling a more natural balance.