Garden Maintenance

If you are in Australia in a place like Sydney, you need to carry out eco-friendly garden care with the sun in mind. The location is sunny through the year and therefore water is a big component in the maintenance of a healthy garden. Other means of making your garden environmentally friendly include furniture, attracting birds and mammals, growing fruits and vegetables, incorporating mulch, rock features and recycling waste. Here is some tips on how to make your garden eco-friendly.

1. Eco-Friendly Garden Furniture

When purchasing outdoor furnishings and furniture, pick eco-friendly options. Search for furniture created from natural materials or FSC sustainable wood. Be sure that the materials are treated with minimal toxic chemicals to prolong the furniture’s lifespan. Natural building materials are renewable, and don’t emit toxic chemicals into the surroundings. You can also get second-hand furniture at garage sales and op-shops. Even though you might not get a full outdoor set, mix-and-match used and vintage pieces will make your garden area a lot more colourful while adding a lot of personality to it. Furniture and outdoor retailers offer stylish and environmental-friendly garden furniture including sun beds, chairs and tables. If you wish to have a rug, stay away from synthetic materials. Pick one that is made of natural materials like seagrass, jute, or wool.

2. Invite Mammals, Birds and Bugs

Your garden should be a welcoming place to bugs, birds, and mammals. Developing habitats for them may not only make your garden appear scenic, but will also aid in the control of pests and diseases – meaning there would be no need for synthetic fungicides and pesticides. Creating a pond in your garden would promote drinking, bathing and breeding by local creatures. Set up nesting boxes and feeders to lure birds that eat slugs, caterpillars, snails and other pests that can ruin your crop is a great option. You can attract various wild insects like ground beetles, lacewings, and ladybirds to minimise the population of harmful pests. Growing wildflowers allow beneficial bugs to obtain shelter and lay eggs. This includes nectar-rich flowers to invite moths and butterflies.  

3. Conserve Water

You need plenty of water to maintain a lush, green garden. However, water is also a critical resource that needs conserving. There are numerous ways of preserving water.

• Plant native species that need less water than others.
• Avoid over watering to prevent damage to plants and depletion of water resources.
• Water plants in the evening during summer to prevent water loss through evaporation.
• Install an eco-friendly irrigation system that meets the needs of the garden size and the plants.
• Store rainwater through the use of a rainwater butt and utilise it in the dry season.
• Reuse grey water that is gathered from kitchen sinks and showers and sprinkle it in your garden with a grey water diverter. As long as it lacks harmful chemicals, this water is safe for your plants. You will be able to reduce your water expenses and conserve water as well.

4. Recycle Waste

You can utilise the excess amounts of household waste by recycling and reusing it in your home. Use old wooden or plastic containers and daily packaging as planters. You can cut off the base of plastic bottles and use them as seedling covers. Put a few holes into plastic lids and use the bottles for sprinkling. Additionally, you can create your own compost by utilising the organic waste in the production of healthy and nutrient-rich soil for your plants. This would aid in the reduction of waste, provision of fresh compost supply for the soil and reduce the need for fertiliser, saving on cost. Depending on the size of your garden, you can go for either a compost bin or a compost pit.

5. Grow Fruit and Vegetables

Growing your own vegetables and fruit should be one of the first steps to forming an eco friendly garden. You don’t require a vast area to plant fruit and vegetables as they can be successfully grown in a tiny area, even on apartment balconies. As long as the plants obtain sufficient sunlight and plenty of water, they should grow properly. If you need to save your plants from various plant pests and diseases, you must grow similar species and combinations of plants close to each other. This practice is referred to as companion planting and promotes the vitality and growth of plants. It also reduces the risk of harmful diseases, pests, and flying insects ruining your plants. You can also grow small plants that are sensitive to sunlight in the shade of taller plants. Through the adoption of organic garden care you will possess a fresh organic food supply that costs less and tastes better. This will help in the reduction of your carbon footprint since you will consume less product that is commercially grown and treated with harmful chemical fertilisers and pesticides while being grown through the use of tractors that burn fossil fuels.

6. Rock Features

Rocks can create amazing gardens, especially when paired with strategically positioned garden lighting and running water. Addition of rocks is great for garden maintenance since it minimises the area used for lawn and garden beds. This also means minimising the amount of water required to keep the plants green and healthy. Moreover, using various pebble and rock sizes adds interest and texture to your garden. Mix smaller rocks with bigger boulders and scattered plants.

7. Mulch

As mulch is available on the surface, it is very beneficial to the health of garden soil. It aids in the maintenance of soil temperature, prevention of soil compaction, reduction of weeds, provision of a source of organic matter, increased water retention and infiltration, erosion control and improved soil texture. Hence, mulch benefits the environment and it can be found locally.