A Look at Eco Gardening and How It Helps the Environment
A growing trend in gardening is eco gardening. This is a method of gardening that emphasizes natural ways and tries to limit human interference as much as possible. It is an environmentally friendly way to garden, and works in harmony with nature instead of disrupting it.
What is Eco Gardening?
Eco gardening uses natural methods and materials to create a garden that functions as a part of the local ecosystem. It eschews the use of chemical fertilizers and gas-powered mowers and other power tools in favor of natural methods. The idea behind eco gardening is create a sustainable garden that gives back to nature as much as it takes away.
Eco gardening is a holistic approach. Every step of the way in creating the garden is purposefully environmentally friendly. The decision of which plants to add is made not for aesthetic reasons, but for how those plants help the ecosystem. Plants that attract pollinating insects, for example, are often chosen.
A critical element in eco gardening is to eliminate the use of plastics. Plastic waste is a major problem, and most plastic products are not recyclable. All sorts of gardening implements are often made from plastic, including tools, netting, plant supports, and plant pots. Many of these products come in packaging that contains a large amount of plastic, too. There are many non-plastic alternatives to all of these items. If it is necessary to use plastic, it should be reused as much as possible to avoid putting it back into the environment via the trash.
The concept of reusable resources extends to purchasing items for the garden. Before buying anything new, eco gardeners should first check to see if they can acquire what they need second-hand. Purchases of used gardening items is encouraged whenever possible. Also, eco gardeners put their own items up for sale for others to buy and use.
Many people don’t want insects, birds, or animals in their garden, but an eco garden encourages wildlife visitors. By attracting beneficial animals and insects, the garden does its own form of pest control, as these friendly guests chase away unwanted visitors and keep the garden healthy.
Ways to Practice Environmentally Friendly Gardening
There are many small things that can be done to make a garden eco-friendly. While none of these items may be a game-changer by itself, the combination of many of them will turn any garden into an eco garden. Soil health is the key to any successful garden. Using mulch to enrich the soil is a great organic way to ensure a good soil base. Compost or shredded bark or leaves are common mulches. Compost can be made from food waste from the kitchen, thus recycling this detritus into nourishment for the garden. The use of mulch will save water by reducing the amount of evaporation caused by the sun and wind. It also helps to hold in the ground heat during chilly nights.
Chemical Pesticides Should Be Avoided
If at all possible, chemical pesticides should be avoided. They not only kill their targets, but they can be deadly to other, more beneficial plants and insects, as well as to birds or small animals. Use natural methods of pest control to keep your garden free of unwanted visitors. Using horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps is a safe way to protect plants and repel invasive insects. These items are non-toxic to bees and other friendly insects and leave very little residue. Horticultural oils should be used only during the winter months, as the use of these oils in warm weather can have detrimental effects on plant life.
In order to conserve water, rainwater can be collected in a barrel or other large container and then used to water the garden. This is an excellent example of sustainability in action. Also, try using a bit less water each time and monitor the plants after watering. It may be that the lesser amount of water is more than sufficient for the plants’ needs.
The trend toward eco gardening has been growing steadily in recent years. People are now more aware of environmental damage and the need to protect ecosystems, and they are taking steps to do their part in their own homes and gardens. Most of these methods don’t take much time or energy, and they have a positive effect on local wildlife. There is no trade-off in beauty or productivity of the garden when going eco-friendly, so if possible, adapt environmentally friendly methods when gardening and help out the local ecosystems.
