5 Eco-Friendly Gardening Tips

You can make the most of your garden by growing your own vegetables, fruit and herbs. It’s also a great feeling when it comes to eating your own produce!

You don’t even need a large garden to grow vegetables, as you can grow a small amount of potatoes and carrots in small containers if you want to.

If you are very limited with space or you just want to grow something a bit more low-maintenance, plant herbs instead. Herbs are also vital in attracting beneficial wildlife, such as bees, to your garden, which can help to deal with harmful garden pests.

Natural pesticides are an eco-friendly alternative to the chemical products you can buy. You can use a simple garlic and chilli mixture on your plants to keep away pests, as well as protect your plants by introducing beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, to your garden.

Furthermore, you should add a feeding place for birds, as these can also keep away harmful insects and pollinate your garden naturally.

Find out how to make your own natural pesticides here.

Another great way to keep your garden eco-friendly is by setting up your own compost. You’ll get to discard your organic food waste and have your plants enjoy the healthy, nutrient-rich soil your compost will produce.

You can compost a lot of produce from coffee and tea to paper and leaves. Make sure you understand how composting works before you get started. The key is to find a sunny spot for your compost and ensure it doesn’t get too moist or too dry.

Keeping your garden lush and beautiful takes quite a bit of effort and water. But watering your plants with a hose can mount up to a lot of water being wasted. A more eco-friendly alternative is to install a water butt.

Water butts help to collect rainwater from your roof or garden shed. You can then use the collected water in your garden. It’s a great way to save water and make full use of the rainy British weather!

You can also reduce and maybe even remove your water bill charge for run-off water, as well as using less water in the first place, a great double saving!

If you want a low maintenance, eco-friendly garden, you should select as many indigenous plants for your garden as possible. Indigenous plants naturally occur in the specific area, soil and climate you live in. These require a lot less work and provide a better habitat for local wildlife. You’ll use a lot less water keeping your plants alive.

The Royal Horticultural Society has a great tool for finding plants suitable to your garden conditions. You can also get help from your local gardening centre, where you can buy suitable plants as well.