Sustainable gardening is an extremely popular concept right now. While it may sound complex, it isn’t at all. It’s a big idea with a simple message – do no harm. Or, do as little harm as possible. Creating a sustainable garden is an important step in providing safe, healthy produce for you and your family, and it’s easy to start doing.
What is sustainable gardening?
Sustainable gardening is growing food without causing destruction to the land, air, or water and reducing excess wherever possible.. The basic idea is that we think about what we are doing and how we are doing it before we take action. Instead of using chemicals and toxins in our home garden or community garden, we need to think about other alternatives first.
A primary goal is to produce native plants, fruits, veggies, and herbs rich in nutrients and flavor without the use of toxins. We all want to provide a healthy diet for our families, and using good practices makes a difference.
Sustainability planning takes into account the available resources of our planet and how best to utilize these resources without depleting them. The goal is to create an environmental garden plan that is beneficial to the earth, and all its inhabitants today as well as for all future generations.
This method conserves and preserves resources, as well as maintains and nourishes the land as it is. One popular process uses organic matter and microorganisms to break down organic waste into nutrient-rich compost to be used as a natural fertilizer.
Is It Possible For Vegetable Gardening To Be Sustainable?
Yes! For many, it will mean changing current gardening practices, possibly some that have been taught us by our parents and grandparents.
We know so much more about our limited resources and fragile ecosystems than we did back then, thankfully! it isn’t complicated to grow using sustainable gardening practices.
An eco-friendly garden takes time and commitment, but not any more than a classic vegetable garden. Don’t be discouraged It’s just different, not difficult.Â
It is important to understand everything we do and plant impacts the world in one way or another. The way we source our sustenance, use water, the plants we choose, the products we spray, all that we practice either benefits or hurts the climate and earth and all the species on it.
How is a vegetable garden sustainable?
The truth is if you are growing your own produce as a vegetable gardener you are practicing sustainability and fighting climate change.
You’re already doing a great thing by growing vegetables in your home organic garden! Buying vegetables from grocery stores as well as the industries that supply them creates a much larger carbon footprint than home-grown food. Trucks must transport the produce, often from long distances, producing excessive emissions in the process. And, so much of what is grown goes to waste during the transport due to the large quantities and long distances.
Large single-crop farms are often destructive to the earth, using up all the available nutrients in the soil, so the farmer has to supplement with fertilizers. Chemicals are applied frequently to combat pests and diseases. Waste run-off from large farms ends up in our waterways, potentially poisoning wildlife and contaminating drinking water supplies.
How do you start a sustainable vegetable garden?
Before you make any changes, you must think about the sustainable landscape design and the space you have available to grow, how you can incorporate these design ideas. Planning ahead is crucial to successful sustainable and organic gardening. The long term prosperity of your garden depends on the initial set-up. If you already have a garden and want to transition to more sustainable methods, that’s entirely possible as well. The benefits of a sustainable garden impact gardeners, plants, and nature as a whole.
- Choose a good garden site — The ideal veggie garden location is sunny and flat with good drainage. A garden doesn’t have to be square with rows of vegetable plants lined up. Look around your property and investigate alternatives. To make the best use of natural resources, double-check that rainwater isn’t going to run off and that it will seep easily into the soil. Be creative! Maybe there isn’t one perfect space, but instead several smaller ideal locations. Spread the garden out, it that works best.
- Design with the end-user in mind — Sustainability isn’t just about how you grow vegetables. A key to sustainable garden design is making it intuitive and optimized for the gardener’s use, such as raised beds. If it is difficult to manage, it will be a struggle to succeed. Gardening experts recommend ensuring that the garden is easy to access and that water sources aren’t complicated to get to or employ. Raised beds are easy to work with and can produce more leafy greens, protect the plants, and great for collecting rain water. When you are designing the garden, think about how you will interact with the space. Don’t forget to build paths through the plants. Build a garden shed nearby to keep supplies easily accessible. Keep the compost heap in a convenient location that you can easily maintain and throw yard waste and food scraps into.
- Prepare the space before planting — Happy soil grows strong, healthy, vegetables! The best way to create an incredible and productive garden is to add nutrient-rich compost or organic matter with microorganisms in it before starting plants. Unfortunately, not all soil contains the elements needed to grow abundant plants. Preparing the space before planting ensures that the soil is and will remain healthy as it grows your food. Compost not only enriches the soil, though. Compost helps the ground retain moisture, provides extra protection against diseases and protects plant roots.
- Choose high-quality seeds –The seeds you use matter. Many seed varieties have been lost over time due to disuse and the increasing dependence on monoculture and not home gardens. When every family grew a veggie garden, there were thousands of specialty seeds and options for vegetable plants. Lettuce types were grown specific to their climate. Corn and potato plants were different everywhere you went. Now, we don’t have nearly as much variety, and that is a dangerous situation. If one seed becomes contaminated or suddenly wiped out due to pests, it could seriously hurt the food supply chain. When you buy seeds, consider where they come from, the company selling them, and the methods used to cultivate them for sale. Non-GMO, heirloom seeds are the best option for any garden. Grow native plants whenever possible. They use less water, take fewer resources from the soil, and have a reduced overall impact on the local environment. Gardeners play a vital role in the health and sustainability of our planet and habitat.
- Use companion planting — A great way to reduce the use of pesticides and combat troublesome insects naturally, companion planting is vital to the success of a sustainable garden. Choosing companion plants is also important in attracting beneficial insects, which are necessary for a healthy garden environment. Adding yarrow plants to gardens brings more bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
- Do not till — One of the worst things we’ve done to our soil over the years is till it repeatedly. Tilling is used widely because it makes it easier to plant seeds. However, the damage it does is unavoidable. Minerals and nutrients in the dirt are brought to the top where they are burned by the sun and rendered useless. Earthworms, one of the most beneficial creatures to have in the soil, are killed in large numbers. The earth is more likely to become compacted and unable to retain moisture as it’s natural structure is destroyed. Erosion becomes a larger issue when we till since the soil doesn’t retain rainwater as easily. Areas often become impossible to garden if there is too much erosion. Tilling also brings weed seeds to the top, creating more weeds for you to combat.
- Mulch— Weeds are the worst! They’re such a headache, but thankfully, there is an easy, time-effective method for reducing them. Mulch is a wonder in the garden as weed-suppressant. Leaves, grass clippings, straw, and wood chips are excellent natural materials to use as mulch. The use of mulch around plants has a much more significant impact than just against weeds. Mulch is important for liquid infiltration, retaining moisture, and protecting the roots of plants. Gather mulch materials near the garden, so they are easy to access.
- Integrated pest management –Try something less toxic on the plants first. The idea behind integrated pest management is to start with the least harmful option, then move to other options only as necessary. This style reduces the uses of dangerous toxins, is better for the health of the garden and gardener, and is the best alternative to using chemicals.
- Water & Irrigation— Set up drip lines to water all your plants. Drip lines reduce water usage and are also more effective since they target the plant roots. Sprinkler systems are easy, but they waste a lot of water, and they get the leaves wet, which can lead to leaf burn and mold issues.
Top 5 Easy Tips For Sustainable Vegetable Gardening
These gardening ideas are great for pre-existing garden beds. Above, we provided expert advice about how to start a new sustainable garden. However, we know that isn’t possible for everyone. Sometimes, you have to work with what you already have and aren’t able to start from scratch. That’s okay! Even if you just employ a few of these tips, you’ll be providing a better, eco-friendly landscape for future generations.
Avoid using chemicals
- Chemicals aren’t good for anyone. Sure, they kill the pests or diseases that you’re fighting, but the cost is much higher than just the intended use. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides leach into the ground, potentially affecting vegetable crops for years. Pesticides don’t just kill the pesky bugs; they destroy all they come in contact with, which is often beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and moths, as well. Poisons to rid the garden of mice, voles, and other small animals end up poisoning birds like owls and hawks when they eat the infected rodent. Pets and children can become victims of poisoning if they get into dangerous compounds. There are many natural ways to get rid of pests or combat diseases. This is especially important in lawn maintenance, where so many toxic substances are used today.
Start a compost pile or bin
- One of the best ways to give back to the land is to revitalize it with rich, organic compost. Every time you grow vegetables, you are taking nutrients out of the earth. To continue growing bountiful vegetable crops, you need to replenish the soil on a regular basis. Implementing a compost system also means you are turning waste into a useful resource. Instead of kitchen scraps, leaves, and grass clippings going to the dump as waste, they get recycled and become nutritional food for the vegetable garden.
Employ rain catchment systems
- One primary goal of any sustainable garden is to use less water. Our water supply is not infinite, and it is especially unreliable in hot climates with rapid evaporation, or those frequently subjected to drought. Rain barrels are an excellent way to collect rainfall when it is available and store it for later use. Using rainwater Mother Nature naturally provides also reduces costs, and is infinitely better for the environment. Saving money is always a good thing! Rain gardens also have a huge impact on landscaping practices. Rainwater flows into a planted area or raised beds designed to collect the rain in the soil, so it doesn’t run off and become waste.
Use native plants
- Planting trees and flowers that are native to the area encourage more beneficial insects and require fewer resources to thrive. Native plants should always be the first choice. The long-term benefits of using native fruit trees, plants, and flowers are priceless. When we plant trees in our garden that are native, we improve the health of our landscape.
Re-Use materials
- Turn old lumber into a garden fence. Use discarded bricks and other materials to build paths and enhance the natural landscape. Don’t throw things away that have the potential for re-use. This not only saves you money, but it’s also better for the environment because those items aren’t going to end up in the landfill.
Designing a sustainable garden space with lots of vegetable plants is a fun and important task. When we plant conscientiously, we make a difference. This is a lifestyle choice that affects us all. However, it also benefits each individual gardener exponentially because vegetable growth is enhanced, and harvests are increased. Plants are happiest in a garden with rich soil, lots of pollinators, ample water, and conditions that improve the area instead of drain it. Sustainable gardening methods give all this, and more.
