Growing a Sustainable Garden: Tricks & Benefits

Sustainability is now a global phenomenon. Scientists, environmental experts, and policymakers are making every effort to incorporate sustainability into every sector of life. This is also applicable to gardening. Even though gardening has numerous benefits and positive impacts on the betterment of ecosystems, the associated activities have a significant environmental footprint.

We, gardeners or nature ethicists, are lovers of nature and certainly ethically responsible for protecting the environment from any harmful effects. It is our duty to find solutions to perform our gardening-related activities without harming the environment. But how do we do that? The best and most lucrative approach is growing a sustainable garden. If you are new to this, my tips and tricks will help you understand the process.

Why Do Sustainable Gardening

As per the core, sustainable gardening refers to gardening activities that emphasize environmental stewardship and responsible use of resources. In its process, the associated gardening activities include practices that conserve water, improve soil health, reduce waste generation, and support the retention of the original biodiversity.

The American Horticultural Society states that Sustainable gardening combines organic gardening practices with resource conservation. Generally, sustainable gardening is forward-thinking, values ecosystem support, and makes as little negative impact on the earth as possible.

From the foundational perspective, sustainable gardening aims to facilitate a self-sustaining ecosystem in which plants, soil, and wildlife thrive together without chemical intervention or excessive resource consumption.

This methodological procedure has natural processes and cycles, ensuring that your garden can maintain its health and productivity for a long time.

Importance of Sustainable Gardening

Sustainable gardening generates less carbon dioxide by reducing synthetic fertilizers and harmful pesticides.
Sustainable gardening processes support water conservation efforts.
Sustainable gardening promotes the planting of native plants, supporting the existence of native wildlife and animals.
The ecological balance of the surrounding area functions effectively due to sustainable gardening practices.
The fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc. produced through sustainable gardening are chemical-free, which does not harm your health.
Sustainable gardening uses compost made of kitchen waste, lessening the waste management burden.
It encourages and educates the youths to go for sustainable gardening, which is essential for the existence of the human race on this planet. Moreover. If the youth start to practice sustainable gardening, they will apply the principle in every sector of life, importing a broader beneficial contxt.

Stepwise Process for Sustainable Gardening

The following are the steps.

Step 01: Location Selection

First, you must select a suitable garden spot to start with sustainable gardening. The selected space must incorporate the factors listed below.

The selected space must receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
You must ensure that the selected space is equipped with adequate drainage facility. Otherwise, the roots will be damaged.
The site must have a shaded element to protect the plants from heavy wind circulation. It will also restrict soil erosion.
Most importantly, the selected spot must be accessible for effortless gardening activities such as watering, weeding, fertilizing, etc.

Step 02: Improving Soil Quality

So, you have selected the space you desire to do sustainable gardening. Now, you have to put effort into improving the soil quality. To increase the soil quality, do the following.

Collect some soil samples and take them to the nearby lab for pH testing. If the soil pH level is below 5.5, use wooden ash to increase the pH. On the other hand, if the soil pH is more than 9.5, use elemental sulfur to reduce the soil pH.
Compost, green manure, and leaf mold must be used to improve soil fertility, structure, and microbial activity.
Green manure is better for retaining moisture and controlling weeds.
Never use any chemical-based substances to improve soil quality, as it contradicts sustainable gardening principles.

Step 03: Plant Selection

In this case, you will surely select the desired plant to grow. But, following sustainable gardening, you also have to plant native plants to support the local ecosystems. Native plants are suited to the climate and soil of the areas where they naturally grow. Besides helping pollinators and other wildlife, these plants are more sustainable because they need less water and fertilizer compared to most non-native plants.

Again, to incorporate water conservation efforts, go for drought-resistant plants so that the waterbodies in that area do not receive a burden.

Additionally, you should go for diversified planting to promote a resilient ecosystem and attract beneficial insects and pollinators. In summation, you do not use excessive water while massively boosting pollination.

Step 04: Supporting Activities

There are several supporting activities that you must consider when incorporating sustainable gardening.

Go for companion planting, which will benefit each other while they grow together. For instance, marigolds protect tomatoes from pests, while beans fix nitrogen in the soil for other plants.
Crop rotation is another crucial approach to sustainable gardening. It restricts soil depletion and reduces the risk of pests and diseases.
Incorporating diverse garden layouts is another core strategy for sustainable gardening. You can use vertical gardening, raised beds, etc. Reusing water will benefit sustainable gardening.
Sustainable gardening must avoid soil compaction, as it obstructs the flexibility of aeration and water circulation through the soil particles.

Addressing the Challenges

Sustainable gardening introduces beneficial insects, which help the surrounding farms to control the harmful pests.
Sustainable gardening promotes the use of natural ingredients like neem oil, hot peppers, garlic spray, etc., which results in the production of healthy foods.
Add organic matter regularly, such as compost, aged manure, and leaf mold, to improve soil structure and fertility. This enhances water retention, aeration, and microbial activity. As a result, the soil quality gradually improves, resulting in good harvests in the future.
Sustainable gardening uses cover cropping while preventing soil erosion, fixing nitrogen, and adding organic matter.
The associated activities of sustainability gardening create adequate drainage facilities while helping the overall farming community in the long run by solving their problem of constant water supply needs.
In sustainable gardening, people choose plant varieties that are well-suited to their local climate and conditions. Drought-tolerant plants are ideal for arid regions, while cold-hardy varieties are better for cooler climates. Additionally, heirloom and indigenous plants often have built-in resilience to local pests and diseases.

Tricks for Sustainable Gardening

It is advised to create compost using the DIY method. You can use kitchen waste, grass clippings, dry leaves, etc.
Use cover crops during the off-season to improve soil fertility, restrict weed suppression, and prevent soil erosion.
Always try to collect and store rainwater for further use as per the water conversation effort.
To save water use, you should water the plants in the late evening or in the early morning as there will be less evaporation restricting loss of water content.
You should facilitate drip irrigation to use the water efficiently and restrict water waste.
It is better to focus more on growing native plants as these require less water and fertilizer to survive.
The incorporation of perennials is effective enough to reduce the replanting of the same plants again and again, which allows for the minimization of soil disturbance and frequent maintenance needs.
As part of sustainable gardening practice, you must go for manual weeding instead of using chemical pesticides.
From grass cutting to shaping the plant, you must not use machines as it contradicts the concept of sustainable gardening practice.
Plant diverse species to create a resilient ecosystem that can withstand pests and diseases better.

Final Words

I hope that now you have a clear idea about growing a sustainable garden. Also, now, you know the tricks and benefits. However, incorporating sustainable gardening is not a single-man job but a communal one, as it has a vital number of challenges.

By addressing these common challenges with sustainable solutions, you’ll create a resilient and productive garden that can withstand the ups and downs of nature. These practices enhance your garden’s health and vitality and contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly gardening approach.