As the New Year begins and the temperatures drop, I rarely make any resolutions that involve sacrificing the little treats and comforts that make it easier to get through the last few months before spring finally arrives. I do however like to come up with an achievable idea or two that I can make a positive difference with.
My gardening habits have come to the forefront this year, especially as I’m spending less time outside and some forward planning can be done from a cosy chair with a nice cuppa and a biscuit.
While reflecting on the past year, I remembered helping my son and his fianceé to perk up their first, and slightly unloved, garden. They are bright, always busy but also environmentally aware, yet their amazement that you could kill unwanted weeds in a path, without the need for harsh chemicals, really struck a chord.
So, bearing this in mind, for people just beginning to enjoy an outdoor space and for those of us who could simply do with a bit of extra info. I’m going to start this year with a brief explanation of the terms that are often applied to natural growing, including organic, sustainable and eco-friendly gardening approaches. They can sometimes seem a bit bewildering but are generally just all about letting nature do its thing, without too much unnecessary intervention – which happily also involves less work for us! The terms aren’t interchangeable but are all interconnected. I’ll aim to include some key principles and links to easy ideas and info. so please do share with friends and family who might be persuaded to ditch the chemical weed killer this year!
Organic Gardening
If you've ever wondered what organic gardening is, this doesn’t mean you have to pull on your wellies and dig up potatoes, although you can of course, if you’d like to.
Organic is simply a term used to describe a way of gardening or growing that works with nature and its cycles and uses natural and minimally processed products rather than man-made chemicals and other products with the potential to harm or pollute the environment and the wildlife within it. Before the time that synthetic and chemical products were available to the public and widely commercially promoted, all growing would have been done ‘organically’.
An organic method, recognises the garden as a bio-diverse ecosystem to be protected and cared for. Although a non-organic method will still see growth, it is generally less sustainable and can be more expensive due to the continued reliance on purchasing products to feed the plants and to deter weeds and pests.
Three of the main considerations when avoiding chemicals in organic gardening are:
• Soil health
Organic gardening nourishes the soil to provide a healthy and productive environment rich in biodiversity, rather than simply feeding the plants themselves. The main soil nutrients required by plants are nitrogen for the production of chlorophyll which is used to take energy from the sun, a process known as photosynthesis. Potassium is key for them to reproduce giving us flowers, fruits and eventually seeds. Phosphorus is essential for the development of healthy roots.
A really good way to get these nutrients into your soil is using good quality compost, often as a thick mulch in the spring. You can read more about this here Marvellous Mulching
• Weed control
When you decide not to use chemical weed control, things can become a little more challenging, but armed with the right knowledge and a little time to stay ahead of the game, the benefits to your outdoor space definitely outweigh it.
A little and often approach to weeding is useful to manage things at an early stage, before tough infestations take hold.
One of the most effective ways is to prevent the dispersal of seeds from anything you don’t want more of in your garden, no seeds - no weeds, so make sure to remove the weed before it flowers or in the case of a plant, remove flowers heads as soon as they're finished, before they have chance to set seed. Ground cover plants are useful to minimise the amount of bare earth where weeds might take hold, as is mulching, particularly in the spring. Hoeing is also very effective at stopping weeds in their tracks. Some useful tips can be found here Sometimes, the old ways are the best....
• Pest and disease control
Prevention rather than cure is the aim as catching things early can negate heavy infestations and so the need for chemical intervention.
Careful spacing, allowing sufficient airflow around each plant can help prevent disease and removing and disposing of affected material quickly while maintaining good garden hygiene also helps significantly. Growing plant varieties that are especially suited to organic gardens can also be a good idea, as is companion planting with plants that either attract beneficial insects or repel others. I shall be writing more on this later in the year.
Some gardeners choose to take a no-dig approach which leaves the soil undisturbed, preserves moisture retention and in which beneficial organisms thrive but this needs a bit of extra skill and knowledge so I’m yet to try it.
Sustainable Gardening
The main concept of a sustainable approach is to minimise our use of resources and actions and deploy them in a responsible, nature enhancing way, often adopting the reduce, reuse and recycle approach. This has the least possible impact on the wider environment and is a positive action against climate change.
It can incorporate and compliment organic gardening, is environmentally friendly and kind to the budget. All of the hints and tips in the other sections apply and it can be extended to include reusing garden products and equipment, making your pots for seedlings, upcycling homewares and pre-loved treasures to use in the garden, and the ultimate gardeners recycling tip, making your own compost from your kitchen and garden waste or even leaf mould in the autumn.
Saving seeds, propagating plants and plant swaps with friends and neighbours are all great, sustainable ways of adding to your garden instead of purchasing plants that may have needed the use of significant amounts of resources to be grown commercially.
Eco/Environmentally Friendly Gardening
This is gardening that works with nature to create a thriving, productive garden for wildlife, the wider ecosystem and of course us. Some of the best examples are self-sustaining, include all of the approaches here and need minimal intervention, just as it would be in nature.
Ideas include gardening organically, growing your own produce to reduce food miles, making your own compost, attracting pollinators, actively encouraging birds and friendly bugs, conserving water and possibly even adding a mini-pond to your space. I will be writing in some detail on these before the growing season gets into full swing.
Biodiversity
All aspects of your growing space are connected not only with each other but also with the wider environment. Everything has a purpose and an important role in the ecosystem. A healthy soil allows the plants to thrive, in turn, they provide a habitat and food for birds, small mammals and insects which then pollinate the plants. The interdependencies of a wide variety of different species creates a healthy, balanced ecosystem that requires little intervention to achieve a beautiful, natural space for us to enjoy.
I hope this has helped to demystify some commonly used terms and inspired you to learn a little more and to try out some approaches that are beneficial for our wellbeing, environment and finances!
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