You’ve probably heard a lot about zero waste living. It’s the new trend in sustainability, and it is sweeping the nation. Gardens are no exception to this zero waste revolution! In this blog post, we’ll talk about 40 tips for zero waste gardening that will leave your garden looking great but also help you live more sustainably.
Table of Contents
1. Embrace decay:
Don’t waste it! If something is looking a little tired, plant a new crop there and do your best to harness the nutrients in it. Old plants make great mulch!
2. Keep composting:
A lot of people are under the false impression that compost stinks. It doesn’t have much of an odor at all…if you’ve got a properly-cared-for pile, that is. When your compost heats up too much, it generally stinks. If you’re composting in a small space or can’t turn your pile often enough to keep it hot, sprinkle some worms in there, and they’ll help aerate the mixture while also adding their own “black gold” (worm castings) to boot!
3. Use gardening by-products:
Teas from plants are great for giving your plants a little boost. Plant teas give nutrients directly to the roots, which minimizes any potential damage from salt build-up in the soil. Comfrey tea is fantastic as it stimulates root growth and adds a lot of organic matter to the soil as it decomposes!
4. Get composting:
It can be composted on-site if you’ve got a lot of yard waste. Composting turns your trash into treasure–soil enriched by the decaying process!
5. Use soil amendments:
If you’re looking to build the health of your garden soil, consider using things like alfalfa meal, kelp meal, and humic acid. These types of soil amendments can be expensive, but they make a huge difference…especially if you’re growing many plants!
6. Make your potting soil:
It’s a lot cheaper for you to buy bulk ingredients and mix them yourself than it is to buy those little packs everyone sells. Just be sure to use 50% composted soil and save the other 50% for later batches unless you’re using lots of amendments!
7. Reduce water consumption:
Containers don’t need much watering at all, especially if you have a well-draining planter. Get yourself some self-watering containers so that you don’t have to worry about over-watering. This is also a great idea for when you’re away on vacation or if you’ve got any plant that requires more TLC than your schedule can provide!
8. Mulch:
Mulching keeps your plants moist and makes them a lot less vulnerable to things like fungus or rot. That, in turn, reduces (or even eliminates) the need for pesticides. Just use things like shredded leaves, hay, old newspapers, and coconut coir to mulch around your plants!
9. Go native:
Don’t waste your time buying plants from the store. It’s a waste of money and resources to bring new, non-native plants into your garden. Instead, focus on nurturing local species that are well-adapted to the conditions you have!
10. Cover crops:
If you’re growing many plants, consider planting one or two covers each season. These plants grow quickly and help keep your soil cultivated while also adding nutrients to the mix. Some widely-used cover crops include buckwheat, clover, and rye.
11. Plant perennials:
Plants like these come back every year, which means that you only ever need to plant them once. If you’re patient, you can even harvest some of your perennials for use in other parts of the garden (such as potatoes).
12. Plant annuals strategically:
Planting in blocks is much more effective than randomly scattering seeds everywhere. Plants are much more likely to cross-pollinate if they’re closer together, so if you have limited space, it may be better to plant fewer plants in large groups.
13. Keep your garden pest-free:
If a bug is eating your crops, put it on a dinner plate! If you’ve got ladybugs or praying mantises prowling around, let them do their work. These guys serve as natural pest control; if you see more bugs than usual, chances are it’s because they’re helping out by eating the bad guys!
14. Water wisely:
Avoid watering your plants too much or too little. The soil should be damp but not wet–if you can easily stick your finger into the soil, it’s most likely moist enough.
15. Don’t waste your clippings:
Don’t compost food scraps if you’re not already doing so! Instead, stick them back onto the plants or bushes that just lost their leaves. This will provide nutrients to those plants without taking up any extra space in your compost bin.
16. Don’t bag it:
If you’re picking up yard waste, there’s no reason to put it in a garbage bag. Just leave the leaves and other stuff on the lawn–let your local municipality take care of that mess for you!
17. Start seeds inside:
You can easily start any seed indoors. Don’t waste all of your money on buying little plants at the store when you can start them yourself for a fraction of the cost!
18. Save seeds:
Saving seeds is easy, and it allows you to reduce your garden budget by about 20%–some people have even managed to do it for free!
19. Let it go to seed:
Let them go to seed at the end of their life cycle if you’re growing annual flowers. This way, they’ll readily propagate themselves next year, and you won’t have to buy new plants!
20. Overlap layers:
Don’t just spread one type of mulch around your plants. Use a variety of substances to create layers–the more mulch you have, the less likely weeds are to make an appearance.
21. Plant in sequence:
If you’re adding compost or fertilizer, do it in a way that’s most beneficial for your plants. If you add too much nitrogen before a plant is ready for it, it’ll burn the roots and stunt the plant’s growth!
22. Try companion planting:
If you’re struggling with pests, companion planting can be a very effective way to get rid of them without resorting to chemical pesticides. Just make sure that you don’t plant anything too closely together–otherwise, it might hurt your plants by interfering with their sun exposure.
23. Add mulch:
If you’re growing in an area that tends to get a lot of rain (or if you live in the Pacific Northwest like me), adding about two inches of mulch to your garden can prevent water loss through evaporation! Just make sure not to pour too much around the plant base–it can attract rodents and other pests.
24. Manage your space:
Don’t forget about all the different levels of your garden! Even if there’s a tall bush right next to a short one, you can still make use of the lower area by digging trenches underneath the bushes to allow access at ground level.
25. Plant flowers:
Planting flowers is a great way to keep your garden looking nice, and it can also attract beneficial pollinators! Just make sure you’re not planting near edibles–bees might be tempted to sample something tasty.
26. Protect the soil:
Cover your soil with a layer of mulch at the end of each growing season to protect it from erosion.
27. Make compost:
Composting is the best way to eliminate food scraps and other stuff from your kitchen, but it can also be a great way to supplement your soil before planting!
28. Drip irrigation:
Drip irrigation systems are adjustable–you can easily make them wider or narrower depending on the needs of your plants.
29. Save water:
Don’t waste water! It’s better to conserve it by using drip irrigation or a soaker hose instead of letting it run down the driveway with no purpose.
30. Use rain barrels:
If you live in an area where it rains frequently, you can collect rainwater in a barrel and use it to water your plants.
31. Get rid of weeds:
If you have a dog, get rid of those pesky weeds by taking Fido for a walk! The motion will help remove any unwanted growth from the area, especially if fertilized with manure beforehand.
32. Keep the grass:
If you want to reduce your reliance on chemicals, keep your lawn! Most people use about 70% of their water during the summer just maintaining their yard, so let that grass grow and save you some time and effort when it comes to upkeep. Just remember that cutting with a traditional mower creates tons of air pollution, so go for a walk instead!
33. Eat weeds:
If you want a free source of greens, eat the weeds! Plenty of common plants can be eaten cooked or raw–make sure they haven’t been treated with chemicals first!
34. Grow vertically:
Instead of wasting space on the ground, grow your plants up! There are plenty of ways to grow vertically–you can use trellises or poles, train vines on a wall or fence, or even create simple teepees for smaller plants.
35. Grow vegetables:
Vegetables can take up a lot of space, so don’t grow more than you need! Some people even start their gardens with just one or two crops and see how far they get before adding anything else.
36. Plant flowers:
Planting flowers is a great way to keep your garden looking nice, and it can also attract beneficial pollinators! Just make sure you’re not planting near edibles–bees might be tempted to sample something tasty.
37. Plant together:
Herbs and flowers can grow next to each other if they’re planted close enough, but make sure that they don’t end up competing for space too much. Otherwise, one will end up killing the other one-off!
38. Plant in circles:
Plant them in circular patterns if you want to maximize the number of crops that you can fit into a small space! It can be helpful to make a map beforehand, so each row has slightly more crops than the previous.
39. Mix it up:
Don’t forget about mixing things up–different kinds of plants can grow next to each other as long as they’re compatible!
40. Keep it balanced:
Like humans, too much of one thing isn’t good for plants. Make sure you have a good mix of water, shade, and sun exposure, so things don’t start to die off.
41. Repurpose Egg Cartons as Seed Starters
A quick and easy way to encourage sustainability and cut down on waste is to repurpose egg flats and cartons for gardening. The small compartments in egg cartons make them perfect for starting seedlings, as they provide a protective environment for the young plants to grow. The cartons can also be cut into individual cups, filled with soil, and planted directly into the ground, serving as a biodegradable planter. In addition, eggshells themselves are a rich source of calcium and other nutrients, and can be crushed and added to soil as a natural fertilizer. By repurposing egg cartons in this way, you can reduce the amount of waste going to landfills, promote sustainable gardening practices, and produce healthier, more nutrient-rich plants.
Conclusion
Planning a garden is an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be overwhelming. So many decisions to make! How do you know where to start? What are the best plants for your climate zone? Which type of soil should you use? Will there be enough sunlight in that spot for all my crops? The list goes on. To take some of the guesswork out of gardening, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide with 40 tips of zero waste gardening to help get your project off the ground—and keep it running smoothly year-round. Follow these pointers and enjoy your time outdoors while getting closer to achieving zero waste status at home or work. Just remember not everything will grow well in every environment, so research before planting anything too far away from your home.
