Photos By: Unsplash

Despite the world coming to a standstill over the last twelve months or so, the statistics surrounding global warming and the amount of work we all need to be doing to help save our planet can still feel overwhelming. That is why it is so important that everyone takes responsibility for their behaviour and looks for ways in which they can make a difference.

When it comes to projects around the home, it can be very easy for waste to start to pile up. Think about everything you have been ordering online this year and the amount of packaging that comes with every single item, not to mention those older items you have decided to replace. It is also so important to make sure that any new additions are environmentally friendly and responsibly sourced. After all, it’s easy enough to simply scroll through to the first option that comes up, hit buy and not think about the impact that your purchase has had. But if you take a little bit of extra time and effort, you can get to work knowing that you’re doing your bit.

Here are a few steps that you can take to make sure that the work you’re doing in your green space is green.

Always Check Where The Materials Have Come From

Whether you’re putting up a deck, new fencing or you’re building a garden shed, the question of materials is always going to be high on your list. There are so many different factors to consider, from the style to how well it’s going to handle the winter weather, but you should also be making sure that you check to see where the materials have come from. If you’re buying wood, make sure that it has been responsibly and sustainably sourced (if it has been, this information should be easy to find on the supplier’s website!). You can also think about going with composite boards, which are generally made with recycled materials. Again, a little extra time spent on research can make a big difference.

Look For Environmentally Friendly Ways Of Protecting Your Plants

Let’s face it, if we’re growing fruit and vegetables in our back garden, it can be a real pain to discover that they are the new favourite snack for all the birds and insects in your local area. When you are routinely finding that your plants are being picked off and picked on, it can be tempting to reach for a drastic solution. However, if you want to take a more environmentally friendly approach than picking up a can of pesticide, for example, you can keep things simple with some garden netting. Whether you’ve got sparrows doing their best to strip your berry bushes clean or caterpillars coming for your cabbage patch, there are garden netting solutions out there for every problem. Little Fields Farm is a family run business that can help you find the best netting for your garden crop.

Think About Putting In A Compost Heap

When we talk about household waste, we often think about plastic, glass and metal, all the bulky items that we sort through before the recycling rubbish collection day comes around. But there’s a lot of recycling that you can do at home with your food waste too.

A compost heap is a brilliant addition to any garden, allowing you to convert all that kitchen and garden waste into a wonderful organic compost that is rich in nutrients for your garden. You can either make your own compost container or buy a ready-made one, and once you’ve got it all set up it’s very easy from there. What’s more, you’re not only creating an organic material to help your greenery grow, but you are also helping to contribute to the local ecosystem. As the worms and fungi feast on the compost to break it down, other invertebrates are drawn to the pile, which in turn attracts birds. Which brings us to our next point.

Make Your Garden Wildlife Friendly

With a few simple touches, you can turn your garden into a welcome rest area for a wide range of different local wildlife. The addition of berry bushes with good leaf cover will be very attractive for any birds in the vicinity, and you can even add a bird bath or a feeder to keep them happy. With many of the UK’s garden birds in decline, they need all the help they can get.

If you have noticed that your neighbourhood has some hedgehogs snuffling around, why not think about installing a small shelter for them at the bottom of your garden? A quick word of warning for anyone with a cat in their house: while they probably won’t be too worried about hedgehogs, they will be interested in the birds, so make sure anything you provide your new feathered friends stays out of reach!

Photo By: Lakewinds Food Co-op

There is no better time to plant a garden and make it eco-friendly than this summer! With the pandemic and panic taking over the world, producing your own food has never been more important. Here is how you can produce your own food but also make it natural without using any types of pesticides or chemicals. We promise you, it’s easier than you think!

Conserve Precious Rain Water

Water has become one of the world’s most precious assets, and it’s become pretty expensive as well! Next time it rains, do not let rainwater go to waste rather figure out a system that will conserve it. Installing butts on every rainwater downpipe that will guide water into oak barrels or plastic tubs is a great start. Consider installing an underground tank or well that will conserve water that can be used to water your garden. If you have a flower garden that needs tons of watering in the summer, you can also use rain water to feed your flowers. If you have Dutch tulips in your garden that need lots of watering, you should definitely want to consider conserving rain water. Whatever system you do implement, it will be a smart step forward into going green and saving the planet.

Photo By: Gardopia Gardens

Consider Natural Pest Control

You don’t need to use any harsh chemicals on your garden, as there are so many natural ways to get rid of pests and disease. You can use strong jet water to knock off aphids, use copper slug rings for slug control, plant plants that ward off pests naturally such as lavender. So sit down, grab a drink, and do some research on natural pest control. You will be glad you did it, as there are many ways to ward off pests with things you may just already have in your kitchen cabinet!

Photo By: Gardening Know How

Encourage Wildlife to Do the Work For You

Slug-eating hedgehogs, worms, ladybugs, and birds are just some friendly animals waiting to do the job for you. Attract these animals with things that they like. For example, slug-eating hedgehogs and slowworms love logs and piles of leaves. Birds love food such as dried fruit, sunflower seeds, and dried fruit. Consider making a bug hotel for ladybugs that will gladly do the job for you and in the meantime, will be beautiful to look at!

Photo By: Fine Art America

Set up a Compost Pile

Homemade composts are easy to make and are very effective in recycling and feeding your garden, the natural way. You can save tons of money by simply recycling your waste and then using it as compost for your garden. You can add things such as: grass clippings, wood ash, vegetable peels, tea bags, egg boxes, leaves, shredded newspaper and cardboard to your compost pile. Then, let the worms do the work and in a few months time you should have some nice compost for your garden!

Photo By: WGLT

If you are growing a garden this summer, consider following our easy green gardening tips. With a little bit of research, creativity, and effort, you can have an eco-friendly garden in just about no time!