These simple gardening techniques can significantly reduce emissions, save water, and help sequester more carbon in soil and plants.
Climate-smart gardening follows a set of strategies that can make your garden or yard more durable in extreme weather conditions while mitigating the adverse impact of your gardening activities on the climate.
There are multiple approaches to climate-savvy gardening—using organic and sustainable gardening practices that prioritise the conservation of soil, pollinators, and biodiversity. In addition, you may focus on the reduction of plastic waste, try rainwater harvesting and up-cycle materials. Read on to explore eight strategies that can help you build a climate-smart garden.
Currently, the “no-tilling” approach is one of the biggest gardening trends. It is an incredible strategy that promotes better soil health and reduces the adverse impact of gardening on the climate.
For decades, vegetable cultivators had been tilling the soil every year, to prepare the solid for harvest. However, recent studies have revealed that tilling ruins the soil’s natural structure, increases the germination of weed seeds, and hampers creatures that live in soil—like earthworms. Tilling also releases stored carbon in the atmosphere. By following the no-dig approach, you can grow healthy plants, maintain good soil health, and save the environment.
Mulching the soil using organic materials is one of the key elements of climate-smart gardening. It benefits the environment in several ways—by minimising soil erosion, suppressing the growth of weeds, nourishing the soil, and retaining moisture.
Practice biodiversity by growing different plant species to attract birds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife. Your focus should be on growing plant species that are native to your region, and it is also essential to invest in some plants that bear flowers from spring through autumn.
The pollinators require a persistent source of pollen and nectar, and if your garden lacks a progression of flowers, they will stop frequenting your foliage.
A climate-smart garden should not use pesticides—be it organic or chemical. Instead, you should focus on adopting techniques that naturally repel pests. You should buy pest-resistant and native plants—and encourage the growth of nesting birds that can help solve the pest problem.
During heavy downpours, you should practise rainwater harvesting to collect fresh water in barrels. You can use this water in your drip irrigation system which is more energy efficient and sustainable than conventional sprinklers.
Garden and lawn equipment like leaf blowers and lawn mowers are responsible for emitting gasoline into the atmosphere. Your climate-smart garden could operate on manual tools instead. Using reel mowers, pitchforks, and trowels calls for more manual labour than their fuel-powered alternatives, but are safe for the environment.
You can install a small water feature to attract toads, newts and frogs to your yard. The water in the sunken basin or pond can also be utilised by birds and squirrels. In addition, allow deadwood and leaves to remain littered in your garden instead of aiming to keep the space spick and span—it will encourage bugs and little animals to pay frequent visits.
Rewilding is a gardening approach that aims at the restoration of yards to build a more uncultivated and natural gardening patch. All you have to do is—allow nature to do its thing, and you can offer a helping hand by sowing native species of shrubs, perennials, and trees.
Try to limit mowing your lawn to protect your grass, and it will help create an inviting habitat for wildlife and insects.
Follow these simple strategies to build a resilient garden that actively minimises its adverse impact on the planet.
