Even in the grey days of winter, Socket is dreaming of the last frost and the chance to dig in the dirt and plant a garden! Once spring rolls around, the fun can begin.
Planting season is an exciting time in Tennessee. It’s a time to challenge yourself and try new methods alongside your tried-and-true routine. This year let Socket provide you with ways to create a sustainable garden that will maintain the beauty and integrity of your backyard garden and our beautifully diverse Tennessee environment.
Plant Native Plants
This isn’t to say that your entire garden and landscape must be native to Tennessee but adding native plants to your plans has a tremendous, positive effect on your backyard ecosystem. Native plants are fine tuned to thrive in and support their native environment. Native plants are fairly effortless to maintain and provide additional food and shelter for local birds and insects.
By increasing the biodiversity of your backyard, you are promoting the health of your garden by attracting more pollinators. There are several resources online to discover the native plants that are best suited for your backyard based on light, rainfall, and preference. Explore your options today and add native plants to your strategy for a thriving garden.
Research Environmentally Friendly Pesticides
It’s convenient and effective to spray some bug poison onto your infected plant and be done with it, but it’s the unintended effects that you should consider before misting your yard and garden with chemicals.
While using these products may achieve the desired absence of pests on plants, there is more here than meets the eye. In your mind, you may just be killing aphids, caterpillars, or other common garden pest but you can affect the health of good bugs and pollinators that are so important to the growing season. Pesticides wash into the soil when the rain falls and slowly leech into the water table which leads to our streams, rivers, and lakes and negatively affects these already sensitive ecosystems.
Explore the resources that are available from the experienced gardeners on various natural pest control methods. It may take some experimenting to find the best fit for the needs of your garden, but a greener, more sustainable growing space is something that will benefit both you and the ecosystem. Socket understands that sometimes convenience outweighs responsible practices but if nothing else, we encourage gardeners to research their pesticide choices and explore more environmentally friendly options.
Rain Barrels
Rain barrels are a great addition to any garden. Why let this spring’s rainwater go to waste when you can collect it and use it during dryer periods in the season, all while saving money on your water bill?
Rain barrels collect and store rainwater in an above ground storage container as it drains from your roof through your gutter system. The utilization of this natural resource provides a sustainable alternative to the use of our treated water supply.
There are companies that will come to your house and install various rain collecting systems or you can undertake Do It Yourself projects by making and installing a rain barrel yourself!
Compost
Another way to have a more successful and sustainable garden this year is to start composting. Composting is one of the most beneficial backyard practices that you could initiate, not only does it create less waste to be sent to landfills, but it also nourishes your garden to help it succeed.
The EPA has stated that, “Food scraps and yard waste currently make up 20 to 30 percent of what we throw away and should be composted instead.”
Composting also has significant benefits for your garden. Adding compost to your garden will enrich the soil by adding moisture and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi. Why would you want bacteria and fungi in your garden? These break down organic matter and create humus, which is extremely nutrient-rich and helps retain moisture in your soil.
If these reasons weren’t enough to sway you, composting also lowers your garden’s susceptibility of catching diseases and pests. Check out these Metro resources that will help you better understand composting.
Keep the End in Mind
At the end of the season, hopefully your garden was high yield thanks to the sustainability tips you picked up here. You’re watching your garden slowly wither away until next year, but it has one more gift for you before it’s turned into compost – seeds! Harvest what seeds you can from your flowers, peas, tomatoes, etc., and store them somewhere dry and cold until you’re ready to use them next year! Nashville Public Library has a seed exchange program whereby you may donate your seeds and pick up others for free.
Gardening is a time to be in touch with nature. It gives you the ability to create a personal space that brings you joy and nourishes your body and soul. Try these sustainable gardening tips and reap benefits that are both seen and unseen.