You’d think that gardening couldn’t help but be environmentally friendly, but you’d be wrong. In fact, Clear Water Action mentions that as much as 80 million pounds of pesticides are used on US lawns every year. Gardening green is more than just having a green thumb. It’s about being aware of how to remain environmentally sustainable while keeping a garden growing. With other industries realizing how vital it is to switch to a more sustainable methodology, gardening has also shifted gears into more eco-friendly operations. But how does someone maintain a garden in an eco-friendly way?
Lose the Lawn
We already mentioned how much pesticides are used on lawns, but did you know that those same pest-killers could end up inside your house? Many gardeners who use pesticides use little yellow markers to warn people about entering a garden before it’s safe. Unfortunately, animals can’t read. They would just as happily roll on a lawn and take up the pesticides sprayed there, bringing them back inside your house as if it was normal. The spread of these pesticides outside the garden could lead to health effects for these animals and their owners. It’s impossible to maintain a lawn without pesticide application, so what’s the next best thing? Getting rid of the yard outright.
But Then, What Do I Grow?
If you’re getting rid of your lawn, what should you replace it with? For proper eco-sustainable growing, you should consider an actual garden with flowers, bushes, and trees. Ideally, you would have space to plant an oak tree, but not everyone has the same garden size. Instead of a tree, you could opt for shrubs and bushes. Several varieties of bushes and shrubs can accent a garden decor nicely and offer a unique look to what was once your yard. Tweaking your kids’ play-space to add a few hardy shrubs that won’t be disturbed by constant motion might add to that look of uniqueness.
Think About Pollinators
Bees, butterflies, and all of the pollinators are part of a healthy ecosystem. You might need to do some research to attract the right kind of pollinators to your little garden. Some pollinators are limited in the plants they visit and interact with. Knowing which pollinators interact with which shrubs or plants helps you craft a garden that focuses on that subset of shrubs and flowers. The result is a more-or-less welcoming home to all of those pollinators. Since everything is close by, it creates the perfect atmosphere for them to return again and again.
Eco-Friendly Gardening Is the Future
With so much damage already done to the environment, it’s essential to figure out the best way to help the world recover. Eco-friendly gardening might not seem like much, but it could make quite an impact on your immediate surroundings. Catering to the helpful wildlife means dealing with the harmful ones as well. Companies like Thanos Home offer eco-friendly options for keeping the garden pest-free and welcoming to the helpful fauna that will keep the garden healthy. As time goes by, we’ll likely see even more eco-friendly gardens start to take shape.
