Any budding gardener out there wants to do the best for their garden and their plants. But are you accidentally causing it harm? Here are five eco-friendly things you do that kill your garden:
Buying Plants that Contain Pesticides
You may not use pesticides yourself but plants bought from a garden center and introduced to your garden may contain them. A recent study found that even plants labeled as “pollinator-friendly” sometimes contain insecticides that can be harmful to beneficial garden insects such as bees and butterflies.
Because our plants rely on these pollinators in order to reproduce, it’s a bad idea to put them at risk. If you want to avoid potentially harmful pesticides full stop, you should buy your plants from an organic nursery. Alternatively, if you are green-fingered and have the time, you can grow your own plants from seed to be sure that they’re totally pesticide-free.
Waging War on All Bugs
Bugs are often seen as a threat to garden plants. But not all insects are backyard pests. Insects like ladybirds eat aphids. Ground beetles like to munch on slugs and snails. And some wasp species also like to make a meal of the green and black fly that bother your plants.
Instead of killing the bugs you have in your garden, you could leave them to other carnivorous insects who will get rid of them for you. This way you don’t cut off the food supply for creatures further up the food chain. And you don’t have to resort to harmful chemicals.
Neglecting Patches of your Lawn
Patches of your lawn can become dry, brown, and unsightly if they aren’t cared for properly. When you leave items like children’s trampolines or unwanted garden waste in the same space for too long, your lawn is likely to suffer.
Rotate items that you want to keep around your garden or build a dedicated space for them away from the lawn, using stone or wood chippings as a base. And when it comes to items that you no longer need, be sure to dispose of them safely. You may want to consider hiring a company to help you with larger items.
Failing to Weed Regularly
Weeds can quickly take hold in a garden. They compete with your plants for nutrients, light, and water. And they can carry diseases that will spread to other plants too. If you don’t keep on top of them, they can kill your existing plants, reducing the garden biodiversity and beauty that you have created.
Make weeding a regular garden task. Smaller weeds are much easier to uproot than bigger ones with established root systems. Alternatively, look into ways to banish weeds from your garden forever.
Using Chemical Fertilizers Rather than Compost
Chemical fertilizers may help your plants to grow but they bring some unwelcome side effects. They can upset the natural balance of microbes in the soil meaning they actually deplete your soil of nutrients over time. Without the right nutrients, your plants will begin to struggle.
What’s more, if chemical fertilizers make their way into your garden pond, they could seriously affect the health of fish, amphibians, and insects. Luckily, there’s an alternative. Gardens produce a lot of waste.
There are weeds we’ve pulled up, cuttings we’ve pruned from plants, and a whole heap of grass every time we mow the lawn. This waste can be used as a constant supply of free composting material. By composting, you will in turn have a ready supply of natural fertilizer for your garden.
Steer clear of these harmful garden practices if you want to protect your plants and garden wildlife. Care for your garden in an eco-friendly way and your garden will flourish year in year out.
Author Bio: Melanie Saunders is a blogger and content manager at 1300 Rubbish – experts in the field of rubbish and junk removal. Personally, a huge fan of sustainability and green living.
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