Keen gardeners might have kept things under control over the cooler months, but as the weather warms and we venture once more into our outdoor spaces, many of us will be confronted with chaotic scenes thanks to winter neglect.
Rushing off to Bunnings to drop some cash on ready flowering blooms, shiny new pots and bottled plant food might feel like the only solution. But as with everything, our gardening habits have their own carbon footprint and there are a number of ways we can revamp shambolic winter wastelands into spring and summer havens more sustainably.
Observe and take stock
Amanda Shone, nursery manager at Ceres in Melbourne, says the first thing people should do when considering their spring garden glow-up is to observe the conditions of their outdoor space and run inventory on what is already there. “Start by having a really good look at the resources and plants you already have. Look at the aspects of your garden, where it’s sunny or shady and what condition your soil is in.
“Before you throw (or pull) anything out, take a step back,” Shone says. Often, what might seem like waste can be a sustainable resource. If you have plants that grow from rhizomes (like ferns, bamboos, some lily varieties and agapanthus) in your garden already, they can be divided and used to fill in gaps in garden beds or pots. And clumps of ground cover (like baby’s tears) can also be stretched out. Pots and planters can be reused and even weeds can be set aside to make nutrient-rich “weed teas” that can be used as cheap, chemical-free fertilisers.
Fertilise and mulch
Once you’ve assessed your space, Shone says, getting your soil in shape is the next important step. Healthy soils need less watering and fertilisation, she says. “Making sure [your soil] has got plenty of compost and organic material in it will help hold moisture and nutrients so you’re not having to add those constantly.”
If you don’t have your own compost to add or you need to bring in some extra potting mix, Shone suggests avoiding synthetically fertilised potting mix where possible. “It can be hard to know where everything comes from, but it’s worth asking questions and reading the labels.”
Mulching, Shone notes, “is really important to keep water retention in your soil”. Most mulches (like sugarcane, hay, straw and even tanbarks) are byproducts of other industries, but Shone suggests doing some research into how those plants have been treated before they become mulch. “Being sustainable isn’t just about making our own patch healthy, it’s also about what goes on outside of our garden.”
Worm farms and weed teas
Shone is a big fan of worm farms. “Worms are amazing, they’re the superpower of waste – the amount they can churn through is amazing.” Even in small spaces, Shone says, worm farms are worth the effort. It’s a fairly simple process and once set up a worm farm can devour kitchen scraps and, remarkably quickly, turn them into a “really beautiful liquid fertiliser”.
Beyond your veggie scraps, weed teas put unwanted vegetation to good use as you clear out your garden for spring. Adding weeds and garden waste to a vat of water is a really simple and satisfying way to turn a curse into a blessing. The process of steeping the weeds in water for a few weeks, Shone says, “pulls out the nutrients and should kill off any seeds that would germinate in your garden”. Once the weeds have soaked, the liquid can be decanted and used as an easy organic fertiliser. “It does get pretty stinky though.”
Cuttings and propagation
Hitting the garden centre and loading up a tray full of one-hit-wonder annuals isn’t the most sustainable (or cost-effective) way to create a beautiful garden. Instead, think cuttings and propagation. The millennial obsession with indoor plants has made many of us familiar with pinching a cutting from a mate and nurturing it into plant form.
Shone says that beyond devil’s ivy and monstera, outdoor spaces are also ripe for propagated species. “Rosemary and lavender are easy ones,” she says. Snippings of geraniums, fuchsias, impatiens, azaleas and hydrangeas can also be easily encouraged to take root, often by just sticking them directly in soil. You can often find these hanging over fences in your neighbourhood, and a simple Google search can tell you if they need any special treatment before going in the ground. Succulents of all sorts are another easy option, with the added benefit of needing very little water.
While this method might not give you the instant wow factor of potted colour, in time it will generate a more sustainable garden and an infinite supply of plants to share with friends and family. You’ll also avoid the plastic waste and energy emissions that come along with store-bought plants.
Be resourceful
When it comes to planters and pots, local tip shops, hard rubbish and Facebook marketplace can be goldmines, especially at this time of year. While lovely glazed pottery and terracottas are pretty, Shone points out that healthy, happy plants can look great “in an old olive tin with a few holes in the bottom”.
Polystyrene boxes, she adds, might not be the most glamorous looking planters but “they’re a really good insulated growing space for things that have shallow root systems” – and giving anything an afterlife beyond its original purpose will always be a more sustainable option than buying something new.
