Eco Tips

1. Save water:

• Save the water you use to wash vegetables or dishes, or in your paddling pool, bath or fish tank to water your garden

• Install a water butt. Connect an extra water butt to your current one with a syphon to collect even more rain

• Sprinkle hydrogels in the garden and hanging baskets

• If you have a hose, attach a trigger nozzle

• If rain is due in the next few days, don’t water

• Plant drought-resistant lawns and plants to reduce the need to water them. Plants with grey/silver leaves reflect the sun’s rays, helping to keep moisture within the plant. Where possible, plant when they are young so they have time to get used to their environment.

• If you need to water your lawn, do it early in the morning or after dusk so less of it evaporates and use a watering can rather than a hose or sprinkler. Or leave it to go brown. Lawns are tough!

• Keep moisture in your lawn by leaving mowed grass on your lawn to act as mulch

• Avoid artificial turf. It takes as much water to manufacture as it does to water a lawn for 18 years, plus it may need cleaning which needs even more water

• Move potted plants into the shade on hot days. Water them at the roots and in the coolest part of the day to prevent leaves from scorching in the sun. Put a saucer or plate under each pot so that water isn’t lost straight into the ground.

• Create shade for plants and insects by planting taller plants

• Use an upside-down water bottle with holes in it to get water directly to the roots of your plants

• Spread a layer of mulch or bark around plants to help retain moisture

• Create a rain garden (https://raingardens.info/)

2. Welcome wildlife to your garden:

• Celebrate World Bee Day – 20/5 - https://www.un.org/en/observances/bee-day, https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/bee-cause-what-you-can-do, https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/our-tips-how-bee-friendly

• Keep an area of your garden wild (you’ll also save time and energy on mowing a lawn or weeding!)

• Make homes for wildlife e.g. bird box, bird bath, pond, butterfly house, hedgehog house, bug hotel, bee house, wildlife corridors

• Ask your neighbours to install bird boxes too to attract birds that like to nest in colonies

• Build a hedgehog highway with your neighbours

• Plant pollinator friendly plants

• Plant native vegetation

• Plant a variety trees & shrubs, climbers

• https://www.internationaltreefoundation.org/garden-tree-giveaway

• Try perennials rather than annuals

• Leave some plants to go to seed

• Mow your lawn less. No Mow May (https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay/)

• Put out a variety of bird feed, especially in periods of drought or extreme cold

3. Use peat-free compost (https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/home-garden/alternatives-peat-compost)
4. Avoid plastics (https://www.citytosea.org.uk/plastic-free-gardening/)
5. Pass a love of gardening on to the next generation during National Children’s Gardening Week (25/5–2/6) - https://www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk/