The leaves are growing, the birds are chirping and the sun is pampering us! It's time to get your garden or balcony ready for spring. Discover how to make your green sanctuary sustainable in today's blog post.
A little green is a must! If your fingers are tingling right now, too, and you enjoy making your balcony or garden sustainable, then these 8 tips are definitely made for you. Because even in the Garden of Eden, you can use simple little tricks to give back to Mama Earth and not garden at the cost of hers.
1. Use local and seed-stable seeds
The plant industry is quite a CO2 driver and uses an extreme amount of pesticides. Choose local plants for your garden or balcony, preferably organically grown. If you grow vegetables, go for stable seeds, as they contribute to the preservation of biodiversity in the plant world.
2. Treat nature with insect-friendly plants
Bees love lavender - butterflies love lilacs. In your garden, opt for plants that provide plenty of food for insects. The buzzing, humming and chirping is, of course, a wonderful side effect - plus many insects are also important for pollinating plants. Wasps too!
3. Use soil without peat
Fortunately, there are more and more suppliers who avoid peat. But not all plant soils are peat-free. Therefore: Watch out when buying soil. Why is soil enriched with peat so problematic? The extraction of peat destroys bogs and thus also the habitat of many plants and animals. The peatlands have to be drained for extraction - this causes stored CO2 to escape into the atmosphere. A real climate killer!
4. Use fresh compost
Instead of peat you can use fresh compost in your garden or on the balcony. Compost contains important nutrients and minerals for plants. It also helps your soil retain more water and activates soil life. Mix our soilkind compost with your peat-free soil in a ratio of 1 to 10.
5. Water consciously and at the right time
Speaking of water: If you want to do gardening sustainably, proper watering is one of your must-dos. It's best to water first thing in the morning between four and seven, especially on hot days, because that's when evaporation is lowest. If you can, collect rainwater and use it for watering. It is already perfectly pre-filtered from the soil.
6. Provide shelter
Dead wood, leaves or shards of clay. Insects and even small animals love good hiding places. For sleeping, nesting or hibernating. You want to offer more luxury? Then build your own bee hotel, for example from a large wooden panel.
7. From old to new: Upcycling
You don't use the old ceramic vase from grandma anymore or you have tons of cans at home? Repurpose them as plant pots. For example, you can paint the markings for your flower beds on stones or put candles in old jam jars for a romantic evening in the green.
8. Refrain from exotic plants
Avoid exotic plants that aren't native - cherry laurel, for example, is unattractive to insects and adds little value to your green paradise.
What are your favorite sustainability tips for your garden or balcony?
Feel free to share them with us!