Earth Day falls on April 22 every year, and this year, we're celebrating by taking a moment to consider the positive impact we can make through our gardens. No matter where you are on your personal sustainability journey, our team has a few ideas to help you make your garden more eco-friendly this Earth Day and beyond.
For Pollinators and Planet
In the modern age, it's easy to forget just how interconnected life on Earth is, but when you step back to think about it, it's easy to see that we aren't really separate from the greater ecosystem around us; the decisions we make have a direct impact on the life around us. One really easy way to make a difference for the environment is by taking measures to make our gardens more friendly to the wildlife with which we share them, which includes not only larger creatures like deer, raccoons, or songbirds, but even the tiniest of pollinators!
Did you know that more than 75% of flowering plants depend on pollinators to set fruit and reproduce? The vast majority of those pollinators — more than 95% — are insects like bees, butterflies, and moths, but this also includes other insects we don't always consider, including wasps, ants, beetles, flies, and more! We are dependent on these amazing organisms for more than a third of all the foods and beverages we consume, so in many ways, their health is our health. That's why, this Earth Day, we focus heavily on supporting pollinators and other wildlife.
Below, you will find a list of just a few ways you can help these precious creatures — and our planet!
- As Tammy highlights in the video above, we can create a pollinator garden at home, even in a pot! Look to include a variety of bloom structures and flowering times to feed as many kinds of pollinators for as long of a period as possible.
- Fostering native diversity by planting natives directly supports ecosystem health. As Daniel notes, the most useful habitats contain different layers of foliage, from short groundcovers all the way to overstory trees.
- Lowering your use of chemicals, and opting for organic remedies and fertilizers whenever intervention is required, goes a long way towards preserving the quality of our groundwater and local wildlife habitat. (As Will notes, green lacewings are a good biological pest control for aphids!)
- Keep in mind the mantra of "right plant, right place." A well-sited plant will perform better in the long term, requiring fewer inputs to keep it going.
Other ways to be more "green" this Earth Day include:
- Growing plants from locally-produced, climate-adapted seeds not only helps to reduce your carbon footprint but can also reduce your water usage.
- Consider replacing turf grass with more eco-friendly, waterwise lawn alternatives or xeric landscaping.
- Invest in quality goods that don't have to be replaced as often.
- Work on increasing your tolerance for "less than perfect" plants. The fewer inputs our garden "needs," the more sustainable it is!
- Invest in your soil health by composting and following other organic garden practices.
- Help rainwater infiltrate into the ground by creating a rain garden or disconnecting your downspouts.
