As the dawn of a New Year draws ever closer, it’s traditional to draw up a list of resolutions. Whether it’s spending more time with family, learning a new skill or losing the Christmas weight, we are filled with good intentions.
By the end of January, it’s often the case that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Why not buck the trend this year by making – and sticking to – New Year’s resolutions for your garden? Here are three suggestions which will improve your outside space and the wider environment.
Invest in a water butt (or buy a second one)
While there’s no doubt that the world’s climate is heating up, warmer oceans increase the amount of water that evaporates into the air. This results in more frequent and intense storms. In the UK, statistics show that, during the past decade, winters were especially wetter. All told, five of the 10 wettest years for the UK have occurred in the 21st century.
Water butts are a simple way to conserve water and save money. Rainwater is free and, as far as your garden is concerned, a better long-term option, not least because its composition means that fewer minerals collect in the soil, allowing plants to better absorb it. Turning on the garden tap during the summer months can also put pressure on mains water. And, during a drought or hosepipe ban, your water butt will keep your precious plants alive.
Mulch, mulch, mulch
Mulching has many benefits, including saving water, suppressing weeds, and improving soil. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, mulches help soil to retain moisture in summer, allow rain to penetrate the soil during winter, stymie weed growth, and protect tender plant roots during bitterly cold months.
Put simply, mulches are loose coverings or sheets of material placed on the soil’s surface. There are various different kinds, but I prefer my own: homemade compost or leaf mould spread liberally when the soil is moist. Spring is a good time for this task and, if you haven’t fermented your own, it’s easy to buy organic matter in garden centres or online. In the past, I’ve employed bark and woody waste, letting them slowly decompose and do their work uninterrupted.
If you bought a real tree at Christmas, don’t throw it away once everyone has eaten the turkey and the last box of Celebrations is no more. Just cut up the tree into sticks, stack it in the corner of the garden, and let it break down. Local wildlife will thank you for the food and shelter, and your soil will gradually improve. If you own a shredder, this will speed up decomposition.
Cut down on plastic
Gardening is all about the beauty of nature. Yet, single-use plastic products still abound in the world of horticulture, from plastic pots and bags of compost to netting and sheeting. However, in an age when a slew of environmentally-friendly alternatives exist, there’s really no excuse not to go plastic-free.
On my plot, I wash and repurpose plug trays, buy bare-root plants (David Austin’s bare-root roses have never let me down), use natural twine to tie back climbers, and grow my own bamboo stakes. As for that last one, there is nothing more satisfying than extending the life (and use) of a plant, especially one that you have nurtured for years.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t delay, your list of garden resolutions is waiting to be written. I know you can do it.
Words and photos by Helen Nugent, Editor of Northern Soul
A version of this article first appeared in Catena
