For gardeners, April is a very exciting month. It’s time to pull out seed starting supplies, visit garden centres and markets, and (finally) spend time outside tidying up your garden and make plans while soaking up some vitamin D. There are some really simple tips for the garden which you can do to shift towards zero waste garden.

Yes, gardening is green to begin with. Growing your own food cuts down on food packaging waste, transport emissions, and reduces your carbon footprint overall.

If you want to reduce your waste, there is room for improvement in the garden. Soil and compost comes in plastic bags, most seed starting kits are plastic, and many accessories and supplies – plant ties, markers, tools, etc – are destined for the landfill.

Reducing waste in the garden almost always means saving money. For the things you might need to buy, there are some great plastic-free alternatives available locally. Most of these tips and ideas will give you ideas on how to reduce, reuse, and upcycle in the garden.

Repurpose, DIY and upcycle

There are so many eco-friendly options for starting seeds – I have used toilet paper rolls cut in half with the ends folded down; homemade newspaper pots; wooden flats; and foam mushroom trays. You can use anything from tin cans to plastic containers for potting up plants – just poke holes in them for drainage.

A cloche is a simple season extender. When it calls for frost, you just plop them over sensitive plants. Savvy Gardening suggests some clever diy ideas for cloches, including juice bottles and punch bowls.

When I have a slug infestation, I make slug collars from toilet paper rolls with leftover foil or yogurt containers with the bottoms cut out. You can also put a bit of beer in a tuna can for a slug trap.

You can make your own garden markers with painted stones, wooden craft sticks or cut up yogurt containers and a sharpie. Make plant ties from strips of old t-shirts.

Plastic clam shells and take out containers with clear lids make great mini greenhouses. This can be a fun project to do with kids.

Why not give something a second life instead of tossing it and buying something new? You can build a trellis to support climbing plants using almost anything. This is a chance to get creative – beautiful iron bed frames, old windows, ladders, bicycle wheels – anything goes! 

Make use of natural materials

When I need to make a new raised bed, edge a garden, or build a trellis, I look to the outdoors first.

You can use tree branches, logs, or medium to large rocks to build raised bed gardens. When  you clean up your yard in the Spring and Fall, set aside any materials that might be useful.

Build a trellis or support for peas, beans, squash, cucumbers or any climber with branches and natural twine.

Save chopped leaves, lawn clippings, and chipped wood as mulch to add nutrients, suppress weeds, and conserve water.

Fertilize naturally

Regardless of the size of your garden, you will need compost to grow healthy, productive plants. All you need to start a backyard compost is a compost container, food scraps, and yard waste. Learn more about why homemade compost is a gardener’s best friend.

You can also use properly aged animal manure from a local source or from your own backyard if you are lucky enough to have your own flock of chickens.

Another natural, free fertilizer that gardeners on the South Shore swear by is seaweed. It is a local tradition to gather seaweed from the beach after storms to mulch your garden and give it a nutritional boost. Some locals even hill their potatoes with seaweed! A great way to reach a zero waste garden.

Save and swap seeds

Saving your own seeds is easy! If you want to learn how, keep an eye on the Bridgewater Community Garden website for information on upcoming workshops or events.

You can also ask your gardening friends if they want to go in on a large seed order together and swap seeds. Or find a local Seedy Saturday event through the Community Sustainability Network.

I like to store seeds that I have saved or swapped in empty pill containers or used seed packets.

Natural Pest Control

If you want to garden organically, natural pest control is the way to go. You can make pest control sprays from ingredients you likely already have at home. Reuse old spray bottles for easy application.

One of the most effective ways to control pests, like potato beetles or slugs, is to hand-pick daily. Another benefit of hand-picking is that you spend more time with your plants and can spot disease or other issues early.

Another way to control pests naturally is to try companion planting. Learn a bit more about how companion planting can deter pests from Elspeth at Wile’s Lake  Farm Market.

Plant more perennials

Buying or starting a lot of annuals every year uses more resources and creates more waste. Annuals only last one season; when you plant perennials you reap the benefits for years.  Plus, you can divide perennials and swap with other gardeners.

We all love annuals, but if you want a lower maintenance and lower waste garden, you might want to mix in a few new perennials this season.

Zero waste gardening products

There are some really interesting green gardening products available now. Coco coir is a new option – a renewable by-product of the coconut industry. It is a more sustainable choice than peat, which is harvested from Canadian peat bogs by environmentally destructive practices. You can buy compressed bricks of coco coir as well as coir plant liners for your window boxes or containers.

You can also buy planters made of biodegradable materials that can be used for several years. A great zero waste option!

Buy the best quality tools and reuse or repair materials instead of buying new when you can. You can even buy garden supplies, like pots and tools, second-hand at thrift stores.

Remember the Five R’s of Zero Waste

When you find yourself in need of gardening supplies or materials, remember the five R’s . 

If you do buy potting soil or compost in plastic bags, wash and dry empty bags thoroughly and recycle according to your municipal guide.

Have you already tried some of these zero waste garden ideas? Is there a topic in here you would like to hear more about? If you have any more ideas to share, please let us know!

Margaret Hoegg is a Simple Local Life Contributor. She is also a writer, entrepreneur, and sustainability advocate on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Margaret writes about local food, gardening, sustainability, and wellness at Living Locavore and can be found on Instagram @living.locavore.