If you are looking to build a garden which is sustainable and eco-friendly, keep reading for tips which will allow you to do so.

1. Grow Your Plants Using Organic Methods

Use natural pesticides and fertilizers to replace products based on chemicals such as Roundup. Chemical fertilizers typically function by providing potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, which are three important nutrients needed by most plants. However, organic materials like peat moss, bone meal, lawn clippings or compost are far safer and more environmentally friendly.

Adjust your soil’s pH level by adding coffee grounds or elemental sulfur in order to add acidity to your soil, or reduce the acidity of your soil by adding poultry manure, wood ash or lime.

2. Plant Native Plants

Consider your garden to be a small piece of the larger ecosystem which surrounds you. By planting native species, you’re providing resources to wildlife such as butterflies, insects and birds which rely upon native plants for nesting, reproductive shelter and food. Plus, you’re providing a space for native plants, which don’t require as much maintenance, are often a lot more resilient, and have a local, unique beauty.

3. Use Water-Conserving Irrigation Methods

One ideal watering solution regarding non-grass areas such as container plants, raised bed gardens, vegetable gardens and landscaping beds is drip irrigation. Drip watering reduces evaporation by distributing water to the bases of plants, saving money and conserving water.

Plant water gardens in the morning. Doing so reduces evaporation and gives plants water they require to last the rest of the day.

4. Use Organic Weed Management Methods

Managing weeds organically helps your garden’s miniature ecosystem, soil and insects. Good ways to deal with weeds including tools like garden hoes, mulching and removing weeds by hand.

You can also eat some weeds. Many weeds, like chickweed and dandelions, are edible and nutritious, and are enjoyed best when young. Just be sure not to add them to your salad if they’ve been sprayed with anything.

5. Compost Garden and Kitchen Waste

One good way to fertilize plants and reduce waste is to compost. Collect organic scraps from your kitchen in a small container located indoors during the day, then toss the scraps into a larger compost bin or heap outdoors. Great compost can be made from indoor scraps such as coffee grounds, salad scraps, fruit and vegetable scraps, as well as cardboard and paper products like paper towel rolls and shredded paper. Outdoor scraps are good, too. Things that make great compost include poultry manure, yard debris, grass clippings, twigs and leaves.