What is sustainable gardening and how can it be practiced? 

Sustainable Gardening is a combination of organic gardening practices and resource conservation that aims to cause no harm to the planet, according to Perch Energy. You can practice sustainable gardening through composting, water conservation, recycling, and more.

Why is growing your food important?

Growing food reduces carbon emissions because it doesn’t require heavy equipment that uses fuel for cultivation and transportation, according to Garden Continuum. Growing fruits and vegetables prevents carbon emissions since the gardener grows, washes, and eats their food without having to process it.

Eco-FriendlyGardening Starters

Plastic containers can be recycled to create a mini greenhouse to grow seeds. The humidity within the recycled container provides a rich environment where plants can remain hydrated. Newspapers and toilet paper rolls can be recycled into pots for seedlings, which will decompose as the seedlings grow.

Beginner plants to grow:

Oregano and sage are some examples of beginner-friendly herbs that can be grown at home. They are perennial herbs that regrow every year, just like strawberries. Other simple garden starters include bell peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, and blackberries.

How to use plastic to start your garden:

Roughly 11 million metric tons of plastic are estimated to enter the ocean globally each year, and California communities spend more than $428 million to clean up and control plastic pollution, according to the California Ocean Protection Council. Recycling can be an easy way to reduce plastic waste. Some simple garden starters include egg cartons as seed starters, plastic bottles as plant hangers, and milk jugs to use as planters or drip irrigation systems.

How much water is wasted in California per year?

California’s urban areas waste about 770,000 to 3.9 million acre-feet of water yearly, according to the Pacific Institute.

How to reduce your water usage:

Research from the University of Vermont suggests that self-watering containers can reduce water usage by up to 50%. These containers can be found in gardening stores or made from plastic soda bottles.

What plants should you buy based on the climate?

Another way to conserve water is by buying plants that do not need so much water and that are native to California. According to the California Water Service, Mediterranean-zone plants don’t need much water and have thrived in water-scarce conditions for many years. Some examples of Mediterranean plants are rosemary, lavender, and citrus.