You Can Make a Big Difference in Small Ways

I don't know about you, but whenever someone brings up climate change or the planet's huge trash problem, I often feel guilty that I'm not doing enough. When I feel overwhelmed by big problems, I have to remind myself of quotes like Anne Marie Bonneau's "We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly" or Mother Theresa's "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love."

Recently I was thinking about small, imperfect things we can each do to make our gardens more sustainable. We can, for instance, turn our kitchen waste into compost to feed our plants. We can use less water in our gardens. We can create tiny habitats for wildlife within our garden spaces.

Let's look more into these simple things we can do in our everyday lives that really add up for our one and only planet.

Turn Kitchen Waste into Compost

We can't really talk about sustainability without bringing up food waste. We throw out a lot of food, especially here in America. We're talking about $1,600 worth of food a year per person. That's not just sad for our wallets. Most of that food waste can't break down naturally in landfills, so it ends up producing methane, which is sad for the climate.

Unlike throwing food into landfills, composting allows scraps to break down without producing methane gas. So a huge thing you can do with very little effort is just save your food scraps and compost them.

There are lots of different ways to compost at home. You can buy a compost tumbler, start a compost pile, make your own barrel composter, or try vermicomposting.

Learn how you can start composting at home. Don't worry, it won't be stinky or disgusting. And you can use the compost you produce to feed your plants!

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Practice Water Conservation in Your Garden

Water conservation is even more important now that so many areas experience periods of drought. Here are 6 ways to conserve the precious resource that is water in your garden. (Remember, we're focusing on small steps you can take, so I won't even get into adding rain barrels or harvesting graywater for your home garden.)

Water Conservation Method #1

Plant Intensively

The intensive planting method means planting your garden in a way that makes the most of the water you use. One of the worst things you can do in your vegetable garden is leave a bunch of bare soil. When left exposed to the elements, soil not only dries out and loses nutrients much faster than soil that's covered by plant matter, but also invites weeds to grow there.

That's why my goal is to not see any exposed soil within 6 weeks of planting a garden for the season. I recommend going out to your garden each week and looking for places where you could sow more seeds (maybe some spinach seeds if it's cool, arugula seeds or bush beans if it's warm, and cow peas if it's hot). If you pull a plant from your space, put something new there ASAP.

You'll notice that your soil won't dry out nearly as quickly in places that are shaded by leaves. That alone will help you conserve so much water.

Water Conservation Method #2

Use Compost to Retain Moisture

A lot of gardeners mulch their gardens, but I'm not a fan of mulch. Yes, it does help keep moisture in the soil, but it also creates a nice little habitat for pests that want to munch on your plants. (That's not the kind of habitat I want to create.)

Instead of mulching, I prefer to use a layer of compost on top of the soil. Compost also retains water. It does the same job as mulch but without hiding pests. It also provides valuable nutrients for your plants.

Even during extremely hot seasons in Houston, compost has kept my clients' gardens flourishing all summer long. No mulch needed.

Water Conservation Method #3

Water Your Plants in the Early Morning

A huge factor to consider with water conservation in the garden is the evaporation rate, which is highest when the air is dry and the temps are high. In other words, high noon on a hot summer day is not when you want to water your plants.

The best time to water your garden is early in the morning, before the sun's fully up. That's right, coffee time is water time.

If it's the middle of the day and your plants look like they could really use a drink, wait until the evening to water. Honestly, missing one morning of watering likely won't cause too much damage except to plants in the very early stages of growth.

Water Conservation Method #4

Aim Water at the Roots of the Plant

Whenever I ask my kids to water my garden, they just take the hose and blast the leaves. That's not the best way to water your plants (and it's certainly not very water-wise).

Instead, direct the flow of water to the roots, right at soil level. I like to use a low spray on my hose nozzle to imitate gentle rainfall. I place my nozzle right near the base of the plant and hold it there for a couple seconds to make sure the water soaks the rootball. Then I know the water's gone right where it's needed most. I haven't wasted any H2O by watering spots of the garden that don't need it or by losing it to evaporation.

Watering this way is also better for the overall health of your plants because it prevents fungal diseases like powdery mildew. You typically want to avoid wet leaves.

Drip irrigation is a wonderful way to deliver consistent water right to the roots of your plants. Drip irrigation uses anywhere from 30 to 80% less water than other irrigation methods. Learn how to set up a simple drip irrigation system in your garden.

Water Conservation Method #5

Check the Moisture Level in the Soil Before You Water

This might sound obvious, but don't water a garden that doesn't need it! If you've got your watering set up to be automatic, I recommend adding a rain sensor so that your system can detect when you've had a good rain. These sensors help you optimize your watering schedule and save water. (This tip is for your lawn as much as for your vegetable garden.)

If you're watering by hand, you don't need a fancy sensor to check the moisture level. Just use your good ol' finger—a highly sensitive instrument! Stick your finger into the soil, and if it feels dry down to your first knuckle, it's time to water. Of course, you can also use a rain gauge to track your weekly rainfall.

Overall, you'll need to water more frequently when it's hot. Your garden will need a little bit of water every day or a deep soak every couple of days. As the temperatures start to cool off, you can slow your watering down. Set phone reminders to periodically adjust any automatic timers based on the season.

Water Conservation Method #6

Use Ollas

An olla (pronounced "oya") is a wonderful tool to help you maintain the water level in your garden. It's a clay vessel with a closed bottom that you bury in the garden. All you have to do is keep it filled with water. The great thing about ollas is they're porous, so they only release water into the soil when it's needed.

You'll need to place your olla before you plant for the season to avoid disturbing root systems. Over time, plants will send their roots closer to the olla to pick up water when they need it.

Make Your Garden a Wildlife Habitat

Your garden space can (and should!) be a happy place for many beings other than yourself. There are so many wonderful creatures that need a little help from us right now. And when we invite them in, they can actually make our gardens healthier and more productive.

Welcome more animal life into your garden space by setting up spaces for animals to rest, raise their young, and find food. I'm not a conservationist or even an environmentalist, but I've noticed a drastic increase in the number of creatures large and small in my backyard when I take just a couple small steps to create more of a safe haven for them.

Here are some eco-friendly landscaping ideas to turn your backyard, front yard, or even a little porch or patio into a wildlife habitat space.

Wildlife Habitat Idea #1

Add Water Sources

Whether you install a bird bath or just set out little bowls on your patio, a little fresh water can go a long way in making your space more wildlife friendly. Just make sure to change out the water every day so it's always ready for a critter to come take a sip or cool off. (That's also how you prevent mosquitos.) Bonus: it's so much fun to watch the birds and insects drop in!

Wildlife Habitat Idea #2

Provide Shelter

Our backyard in Houston was nothing but lawn when we moved in. We set up a native plant area, and before long, we started seeing all these little lizards and toads move in, much to the delight of my youngest daughter.

Creatures need places to find shade, hide, nest, raise their young. It was magical to see how the lizards and toads took up residence so quickly in a spot that previously only had sod.

In addition to adding more plants and trees, you can also install things like bird houses, insect hotels, and bat boxes.

Wildlife Habitat Idea #3

Plant Native Grasses

I'm not saying to rip up your Bermuda grass. All you have to do is plant some native grass in your landscape or in a pot on your patio. These grasses will be perennials, meaning they'll die back during winter and then come back on their own in the spring. They'll then send up these pretty little tassels with seed heads that are important food sources for your bird population.

Grasses not only provide food, they also provide shelter and shade. Each grass plant will grow rather large, giving a place for animals to come and hide from predators or bright sun.

Native grasses are one of the simplest ways to increase the sustainability of your space. Personally, I love how they add a soft texture to my flower beds. They fill in empty space and prevent your landscape from looking too boxy and formal.

Wildlife Habitat Idea #4

Add Food Sources

It's so easy to provide food sources for pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and more. One of their favorite flowers is anise hyssop, a perennial herb that'll come back year after year, thanks to it's tubular blossoms that grow on a spiked flower head. It's perfectly shaped to give little beaks and proboscises access to all that nectar! Other great plants are lemon balm, bee balm, cone flowers, sunflowers, native milkweed—really any plant that produces lots of pollen or seeds.

Even something simple like leaving cilantro and dill plants in the garden after they've flowered so birds can come along, nibble some seeds, and be on their way makes a difference.

Do a little research to find out what grows in your region, and then add them to your garden. Plant them in the spring or fall, and then leave them as is for the winter—don't cut them back. Believe it or not, they can actually provide food and habitat throughout the coldest months that way.

Wildlife Habitat Idea #5

Avoid Using Pesticides

Pesticides aren't great for the little ecosystem that is your garden, much less the health of our planet.

Even though pesticides are targeted at certain pests, they make their way up the food chain and ultimately impact local wildlife in general. Bees, butterflies, and ladybugs especially can be harmed (yes, even if you use organic pesticides).

Plus, whatever you spray on your yard and your garden gets washed into the groundwater and sewer system and ends up affecting marine life in lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Learn 5 ways to practice eco-friendly pest control instead.

What Can You Do Today to Make Your Garden More Sustainable?

All right, are you feeling inspired?

Remember, each and every little thing that you do in your everyday life really can matter. Something as simple as saving your coffee grounds and banana peels or planting some native grass in your landscape or watering in the early morning—it all adds up to make a big difference!