January is the perfect time to make plans and simple changes that you will see the benefits of in the months to come, we’re not talking about the usual New Year fads of diets and exercise, not on this blog! We’re talking about detoxing your garden to create a healthier environment for relaxing and growing plants and veg.
Swap petrol to electric
Whilst petrol products including lawnmowers, strimmers and hedge trimmers are known to get the job done quicker and provide extra power, they’re heavy, smelly, noisy and need a lot of maintenance. There are some great battery and electric options available some that even offer the same power as petrol and are well worth researching next time you need to buy one.
Switch plastic for terracotta and wood
If you’ve got a lot of plastic plant pots in your garden slowly start swapping them for alternative options such as terracotta or wooden planters, pots and containers made from these materials are more expensive than the plastic versions so keep your eyes peeled for garden centre sales, where you could snap up some bargains...make sure you recycle the plastic pots where possible.
Use fewer chemicals
There will always be pests in the garden, so to reduce the use of your bug killer spray or treatment create little habitats for beneficial wildlife such as bug houses, they’re fun to make yourself or you can buy them. The more beneficial creatures that you can encourage to your garden the more aphids, white fly and black fly will get eaten! If you need to use a bug killer choose one that is neonicotinoid free which is better for bees.
Beds and borders
Using railway sleepers for raised beds can be detrimental to the health of your garden, they tend to be treated with chemicals that can leach into the soil, which isn't ideal if you're growing fruit and vegetables. Flimsy wooden boards will rot quickly and need to be replaced regularly. WoodBlocX raised beds are not treated with any nasty chemicals nor will they need any treatments or maintenance to keep them looking good, they offer a longlasting planting solution made from sustainable materials.
Compost
Save money on bags of compost and start making your own, this isn’t a quick fix though, if you start recycling your vegetable peelings, tea bags, egg boxes, newspapers and garden waste now into a small compost heap you may be able to start using it within six months to a year. However, you will reduce the amount of waste you throw away and by putting it back into the garden you will provide some great nutrients for the soil.
