Skip to main content

Gardening 101: Sustainable practices for your garden this fall

There are a wide range of sustainable practices that can be implemented in your garden. In fact, there are so many that it can be difficult to determine which ones are a good fit for your garden and experience level. If you aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. We’ve got a list of sustainable gardening practices, sorted by difficulty level so you can be sure you’re picking methods that are doable for you. Even the most difficult practices on this list can be accomplished by any gardener, though, even a beginner. They just might take a little more time and effort to implement.

What does “sustainable” mean and why does it matter?

Sustainable, by definition, means something that’s able to be continued. In an environmental sense, though, the definition is a bit more specific. Environmental sustainability means that it can be continued without harming the environment or running out of resources. Sustainable gardening practices increase the positive impact your garden has on the environment while minimizing the negative impact.

Recommended Videos

Sustainable gardening practices are an important way that we, as individuals, can take care of the environment that we depend on for our gardens. They can also help if you’re feeling stressed about the larger global climate problems. Although most of those problems are large, and require larger solutions, sustainable gardening practices can greatly improve local environments. Fixing these smaller problems is a great first step to fixing those larger problems, too. The more people using and talking about sustainable practices, the easier it is to collaborate and find solutions for bigger environmental issues.

A person composting greens
lomiso / Shutterstock

Sustainable practices to start with

These sustainable practices are easy and take little time or effort to accomplish, making them a good fit for any gardener, regardless of skill level or experience. Before you even begin your garden, there are three things you can do to make it more sustainable.

Get your seeds from a local source

Sourcing your seeds from a local seed exchange cuts down on the pollution caused by packing and transporting the seeds. Choose native plants, to help preserve your local ecosystem. Plant drought-tolerant plants to conserve water, especially in areas prone to hot, dry summers.

Switch from chemicals to more natural methods

Even small amounts of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers can wreak havoc on your local environment, especially if they get into nearby water sources. Natural replacements can include insecticidal soaps, capsaicin spray, compost, organic fertilizers, and hand weeding.

Start composting

Gardening and lawn care can create a lot of scraps, which can be composted and used to nourish your plants. All you need is a clean container of whatever size you deem appropriate for the amount of scraps you have, some dirt to start off your compost, and plant scraps to add to it. During the fall, collect excess leaves to make leaf mulch. It’s an easy and sustainable replacement to inorganic mulches.

overflowing rain barrel in a garden
Anton Dios / Shutterstock

Sustainable practices that are a little more involved

These sustainable practices aren’t difficult, but they do take a little more time and effort to implement.

Install or make a rain gauge

Rain gauges measures how much rain has fallen. On average, lawns only need about an inch of rain a week, and most common garden plants need between one and three inches each week. A rain gauge can help you keep track of how much water your lawn and garden has already gotten, which prevents water waste.

You can even collect rainwater for later use by setting up a rain barrel. Rainwater can be used for watering your plants, but also for cleaning. It can also be used for cooking or drinking, so long as the rain barrel is clean and the air quality is good.

Watch out for soil erosion

If the erosion is outside your garden, planting trees, shrubs, or plants with deep roots can help keep the soil in place. In gardens, most soil erosion happens when gardens are left empty for a period of time and when old plants are dug up to be replaced.

Try no-till gardening

If your garden is going to be empty for some time, plant a cover crop like clover or vetch to keep the soil in place. Otherwise, you can try no-till gardening—cutting up old plants and mixing them into the soil—rather than digging them up entirely.

Sourcing local seeds, growing native plants, using drought-resistant plants, rain gauges, and rain barrels to conserve water, composting, planting trees, growing cover crops, and implementing no-till gardening are all great, small ways to help your garden be more sustainable. Anything that leaves the environment better than you found it is a good thing.

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Boost your compost with these nutrient-rich fruit peelings
Your guide to composting orange peels
A pile of orange peels

There are many misconceptions about what you can and can't compost. In the past, orange peels weren't allowed in compost bins because some believed they would repel worms and other organisms that promote composting. This left many gardeners wondering if they should add orange peels to compost or if they should still avoid that. Our understanding of the way orange peels (and other citrus fruits) help and hinder compost has changed, so it's time for an updated look at orange peels in compost and whether they belong or not.
Can you compost orange peels?

Yes indeed! You can put orange peels into your compost mix. Citrus peels, which are high in nitrogen, can be used to increase the activity of microorganisms by being added to your compost. You can add lemon peels, grapes, lime peels, and other citrus peels to your compost pile as a nutrient. With that said, it's essential to know that you shouldn't use orange peels in vermicomposting. Orange or other citrus peelings can repel worms and other organisms that promote decomposition; this means your compost pile will take more time to break down than usual.

Read more
5 incredible plants for rock gardens: Consider these options
Start your rock garden with these fun plants
Stonecrop in a rock garden

Rocks gardens are a simple way to design a garden with visual interest, especially if you live in an area where keeping a lawn full of grass alive is challenging. Rocks gardens are often home to drought-tolerant plants, as they most commonly mimic desert or mountainous environments. Easy to set up and simple to maintain, the only question left is what will you plant in it? There are many options, but if you want to know where to start, then you’re in the right place! This list of a few of our favorite plants for rock gardens will help you start to plan your very own gorgeous rock garden.
What types of plants grow best in rock gardens?

Rock gardens are best suited for drought-tolerant plants that can grow in poor, rocky soil. While you can grow other types of plants in a rock garden, it will take more effort on your part. Mixing compost into soil that’s full of rocks can be tricky, for example, so growing plants that need rich soil is more challenging.

Read more
These are our favorite perennial shade flowers for your yard
Grow these perennial flowers in your shady garden and brighten the darker spaces
Purple and white columbine flowers

Sunny flower gardens are bright and cheerful, but they aren’t the only option. There are many ways you can design a garden. If your yard is shady or the only space you have available is on a shaded, covered porch or patio, there are still plenty of gorgeous flowers you can grow.

Whether you want to deepen the shade with cool colors for a soothing vibe or brighten it up with a pop of color, there are shade-loving perennial flowers for every garden. To help you get started on your next flower garden, here are some of our favorite perennial shade flowers for your yard.
Columbine

Read more