14 Ways Your Garden Is Secretly Hurting the Environment

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Gardening is usually considered a calm way to enjoy nature and bring beauty and fresh air into our lives. And yet, our gardens, which we may think of as little green sanctuaries, can be part of a problem, without us even knowing. The fact is, even when we are trying to do our best, some gardening practices can be bad for the environment in ways we don’t think about.

Are you surprised? Now, let’s dig a little deeper and find out how your garden might be damaging the environment – and how to fix it.

Overwatering

It’s easy to think that more water means healthier plants, but overwatering is a common mistake that wastes a precious resource. It doesn’t just strain your local water supply, but it can also drown your plants’ roots and encourage the growth of mold and fungus. A rain barrel or drip irrigation are both great ways to reduce water usage and keep your garden lush and happy.

Non-Native Plants

While exotic plants might brighten up your garden, they tend to need more water, fertilizer and maintenance than do native species. Invasive attributes of non native also barrage you as they throng out local floral guts in the ecosystem. If you’re going to have a garden, choose native plants that are suited to your region and you’ll cut down on your garden’s environmental footprint without sacrificing beauty and diversity.

Excessive Lawn Areas

Some may consider a vast, manicured lawn a status symbol, but it’s not good for the environment. Typically, lawns need a lot of watering, mowing and chemical treatments to keep them green and weed free. You can save water, cut down on emissions from lawn equipment, and create a more dynamic, eco friendly garden by reducing the size of your lawn in favor of more diverse plantings.

Peat-Based Compost

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/ Teerapong mahawan

For years, gardeners have favored peat because it’s cheap, readily available, and easy to use, but harvesting peat bogs destroys these important ecosystems that store carbon and support biodiversity. According to International Peatland Society, the loss of these bogs puts large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. Seek out peat free compost alternatives which are just as effective with less environmental cost.

Garden Waste Disposal

Green Trash Bins on Gray Concrete Floor — Photo Credit: Pexels

Composting or recycling garden waste is preferable to throwing it in the trash and adding to overflowing landfills. These environments do not decompose yard clippings, leaves, and branches quickly, and in the process emit methane. Instead of sending this material to landfills, you can compost it, or turn it into mulch, and put nutrients back into your soil.

Pesticides and Herbicides

Quick fixes for garden pests and weeds include pesticides and herbicides, but they aren’t just aimed at the unwanted guests. These chemicals can leach into the soil killing useful insects and microorganisms and ultimately ending up in waterways washing away good life in water systems. Instead of going all chemical, try companion planting or weeding it by hand. It’s better for your plants, your soil, and the critters that live in your garden.

Plant Markers and Plastic Pots

While plastic pots and markers are pretty convenient, they’re not biodegradable and too often wind up in landfills. Because they can take hundreds of years to break down, these plastics are adding to the global problem of plastic pollution. If you’re able, switch to biodegradable options, like coconut coir (spun from coconut husk) pots or plant based markers.

Leaf Blowers

Garden leaf blowers are noisy, polluting and often unnecessary. Gas powered models especially give off huge amounts of carbon dioxide, which is air pollution. Besides giving you a quiet workout, raking by hand leaves fewer emissions behind. Also, the fallen leaves can be used as mulch to help your garden soil.

Wooden Table and Benches among Plants — Photo Credit: Hoài Nam/Pexels

Sometimes gardeners will bring invasive species unknowingly into their gardens that will outcompete native plants and disrupt local ecosystems. These species can spread fast and, as alien invaders, takeover natural habitats and diminish biodiversity. Research your plants carefully to avoid this and choose species that are known to coexist well with your region’s natural environment.

Improper Composting

Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Composting is an excellent way to reduce waste and improve soil, but it can also go awry. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, can be released from piles that don’t get enough oxygen or that have too much moisture. Be sure your compost is well aerated and well balanced with green and brown materials to keep things humming along.

Overuse of Mulch

While mulch can be a great thing to retain moisture and kill weeds, it can also smother your plants and prevent moisture from getting down to the roots. Mulch can also create a pest haven if it is piled on thickly. Mulch sparingly and don’t pile it up around the base of your plants.

Excessive Pruning

10 Perennials You Must Prune This Fall (Plus 5 That Thrive on Their Own) — Image Credits: johnalexandr via 123rf

You’ll be tempted to trim your plants into neat, symmetrical shapes, but too much pruning can stress them out and prevent them from photosynthesizing. This, in turn, makes your plants weaker and more prone to disease. Prune it carefully, taking off only what needs to come off to keep the plant in good health – not how you want it to look.

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting can make for a magical evening garden (it can be moody, romantic, fun, cozy or any number of things), but it can also add to light pollution, which is a bad thing for nocturnal wildlife. Natural light cycles are what birds, insects and other creatures use to feed, mate and migrate. Low energy lights with timers or motion sensors are the way to go to reduce their impact.

Synthetic Fertilizers

Synthetic fertilizers are relied upon by many gardeners to help plants grow, but in the long run they can do more harm than good. The use of chemical fertilizers can leach into the ground and into water ways causing nutrient imbalances that can harm aquatic ecosystems and plant life. According to ScienceDirect, organic fertilizers are much more sustainable as they add to your soil instead of destroying the environment.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.