THE GOOD LIFE Practical ideas and good advice for would-be smallholders. This month: gardening without plastic
Inspiration and advice for aspiring smallholders
Growing vegetables or cultivating herbaceous borders helps us to feel more connected to the land and in step with nature. But if we take a look around our gardens, it’s often surprising how much plastic can accumulate in corners, all of it destined to end up in landfill or polluting the oceans. There are good alternatives out there, however, for all our gardening needs. So let’s make a resolution this year to make our growing plastic free.
POTS
Most gardeners have stacks of plastic pots from previous purchases in sheds and greenhouses. Re-use these as much as possible, and, if you have more than you need, offer them to others on Freecycle (freecycle. org). Some garden centres and nurseries will recycle or, better still, reuse returned plant pots. There are a number of alternatives to plastic pots, including traditional terracotta, bamboo and latex – these last a few years after which they can be put on the compost heap. Also, coir, miscanthus and seaweed, which are planted straight in the soil and break down, allowing roots to grow through.
SEEDLINGS
Switch plastic modules for wooden seed trays (try nutscene.com). Prick out young seedlings and transplant into toilet roll tubes or homemade newspaper pots – rustle up a supply now with a paper pot maker (try burgonandball.com) ready for the growing season ahead. If you buy mail-order seedlings, look for companies that don’t send them packaged in swathes of plastic, such as rocketgardens.co.uk or organicplants.co.uk.
LABELS
Here’s the perfect excuse to eat a few more Magnums – wooden lolly sticks make great labels for
seedlings and cuttings. Alternatively, buy them in craft shops. For herbs and vegetable plants, invest in metal labels (try sarahraven.com) or paint pebbles as markers.
SUPPORTS AND TIE BACKS
Plastic netting is particularly problematic for wildlife, as fish, birds and mammals can become entangled. Peas, beans and other climbers grow happily on netting made from jute (gardeningnaturally.com), which can be composted later on. Ditch plastic ties in favour of biodegradable jute twine (nutscene.com) or metal plant support rings (burgonand ball.com), which can be reused again and again.
TOOLS
With a bit of care, forks and trowels with wooden handles will last a lifetime. It is more difficult to find plastic-free larger items, such as lawnmowers, shredders and hedgecutters, so try to repair rather than replace wherever possible. As they are used less frequently, it can also be a good idea to share them with neighbours or fellow allotment holders.