The zero waste way to a great vegetable garden
Zero waste is a hard target to reach for vegetable growers – many end up with gluts of produce every year, and find disposing of plastic compost bags and plant pots tricky.
However, urban gardener and seasoned veg grower Cinead McTernan has found ways to at least encourage zero waste. Cine ad, who explains her strategies in her new book, City Veg, has these tips for zero waste vegetable growing...
Invest in things you can re-use
“You’ll want to re-use plastic pots and think about the stuff you generally put into the recycling. Is the plastic you throw away a good enough size to sow seeds in, for instance?”
Consider your compost
“In an ideal world you would make your own compost, but if you have a small kitchen garden that’s unlikely. So, think about buying compost with a group of friends.
“Alternatively, in garden centres you can buy compost that comes in recyclable bags.”
Refill your plant food
“You can now buy plant food in the way you buy cereals and nuts. You just take your refill.
Big suppliers are looking to move towards this, so in the next year or two you will be getting dispenser units in garden centres, getting plant food in a litre carton and paying accordingly.”
Research sundries
“You can buy good compostable bin bags for garden waste (ecoliving.co.uk), reusable bags for compost, mulch and soil conditioners and paper pots instead of plastic ones (edibleculture.co.uk). Sea-Chem offers its Shropshire Seaweed Organic Fertiliser in refillable bottles (sea-chem.co.uk).”
Use veg ends
“There are some crops where you eat everything. Carrots are great. Eat the root and the leafy tops, making a pesto with it. And the bit that is left can be re-grown to give you more leafy top.
“It won’t feed a family for a week but it will give you a bit of extra taste for your salad, but you can also show the kids that it’s great to keep re-using things. We’ve got to be thrifty and that message is going to become more important.
“Radish is another great veg, with its root and peppery leaves. If you don’t pick them, you get rat’s tail radishes which are delicious little pods, which are really tasty. That way, you have used the complete vegetable.
“Coriander is another good one. The stems and roots – which have a milder taste – can be used once the plant has gone over.”
Don’t ditch ‘failed’ crops
“Often, people think if potatoes have started to sprout, they should throw them away. Just cut out the eyes. And don’t chuck green tomatoes. In our climate, it’s hard to get bigger ones to ripen at the end of the season. Make chutney out of them.
“Just understand seasonality and the need to be frugal.
“Crop all those courgettes and make chutney with them. I grate courgettes, to give a creamy texture to things without overpowering the taste. Make ratatouille and freeze it.
“Do a bit of research on your crops and you will find most things can be eaten.”
Put spare produce on your front garden wall
“Pop spare crops on your doorstep or take them to a school fair and swap them there. And if you have in-date sealed packs of seeds, take them to your local school or leave them on your wall for someone to take.”
Share seeds
“To avoid gluts of lettuces, green beans and carrots, which you’re never going to be able to get through, share packets of seeds with gardening neighbours and friends.
Alternatively, use plug plants if you are really short of space, and just have one or two of what you want.”