What makes a garden sustainable?

It is interesting to note that the United Nations defines sustainable development as: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

- Wendy Moulton

This global interpretation can be pretty ambitious for a gardener just trying to do their bit in a small space, but it can be perhaps said in a better way as: “do no evil”.

Let’s explain. This concept is to use gardening practices that enhance the environment while not causing harm to any living thing including humans. This is actually quite hard to do with the helpful chemical solutions to control pests a garden centre drive away, the hosepipe at the ready to spray off those pesky aphids, and a bucket of water at the ready to drown a snail or two. But if we did just a few sustainable things, imagine what could be achieved.

Here are my top 10 gardening practices, that will head you in the direction of becoming a sustainable gardener.

1 Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

This may be the most scientific of the ideas, but bear with me, it’s not that bad. The idea of IPM is to monitor and then use the least toxic solution to the problem. It’s important to know what you are dealing with first and foremost. You wouldn’t want to indiscriminately kill off predator bugs that could help get rid of the sucking insects destroying your crops. Sticky yellow cards can help determine what problems you have and once you have a proper ID, then act accordingly.