Sustainable Gardening
Gardening sustainably involves combining organic gardening practices and resource conservation to enrich instead of deplete Mother Nature. Generally, sustainable gardening:
is forward-thinking
values ecosystem support over aesthetics
makes as little negative impact on the earth as possible
works with nature instead of against it
Soil Health
Healthy soil produces healthy plants, making it the key to a healthy sustainable garden. However, soil is exposed to a variety of risks on a daily basis. Climate is a big one—exposure to rain, frost, extreme heat and wind can drastically impact the health of soil. There are many ways to improve your soil, including the following.
Smart Mulching
Mulch is essentially an organic, manmade blanket used to protect the fertility and nutrient content of soil. It provides many well-documented, practical benefits to your garden: retaining soil moisture, controlling weeds, preventing soil surface crusting and the resulting erosion, buffering soil temperatures, minimizing maintenance and protecting plants from mowing injury.
The Dual Benefits of Compost
We need to add organic matter to soil from time to time to support beneficial organisms that normally live there—the same organisms that play a part in optimizing plant growth.
While there are a variety of compost “recipes” out there, we recommend focusing instead on creating an optimal setup and environment for decomposition. Active (hot) composting—where you help speed up the decay process—is a good way to go. This involves controlling several key factors: volume, particle size and moisture levels.
Keep an eye on our calendar or sign up for our newsletter for upcoming composting classes. You can also check out our online compost resources.
The Basics of Vermicomposting
Vermicompost is the product of earthworm digestion and aerobic decomposition using the activities of micro- and macro-organisms at room temperature. Vermicomposting (worm composting) produces a rich organic soil amendment containing a diversity of plant nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.
If you’d like to try this method of compost production, there are a number of bins that can be used to raise earthworms. Some of the more common are plastic bins of various sizes. Worm bins can also be made of wood, but avoid cedar because it has antimicrobial properties.
We offer a Worm Bin Workshop that teaches you how to set up your own DIY indoor composter, turn your food scraps into valuable fertilizer, harvest vermicompost and separate worms for future use. Watch our calendar or sign up for our newsletter for upcoming dates.
Water Efficiency
Water scarcity is a global concern and a problem in our own backyards. While it may be difficult to put yourself in the shoes of a child in Africa struggling to find fresh water, it's important to understand that water scarcity affects everyone—even in the U.S., where it’s increasingly in short supply in many parts of the country.
There’s a whole new gardening paradigm out there that’s replacing the approach many gardeners are used to. It recognizes two main tenets: create gardens that (1) look good and (2) use a lot less water than traditional landscapes.
There are a variety of strategies you can use for designing water-thrifty gardens. We offer classes throughout the year to help you implement some of those strategies in your garden or yard, covering everything from rain barrel making to succulent care and modern drip irrigation to gardening in soggy spaces. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. The Green Learning Station even has a cool water model that illustrates how Cincinnati’s combined sewer overflow system is a real problem for our city…but one that is finally being addressed!
Supporting Birds, Insects, & Other Pollinators
Wilderness is disappearing at an alarming rate. But there’s something you can do in your home garden to combat the loss of plant and animal species: support a natural ecosystem.
While research is ongoing, experts believe that native plants offer the most benefit for pollinators in terms of nectar, pollen, seeds, shelter and nesting sites. Simply growing native plants in your yard—many of which are beautiful—can help pollinators and other beneficial wildlife.
Plant Selection
Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. Since they require less watering and fertilization than most non-natives, they’re inherently sustainable. They also support pollinators and other wildlife.
Ready to get back to our roots with native plants, invasive species control, sustainable turf alternatives and more? Start at the CGC! We offer classes throughout the year on everything from bird friendly winter gardens to the best plants, shrubs and trees for pollinators to getting to know your insect friends and foes to coping with invasives. We also host a native plant sale featuring locally grown plants each fall.
Materials & Tools
A lot of what we’re used to using in our gardens isn’t sustainable. Gas-powered mowers and power tools can cause noise and air pollution. Hardscaping materials, like certain mulch and lumber, can also be toxic and harmful to soil, plants and others. Chemical fertilizers seriously affect the health of fish, amphibians and insects. Concrete pavers are impermeable and contribute to water waste.
If you’re ready to green your garden practices through environmentally friendly tools and hardscaping materials, reusing and recycling, and finding alternatives to plastic, our classes and resources can help. You can also stop by our Green Learning Station parking lot to learn about five different types of pavement that let water flow through them.