Good time to consider reducing waste

• Published date: 05 April 2024
• Publication title: Oamaru Mail

Why should we give a JOT about garden waste

■Illegal dumping of garden waste causes environmental damage, spreading weeds and clogging up waterways.

■Green waste sent to landfill increases greenhouse gas emissions due to the decomposition of organic waste including food and garden. In 2021, 91.9% of waste emissions were biogenic methane, which has 25 times greater warming effect than carbon dioxide.

■The chemicals in synthetic fertilisers actually reduce soil fertility over time and can harm our health.

So how can we turn waste into goodness for the garden? Here are a few ideas.

Use a closed-loop gardening system. The aim is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem where nutrients, water and organic matter are reused and recycled, minimising the need for external inputs. It’s a sustainable and regenerative gardening practice that saves money and improves the health of your garden.

How do we do this?

Turn weeds into a great natural fertiliser by drowning them in water and leaving it for a month. Water it down so it’s the colour of weak tea and use it to feed plants. The sludge left can be used in the compost bin or buried. A weed-only compost heap also works but just takes longer to break down. This may be a step too far for some, but keep some weeds as a colourful addition to the garden. Many can be eaten too! (Editors’ note, if you are not experienced at weed identification, please check with a plant expert before eating weeds — some are poisonous).

Clippings from hedges, perennials and shrubs and grass clippings from lawns can be used as a mulch. Just chop and drop in-situ so that the goodness goes back into the soil. It reduces moisture loss and keeps the soil warmer during the winter.

Using garden waste, minus the weed seeds, for a compost heap works really well. We find active composting the most effective where you put as much material together in one big pile. It creates a lot of heat and the fabulous compost dwellers are compelled to come and help the process. We have made beautiful compost in three months with this method. Making sure the heap is watered and turned every month really helps. You can just leave your pile and it will still break down, just more slowly. (https://www.ediblebackyard.co.nz/easy-peasy-compost)

A no-dig bed or lasagne garden is perfect for new raised beds and vege boxes.

Put a layer of cardboard on the ground, then add compost ingredients in...