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Did you know you can enjoy a hobby, soak up the sun and help preserve the earth all at the same time? In fact, you can do all this and more right in your backyard. Experts say planting in even a tiny bit of soil can offset carbon emissions. So, from trees to vegetables, here are a few tips to get started.
- Plant a tree — or multiple trees if space allows — in your backyard. If putting trees in the ground isn’t an option, consider planting them in large pots. Your local garden center is an excellent resource for advice on tree selection and will help you choose species appropriate to your climate.
- If space is limited, start a patio garden with herbs, strawberries and cherry tomatoes.
- Recycled wooden barrels and pallets make perfect homes for a variety of plants. Nestle herbs or flowers in old wheelbarrows or turn antiquated ladders into trellises for climbing flowers like nasturtiums or clematises and vegetables like pole beans, cucumbers or peas.
- Rather than tilling existing dirt, which disrupts organisms and soil structure, purchase or construct a permanent, raised bed. Fill the bed with compost, old newspapers, grass clippings, and other organic materials.
- Plant perennial vegetables like asparagus, artichokes and rhubarb, which grow every year with minimal maintenance and are all healthy, edible and delicious.
- Reduce costs by asking friends who garden for some plant cuttings. You can also save money by starting from seeds rather than buying plants already rooted in pots. It takes a bit longer to see results, but it’s so satisfying to reap the fruits of your labor.
