With spring in the air, the price of vegetables on the rise and Christmas just around the corner, there has never been a better time to get gardening.
Growing a few vegetables, fruit trees or even windowsill herbs is a small step we can all make towards living more sustainably. It’s a win-win situation, saving you money, providing wholesome and nutritious food to feed your whānau from garden to table, and at the same time doing your bit for the sake of the environment.
As a proud Kiwi company that cares about the future of Aotearoa New Zealand and the planet, The Warehouse is committed to helping New Zealanders live more sustainably. The Warehouse has been giving its garden centres a refresh recently, to make them more sustainable and encourage Kiwis to give gardening a go. So, whether you have a large garden or just a balcony, make your local The Warehouse your one-stop garden shop this spring.
Here are 7 easy and affordable tips for gardening more sustainably this spring:
Encourage bees and beneficial insects into your garden with flowers. They’re particularly attracted to bright colours, so go for easy-to-grow favourites like marigolds, as well as perennials such as geraniums, daisies and fuschias, which will rewild your garden for seasons to come.
Reduce your water usage by collecting rain – like The Warehouse has been doing; installing big water tanks to collect rainwater to use for irrigation in its garden centres. An at home option is to put a barrel under a downpipe or leave out a few buckets that you can use to water the garden. If it hasn’t rained for a while, take a bucket into the shower with you and use it to catch the water while your shower heats up.
Another way to reduce the amount of water you need on your garden is to protect the soil with a layer of mulch. It’s best to do this in spring before the soil starts to dry out. The Warehouse sells a range of mulches, potting mixes and composts in convenient take-home bags.
About ten per cent of our global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by food waste – so do your bit by starting a compost system at home. Keep a stylish lidded container on the kitchen bench to pop your scraps into as you cook, then leave them to break down for a few weeks in a garden bin made of 100% recycled materials before using the compost to fertilise your garden.
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second-best time is today. Plant a fast-growing tree in your garden this spring and it will reward you with years of shade, bird life and maybe even fruit. It will also help fight climate change by storing greenhouse gases and releasing fresh, clean oxygen. If you’re renting or have a small outdoor area, plant trees in pots so you can move them around or take them with you when you move. Visit The Warehouse to choose from a range of trees and small trees for planting – just check the label to see how big it will grow to make sure it’s a good size for your garden.
Save your empty toilet roll inners and upcycle them into a seedling nursery. Simply stand a few up in a container, fill them with soil and pop seeds into the top of each. Cover with soil to about twice the depth of the seeds’ diameter, water gently and wait. When each has about four leaves (usually after about three weeks), transplant the entire toilet roll into your garden – the cardboard will naturally decompose as the plant grows. You can also do this with egg cartons!
If you live in an apartment or townhouse, bring the outdoors inside with a lush forest of houseplants. Plants help purify the air within your home – and they look great too! You’ll find an amazing selection of indoor plants at your local branch of The Warehouse.
For more information about The Warehouse sustainability initiatives go to thewarehouse.co.nz/here-for-good.
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