Gardening

Interesting links:

• Food waste restaurant challenge guide • Quiz about restaurant efficiency and sustainability

Diana & Veneta

In today’s world, there are many different types of gardens that can be grown as traditional rural gardens take a step back, and more and more people decide to live in big cities. Urban areas are places where people generate a lot of food waste, which can be composted and reused in gardening. Gardening has many benefits. One of these is related to the natural and organic qualities of fruits, veggies and herbs. One also relates to our mental and physical health, as gardening itself releases stress and breeds positive thoughts. Another benefit of gardening is that we can loop production by using organic waste and food leftovers and composting them. By doing this, we produce new soil that is rich in elements for the new crops. The overall positive effect of gardens is that they sustain the production of oxygen and keep the soil “active”, as during production we nurture it, water it and soften it so the plants are aired.

In this section, we outline three different types of gardens that have their own features and ways to

implement Zero Waste principles:

• gardens at home;

• urban (outdoor) gardens;

• rural gardens. More information about each is shared below.

This type of gardening is applicable for everyone, as it refers to growing plants inside our flats or houses no matter where we live. The most important requirement is the availability of sunlight, as this helps plants to grow. Indoor plants have many benefits, such as absorbing toxins and CO2 from the air, refreshing the design of rooms and improving concentration and productivity. Different rooms enable different kinds of species to grow. For instance, orchids and succulents are appropriate for bedrooms, moss is good for the bathroom, plants with big leaves for the office, etc.

How can home gardening reduce our waste? It is as easy as this: you can produce your own soil by using your organic waste. This can be produced from food leftovers such as coffee sludge, remains of fruits and vegetables, tea bags, dead leaves, egg shells, etc. The production of home-made soil is easier than it looks. We all have organic waste, such as food scraps, which usually ends up in the bin with plastic, paper and glass. In order to become sustainable, this organic waste could be a great resource for growing healthy plants. Start preparing your compost by separating dry from wet trash in different buckets. To speed up the process of composting down to 2 months, there is a special type of bacteria called compost micro-organisms. They imitate the natural processes happening in the environment. Another option for waste reduction connected to gardening is to use old materials for pots and decorations by reusing or upcycling old stuff – containers, textiles, bottles, wooden objects. In this way you can contribute step by step to a more sustainable and healthy lifestyle for you and the people around you. But this is just the beginning in terms of gardening.

Urban gardening

Here we are going to talk about outdoor planting, which is more seasonal. There are different places in cities where people can plant their gardens: on balconies, on roofs and between buildings. The three most important resources that need to be available are water, sun and soil. People can also apply the principles of vertical gardening by planting species in pallets, which saves place and allows polyculture planting. Production in urban gardens is demand-oriented, increases resource efficiency and enhances dopamine in the human body and releases stress. Composting here becomes even more vital, as the garden itself produces more organic waste than a home one, which becomes a generator for new compost material. In outdoor gardens in general, more effort is expected than in home gardens. While growing

different cultures, gardeners can use eco-friendly materials to support them such as wooden pallets, if available, or breathable mulch for areas where there are no plants. These help the soil to keep moisturised and aired, which are important qualities for healthy plants.

Rural gardening (needs more information)

This is the most common type of gardening, where people grow plants outdoors in bigger areas than urban gardens. With the decrease of people living in the countryside, and the increase of GMO cultures, this has become an important field. Another important fact is the increasing use of herbicides and pesticides in gardening, the lack of biodiversity (known also as monoculture), as well as the aggressive machinery that is used in order to support people in the heavy work required. However, there are ways to decrease your agricultural footprint, such as composting, reusing old and unnecessary items, upcycling, producing your own ecological liquids and materials for plant protection, etc.

After reading this, are you totally hooked on the idea of starting your own compost? There are many different ways to do this, depending on your housing situation and your personal preferences. Find out which kind of composting is right for you: 18

18 www.gardensthatmatter.com/infographic-best-compost-method www.ambius.com/blog/urban-gardening-tips www.dengarden.com/gardening/Companion-Planting-in-the-Garden-Good-and-Bad-Neighbours