CORVALLIS – In a world of increasing climate change and the invasion of more exotic insects and pests, sustainable gardening is more important than ever.
We can all do our part by changing our practices – often just a little, depending on the methods you’ve already adopted. And if everything seems too overwhelming to you, take it one step at a time. They are helping the environment while saving money and joining a community of like-minded gardeners who love to share their experiences.
To get you started or to expand your repertoire of sustainable practices, consider these suggestions from the horticultural experts at Oregon State University Extension Service.
Check your property for invasive weeds: An invasive species is an introduced organism that negatively changes its new environment. There are many invasive plants in Oregon that fit this definition. Blackberry, sky tree, invasive knotweed, garlic mustard, celandine, Italian arum, and horsetail are some examples that are difficult to control. Keep these and other invasive weeds from establishing themselves on your property. Watch out for invasive plants and take action before they become a major problem. Check with your local soil and water conservation district to find out which invasive plants are a problem in your area. Use cultural control methods before turning to pesticides. – Weston Miller, OSU Extension Gardener
Home garden maintenance: The sustainable home garden begins with the selection of size-controlling documents. The tree size can be kept anywhere from 6 to 9 feet tall when dwarf or semi-dwarf rhizomes are used. Smaller trees make it easier to develop an open shape that dries quickly after rainfall and reduces the incidence of disease. Small trees are also easier to work with when pruning, thinning, spraying and picking, saving you time all year round. They require less spray and allow easy access to the top tree canopy to keep the spray on target.
Search catalogs and publications for tree fruit varieties that do well in the Pacific Northwest by resisting common diseases. For example, if you are planting a Liberty or Chehalis apple, you never need to spray fungicides to combat apple scab as these are very resistant. – Steve Renquist, OSU Extension Gardener
Plant a cover crop: soil is the foundation of any garden, especially if you don’t plan on using a lot of chemical fertilizers. Catch crops provide many benefits to the soil by reducing erosion and runoff, increasing water infiltration, and increasing organic matter. Legume catch crops act as fertilizer and fix nitrogen in the soil. See this Washington State University Extension Service publication. – Erica Chernoh, OSU Extension Gardener
Share tools: No need to buy your own specialty tools or small appliances (think long-handled loppers, lawn edgers, or rototillers). See if there is a community tools sharing program near you or reach out to your neighbors to share them. If you need your own, check out a property sales or home improvement fundraiser for used items.
Order in Bulk: Team up with close neighbors to order soil, compost, mulch, or other supplements in bulk instead of buying products in plastic bags. – Brooke Edmunds, OSU Extension Gardener
Reduce plastic: Reduce single-use plastic pots in the garden by:
- At home, start seeds in cardboard egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, or even homemade newspaper pots;
- If you want to start seeds in larger containers, use plastic cups or containers from your home (repurposed yogurt containers work well);
- Buy bare-root plants;
- At the nursery, look for pots made from compostable materials like coconut, paper, or cow dung. – Gail Langellotto, OSE Extension Master Gardener National Coordinator and Professor of Horticulture
Reduce the use of pesticides:
- Replace pest-prone plants with ones that do not require frequent use of pesticides;
- Find out more about the pests in your garden and look for alternative control methods;
- Realize that some pest problems can be a matter of perspective and tolerance. Is there a place or space for you to tolerate slight aesthetic damage to certain plants that will not cause long-term damage to plant health.
- If you have a lawn or landscaping service and they regularly spray pesticides, make sure you know the pests they are spraying against. Do some research to find alternatives or to see if pesticide applications are even necessary. Some services are sprayed on a regular basis (i.e. every two weeks or every month) whether or not it is necessary. – Gail Langellotto, OSU Extension Master Gardener National Coordinator and Professor of Horticulture
Reduce Water Use By Choosing Plants: One way to be sustainable in the garden is to reduce water use. Special irrigation systems are often installed to reduce the amount of water applied or wasted. It is even better to use plants in the garden that are drought tolerant and do not require watering. The climate in the Willamette Valley is semi-Mediterranean with a summer dry period, so establishing plants that can tolerate these conditions is a great way to have a low-maintenance and sustainable garden.
Plants that are native to our region will achieve this goal, but there are also a number of plants that are native to other Mediterranean regions that can also tolerate our summer drought. A trial is currently underway at OSU’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center evaluating drought-tolerant groundcover as part of the Northwest Plant Evaluation Program, which has also evaluated other non-irrigated landscaped plants, including manzanita, grevillea, rockrose, and California lilac. Some of these plant selections, as well as many other drought tolerant plants, can be found in local nurseries and planted in unwatered areas of the landscape to reduce water use in gardens. Please visit the website for more information. – Healther Stoven, OSU Extension Gardener
– Kym Pokorny, kym.pokorny@oregonstate.edu
