The spring equinox has passed, which means we are officially in the light half of the year! As the weather warms, the buds start popping, and the world reawakens with vigor, it’s time to get back out in the garden and see what we can grow!
I’m more than ready to give my garden a little extra TLC this year, and I’m checking out the market for new features and tools. Some of these I’ve already incorporated into my garden, and others are on my list to try in an effort to update my garden’s design and functionality in a green, sustainable way.
Solar Light Features
2020 was a dark year, so I’m all about brightening up life with a little eco-friendly light that isn’t going to raise my electric bill. This isn’t something I’d really put much consideration into before. Solar light features can be decorative both in the daytime and nighttime hours, depending on how you choose to incorporate them into your landscape. I love being able to admire all the flowers and foliage during the day and then transform the garden into a work of art using light at night! It completely changes the space while bringing beauty and function around the clock.
I chose to light my flagstone path with solar lights and place a crescent moon light feature behind my outdoor altar. I’m totally in love with the look and can’t help but stand on the deck admiring the light show after the sun goes down. I think there may be more solar additions in my garden’s future…
Composter
I’ll admit it; I’m guilty of tossing my kitchen scraps and biodegradable trash out into the garden and leaving nature to do its thing. But investing in an actual composter is a smarter move and definitely more aesthetically pleasing to tuck off to the side rather than seeing eggshells and avocado skins in the plant beds.
A composter can handle grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and plant matter such as twigs, branches, dead leaves, and deadheaded flowers. Benefits of composting include:
- Adding nutrients back into the soil
. - Introducing valuable microorganisms to the soil, including bacteria, fungi, and protozoa
. - Recycling kitchen and yard waste in a more sustainable way
. - Reducing landfill waste (sometimes by as much as 30%!)
. - Reducing the need for factory-made fertilizers and chemicals
.
Basically, all-around eco-friendly goodness! My garden doesn’t have great topsoil, so I’m really looking forward to improving the quality of the soil through composting. Good for the garden, good for the environment.
Tower Garden
I’ve had my eye on a tower garden for a couple of years now so I can continue growing herbs and veggies through the winter. These vertical gardens are also great if you live in an apartment and don’t have much room on your balcony or indoors to grow many plants.
There are some extensive tower gardens out there on the market. Juice Plus offers an indoor/outdoor version that uses an aeroponic system with only water and nutrients rather than dirt. There’s a bit of a learning curve to test the pH of the water and keep the system balanced correctly.
