More and more Australians are interested in getting a property with a garden. This is especially true in states like NSW and Queensland. This allows them to find solace in the oasis of their own making and to grow their own vegetables and herbs. In the era of GMO, this is one of the simplest ways to keep the food on your family’s table safe and healthy. With that in mind and without further ado, here are several tips to help you get the most out of this outstanding idea of yours while keeping it eco-friendly at the same time.

1.      Making your own compost

The first thing you need to learn is how to make your own compost, which is a skill that may help you keep your home litter-free at the same time. The list of things that you can compost is virtually endless, ranging from fruit, vegetables and eggshells all the way to coffee grounds, old herbs and spices and old oatmeal. You can even compost stale protein bars. In fact, it would be much more time-efficient to make a list of leftovers that you can’t compost which are dairy products and meat. It’s also highly advised that you don’t compost tea and coffee bags, as well as the sticky labels from fruits and vegetables.

2.      Home-made pest repellents

Another trick worth having up your sleeve is the means to keep your garden pest-free without having to resort to the use of chemical compounds, thus polluting the soil in your backyard. For instance, a garlic-mint spray is a perfect compound to keep the insects away, and coffee grounds work as well. One more way to keep pests away from your garden is to remove all the debris that they can use as a shelter. If this seems like too much work for you to handle on your own, you can start looking for agencies that specialize in rubbish removal. Not only will this keep the pests away but it will also make the garden more hospitable for your plants.

3.      Companion planting

Instead of having to work hard to keep your garden alive, why not try to make it into a self-sustaining biome? The simplest way to do so is to explore the concept of companion planting and try to make combinations that work. For instance, corn, pole beans and pumpkins are a naturally great combination, same as lettuce and eggplants. Those interested in growing tomatoes might find it handy to plant basil somewhere nearby, while radishes and carrots also work as amazing combinations.

4.      Planting local cultures

Some climates, soil compositions and other factors are ideal for certain plant cultures. The best way to know for sure is to go for what’s available locally. This means that the plant that you’re trying to grow in your garden is already accustomed to the local climate and that it can get all the nutrients it needs from the local soil. This alone will make your job a lot easier. Also, you probably won’t have to invest too much in the irrigation, seeing as how the air humidity and amount of rain in the area may, on their own, be sufficient for the cultures in question.

5.      Making and spreading mulch

One last thing you need to consider doing is making and spreading mulch in certain areas of your garden. Before you start, you need to consider the materials to use in your mulch. Hay, straw, bark, sawdust and woodchips are the first choice, yet, shredded newspapers may work just as great. Keep in mind, however, that treated wood (regardless of whether it’s sawdust or woodchips) may have a negative effect on your garden.

Conclusion

By adhering to these five principles, you’ll get a chance to completely effortlessly grow an eco-friendly garden. Also, some of these principles are budget-friendly or, at least, give you a way to effortlessly clean your home by giving you a chance to reuse a lot of items that you would otherwise have to discard.