EDITOR'S NOTE: OrilliaMatters is partnering with Sustainable Orillia to publish a weekly energy tip. Check back here every Tuesday evening for a new tip. For more information, visit the Sustainable Orillia website.
There’s nothing like a beautiful fall day as those red and yellow leaves fall gently onto our lawns and gardens.
Gardeners, by nature, are long-term planners and although those falling leaves tell us that it's time to prepare our flower and vegetable beds for winter’s blast, our thoughts are always focused on the season ahead.
And, increasingly, our thoughts are on how best to integrate sustainable practices into our gardening regimes. The mantra of ‘Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose’ applies as much in our gardens as it does in other parts of our lives.
For example: As you prune or pull out your plants, chop them up and compost them for next year’s beds. If you don’t already have a composting system in your garden, start small, in a corner of your garden, with a simple pile of the chopped-up plants. Then cover with dirt and let nature take its course. You’ll be able to add this organic matter directly to your garden’s beds next season.
Do you have a stack of used plastic plant containers in your shed? This is a good time to take them back to your local nursery where they can be repurposed for next year’s plantings.
And what about water? It’s never too late to find a way to capture rain water for the garden. Just remember to empty your container before it freezes. A good rain barrel not only reduces wasted water, it also adds character to the garden.
Winter is when most gardeners plan (and dream).
This winter Orillia gardeners are encouraged to learn more about how they can integrate sustainable practices into those gardening plans. There is lots of helpful information on-line, and we here at Sustainable Orillia will be posting ongoing tips throughout the seasons to help us build better gardens naturally.
Meanwhile, enjoy autumn’s glow as you wind down another season and prepare for the next.
