How to make your community garden more sustainable
Recent studies show community gardens support health and wellbeing. People move more, eat more produce, and bond socially. These spaces already showcase sustainable gardening in action. Let’s explore how to boost their sustainability even further.
Composting
Composting is a major sustainable practice that turns garden waste into rich compost. It is also simple to manage. Build two, ideally three, compartments using recycled pallets for the sides.
Place lawn clippings, plant trimmings, and dead material into one bay. Layer green materials, like grass clippings, with brown materials, like twigs and stems.
Turn the pile regularly into the next bay to add oxygen. Extra oxygen speeds decomposition and improves compost quality.
Leaves
If your site has deciduous trees, collect fallen leaves in autumn. Keep leaves in a separate pile from compost. Different bacteria decompose leaves effectively over time.
Leave the pile for a year to rot down fully. You’ll create a glorious soil conditioner for improving beds sustainably. You can also sieve the leafmould to make seed compost. It is wonderfully sustainable and completely free.
Collecting rainwater
Most community gardens include a shed or small building. Fit guttering and downpipes into a water butt to collect rainwater.
Link additional butts to maximise storage during heavy rainfall.
Harvested rainwater supports sustainable irrigation through dry spells.
Make your own plant food
Comfrey
If you lack comfrey, now is the time to plant it. Comfrey leaves make superb, sustainable, high-potassium feed. It supports developing fruits and encourages more flowers. Comfrey flowers also attract beneficial insects for natural pest balance. There are two simple methods for comfrey feed.
First method
The first: pack many leaves into a water-filled container. Leave for two weeks to decompose.
Unfortunately, this method creates a very smelly liquid. Place tubs away from busy areas to avoid nuisance.
Second method
The second method creates a concentrated, non-smelly liquid. It works by allowing oxygen to circulate during decomposition. Fix a length of drainpipe to a sturdy post or stake. Position a sieve under the lower end, feeding into a narrow-neck bottle.
Firmly push comfrey leaves down the pipe to the top. A narrow stick helps compress leaves evenly. Check the pipe and container regularly.
In summer, a dark liquid should appear within two weeks. That liquid is decomposed comfrey, and it is odourless.
Add more leaves whenever the level in the pipe drops. Dilute the concentrate at roughly 20 parts water to one part liquid.
Top Tip - Stop rain from entering the pipe, which weakens the concentration. Mount the pipe slightly below the post top. Rest a small offcut and stone on the post, not the pipe. Keep the pipe opening clear for airflow, or decomposition will slow.
Any comfrey cultivar works, but ‘Bocking 14’ is excellent. It produces large leaves and is sterile, so it will not self-seed.
Nettles
Nettles make an excellent, sustainable nitrogen feed for leafy growth. The traditional method mirrors the comfrey water approach.
Submerge leaves and stems for two weeks to extract nutrients. This also smells strongly during decomposition.
Consider trialling the drainpipe method with nettles as well. A separate pipe may produce a non-smelly, oxygenated concentrate.
Garden for biodiversity
Plant choices
Choose single-flowered varieties to help pollinators access nectar and pollen. Better pollination can improve yields in edible beds.
Include plants that flower across the seasons for continuous forage. Bees favour blue and deep purple blooms. Borage and phacelia are quick, pretty, and easy to grow. Simply scatter the seeds across prepared soil.
Avoid pesticide use
Avoid pesticides to support a balanced, sustainable ecosystem. Use companion planting to deter pests and nurture plant health naturally.
Create various places for beneficial wildlife to shelter
Provide habitats for creatures that predate slugs, snails, and aphids. Leave piles of leaves beneath hedges as safe refuges for wildlife. Build beetle banks: raised soil ridges up to about 40 centimetres high.
Sow native meadow grasses, not lawn mixes, like red fescue, timothy, and cocksfoot. Add ox-eye daisy for summer interest and nectar. Beetles are valuable, sustainable allies against slugs and snails. Create log piles to offer shelter and food for many beneficial species.
Water
Water features quickly attract helpful wildlife. A pond is ideal, but budgets vary. Bury old washing-up bowls as simple wildlife pools. Place stones in the base and a sturdy angled stem. That helps animals escape the smooth sides safely.
Disguise edges with stones to create warm resting spots for insects. Pollinators like bees and butterflies also need shallow water. Use a shallow container with pebbles protruding for perches. An old cake stand works beautifully for this purpose.
Re-use and repurpose
Think creatively before buying or discarding items. Adapt materials to meet new needs sustainably. Pallets are an incredible free resource with many possibilities.
Build seed trays, containers, window boxes, and even loungers. Turning old children’s toys into planters engages younger gardeners. Worn clothes can be cut into durable cleaning rags.
Seed save
Save seed from edible and ornamental plants to reduce yearly costs. Seed saving strengthens local resilience and supports long-term sustainability.
Engage the community
Offer practical workshops on sustainable gardening led by experienced volunteers. Establish a fair system for sharing produce among gardeners. Donate any surplus harvest to local food support initiatives.
Send us your pics!
Show us your sustainable community garden practices!
Drop us an email at [email protected] with photos of your sustainable community garden! Or leave a comment below telling us all about it.