Why Sustainable Gardening?

You’re invited to contribute to this growing list of reasons to garden sustainably. It’s a work in progress and I encourage your comments and additions — just send ‘em along.

Fertilizers and the Problems they Cause

  • Run-off from the use of fertilizers, especially the synthetic kind, is a major cause of water pollution.
  • Production of synthetic fertilizer requires fossil fuels as inputs, then are shipped considerable distances to our gardens. Home-grown compost and mulch are free, the products of recycling. And they’re far better for our soil, the wildlife, and our plants.
  • Increasingly, sustainability includes choosing organic fertilizers from local sources.

Water — a Limited Resource

  • Not just in the arid West anymore, especially with the worsening droughts associated with climate change.
  • Here’s a good overview of water scarcity issues.
  • I love this report about holding people responsible for the water they waste.


Pesticides — Not a Pretty Story

  • Pesticides kill beneficial insects too, and can even can kill birds and other wildlife that feed on the affected insects. Remember the Monarch!
  • Rachel Carson sounded the alarm that finally most of us are hearing — that not just DDT and other since-banned chemicals harm the environment. Lots of still-legal ones are dangerous to humans, our pets, and a wide range of species in our gardens.
  • Here’s Penn State on “Why not just use a pesticide?”

More Good Info on Line