Growing a Plastic-Free Garden

As I started on this plastic-free journey with you a few weeks ago, I idealistically dreamed of growing my own vegetables, such as spinach, to avoid the plastic packaging in which so much produce is sold. What could be more natural and plastic-free than gardening? As I turned to our little raised bed in the front yard, I soon discovered how ubiquitous plastic is, even in our garden.
​
Prepping the Soil for Planting
Whether you’re planting a vegetable or flower garden, chances are you will need to clear some weeds and add some soil amendments to get the area ready for planting. Rather than using black plastic landscape “cloth” to rid the area of weeds, opt for plastic-free alternatives such as cardboard or newspaper that biodegrade and mix with the soil over time. Synthetic landscape fabric or plastic can kill the organisms and microbes that make for healthy soil.

Soil, compost, mulch and other soil amendments often come in plastic sacks. You can learn to make your own compost at home at one of GreenWorks’ monthly Composting Workshops and skip the middle-man. Some garden centers will deliver compost, mulch and soil by the truckload to your home -- just be ready to do some shoveling! If you must buy products in plastic bags, thoroughly wash the empty bags when done and take them to Ingles to be recycled with other plastic film.

Planting and Growing
​As you assemble your seeds and starts to begin planting your garden, be mindful of plastic sneaking into the products. Glossy seed packets sometimes have a plastic liner to prevent moisture from damaging the seeds. Look for paper packets at your local garden store. Participate in a local seed swap and bring your own glass jars or paper bags as seed containers. Bountiful Cities coordinates the Asheville Buncombe Community GardenNetwork (CGN) which maintains a Seed Library at the Burton Street Recreation Center for exchanging seeds as well. Plan ahead for next year and attend a CGN seed-saving workshop in the fall to learn how to create your own store of seeds.

Commercially grown plants and starts are often sold in plastic pots and trays. Such plastic is not recyclable locally, but can be brought to a Lowe’s Garden Center where they will be recycled or reused. Lowe’s will also take the little plastic plant markers/labels. You can check with your local nursery or garden store to see if they will take the plastic pots or flats back. Or, save the containers to grow your own starts for next season.

Image Credit: Point of Comfort​

To avoid the plastic altogether, look for plants in biodegradable pots or make your own from cardboard egg cartons, newspaper or cardboard toilet paper tubes. Check out this video from GrowVeg on how to make your own pots: 

​Cleaning Up
Weeding, pruning and harvesting produce a lot of yard waste. If you live within the City of Asheville and don’t have your own compost pile, you can have yard waste picked up at your curbside. Use brown paper yard waste bags, available at hardware stores, or a reusable bin to collect your plant material. This prevents unnecessary use of plastic trash bags, as the paper bags can be composted right along with the yard waste. Containing the plant material rather than piling it along the curb also keeps it from washing into our storm drain system and polluting local creeks and rivers. Enter your address HERE to find out if you’re in the City of Asheville and when your trash, recycling, and brush collection days are.

By going plastic-free in the garden, you can add to your overall joy of gardening and feeling of accomplishment. Do you have other tips for reducing plastic waste in the garden? Share your thoughts on the GreenWorks’ Facebook post related to this topic. Do you know someone who would like to learn more about going plastic-free? Forward this email and encourage them to check out all the previous posts on our website: www.ashevillegreenworks.org/mind-your-plastic-may.

Sincerely,
Dawn Chavez
Executive Director
​Asheville GreenWorks