How to Reduce Plastic Use in Your Garden
Want to minimise your plastic footprint outdoors? Follow this expert advice for more eco-friendly gardening alternatives
Victoria Harrison
29 June 2021
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
Considering the amount of single-use plastic we consume daily, is it time to review our gardening habits? If you’re concerned about the impact of plastics on the environment and want to make a change, try these ideas for a low-impact outdoor space
Professional advice from: Guy Barter, Chief Horticulturist at the RHS | Fiona Green of Green Tree Garden Design | Claudia de Yong of Claudia de Yong Garden Design
Beginning your garden project? Read How to Start a Garden Redesign
Professional advice from: Guy Barter, Chief Horticulturist at the RHS | Fiona Green of Green Tree Garden Design | Claudia de Yong of Claudia de Yong Garden Design
Beginning your garden project? Read How to Start a Garden Redesign
Avoid black plastic and research local recycling facilities
When you buy a new plant from a garden centre, chances are it will come in a single-use plastic pot. While a few of these are handy to keep for potting on seedlings, spares can quickly stack up, and black plastic cannot currently be recycled easily, if at all.
“Seek out garden centres that take pots back for recycling,” says Guy Barter of the RHS, “and check to see if your local recycling facilities will take the new ‘taupe’ coloured pots that can be recycled, unlike black plastic ones.”
“I’m increasingly aware that the horticulture business in general is not very environmentally friendly where plastics are concerned,” garden designer Fiona Green says. “I’m usually inundated with pots by the end of each round of planting, and very few of them can be recycled.
“Our local tip will recycle larger pots,” she adds, “and I ask clients to dispose of these if they’re willing to do so.”
When you buy a new plant from a garden centre, chances are it will come in a single-use plastic pot. While a few of these are handy to keep for potting on seedlings, spares can quickly stack up, and black plastic cannot currently be recycled easily, if at all.
“Seek out garden centres that take pots back for recycling,” says Guy Barter of the RHS, “and check to see if your local recycling facilities will take the new ‘taupe’ coloured pots that can be recycled, unlike black plastic ones.”
“I’m increasingly aware that the horticulture business in general is not very environmentally friendly where plastics are concerned,” garden designer Fiona Green says. “I’m usually inundated with pots by the end of each round of planting, and very few of them can be recycled.
“Our local tip will recycle larger pots,” she adds, “and I ask clients to dispose of these if they’re willing to do so.”
Take your own containers to the garden centre
Alternatively, you could refuse the pot entirely. “When you go to a garden centre, if they only sell plants in plastic pots and you’re going to plant them immediately, why not take a large jute bag with you,” garden designer Claudia de Yong says. “Then, when you’re at the till, empty your plants into the bag and hand back the plastic. Or you could ask for a wooden tray or box instead.”
“One of the nurseries I use for smaller herbaceous perennials does like to have the trays the plant pots come in returned,” Fiona says. “I always try to collect these up and make sure they (eventually) make their way back to the nursery concerned.” But this is still not ideal, as Fiona admits “most nurseries don’t want the pots back (I’ve asked!)”.
Alternatively, you could refuse the pot entirely. “When you go to a garden centre, if they only sell plants in plastic pots and you’re going to plant them immediately, why not take a large jute bag with you,” garden designer Claudia de Yong says. “Then, when you’re at the till, empty your plants into the bag and hand back the plastic. Or you could ask for a wooden tray or box instead.”
“One of the nurseries I use for smaller herbaceous perennials does like to have the trays the plant pots come in returned,” Fiona says. “I always try to collect these up and make sure they (eventually) make their way back to the nursery concerned.” But this is still not ideal, as Fiona admits “most nurseries don’t want the pots back (I’ve asked!)”.
Make your own compost or buy wisely
“If you have the room, it’s a good idea to make your own compost and therefore avoid buying it in plastic bags,” Claudia says.
But if you need to supplement your own supply or buy specific soil improvers, you can still do so with an eye on the environment. “Buy larger economy packs of compost and fertiliser,” Guy says, “as smaller packs use proportionately more plastic packaging.”
“I reuse [compost bags] in my garden where possible, for [things like] growing potatoes and breaking down leaf waste,” Fiona says. “As a rule, we try to avoid using individual bags of compost, and prefer to get bulk deliveries in dumpy sacks, which we then reuse for collecting garden waste, but that isn’t perfect.”
You might also enjoy Professional Tips for Making Your Own Compost.
“If you have the room, it’s a good idea to make your own compost and therefore avoid buying it in plastic bags,” Claudia says.
But if you need to supplement your own supply or buy specific soil improvers, you can still do so with an eye on the environment. “Buy larger economy packs of compost and fertiliser,” Guy says, “as smaller packs use proportionately more plastic packaging.”
“I reuse [compost bags] in my garden where possible, for [things like] growing potatoes and breaking down leaf waste,” Fiona says. “As a rule, we try to avoid using individual bags of compost, and prefer to get bulk deliveries in dumpy sacks, which we then reuse for collecting garden waste, but that isn’t perfect.”
You might also enjoy Professional Tips for Making Your Own Compost.
Think long term with garden structures
Shifting your mindset from short to long term is a good way of avoiding the use of plastic in favour of a more sustainable material. This is especially true with garden outbuildings and structures, such as growhouses and cloches.
“Use glass cold frames, cloches and greenhouses instead of plastic ones,” Guy advises, and you’ll be investing in the future of your garden as well as in something potentially more aesthetically pleasing, too.
Shifting your mindset from short to long term is a good way of avoiding the use of plastic in favour of a more sustainable material. This is especially true with garden outbuildings and structures, such as growhouses and cloches.
“Use glass cold frames, cloches and greenhouses instead of plastic ones,” Guy advises, and you’ll be investing in the future of your garden as well as in something potentially more aesthetically pleasing, too.
Buy smarter seed trays
If you grow a lot of plants from seed, you’ll probably get through quite a few seed trays and cells each year. Add these up and it can create a small mountain of single-use plastic.
The alternative? “Use biodegradable pots, seed trays and cell trays instead of plastic ones,” Guy says, so when they reach the end of their useful life, they can biodegrade back into the earth.
While these are still relatively rare at present, biodegradable pots made from either coir, rice husks or seaweed can be hunted down by a determined gardener. “The pots and plants can go directly into the soil and will degrade over time,” Claudia explains.
If these are hard to source, she suggests making your own “with newspaper, using a paper pot maker. This method works well for starting seedlings and you can also use any cardboard tubing, such as those inside loo rolls. You can grow seedlings in eggshells and egg cartons as well,” she adds.
If you grow a lot of plants from seed, you’ll probably get through quite a few seed trays and cells each year. Add these up and it can create a small mountain of single-use plastic.
The alternative? “Use biodegradable pots, seed trays and cell trays instead of plastic ones,” Guy says, so when they reach the end of their useful life, they can biodegrade back into the earth.
While these are still relatively rare at present, biodegradable pots made from either coir, rice husks or seaweed can be hunted down by a determined gardener. “The pots and plants can go directly into the soil and will degrade over time,” Claudia explains.
If these are hard to source, she suggests making your own “with newspaper, using a paper pot maker. This method works well for starting seedlings and you can also use any cardboard tubing, such as those inside loo rolls. You can grow seedlings in eggshells and egg cartons as well,” she adds.
Say goodbye to plastic plant labels
If you like to label bulbs and seeds to remember exactly what’s planted where, or if you plant up a lot of cuttings that need identifying, plastic labels can build up.
As an alternative, try replacing them with wooden ones. “You can either use lolly sticks or handmade hazel markers,” Claudia says. These have the added benefit of looking rustically pleasing when dotted in rows in borders or vegetable beds.
You might also enjoy How Easy is it to Reduce Plastic in Your Home?
If you like to label bulbs and seeds to remember exactly what’s planted where, or if you plant up a lot of cuttings that need identifying, plastic labels can build up.
As an alternative, try replacing them with wooden ones. “You can either use lolly sticks or handmade hazel markers,” Claudia says. These have the added benefit of looking rustically pleasing when dotted in rows in borders or vegetable beds.
You might also enjoy How Easy is it to Reduce Plastic in Your Home?
Wrap your plants carefully
If you need to protect delicate plants during cold weather, steer away from thin, single-use plastic covers. “Use heavier duty plastic mulches and fleece crop covers,” Guy suggests. “[These] can be reused for several years rather than [only being] single-use.”
Looking for help with your own garden redesign project? Find a local garden designer to bring your ideas to life today.
If you need to protect delicate plants during cold weather, steer away from thin, single-use plastic covers. “Use heavier duty plastic mulches and fleece crop covers,” Guy suggests. “[These] can be reused for several years rather than [only being] single-use.”
Looking for help with your own garden redesign project? Find a local garden designer to bring your ideas to life today.
Rediscover garden twine
“Avoid plastic-coated ties and use string and jute to tie in plants instead,” Claudia suggests. Twine has the added bonus of being kinder to your crop than plastic ties, as, she adds, these “can cut into the stems of tender plants”.
Tell us…
How have you reduced your use of plastic in the garden? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
“Avoid plastic-coated ties and use string and jute to tie in plants instead,” Claudia suggests. Twine has the added bonus of being kinder to your crop than plastic ties, as, she adds, these “can cut into the stems of tender plants”.
Tell us…
How have you reduced your use of plastic in the garden? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
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T-shirts cut into long strips make great plant ties that last for years and are also very gentle on the stems of the plant.
Using reusable zip ties is another option to reduce plastic use - I have been reusing the same packet for 10 years now.
Old shirts and stocking are my plant ties and try and reuse plastic pots where possible.
Redcycle will take plastic potting mix bags- I think they prefer them cut up into smaller pieces. But yes, the garden industry really need to lift its single use plastic game. Seedling containers could easily be made of an an organic material as they only have a short life. The current ones are not even generally recyclable. Growing things from seed is the answer there I guess.