Now that we’re in the midst of another warm, muggy summer, you might be wondering how to make your gardening habits a little more eco-friendly.  

One key tip is water conservation; don’t use more water than necessary when watering your garden. Mulch can help with this significantly, as it keeps the moisture in your garden so you don’t need to water quite as frequently.

If you haven’t put mulch on your garden yet, Hannaford Supermarket on Main Street currently has bags of mulch on sale. Mulch has a lot of other benefits, which you can read about on StartingAGarden.net.  

Rain collection is another way to conserve water. Set up a rain barrel in your yard and harvest rainwater for use in your garden. There are also a few smaller ways to conserve water for your garden:

• You can put a bucket in your shower, so when the water is warming up you can collect water to use in your garden. 
• If you have a dehumidifier in your basement, you can also use that water to water your garden.  
• If you have children and a kiddie pool, after they’re done using it, you can reuse that water for your garden.

Many people wonder how they can garden sustainably without using pesticides. Some flowers, such as marigolds, help keep bugs away. Ladybugs are also great for your garden; ladybugs prey on mites, aphids, and more. You can either attract them with certain plants (ladybugs like marigolds) or order ladybugs online. I like Gardens Alive! for buying eco-friendly gardening supplies and they sell ladybugs.  

Composting is fantastic for your garden. You can make free, eco-friendly soil with scraps from your kitchen and yard. Make the best of your waste and turn it into soil.  

The last, but very important tip is to make sure that whatever you’re planting will thrive in Waltham. Don’t plant invasive species that can throw off the eco-system and make sure that your plants are weather-appropriate for Waltham. Eco-system Gardening has excellent resources for figuring out what is appropriate to grow where. I’ve had lots of luck with tomatoes, squash, green beans, raspberries, and lettuce.