RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: Five sustainable gardening tips from Bosch's Markus Rekittke

If the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has shown us anything this year, it's how focused we are on developing a more sustainable way of gardening; indeed, the Garden Product of the Year was an environmentally-friendly growing bag. So how can we develop more sustainable garden management practices?

SeeRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: The best performing plants for urban gardens

Gardens are currently being transformed into second living rooms and, for many people, are becoming the new centre of life during spare time. Whether you have an allotment garden, use a small piece of lawn behind your townhouse or own a rather big garden plot, they all have their unique charm and offer creative freedom, especially with regard to their maintenance.

TIPS FOR A SUSTAINABLE GARDEN

To celebrate the Chelsea Flower Show and its focus on sustainability, Bosch gardening expert Markus Rekittke has five tips to help everyone manage their gardens sustainably, easily and without having to spend a lot of time doing so.

1. SUSTAINABLE GARDEN IRRIGATION

Rainwater from your water butt is a highly valuable resource. Not only does it mean you can avoid using mains water, but it also means you can water everything from roses to carrots with an entirely sustainable source.

You can make use of this valuable resource without lugging around a heavy watering can, too; battery-powered watering systems allow you to spray water from the butt with a standard garden hose, and even a sprinkler or irrigation system, powerfully up to 25 metres – making watering easy and efficient.

As temperatures get higher, it’s also crucial to keep an eye on plants that use water fast to ensure they keep looking their best. This is particularly the case with hanging baskets, which can easily dry out if you’re not careful, so be sure to water them regularly when it’s hot.

2. REUSE GARDEN CLIPPINGS AND TACKLE WEEDS

Many gardeners already have a compost pile that uses clippings from hedges and bushes as well as biological components such as fruit and vegetable waste in a sustainable and clean way. In combination with regular recirculation, cuttings are perfectly suited to ensure air circulation within the compost, preventing a compost fire.

But clippings also have another purpose: when regularly chopped and spread under a hedge, they reduce the growth of weeds for a natural solution.

SeeRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2020: Sarah Eberle shares her top summer gardening tips

3. ATTRACT WILDLIFE WITH LEAVES AND CUTTINGS FOR MORE GARDEN BIODIVERSITY

Creating safe and natural habitats for animals and insects enriches a garden’s nature and diversity. Here, too, shredded clippings make their contribution: together with fallen leaves, they provide the ideal shelter for small critters, such as the hedgehog.

To collect enough leaves, simply pick up a leaf blower and off you go. Use cordless option for easy manoeuvring around bushes and trees.

4. MOW THE LAWN AND FERTILISE AT THE SAME TIME

There is an effective solution for sustainably fertilising your lawn: simply remove the catcher bag when mowing and instead attach a fitting mulching kit. This is because the shredded grass which is then returned to the lawn during mowing, is the perfect fertiliser. For best mulching results, your grass should be cut at a height of approximately 2cm. After the lawn work and for the final finishing touches, you can trim the edges of your lawn.

5. USE FIREWOOD FROM YOUR OWN GARDEN OR BUY AN AREA PARCEL

You don’t necessarily have to buy the wood for your fireplace. Instead, how about building up your own little supply? For this, in spring and/or autumn you can trim your fruit trees accordingly or simply make a reviving cut.

If you don’t have your own parcel of land but do have a fireplace, you can also buy a parcel in a forest to reclaim and transport usable wood and tinder for your own use as firewood. The good thing about this is that you are both adhering to sustainable guidelines and staying healthy by being physically active.

Visit Bosch for the tools you may need for your sustainable garden management.

SeeHow to transform your garden into a picture perfect paradise