Whether you are a gardening newbie with a single pot on your deck, have a sweet back-yard plot, or are a certified organic farmer with acres of growing space, these eco-gardening essentials will benefit your garden, and the environment.
At Elk Root Conservationβs Educational Demonstration Farm (ERC) in Vallican, BC we believe that local food security and protecting the planet go hand-in-hand. We are a certified organic demonstration farm, orchard and apiary that goes βbeyondβ the certified organic standard, creating thriving farm ecosystems. The certified organic standard is fantastic which is why we certified the entire ERC demonstration farm. However, at ERC we love to geek out, applying outside-the-box approaches to find even better ways to support our environment while feeding the future of all our diverse community members be they winged, web-footed, finned, or human alike!
What is βEco-Gardeningβ, and why do it?
Eco-gardening is a collection of environmentally friendly practices for cultivating plants and maintaining gardens with minimum environmental impact. By choosing plants that create a balanced garden ecosystem without using synthetic chemicals and with mindful use of natural resources (like water), to produce nutrient-rich herbs, fruits, and vegetables.
Here are tips to get you started on the path to becoming an eco-gardener extraordinaire!
Grow Organically
Certified organic growers are pros at building soil. Try some of their favourite techniques: mulching, crop rotation, and cover cropping to improve soil fertility and prevent erosion, to create an environment that plants and microorganisms will thrive in. If you use off-the-shelf fertilizers, look for βOMRIβ or βECOCERTβ logos. Products with these logos are approved for certified organic growing, therefore synthetic-free.
Compost
Compost is the recycling of organic waste to create nutrient-rich fertilizer. Compost builds soil health and diverts organic waste from landfills. An eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers in plastic packaging.
Get Naked
Strip off those plastic ground covers, which can harm your soilβs biodiversity!
At ERC we use living ground covers like creeping thyme with its antifungal properties, and also fine wood chip with green tree matter (the leaves are shredded and left in it) to mulch. Carbon in the wood mulch material creates a layer on top of the soil that inhibits weed seed germination on the surface. Over time it breaks down, adding another layer to the soil. We then add compost to this layer and a fresh topping of surface mulch. This practice of βlasagna layeringβ is one of the tried-and-true techniques we use at ERC to build soil health.
Living Ground Covers
At ERC we use living ground covers like creeping thyme with its antifungal properties,Β and also fine wood chip with green tree matter (the leaves are shredded and left in it) to mulch. Carbon in the wood mulch material creates a layer on top of the soil that inhibits weed seed germination on the surface. Over time
Pollinator Companion Planting
Pollination is key to any food gardens success. Plant edible flowers and let herbs bloom to attract pollinating insects to support biodiversity in your food garden. Try the West Coast Seeds x Elk Root Pollinator Companions Pack which includes both certified organic Sunrise Bumble Bee Cherry Tomato and German Chamomile seeds. 100% of sales are donated to ERC to grow food for communities in need.
Integrated Pest Management
Leave the chemical insecticides on the shelf. They contaminate your soil and kill beneficial insects and pests alike. An example of a beneficial insect that is often misunderstood is the predatory wasp. They eat cabbage moth larvae β a true pest! While you may not like wasps at a picnic, they are essential to keeping any garden ecosystem naturally in balance. At ERC we plant eryngium to not only attract wasps but also keep them occupied while we are gardening and away from our bee hives.
Wasp on eryngium
Garden with Native Plants
Plant local ecotype native pollinator host plants. These are different to βwild flowersβ that are pretty in your backyard, but are likely not native to your area. Local ecotype native plants are well-adapted to their regional climate, requiring less water and resources, making them an eco-conscious choice to support regional biodiversity.
Garden with Native Plants
Plant local ecotype native pollinator
host plants. These are different to βwild flowersβ that are pretty in your backyard, but are likely not native
to your area. Local ecotype native plants are well-adapted to their regional climate, requiring less water and resources, making them an eco-conscious choice to support regional biodiversity.
Plant Smart
Plant more drought tolerant varieties of veggies, herbs and flowers.
Efficient Irrigation
Use drip tape. And a timer to set your system to water at night to minimize evaporation and overwatering (we have all forgotten to turn the sprinkler off).
Rain Water Harvest
Install a rain barrel in your backyard, or a rain catchment pond on your farm. At ERC, we just installed a plastic-free biodiversity catchment pond, including local ecotype native plants from ERCβs native plant nursery and painted turtle habitat.
By gardening with these natural practices in mind, you can positively impact your local plants and wildlife. I hope these tips and tools will bring you much gardening joy and happiness as you create your biodiverse outdoor oasis.
About the Author
Founder | Farm, Gardens & Apiary Director
Meet Kate, Elk Root Conservationβs visionary leader, founder, and Director of Farm, Gardens & Apiary.
Kate has experienced first-hand the ways in which vulnerable individuals can be overlooked and fall through the cracks. She wanted to create a safe, supportive place for all people in her community. Through Kateβs vision, the magic of Elk Root Conservation was formed.
Kate is the creator of the Sustainable Apiary Model and designer of ERCβs Pollinator Demonstration Gardens and Native Plant Educational Demonstration Gardens. She is an avid advocate of organic regenerative agriculture, pollinator wellness, and environmental education, conservation and restoration. Her passion for growing community and protecting our planet is woven into the fabric of all we do here at ERC. She is the creative mind behind ERCβs organic regenerative agriculture research and innovation striving towards a world where agricultural practices go hand-in-hand with environmental conservation. In 2023, Kate was awarded the Suzy Hamilton Legacy Fund Award in recognition of her contributions as a female-identified environmental activist in the West Kootenay region who embodies the environmental and social activism for which Hamilton was known.
Kate is not only an expert, beekeeper, and βbeyondβ organic regenerative grower but also a sought-after speaker and educator. She has shared her knowledge and insights across the country on topics such as native plant propagation and garden design, the responsibility of apiarists to protect wild bees, and in 2025 ERC will launch a 3-part webinar series entitled Ecosystem Gardening: Planting For Pollinators; Gardening with Native Plants; and Eco-Food Gardening.
Today, Kate volunteers her time to Elk Root Conservation. Her empathy towards vulnerable community members, and her βoutside-the-boxβ approaches to making ERC accessible and welcoming to all our diverse community members, is truly an inspiration to all who experience the Elk Root magic.