Ecofriendly ways to save a packet in the garden

Garden greenly by spraying fewer chemicals, using less water, and encouraging wildlife. Here are 10 smart tricks and techniques for a greener garden.

Going green in the garden is about more than growing your own.

Use fewer resources

Reduce water costs

Fitting a water butt is a no-brainer – but in drier months, you may still need to top up. Either use grey water (see our guide to using less water in the garden) or choose plants that love dry conditions, such as grasses, geraniums, Mediterranean plants and aromatic herbs.

Compost costs nothing

Cut out chemicals and make your own compost from food waste. A standard 220 litre garden composter creates the equivalent of five and half standard sized growbags of compost a year, which could save you around £22.

Make a mulch

Mulches keep soil moist and weeds at bay. Make free mulch using grass clippings, straw and composted bark chippings. Apply when the soil is damp and weed-free.

Plant smart for natural pest control

Cut your pesticide use with companion planting. This traditional way of combining plants increases nutrients in soil, attracts beneficial species and repels pests.

Try these combinations to fight pests naturally:

• Carrots and leeks: Their strong scents drive away each other's pests.
• Cabbages and nasturtiums: Caterpillars will chomp on nasturtium leaves instead of your cabbages.
• French marigolds and tomatoes: Marigolds will keep aphids away.
• Garlic and roses: Garlic’s strong scent helps ward off aphids.
• Dill and flowering plants: Dill attracts aphid-eating hoverflies.
• Cucumbers and cabbages: Thick cabbage leaves shelter cucumber vines from the sun.

Green growing tips

Double by dividing

Dividing keeps plants naturally healthy, and you get something for nothing!

In the autumn, lift the plants, keeping the root system intact. Divide each plant into several sections by gently pulling them away from the main plant. Discard the old, woody centre of each plant and replant the divisions.

Grow your own cut flowers

A packet of seeds costs a fraction of the cost of a bought bouquet. Sweet peas are ideal – plant outside in March and train against poles or a trellis for scented flowers all summer – they’ll save you around £24 a bunch.

Plant edibles, not just visuals

Wild strawberries, dwarf fruit trees and flowering herbs are all incredibly attractive – and you can eat the fruits of your labour.

Collect seeds – and swap with friends

Save them when they are fully ripe, dry them indoors and store them in a cool dry place.

Green around the garden

Welcome the wildlife

Climbing plants create homes for nesting birds, while an uncut patch of lawn is great for grasshoppers and amphibians. A pile of dead wood or stones provides a home for invertebrates. And sunny, sheltered flower borders are best for bees and butterflies.

Choose green furniture

Furniture with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo is made from wood from a responsibly managed forest. All wooden furniture from Tesco Direct has been sustainably sourced.