Reduce garden waste and recycle your greens

There are a number of simple ways to reduce the amount of garden waste you produce. If you're concerned about your garden waste, here are some handy tips to reduce it!

Reduce garden waste - Buy sustainable or recycled products - The first step to reducing garden waste is to not create more of it. This means buying recycled garden materials whenever possible, such as recycled bricks, timber, pavers and stone. If you can't find recycled products, then choose sustainable products like plantation timber, and materials that have not required large amounts of resources to transport or collect.

Reduce garden waste - Choose your plants carefully - Plants that suit your climate and soil conditions will require less water to survive and prosper, and as healthy plants they will produce less waste like dead leaves and branches. Indigenous plants are always a great choice, but some exotics also suit certain parts of Australia. Ask your local nursery which plants will best suit your garden.

Reduce garden waste - Get composting - Much garden waste can be recycled in a compost heap (or worm farm) to break down and produce lovely organic matter to use on your garden. Combine wet or 'green' materials like grass clippings and dry or 'brown' waste like straw, woodchips and branches. Don't let the compost get too wet, and ensure it is well aerated.

Reduce garden waste - Only compost what is beneficial to your garden - Not all garden waste is fit to recycle or compost. Pet manure is one to avoid, as is sawdust from treated timber. Most weeds can go into the compost because they will break down, but some particularly toxic or noxious weeds, like oxalis, should never be added, because the seeds will simply be distributed through the compost.

Reduce garden waste - Reduce the size of your lawn - Lawn clippings are another common source of garden waste. In fact, for gardens with large lawns, lawn clippings are one of the largest single sources of green waste. Only a small proportion can go into the compost heap, so consider ways of reducing your lawn size. Install garden beds, plant groundcovers and even consider paving or decking for outdoor areas.

Reduce garden waste - Recycle or re-use materials - Think of all the ways you can re-use materials from your garden. Bricks, pavers, timber and plant pots can all be recycled at home, and some councils collect garden waste for recycling or composting - this may include prunings, grass clippings, weeds, leaves and flowers. Check with your local council to see what they will take.

To reduce waste in your garden, talk to your local waste reduction and recycling expert: