How to: Reduce single use plastic in the garden

At Lim, we care about the environment and take sustainability seriously. We have gardeners, runners, cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts on our team, and that’s why this Plastic Free July we’re shining a light on things we can do to reduce plastic to help our gardens and outdoor spaces.

There are around 30 million gardeners in the UK, and right now we get through a staggering 500 million plastic pots, seed trays and other gardening equipment every single year.

Plastic pollution in soil is becoming as much of a problem as ocean pollution. Studies have shown that earthworms lose weight in soil that’s high in microplastics, and soil bacteria is absorbing microplastics which is massively affecting soil biodiversity and how our crops grow.

Not only are plastic pots incredibly harmful to the environment, but plants actually prefer wooden or terracotta pots and grow better in them. Roots need air and in a plastic pot they’re in a stagnant environment which stunts their growth.

We’ve been listening to The Organic Gardening podcast with author and sustainable gardener, Sally Nex, and we’ve created this handy sketchnote inspired by her tips on how to combat single use plastic in the garden.