Reducing our carbon footprint is something we are all encouraged to do, Hannah Stephenson finds out more TV gardener Matt James may have transformed a lot of urban gardens, but now he’s keen that we should all go that extra green mile. To do that, we need to learn the three Rs, he says – reclaim, re-use and recycle. With this in mind, the star of Channel 4’s The City Gardener has been up and down the country offering tips and practical ways on how to reduce our carbon footprint in the garden, culminating in his new series on UKTV Gardens, Matt James’s Eco Eden. “More than 80% of our waste goes to landfill or is incinerated,” he says. “People need to recycle or re-use what they’ve got.” Of course, people should make their own compost with household waste and garden trimmings, but if your idea is to go out and buy some bags of compost from the garden centre, go for the peat-free versions, he urges. “Peat is a wonderful growing medium but there are alternatives which are equally as successful,” he says. Peat bogs contribute to the welfare of all living things by “locking up” carbon that would otherwise increase the greenhouse effect. Carbon, removed from the atmosphere over thousands of years, is released when bogs are drained and peat starts to decompose. Large areas of peat land have been devastated by agriculture and forestry, but commercial peat extraction to supply gardeners and nursery growers is the major threat now. People with excess garden trimmings should visit neighbours who do have compost bins and may be willing to swap some home-made compost for some trimmings to top up their pile. Gardeners should think about what they are throwing away, he urges. Could old bricks be re-used to edge new borders, for instance? If you are hard-landscaping, use local products such as clay tiles or local stone – you may have to search the internet or phone directory for independent manufacturers. Alternatively go to your local reclamation yard to see if you can find some paving which might be suitable. “If you are using timber, try to find out if it is coming from a sustainable source. Look for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo which says it comes from forests which are managed and sustainable. “If you are painting a fence or a wall, use paint low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which give off fumes from paint.” Obviously anyone who wants to be eco-friendly should throw out chemical pesticides and fertilisers and go for plantings which attract natural predators. “Natural predators will happily take care of infestations,” he says. Ladybirds and some hoverfly eat green and blackfly, so plant some simple species with accessible pollen, such as poached egg plants, Californian poppies and angelica to attract them. Ladybirds will go wherever the aphids are, so be patient. Frogs, birds and hedgehogs are natural slug and snail predators, but you need to attract them in. Leave a messy patch in your garden, letting nettles and wild flowers grow, perhaps placing some old logs nearby, to encourage an inviting habitat for such wildlife. Native plants tend to attract far more species of insect than hybrids or exotics, so they should be used as much as possible. If you do have infestations of aphids, it may not be wise to blitz them completely, says James. “It’s important to maintain a balance. If you are getting rid of all these pests, you’re not going to get any predators, which means you’re not going to maintain a balanced eco-system in the garden. “If something’s being munched, it’s not the end of the world. It will come back.” Matt James’s Eco Eden starts on UKTV Gardens on Monday, at 9.30pm. Matt James was one of the celebrities at this year’s homemaker exhibition. The popular event will be returning to Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena on April 26 and 27 next year. For details or stand information, contact the organiser, Julie Moorhouse on (0191) 201-6119, e-mail julie.moorhouse@ncjmedia.co.uk | 
Travel, Entertainment & leisure
Professional Services
Health
Home Style
Home Improvements
Fashion & Weddings
Gifts
