There is a company that makes a laundry bag for your washing machine. It collects the microplastics before they get into the water system. https://en.guppyfriend.com/
Excellent article overall, especially the part about not using plastic and landscape cloth in gardens.
However, I must disagree on the use of plastic pond liners. There is a safer and more natural (and longer lasting) alternative, natural rubber sheeting. A bit more expensive, yes, but we are talking about the environment here. Natural rubber, from rubber trees, not synthetic, is an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative. Even better, if you are in an area with it occurring naturally, is clay lined. Areas where there is a high percentage of clay in the soil offers the completely natural solution. Even large ponds (many acres) are built in these areas using only locally sourced clay. Ask any farmer in New York State!
Thank you for this suggestion, Freyda. Most of the “rubber” sheeting I’ve seen is actually a synthetic plastic, not natural rubber. If possible, would you please provide a link to an example? Re clay, it’s not an option for our pure sand soil here in Florida and is probably not an option for smaller ponds even in New York State, because of natural leakage. Some readers have suggested using bentonite clay, which won’t work for small ponds for that reason—plus it comes in plastic bags, so you’d create an entire liner’s worth of plastic waste to build a bentonite pond.
I really appreciate your point and we are trying to reduce our plastic as much as possible. We want to add a little pond in our urban garden and were planning on using bentonite clay in lieu of a pond liner. Is there a reason you don't recommend this?
I considered and rejected it and can’t remember why! It may have seemed too overwhelming for a tiny pond. I intend to ask Robert Pavlis about it in the webinar.
I am adding a rock garden with a dry creek bed running through. What would you suggest putting down on the soil before adding the rocks? I don't like landscape fabric but I also don't want plants coming up between the rocks. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!
Excellent question. Landscape fabric wouldn’t help anyway, because plants eventually grow on top. I’d like to answer this in the next newsletter. The answer depends somewhat on how much rainfall you get. What town are you in?
I have planted over 600 native plugs in this area and most have died, the ones that are hanging on are very small. This area gets water erosion from the street, you can see the path that the water runs through this area. We decided to stop fighting it and make a rock garden. I live just north of Pittsburgh, PA. Except for the past two summers, we get average rainfall, but when it does rain, it is hard and the neighbors have a hill that the water rushes down, across the road and down into our front, it looks like a river flowing when it rains. We have been amending the soil and planting natives for the past 4 years and my plants get no taller than 4". We did a Carex matrix with 300 plugs then went back in the following spring with over 300 native plugs. Very few are coming up. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Please share any info you find on washing machine filters. I’m embarrassed at how much fleece I own, but don’t think tossing it is a good idea either.
I’m hoping someone will share a recommendation. Otherwise, I’ll do the research.
There is a company that makes a laundry bag for your washing machine. It collects the microplastics before they get into the water system. https://en.guppyfriend.com/
Excellent article overall, especially the part about not using plastic and landscape cloth in gardens.
However, I must disagree on the use of plastic pond liners. There is a safer and more natural (and longer lasting) alternative, natural rubber sheeting. A bit more expensive, yes, but we are talking about the environment here. Natural rubber, from rubber trees, not synthetic, is an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative. Even better, if you are in an area with it occurring naturally, is clay lined. Areas where there is a high percentage of clay in the soil offers the completely natural solution. Even large ponds (many acres) are built in these areas using only locally sourced clay. Ask any farmer in New York State!
Thank you for this suggestion, Freyda. Most of the “rubber” sheeting I’ve seen is actually a synthetic plastic, not natural rubber. If possible, would you please provide a link to an example? Re clay, it’s not an option for our pure sand soil here in Florida and is probably not an option for smaller ponds even in New York State, because of natural leakage. Some readers have suggested using bentonite clay, which won’t work for small ponds for that reason—plus it comes in plastic bags, so you’d create an entire liner’s worth of plastic waste to build a bentonite pond.
I really appreciate your point and we are trying to reduce our plastic as much as possible. We want to add a little pond in our urban garden and were planning on using bentonite clay in lieu of a pond liner. Is there a reason you don't recommend this?
I considered and rejected it and can’t remember why! It may have seemed too overwhelming for a tiny pond. I intend to ask Robert Pavlis about it in the webinar.
Great, I just registered. Thank you!
Wow, thank you for the shout-out! I love this, what great advice all around. <3
I am adding a rock garden with a dry creek bed running through. What would you suggest putting down on the soil before adding the rocks? I don't like landscape fabric but I also don't want plants coming up between the rocks. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!
Excellent question. Landscape fabric wouldn’t help anyway, because plants eventually grow on top. I’d like to answer this in the next newsletter. The answer depends somewhat on how much rainfall you get. What town are you in?
I have planted over 600 native plugs in this area and most have died, the ones that are hanging on are very small. This area gets water erosion from the street, you can see the path that the water runs through this area. We decided to stop fighting it and make a rock garden. I live just north of Pittsburgh, PA. Except for the past two summers, we get average rainfall, but when it does rain, it is hard and the neighbors have a hill that the water rushes down, across the road and down into our front, it looks like a river flowing when it rains. We have been amending the soil and planting natives for the past 4 years and my plants get no taller than 4". We did a Carex matrix with 300 plugs then went back in the following spring with over 300 native plugs. Very few are coming up. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thank you so much!
A challenge! Would you please send me a picture if you have one to: heather@designyourwild.com