Spring is here, and gardening season is officially having its moment. Whether you’re planting herbs on the patio, refreshing your flower beds, or deciding that this is finally the year you keep tomatoes alive, it’s a great time to think about how to garden with less waste.

The nice thing is that gardening and waste reduction actually go hand in hand. With a few simple swaps, you can reuse more, toss less, and make choices that are better for your garden and the community.

So how can you garden a little greener this spring?

1. Turn your food scraps into something useful
One of the easiest ways to support your garden is by using compost. In SLO County, the food scraps and yard waste you place in your green bin are processed into useful products that help support healthy soil and local agriculture. It’s a pretty cool full-circle moment—your leftovers helping grow something new. Kompogas SLO even hosts a free annual compost giveaway for the community each spring, helping return valuable organic material back to local soils and gardens.

2. Regrow a few kitchen scraps
Before you toss certain food scraps, see if they can grow again. Green onions, lettuce, celery, and some herbs can all regrow with a little water, sunlight, and patience. It’s an easy way to reduce waste, save a little money, and feel just a little bit like a garden genius.

3. Reuse what you already have
You don’t always need to buy brand new gardening supplies. Yogurt containers, egg cartons, jars, and other items you already have at home can work great for starting seeds or small plants. It’s a simple way to give things a second life before recycling or tossing them.

4. Put yard waste in the right place
Spring cleanup usually comes with leaves, weeds, branches, and grass clippings. Instead of tossing those in the trash, place them in your green bin so they can be properly processed. Keeping organic material out of the landfill helps reduce waste and puts those materials to better use.

5. Keep it simple and reusable
A lot of gardening products are made to be used once and tossed, but they don’t have to be. Try reusing materials for plant markers, containers, or storage, and choose sturdy tools and supplies that will last more than one season. Your garden really doesn’t need a bunch of brand-new plastic extras to thrive.

Gardening is all about helping things grow, and spring is a great time to grow a few lower-waste habits too. A few small changes can make a real difference and help create a garden that feels good in more ways than one.