Why Should You Plant Native Plants In Your Garden?

Native plants are unsung heroes in the symphony of nature, harmonizing with the land's rhythm. While exotic plants may flaunt vibrant allure, local blooms bring something irreplaceable to the garden table. But you don’t need to take my word for it - this blog post is all about the importance of planting native plants in your garden.

What Is A Native Plant?

Native plants are plants that are naturalized to the area in which they are growing. They originated from the place they are growing, so are well adapted to the climate and generally work in synchronicity with the natural ecosystem of that area. Many non-native plants have been imported to other parts of the world with dire consequences to the native plant populations, as they possess characteristics that make it easy for them to crowd out the native plants or otherwise make the environment unsuitable for the growth of the native plants that were there first.

Why Are Native Plants Better Than Non-Native Plants?

Native plants have evolved to withstand local climate challenges. They are like wise elders we can turn to for advice, intimately interconnected in deep understanding with the land's idiosyncrasies. Native plants are a practical addition to your garden design - uniquely formed to adapt to your region's exact pest pressures and weather conditions, they are more resilient than exotic options and can withstand the stresses of your ecosystem more easily because they have co-evolved with native flora and fauna.

Native Plants Conserve Water

Because the root systems and water uptake of native plants has evolved in tandem with the climate in which they grow, less irrigation is needed for them to thrive because they are already used to the amount of water that the soil naturally receives from rainwater. This reduced water consumption can contribute to water conservation and the garden's overall sustainability.

Native Plants Are Low Maintenance

Since native plants are adapted for the soil they grow in, they are pretty laid back plants to grow especially once established. This means you can spend less time and money fertilizing and fighting off pests with constant interventions. If you’ve ever said you just don’t have a green thumb in the past, I can almost guarantee that you’ll have better luck if you try growing native plants instead - with less effort on your part.

Native Plants Are An Important Cultural Touchstone

Native plants are storytellers, weaving tales of a region's history, traditions, and cultural richness. Nurturing plants with cultural significance can help you form deeper relationships with the plants in your area and connect with nature.

How Do You Know If A Plant Is Native To Your Area?

There are a few ways to figure out if a plant is native. One option is to check with local botanical gardens, nurseries, or agricultural extension offices—they often have information about native plants in your area. Field guides specific to your region can also be handy. Online databases or apps designed for identifying local flora can be a quick and convenient resource. Plus, if you have any green-thumbed friends or neighbors, they might have some insights.

What Is The Role Of Native Plants In Supporting Biodiversity?

Native plants play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity for several reasons. First off, they provide habitat and food sources for local wildlife, including insects, birds, and mammals. Many native insects, for instance, have evolved to depend on specific native plants for survival. This forms the basis of the food chain, as birds and other animals rely on insects and other invertebrates for sustenance.

Native plants also contribute to ecosystem stability. Their root systems help prevent soil erosion, and they are adapted to local climate conditions, making them more resilient in the face of environmental changes. Additionally, native plants often have complex relationships with other organisms, such as fungi and bacteria in the soil, creating a healthier and more balanced ecosystem.

When non-native plants are introduced, they can sometimes outcompete native species, leading to a decline in biodiversity. Invasive species may not provide the same level of support for local wildlife, disrupting ecological relationships that have developed over time.

In short, native plants are like the backbone of an ecosystem, providing the essential elements that support a diverse and thriving community of organisms.

What is Native Plants Role in Habitat Creation?

Native plants offer a source of food for local wildlife. They attract insects, birds, and other animals with nectar, fruits, seeds, and foliage. This creates a natural food web where different species rely on each other for sustenance.

The structure of native plants provides shelter and nesting sites for various creatures. Tall grasses, shrubs, and trees create hiding spots and safe havens for birds, mammals, and insects. This is especially important for breeding and raising offspring.

Many native plants have evolved alongside local pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and other insects rely on the nectar and pollen of these plants. By supporting pollinators, native plants indirectly contribute to the reproduction of other plants, including food crops.

How Do Native Plants Attract Native Wildlife?

Native plants have evolved alongside local wildlife, forming intricate relationships that benefit both the plants and the animals. Many native plants produce nectar, a sweet liquid that attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Pollinators feed on the nectar and, in the process, transfer pollen from one flower to another, facilitating the plants' reproduction.

Native plants often produce fruits and seeds that are attractive to various animals. Birds, mammals, and even insects may feed on these fruits, helping in seed dispersal. Some seeds may even be adapted to survive passage through the digestive systems of certain animals.

Native plants are often the hosts for specific insect species. For example, monarch butterflies lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed plants. By providing a suitable environment for these insects, native plants support the entire food web, as insects are a crucial food source for many other animals.

The coloration and patterns of native plants often provide camouflage for animals. Insects may mimic the appearance of leaves or flowers, while birds and mammals use the vegetation for cover, protecting them from predators.

Native plants may bloom or produce fruits at specific times of the year, aligning with the seasonal needs of local wildlife. This creates a consistent and reliable food source for animals throughout the year.

What Are Some Challenges Faced by Native Plants?

Native plants face several challenges, many of which are a result of human activities and environmental changes. Urbanization, agriculture, and infrastructure development often lead to the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. This reduces the available space for native plants to thrive and disrupts ecosystems. The introduction of non-native, invasive plant species can outcompete native plants for resources such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. Invasive species may lack natural predators or diseases, allowing them to spread rapidly and displace native flora.

Changes in climate patterns, including temperature increases and altered precipitation patterns, can affect the distribution and growth of native plants. Some species may struggle to adapt to these changes, impacting their survival and reproduction. Air and water pollution, including pollutants from industrial activities and agriculture, can negatively affect native plants. Pollution can alter soil composition, disrupt nutrient cycles, and directly harm plant health.

Native plants can be susceptible to diseases, and the introduction of new pathogens or the spread of existing ones can pose a significant threat. This is particularly relevant in a globalized world where pathogens can be transported across regions. In some ecosystems, fire plays a natural role in maintaining plant diversity. Changes in fire frequency or intensity, often influenced by human activities, can disrupt the balance and negatively impact native plant communities.

Addressing these challenges requires a combination of conservation efforts, sustainable land management practices, and public awareness. Protecting and restoring native plant populations is crucial not only for the plants themselves but for the entire ecosystems they support.

Popular Native Plants In The USA

The United States is home to a diverse range of ecosystems, and each region has its own set of popular native plants. Here are some examples from various regions:

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis): Found in the eastern and central United States, this small deciduous tree is known for its stunning pink or purple flowers in early spring.

Bluebonnet (Lupinus spp.): The Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas and is part of the lupine genus. These vibrant blue flowers are a common sight in the spring in Texas.

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica): The California Poppy is the state flower of California and is known for its golden-orange blooms. It thrives in the dry, open landscapes of California.

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): Native to the eastern and central United States, Black-Eyed Susans are yellow daisy-like flowers that bloom throughout the summer and are a favorite in gardens.

Milkweed (Asclepias spp.): Milkweed is crucial for the survival of monarch butterflies, as it serves as the sole host plant for their larvae. Various species of milkweed are found throughout the country.

Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda): A common pine tree in the southeastern United States, the Loblolly Pine is an important timber species and provides habitat for numerous wildlife species.

Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata): Found in arid regions of the western United States, sagebrush is a hardy shrub that plays a vital role in providing habitat for a variety of wildlife.

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.): Goldenrod is a late-summer bloomer found in meadows and along roadsides across the country. It's known for its bright yellow flower clusters.

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum): Native to the southeastern United States, the Bald Cypress is a deciduous conifer known for its distinctive "knees" that protrude from the water in swampy areas.

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa): Also known as Bee Balm, this native plant with pink to lavender flowers is found in prairies and open woods. It attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

These are just a few examples, and the diversity of native plants in the U.S. is vast. Local nurseries, botanical gardens, and native plant societies are excellent resources for learning more about and obtaining native plants for your specific region.

Composting for Beginners: Lomi Bloom Smartwaste Appliance Review

The Cottage Peach is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

What is Composting?

Composting is a method of breaking down food waste and other organic matter into usable, nutrient dense soil by creating an environment which encourages decomposition through a microbial process. Composting creates a valuable fertilizer that can support and feed plant life. Most compost is made with a combination of kitchen scraps, paper, grass clippings, leaves, small twigs and brush, which when exposed to water, oxygen, heat, worms and other organisms create the conditions necessary for decomposition.

Benefits of Composting

So why should you compost? It all comes back to the kitchen.

• 24% of solid waste in landfills today is food waste, making it the most common material found in landfills

• 22% of solid waste that is incinerated is food waste

• 50% of the volume of waste that North Americans send to landfills each year is compostable materials.

• 80 billion pounds or 30-40% of the food supply is discarded every year in the United States.

Why does it matter if we waste food? Landfills are anaerobic and do not have the right conditions to properly break down food, and food waste in landfills releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas up to 36 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. In the harsh sunlight of the upper atmosphere, methane can react with other gasses to form water vapor, which then breaks down into other chemicals that destroy ozone.

Different Composting Methods

You can compost in many different ways, but the top three are:

Outdoor Composting Bin or Pile System

This is my preferred method because there is little to no set up cost, but it does require enough space for at least one 4x4 foot pile and must be manually turned in order to increase oxygen and encourage decomposition. You are also limited in the types of food waste you can put into your compost. This means no meat, dairy, eggs, citrus peels, fat or grease, and if you don’t have the space or energy this won’t be an option.

Tumbler Composting Barrel

This is a popular system with a moderate upfront cost which can be used even in more urban settings as long as you have some amount of land to work with. Since the compost is contained, the smell and sight won’t offend any neighbors and it is less likely to attract animals. You are also able to easily aerate the compost by turning a handle on the side of the barrel. Like the pile option, you are also limited in the types of food waste you can put into your compost. This means no meat, dairy, eggs, citrus peels, fat or grease.

Vermicomposting with Worms

Vermicompost is much higher in nutrients than the compost from a regular backyard composter, and takes less time to break down. Worms are also relatively cheap to purchase making this a lower cost option if you’re homesteading on a budget. You can also use this method both indoors and outdoors. Like the two options above, you are limited in the types of food waste you can put into your compost. This means no meat, dairy, eggs, citrus peels, fat or grease.

Electric Smart Waste Appliances like Lomi Bloom

These appliances transform your food-waste into nutrient-rich plant-food at the push of a button. While they aren’t inexpensive, Lomi Bloom is able to break down large quantities of food waste quickly and easily with no physical strain of turning the compost, and it’s small enough to fit on your counter. You can also break down many of the food items that cannot be composted using traditional composting systems. This makes Lomi Bloom the best choice for composting for beginners and renters who might not have an outdoor space of their own.

Lomi Bloom SmartWaste Appliance

Lomi Bloom is the best way to break down your food waste into nutrient rich Lomi Earth, ready to be incorporated into your garden soil or potted plants. Lomi Earth is a little different every time you run a cycle because it is composed of just your food waste (plus microbes and fungi from your LomiPod if you include that in the cycle). This diversity benefits your plants as they are exposed to a wide variety of beneficial organisms and minerals extracted from your food waste.

Pela, the company that created Lomi Bloom, calls the end product of Lomi Bloom nutrient-rich Lomi Earth instead of compost' or soil because both other terms have very specific qualities, including the amount of time it spent forming.

So how can a smart waste appliance reduce your carbon footprint? Pela did the research. With the help of third party audits, they found that despite the electricity consumed, Lomi Bloom can produce a net-lower carbon footprint than that same organic waste going to landfill.

Pela's primary goal is to improve the world's health by eliminating waste. They can't do that if the creation of Lomi Bloom negatively impacts the environment. So, they worked hard to ensure Lomi Bloom's production is carbon negative, and is proudly certified as a Climate Neutral company and B Corporation.

Did you know that 43% of food waste in the U.S. happens at the household level? The average American family loses $2,000 in food waste every year. Lomi wants to help you make some of that back… and feel a lot less guilty for what you throw out. Lomi Bloom not only reduces your waste footprint, it also rewards you for getting rid of your waste the right way and enables you to actually track your impact and get rewarded for it. We all create food waste, but now - Lomi Bloom turns your trash into cash with Lomi Rewards. Earn points every time you run a cycle + redeem for free products from Lomi + other great brands. Save money on expensive store-bought fertilizer, reduce your carbon footprint, and get rewarded for upgrading the way you deal with waste.

How Does Lomi Work?

Lomi basically chops up the food into smaller bits by grinding it, then uses heat to remove any moisture - making it a breeze for tiny organisms to start breaking down the waste. Grinding also gives the compost some air, boosting oxygen and setting the stage for microbes that love oxygen.

Lomi Bloom Review - Is the Lomi Worth it?

Pela generously sent me my very own Lomi Bloom to try in exchange for my honest review, and I’m extremely impressed with what Lomi can do. Not only do I have a ton of vegetable and fruit cutoffs from the garden to compost, I have eliminated the struggle of stinky dairy and meat scraps sitting in the trash for longer periods of time causing me to have to replace the bag sooner. Since I cold compost outdoors already, I know firsthand just how much composting reduces my household waste and was frustrated that I still had food I needed to throw in the landfill. Lomi Bloom is easy to set up, and all of the packaging can be composted in Lomi Bloom when you’re done. I just added the included carbon filtering material to the two filter cartridges inside of Lomi, plugged it in and it was ready to run its first cycle.

Lomi Bloom is about the size of an air fryer, but since you’ll most likely use it every single day you probably won’t want to store it in a cabinet - so depending on how much counter space you have this may be an appliance that you need to move things around to make room for. Lomi Bloom also needs about 6-12 inches of space on all sides since it does warm up a small amount when running. I store mine in the least used corner of my counters and just pull it out to give it space on all sides while it runs overnight. The design of Lomi Bloom and the sage green color fits right in with most kitchens.

Review of Lomi composter

There are three modes on Lomi Bloom, all controlled by the universal power button making this super user-friendly. Here’s what Pela has to say about the three modes:

ECO EXPRESS:

This is the best mode if you’re looking for fast results and low energy consumption.

What can go in

Eco-Express mode is for food scraps and plant waste. Do not put bioplastics or compostable commercial goods and packaging in this mode.

What to do with the result

Toss it into your home compost or green bin. Or add more fresh food scraps & run a Grow mode to create nutrient-rich Lomi Earth for your houseplants, garden and lawn.

LOMI APPROVED:

This mode is your solution for Lomi Approved non-food compostable waste. With smart sensors that control grinding, heat and moisture, this mode breaks down Lomi Approved bioplastics and compostable products much faster than a traditional compost.

What can go in

Mix plenty of plant & food waste with Lomi Approved bioplastics and compostable products - they recommend a maximum of 10% non-food waste in each cycle.

What to do with the result

Toss it into your green bin.

GROW MODE:

Grow mode runs longest and at a lower temperature to create the highest quality Lomi Earth -- a natural fertilizer that’s exactly what your plants crave!

What can go in

Grow mode is for fresh fruit & vegetable scraps and plant waste. Do not put bioplastics or compostable commercial goods & packaging in Grow mode.

What to do with the result

Toss it into your home compost, green bin or garden at a 1:10 ratio with soil. For best results in your garden, add more fresh food scraps & run a Grow mode to create nutrient-rich Lomi Earth.

How Often To Run Lomi

I run Lomi Bloom about 2-3 times a week, always on Grow Mode unless I have bioplastics, packaging or processed/cooked foods. Lomi Bloom is quieter than most dishwashers and washing machines, so I find that running it overnight (which is when I usually start my dishwasher anyway) fits right into my routine. When the cycle is complete, Lomi Bloom beeps and then enters standby mode if you do not open within 30 minutes. I’ve been amazed by how transformed my food waste really is - a stinky pail of the worst moldy leftovers is turned into a dare I say pleasant smelling final product that is ready for the garden.

Is Lomi Bloom loud?

Lomi makes noise comparable to other small countertop appliances which is less than 60 dB. It’s around the same or less than a coffee maker or modern dishwasher.

Can I Run Lomi More Than Once Before Emptying?

You can run up to 3 cycles without emptying your bucket! In fact, adding Lomi Earth from the last cycle will improve the quality of the next cycle’s end product. Simply add more fresh food waste on top and start the next cycle! Just be sure to empty the bucket after 3 cycles because too much will strain the grinder.

How Much Energy Does Lomi Use?

Lomi uses between 0.6 to 1.0 kWh per cycle, depending on the mode and cycle time. Cycle times range from 5 hours to 20 hours. In comparison to other appliances, each Lomi's cycle uses roughly the same amount of power required to operate an oven for 15 minutes.

What to do About Lomi Bucket Residue?

Avoid adding too many high sugar foods to Lomi as that can result in sticky residue. Always add a diverse mixture of food waste in each cycle.

How To Clean Lomi Bloom?

To clean stuck residue, wash the Lomi bucket with hot soapy water or run a Cleaning cycle. Do not submerge Lomi in water. Only the bucket is dishwasher safe and can be submerged.

What are LomiPods and why do I need them?

LomiPods are microbial compost accelerators, activated by 50ml of added water. They are carefully tailored to enhance soil quality for your plants. Using a LomiPod increases the number of microbes in Lomi Earth.

My Lomi is squeaking, what can I do?

Avoid adding too many high sugar foods to Lomi as that can result in sticky build up under the grinder and causes a squeaky sound as it turns. If this occurs, simply soak the inside of the bucket with hot soapy water to loosen the residue, then wipe it away.

Does Lomi Bloom Have a Warranty?

Here’s what you need to know about the Lomi warranty: Lomi comes with a standard 1-year warranty. The warranty is non-transferable and proof of purchase is required to claim.

Before Lomi Bloom, I had resigned myself to the awful smell of my regular compost bin seeping into my kitchen. Lomi Bloom’s odor-proof design and its ability to break down a wider array of organic waste than most methods has been life changing, Bottom line: Nobody likes trash. If you’re ready to take out the trash less often, reduce kitchen odors and your carbon footprint Lomi Bloom offers a hassle-free 14 day trial so you can see just how great Lomi is for yourself!

Track your impact and get rewarded with Lomi Bloom - Click Here to Visit Lomi.com.

Conserve Water and Create a Sustainable Garden Using Drought-Tolerant Plants and Rainwater Harvesting

The Cottage Peach is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

Other than soil health, access to water in your garden is a crucial ingredient in growing food successfully, and with changing weather patterns and increased frequency of droughts due to climate change posing significant challenges to water resources, water conservation becomes even more critical in regions prone to drought to ensure the availability of water during dry periods.

According to the United Nations, about 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to clean drinking water, and around 4.2 billion people experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year, and agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater globally, accounting for around 70% of total water usage. Plus, energy is required to extract, treat, and distribute water, while water is necessary for energy production, such as cooling thermoelectric power plants. The water-energy nexus refers to this interdependence of water and energy resources. Conserving water can help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

What is water conservation in the garden?

There are many ways you can collect rainwater and conserve water in the garden. You can adopt water-wise landscaping techniques, such as sustainable landscape design, collecting and using rainwater for non-potable purposes, drip irrigation, ollas and xeriscaping - the practice of designing landscapes to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation by incorporating drought tolerant plants.

What are the benefits of including drought-tolerant plants and rainwater harvesting systems in your garden design?

By utilizing plants that don’t require heavy watering and can survive drying out a bit, you can reduce runoff (precipitation that does not soak into the soil but instead moves on the surface and is lost to evaporation), conserve water, save money on water bills, reduce maintenance, and support a healthy ecosystem. This is a great passive way to increase the sustainability of your garden with little effort - all it takes is a bit of planning. Use the list of drought tolerant plants below to start planning.

How do rainwater barrels work?

A rainwater harvesting system utilizing barrels most commonly works by capturing rain coming down your gutters off of your roof. The water can then be accessed through a spigot or hose connected directly to the barrel. You can scale this concept up with an actual collection tank, and even hook it into your home’s greywater system.

What is the best rainwater harvesting barrel?

I use this 50 Gallon Capacity Flat Back Rain Barrel. It allows us to utilize natural resources and is linkable to other barrels for increased capacity using separately sold linking kit. This rain barrel collection system is resistant to rust, mold, mildew, and rotting and has a high quality brass spigot for hose hook-up, plus an included overflow spout helps drain excess water away. There is a screen to keep out debris, insects, animals, and children. It is made off BPA-free, FDA approved resin in the USA and it is 22" L x 23" W x 30" H. It is sturdy and built to last.

What are some other ways to conserve water in the garden?

The concept of using ollas as an irrigation system goes back thousands of years and has been used in countless cultures around the world. An olla watering system is basically any type of unglazed clay pot that is buried beneath the soil with only a small amount sticking up above the surface and filled with water. You can tell that a pot is unglazed because it will be that classic terracotta red color with no shiny finish, glaze or paint. The water then leeches out of tiny holes or “pores” in the unglazed clay and is pulled through the soil to the roots of your thirsty plants using a process called soil moisture tension. This functions much the same way as osmosis, in that the water is trying to equalize to a certain level of moisture within the soil. This means your soil will never become overwatered either - if the soil is moist, the water stays in the pot until it is needed. You can grab premade ollas here or Click here for full instructions on how to make your own.

DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

Thyme

Appearance: Small, fragrant leaves on low-growing, spreading stems.

Size: Typically 4 to 8 inches tall and spreading up to 12 inches.

Uses: Culinary herb, medicinal properties, ground cover.

Olive Tree

Appearance: Evergreen tree with gray-green foliage and small, white flowers.

Size: Can reach up to 30 feet tall, but some cultivars are smaller.

Uses: Edible olives and oil, ornamental tree.

Fern-leaf Yarrow

Appearance: Feathery, fern-like leaves and clusters of yellow flowers.

Size: Typically 2 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Ornamental plant, cut flowers, attracts beneficial insects.

Hummingbird Mint

Appearance: Aromatic foliage with spikes of tubular flowers in various colors.

Size: Varies by species, typically 2 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide.

Uses: Ornamental plant, attracts pollinators, herbal tea.

Zinnia

Appearance: Showy, daisy-like flowers in a wide range of colors and sizes.

Size: Varies by cultivar, but generally 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Ornamental plant, cut flowers, attracts butterflies.

Aloe vera

Appearance: Rosettes of fleshy, spiky leaves with tall flower stalks.

Size: Typically 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Medicinal gel from the leaves, ornamental plant.

Purple Coneflower

Appearance: Large, showy flowers with cone-shaped centers and drooping petals.

Size: Usually 2 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide.

Uses: Medicinal herb, ornamental plant, attracts pollinators.

Beardtongue

Appearance: Tubular flowers in various colors, on tall stems with narrow leaves.

Size: Ranges from 1 to 4 feet tall, depending on the species.

Uses: Ornamental plant, some species used in traditional medicine.

Blanket Flower

Appearance: Brightly colored daisy-like flowers on long stems.

Size: Varies by species, typically 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Ornamental plant, attracts pollinators.

Yarrow

Appearance: Feathery foliage with flat-topped clusters of flowers in various colors.

Size: Generally 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Medicinal herb, ornamental plant, attracts beneficial insects.

Stonecrop

Appearance: Succulent leaves and clusters of star-shaped flowers.

Size: Varies by species, but generally low-growing and spreading, ranging from a few inches to 2 feet in height.

Uses: Ornamental plant, ground cover, some species have medicinal properties.

Rosemary

Appearance: Aromatic, needle-like leaves on woody stems with small blue flowers.

Size: Can grow 2 to 4 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Culinary herb, aromatic properties, traditional medicinal uses.

Agave

Appearance: Large succulent with sharp, spiky leaves arranged in a rosette shape.

Size: Can grow up to 6 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Edible flower stalks, medicinal properties in traditional herbal remedies.

Yucca

Appearance: Sword-like leaves forming a clump with tall flower spikes.

Size: Typically 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Edible flowers and fruit, soap-making from root fibers.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Appearance: Thick, succulent pads with spines and showy flowers.

Size: Various species, but commonly 3 to 6 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Edible fruit (prickly pear), medicinal properties in traditional medicine.

Lavender

Appearance: Fragrant, grayish-green foliage with spikes of purple flowers.

Size: Typically 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Culinary herb, essential oil production, herbal medicine.

Sage

Appearance: Gray-green leaves with purple-blue flowers on upright stems.

Size: Typically 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Culinary herb, medicinal properties in traditional medicine.

Rockrose

Appearance: Evergreen shrub with showy, papery flowers in various colors.

Size: Varies by species, generally 2 to 5 feet tall and wide.

Uses: Ornamental plant, aromatic properties in potpourri.

Maximizing Water Conservation in the Garden

If you’ve already implemented drought tolerant plants into your sustainable garden design and set up a rainwater harvesting system, the next thing you should consider is if there is anywhere that you can add mulch to your garden.

Mulch acts as a protective layer over the soil, reducing evaporation and slowing down water loss. It helps to keep the soil consistently moist by preventing water from quickly evaporating under the sun and wind. Mulch creates a barrier that inhibits weed growth. Weeds compete with garden plants for water, so by suppressing their growth, mulch helps reduce water loss by minimizing competition for moisture. It acts as an insulating layer, moderating soil temperature fluctuations. It keeps the soil cooler during hot weather, reducing water evaporation, and warmer during colder periods, promoting root health and water absorption, and helps to prevent soil erosion by reducing the impact of heavy rainfall on the soil surface. It absorbs and disperses the force of falling water, preventing runoff and allowing water to infiltrate the soil more effectively.

Organic mulches, such as compost, break down over time and improve the soil structure. This enhances the soil's water-holding capacity, allowing it to retain moisture for longer periods and reducing the need for frequent watering, and when water is applied to the garden, mulch helps to slow down the flow and absorption of water, preventing runoff. This allows the plants to utilize more of the water provided, reducing water waste.

To maximize the water-saving benefits of mulch, it is essential to apply an adequate layer (2 to 4 inches) around plants, leaving space around the stem to prevent moisture-related issues. Additionally, selecting organic mulch materials, such as wood chips, straw, or compost, provides the added advantage of improving soil health over time.

I encourage you to take action in the fight against climate change by incorporating these elements into your landscape design to save water, reduce your environmental impact, and create a healthier ecosystem!

Caraway Home Non-toxic Cookware Review

The Cottage Peach is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. Products in this post were gifted.

I know, these days it feels like you can’t make it to lunchtime without learning that another household product that you’ve been using every day for your whole life is actually full of toxic chemicals. But this one is a big one, so I hope you’ll stick with me: There’s a very good chance if you have non-stick pots and pans that aren’t ceramic, they could be contaminating your food with toxic chemicals while you cook.

Here’s what Caraway Home has to say about toxins in your cookware potentially leaking into your food:

A popular material that has been used in the past in such non-stick cookware is Teflon. This synthetic chemical is also known as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Teflon is often used to coat a variety of products, including cookware, due to its frictionless qualities that provide a non-stick surface.

The issue with this material is that it uses perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) during its production. This chemical has been linked to numerous health conditions, including cancer, thyroid disorders, and more. Other chemicals, such as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are found in this material and can cause similar health issues as PFOA.

When cooking with non-stick cookware that has these chemicals, you run the risk of accidentally ingesting it. This can happen if the coating gets scratched, as it could flake off while in use and get consumed.

Additionally, when Teflon is heated over 570°F, it begins to break down, releasing the toxic chemicals into the air, which can then be consumed.

Now, most of us aren’t heating our pans to 570°F, but I’d wager that your pots and pans probably have a few nicks, chips and scratches in them  - I know ours do. And while this exposure is happening in tiny amounts, there is still the potential for a negative compounding effect when you cook with Teflon coated products on a daily basis that can’t be ignored. 

We’re all cooking from home more than we used to

Since the cost of, well, everything, just keeps going up, I know we aren’t the only ones trying to cook more from scratch to combat rising food costs and control our budgets. With more people cooking at home in recent years, the safety of our cookware is taking center stage. After all, what’s the point in spending extra on organic, locally grown produce if all the health benefits are going to be tainted by toxins leaching into your finished recipe? And maybe now that you’re cooking more food at home you’re noticing that that dented and scratched fry pan you’ve had since college isn’t really giving you the results you expect in the kitchen. The last thing we need with rising food prices is to waste perfectly good food simply because it cooked unevenly and burned on an old fry pan.

Is Caraway Home Cookware Easy To Clean?

Caraway home cookware is easier to clean than traditional pots and pans, since the ceramic coating forms a naturally slick frictionless surface that resists stuck on messes. The finish feels almost polished; it is so smooth. Personally, as someone with chronic illness and fatigue, I dreaded lifting clunky heavy cookware in the sink to scrub it forever, so finding a cookware set that is easy to clean makes a huge difference in how draining it is for me to wash and dry my dishes. It also reduces the amount of water and soap I need to use to clean my pots and pans - another win for the environment since any way we can reduce our consumption of packaged products like soaps is a small way we can help the earth.

The ceramic coating also cooks more evenly, meaning you are less likely to ruin your recipe by overcooking certain areas. Less burned food means less food waste too, making this an eco-friendly option for reducing food waste in the kitchen.

Is Caraway Home Cookware Really Non-Toxic?

Yes! Ceramic cookware is totally safe. Caraway home even offers access to their full testing reports showing the safety of their products. It really makes you wonder - if something as simple as ceramic is more effective than these leading companies using toxic products to coat their pans, why do Teflon coated pans even exist? I think we’ll be seeing the end of this kind of toxic cookware in our lifetime, now that so many better options like Caraway Home are available for cooking.

Is the Caraway Home Cookware Set Durable?

If you’re worried because the word ceramic makes it sound like this cookware may break easily, rest assured that ceramic cookware isn't actually made 100% of clay. The ceramic in these pots and pans is a durable multi-layered coating that is put on top of a metal core. We are far from gentle with our pots and pans and our cookware set still looks as good as the day that we bought it. Now, it’s still recommended that you treat your ceramic cookware with care. But that’s easy to do when you no longer have to aggressively scrub your pots and pans in order to remove burnt food residue!

What pots and pans are included in the Caraway Home Cookware Set?

When you purchase the full set, you will receive the 10.5” fry pan, the 3 quart sauce pan, the 4.5 quart saute pan and the 6.5 quart dutch oven. You can also buy each piece individually if you want to build your collection over time. They just released minis of the fry and sauce pans too, which are perfect for smaller kitchen projects like easy-over eggs and gravy.

You can choose from a rainbow of colors to match your kitchen decor including cream, navy, sage, perracotta and marigold. I went with the sage for our kitchen since green is my favorite color and I love how earthy and neutral it is at the same time.

The full set also includes their custom magnetic pan rack and canvas lid holder, eliminating the frustration of trying to keep your pots and pans organized and separate while providing a beautiful system that can even be displayed on your countertop if you want. The canvas lid holder can be affixed anywhere - inside a cabinet door, on the side of your fridge or even on the outside of your end wall cabinet or walls.

Can you use Caraway Home Cookware on an induction stovetop?

Yes - Caraway pots and pans are cooktop agnostic, which means they will work on any type of stove - gas, electric, or induction! This was a big reason I wanted to make the switch, since once our electric range dies we plan to switch to an induction range for the environmental benefits, safety features and ease of cooking.

Caraway Home Cookware Review

After testing the Caraway Home Cookware set in my own kitchen (remember, we eat mostly from scratch vegetarian meals so we cook for almost every single meal) I can confidently say that Caraway offers the best non toxic cookware in 2022. These are really the best non-stick, non-toxic pans you can get.

We tested our pots and pans by cooking a wide array of dishes, from eggs for breakfast to skillet dinners. We even put them directly into the oven (they are oven-safe up to 550F), and found they were easier to clean and resulted in a more even cooking than the competition. That combined with the peace of mind I get knowing that my cookware isn’t contaminating my food has made these one of my top choices for cooking. The non-toxic frying pan gets the most use by far, since we can make such a huge variety of dishes with it. While the pans aren’t necessarily lighter than their competition, since it’s so easy to clean dishes are piling up in the sink far less often than they once did and I’m able to easily grab a pan for dinner than I already used once that day for breakfast without the dreaded sinking feeling you get when you remember you forgot to soak it in the sink. 

I wasn’t sure I’d need them, but the magnetic pan rack and canvas lid holder have been an unexpected plus, since I no longer have to move a million other pans out of my way to get to the one I need. They slide easily from the rack with little additional effort, and easily fit into our space so I didn’t have to rearrange the entire kitchen to make them work. One small note - depending on the style of your cabinets, if there is a shelf that is flush with the front of the cabinet box that you are looking to hang your lid holder on you won’t be able to fully close the cabinet door. We solved this by trimming down the shelf, but there’s many other places you could hang your lid holder such as the end of a wall cabinet or on the side of your refrigerator.

Overall, if you’re ready to replace your toxic non-stick pots and pans with something safer I’d definitely recommend the Caraway Home Cookware Set. They also have a full line of bakeware including baking sheets, loaf pans and muffin tins, as well as a super cute tea kettle which I think would make the perfect housewarming gift. We’ll be using our set for years to come, and adding on to the collection as needed. I have a collection of recipes coming up that feature these pots and pans to get you inspired to get in the kitchen and get cooking! I’ll add those to the post below as they are published.

Click here to get your Caraway Home Non-Toxic Non-Stick Cookware Set today.

Make This Safe Oil Lamp With a Mason Jar and Olive Oil [Tutorial]

The Cottage Peach is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

While the days may be slowly but surely lengthening, we are still very much in the winter season here in New England. February’s of my childhood often are filled with dim memories of snow storms and subsequent power outages, leading to inevitable candlelight dinners cooked over the fireplace. The warmth and flicker of the various fires we had lit both small and large reign in my recollection of those times. I can still smell the matches burning off after being extinguished, the light smoke wafting through the air to settle on clothing and blankets. Despite the bitter weather outside and the temporary lack of electricity, we were never cold. We had hats, sweaters, blankets, and each other.

Nowadays like many others in this community I find solace in the light of a candle. The eternal dance of flame is grounding and comforting, a reassuring hand when things feel like they may never warm back up again. I’ve experimented with candle making of all kinds - dipped beeswax tapers, pillars and hand poured jars of soy wax to name a few. So it was about time to try my hand at perhaps the easiest DIY flame source you can create - the DIY mason jar oil lamp.

Olive oil lamps are ubiquitous at archaeological sites across the Mediterranean region. Unsurprisingly, the most common oil used in the Mediterranean region was olive oil. In 2022, a 2300 year old olive oil lamp was unearthed in the West Bank. Clay lamps that used oil as a fuel source appeared during the Bronze Age around the 16th century BC and were ubiquitous throughout the Roman Empire. Thanks to all this evidence, there’s reason to believe that oil lamps appeared at the very dawn of human history. But we don’t need to go back in time to make our own DIY oil lamp. In fact, this simple mason jar craft can be made in minutes using items you may already have at home.

Get letters from the garden on Substack

How oil lamps work:

Floating wicks come in a pack with the floating portion separated from the wick. You’ll place the wick in the hole in the center of the floating disk piece with half the wick on each side of the disk. This way, when you place the wick in the oil lamp, the oil will be drawn up through the wick and be vaporized and burned by the flame.

Are oil lamps expensive?

Not at all. Since one tablespoon of oil can burn for two hours in your lamp, it is much cheaper than most candles. This is a great addition to your emergency supplies, as well as being a beautiful addition to your table. For storm prep, all you need to make sure you have is a pack of the floating wicks, some olive oil, a mason jar and water and you can keep your home safely lit without electricity during a power outage.

Are oil lamps safe?

The danger of oil lamps comes from the possibility of spilling. If the lamp were tipped over while burning, the spilled oil would all catch fire all at once on whatever surface it spilled onto. Thankfully, olive oil has a very high flash point which means it’s not super flammable. Plus, we’ll only be using a small amount of oil - the rest of the liquid in our mason jar will be water. If our DIY oil lamp tipped over, it should extinguish itself immediately. That said - it’s always important to practice fire safety around any type of open flame. Always burn within sight, keep away from pets and children and away from any flammable materials. Never move your oil lamp while still burning. I assume no responsibility for any damage that may occur due to misuse of your diy olive oil lamp.

How to make a DIY Mason Jar Olive Oil Lamp:

The options are endless when you make your own olive oil lamp, and you’ll find inspiration below for different ways to turn your lamp into beautiful mason jar decor. But let's cover the basics first!

Supplies:

• Mason jar (any size, I used a pint jar)

• Floating wicks

• Olive oil

• Water

• Decorative items to submerge in the water

Instructions:

• Fill your mason jar until there is about half an inch of empty space at the top

• Add any decorative items that you can submerge in the water - just be sure not to choose anything that will float too close to the surface and disrupt the flow of oil to the wick.

• Pour olive oil into the mason jar on top of the water until the oil layer is about a quarter inch thick

• Gently place the floating wick on top of the oil surface, light and enjoy your olive oil lamp.

Ideas for how to decorate your mason jar olive oil lamp:

Christmas mason jar olive oil lamp

Red holly berries, pinecones, cranberries, vintage ornaments and evergreen clippings are great for the holiday season. Choose materials in natural shades of green, red and brown and play with mixing different textures.

Fall mason jar olive oil lamp

Fall foliage in bright oranges, reds and yellows can be suspended in the water. Better yet, replace the mason jar with a hollowed out mini pumpkin!

Winter mason jar olive oil lamp

Birch bark from fallen branches, acorn caps, evergreen clippings and even twigs will capture the chill months of winter in a cozy fashion.

Spring mason jar olive oil lamp

Fresh crocus blooms, dandelions, tulips, eggs and apple blossom branch clippings will all celebrate the season of growth and fertility.

Summer mason jar olive oil lamp

Embrace the season of abundance with fresh herbs from the garden like mint and basil, cherry tomatoes, sunflowers, lavender, fresh fruit and berries.

Beachy mason jar olive oil lamp

Bring the beach bonfire to you with sand, seashells and seaglass (responsibly sourced if you can’t obtain them yourself of course)

Citrus mason jar olive oil lamp

Exactly what it sounds like - but no need to dump a few lemons in chaotically. Shake things up with different shapes, sizes and a variety of citrus fruits including lemons, oranges or clementines (sliced or whole) and a bit of green with sliced cucumber rounds or fresh leaves.

Floral mason jar olive oil lamp

Celebrate whatever is growing most abundantly in your flower beds at the moment and suspend your favorite cut flower in your lamp - try hydrangea, poppies, bleeding heart, sweet pea, roses, peonies or lilies. You can leave them whole, or just use the petals.

Crystal mason jar olive oil lamp

Place your favorite crystals in your oil lamp - just be sure not to use crystals that can dissolve in water - As a general rule of thumb (with some exceptions), crystals ending with “ite” tend to dissolve in water. Try crystals like Clear Quartz, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Smokey Quartz, Citrine, Agate, Carnelian, Rutilated Quartz, Jasper, Tiger's Eye, Aventurine or Moonstone.

Mason jar decor is one of my favorite ways to update our home decor, because we always have the jars on hand and they are such a great blank slate from which you can creatively experiment with little effort. 

Now that you know how to make your own DIY mason jar light, you know the options are endless to modify and customize your lamp to your own style and personality!

10 Zero Waste Gardening Tools and Ideas

The Cottage Peach is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

In all areas of our lives, from our hobbies to our habits, we have opportunities to create or reduce our impact on the environment and the effects of climate change. While the burden of fixing our climate crisis should not fall on the individual but the corporations that are responsible for the vast majority of damage done, every little bit you are able to do can help. The best part is, most of the ways we can reduce or eliminate our waste in gardening come at no additional effort or cost - it simply comes down to intentionally deciding on the plastic free or secondhand option instead (which is often cheaper anyway)

What does zero waste mean? What is zero waste?

Zero waste is the principle or practice of sustainable living in which the participant commits to reducing or eliminating streams of waste in various aspects of their lives. This can include reducing water consumption, shopping the bulk food bins or repurposing household items at the end of their “useful” life, to name a few.

The concept of zero waste living can sound intimidating or difficult, but more often than not it is nothing more than a simple shift in your awareness and intention. It also does not mean you must completely eliminate all sources of waste in your life - despite the word “zero”, it is not an all or nothing game.

What kinds of waste are there?

Waste comes in all forms, in all areas of our lives. While the majority of waste filling landfills is produced by industrial operations, domestically, we waste food, water, energy, paper, packaging, furniture, clothes, computers, tires, appliances and more in unimaginable amounts.  Americans send nearly 150 million tons of trash to landfills each year instead of recycling it, and we’re running out of space.

Where does waste go?

Waste goes into landfills, which typically cause the destruction of natural wildlife habitats in their construction. They are often lined in plastic. The average landfill size is 600 acres. With over 3,000 active landfills in the United States, as much as 1,800,000 acres of habitat have been lost. When waste breaks down in a landfill, methane gas is released. Methane is 84 times more effective at absorbing the sun’s heat than carbon dioxide, making it one of the most potent greenhouse gases and a huge contributor to climate change. 

Food can’t break down in a landfill

Food waste needs oxygen in order to break down properly. Due to the fact that landfills are so tightly packed with waste of all kinds, food waste is often suffocated to the point where it cannot break down into the individual nutrients it is composed of and be reabsorbed into the earth, regenerating the soil. What happens if food doesn’t break down? It rots. When food rots in a landfill, it produces huge amounts of methane — a greenhouse gas at least 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide. 

Here’s what the FDA has to say about the impacts of food waste:

“Food loss and waste is estimated to be roughly one third of the food intended for human consumption in the United States. When food is discarded, all inputs used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing, and storing discarded food are also wasted. Food loss and waste also exacerbates the climate change crisis with its significant greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. Production, transportation, and handling of food generate significant Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions and when food ends up in landfills, it generates methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas.”

This is why zero waste food is so important, and we can do this easily with composting! (More information on that below)

Ways to incorporate zero waste principles into your garden

We live in an era that romanticizes convenience in all forms. Of course it’s easy to see where these ideas might apply to a zero waste home, but this also extends to our hobbies, including gardening. You can’t visit the local garden center without being bombarded with gadgets and tools promising to make garden tasks easier, faster or better. But the fact is that humans have been gardening successfully for hundreds of years, without many of these interventions. Certainly there are tools that make gardening more accessible for those of us with chronic illness or pain that find it challenging, but here I’m primarily referring to situations where there is a perfectly good alternative with less packaging, that is made without plastic which can never break down once it reaches the end of its useful life.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but the key concepts behind achieving a zero waste lifestyle are to reduce, recycle and repurpose. But how do you apply these concepts in the garden?

I recommend intentionally shifting your mindset.

When something breaks and needs to be replaced in the garden, first ask yourself “Can this be repaired?” if not, ask “can it be repurposed?” and if you still cannot find a use for the broken item, ask “can it be recycled?”

With these three simple questions, you’ll be well on your way to intentionally incorporating zero waste practices into your garden routine. But here’s a few ideas for zero waste gardening to get you started:

• Reuse food containers for produce storage

• Pop your zucchini in an old bread bag, pureed pumpkin in salsa jars and fresh picked berries in plastic yogurt tubs - all of which make excellent replacements for disposable freezer bags or plastic wrap. You’re keeping those items out of the waste stream AND preventing the addition of another piece of waste from the disposable products you skip using. 

• Wrap produce in damp cloths

• Not only are you avoiding the use of disposable cling wrap, you’ll extend the life of your vegetables and avoid having to send them to the compost all together. In fact, learning the best storage methods for every fruit or vegetable that you grow is the best way to reduce food waste.

• Save shower water for plants

• Before you close this page in disgust, I’m not saying you have to save your DIRTY shower water. But how long are you running that shower before you even get in? Simply place an empty 5 gallon bucket under the faucet until you’re ready to get in, then pour that excess water on your garden beds when you go out to water.

• Make vegetable stock

• By being proactive and saving any cut offs from your carrot and onion ends, as well as any whole vegetables you won’t be able to use before they go bad and freezing until you have a full gallon bag to work with you can make simple and nutritious vegetable stock - just add your collected scraps to a pot of boiling water and simmer covered for 1-4 hours.

• Compost

• Landfills lack the oxygen that compostable items need to fully decompose. By putting biodegradable items into the compost instead of the trash, you can save huge amounts of waste from the landfill. We have an outdoor compost pile as well as Lomi - an indoor countertop composter that allows us to compost all sorts of things we couldn’t put in a regular compost pile including meat, dairy and bioplastic packaging which would take years to fully decompose in a traditional compost pile.

• Save cardboard for kindling/weed barrier

• Any child who has ever built a fort out of a box will tell you that cardboard has infinite uses, and the garden is no exception.

• Buy second hand garden clothing/tools

• When you choose second hand gardening tools, hats and aprons you’re keeping precious items from the landfill, giving them a new life and best of all these items have generally already withstood the test of time, so you can count on them to last.

• Take care of what you have to make tools last

• Once you have those second hand tools, make sure and do your research on the best way to maintain them. Click here for my post all about the best ways to maintain your gardening tools.

• Repurpose branches for stakes/trellis

• Nobody likes a plastic trellis, and even the pretty wooden ones available at garden centers hardly last me one season. Building a natural trellis using sticks and branches is simple and rewarding, and fits in well with the natural landscape you’re working in. Plus, at the end of the year you can just chuck them back in the woods if they’re broken or place aside to reuse again.

• Use jute twine instead of nylon

• According to GoodOnYou, producing nylon creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide…Manufacturing nylon is a very thirsty process; large amounts of water are used for cooling the fibers, which can be a source of environmental contamination and pollution. Treehugger says that nylon production is associated with the same negative environmental impacts as fossil fuels, including exacerbating the climate crisis. It’s safe to say that nylon is definitely not biodegradable, unlike its natural cousin jute twine. Because jute is compostable and biodegradable and requires fewer resources to grow and produce, it is considered a future-proof sustainable fiber.

I hope this post all about zero waste gardening ideas was helpful! what tricks do you use in the garden to reduce, reuse and repurpose? Comment below and let me know!