Store CO2 in Your Garden!

Can you store CO₂ in your garden?  Yes!  Carbon gardening, a natural climate solution, is the latest trend in gardening.  We can manage our properties to store CO₂ by choosing native plants and trees that store the most carbon, instead of planting “alien” ornamentals like Bradford Pear trees and Butterfly Bush shrubs.  Bonus: carbon gardening conserves and restores ecosystems.

Oak trees are by far the most carbon storing trees, according to Doug Tallamy, University of Delaware entomologist.  Tulip Poplar trees, native grasses, perennials and shrubs are also good at storing CO₂. Why are native plants so good at sequestering carbon?  Because they have deep root systems. The least CO2 storing plant is grass, due to its shallow roots.  That’s another reason to reduce the size of your lawn.

So how can we gardeners begin sequestering carbon on our properties?  Start with healthy soil. Improving soil health will increase its ability to store carbon.  You can increase soil health by adding compost, mulching with leaves in garden beds and around trees, and reducing digging and tilling.

Healthy ecosystems are necessary for short and long-term carbon sequestration.  Be sure to plant a variety of native plants to ensure a thriving ecosystem. Maximum carbon sequestration occurs when multiple plant species with similar cultural needs form an ecosystem with each other and soil organisms.  Complex relationships and interactions among these ecosystem members create and maintain the conditions they need to flourish.

Scientists say carbon gardening could store over a third of global carbon emissions by 2030, restore ecosystems, increase biodiversity, manage water, and decrease pollution. If you garden with native plants to protect birds, pollinators and other wildlife, you are already practicing natural climate solutions. Your garden is functioning as a carbon sink, rather than being a carbon source like conventionally managed, chemically dependent land.

Even the smallest garden can be a vital part of the effort to store CO₂, and makes you, dear gardener, a powerful climate activist.