First of all, I think I can say confidently that garden lovers and enthusiasts alike are suffering very hard from the repeated announcements of global warming and rising prices. While this is a shame, we can all do something to impact positively.I’d like to start with the essential element for landscaping…water.
5 Eco-Friendly Landscaping and Living Tips
- Use Rain Water
Harvesting rain water is as easy as pie. It’s free and it saves a lot of money and energy. Sure, if you live the desert you can use water from the hose, but for those of us who live in rain-rich areas, we should really use rain water. Just put a bin outside when a storm is brewing and the next day, you can use all that fresh rain water to hydrate your plants. This is definitely better than running the hose for 3 hours and wasting a ton of water that could be used for something else. Transporting water uses precious energy that is becoming scarce today. Save some energy, use the Earth for the good of all, and save some green in your wallet.
Check out: 3 Ways to Get Free Water for Your Yard and Garden
- Fertilizers
Instead of using petroleum based fertilizers that can harm humans and animals, use organic products. Organic is a word we’re hearing quite a bit lately, but that’s good. It’s a better alternative to nasty chemicals that have the potential to hurt us. Lowe’s carries a selection of organic fertilizers at a reasonable price. Better yet, instead of using gasoline for your lawnmower and wasting water on sprinklers on your yard, take out the grass and put in a “rain garden.” Wikipedia gives a detailed description of rain gardens.
- Compost
Yeah, it’s gross having a bucket in your house, full of rotted vegetables and fruit. In reality, it’s actually the best fertilizer ever. Compost is a very good way to feed your plants and make sure they have all the necessary nutrients to grow, while responsibly disposing of certain materials from your home. Compost is a form of recycling that is very beneficial to plants. To begin, you can make a compost using any old vegetables and fruits, tea bags, grass clippings, pine needles, wood ashes (in small amounts), hay, cardboard, newspaper, leaves, sawdust, or manure. Mix this into your garden and landscape soil, and your plants will thank you for it!
- Use the right Insecticide
Use only eco-friendly fertilizers and insecticides. Fertilizers are important to helping your plants grow, but many contain chemicals that are bad for the environment. Consider buying a no-phosphorus fertilizer. Environmental scientists have found that too much phosphorus is prone to causing algae, which clogs our waterways and thus harms the environment in many ways as it is cleaned out.
Almost all commercial insecticides on the market today harm the environment. It is important to use insecticides on your landscape plants that won’t do this. Wet suggest making this homemade insecticide:
– 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
– 1 tablespoon baking soda
– 4 tablespoons liquid dish soap
Mix all of these ingredients together in one gallon of water and spray on your plants as an eco-friendly insecticide and fungicide.
- Reel Mowers
Ok, Ok, I know you just cringed at that thought, but just consider: If you have a small lawn, then maybe it isn’t so bad. If you have 6 acres or something, then yeah, you could skip over this part. Reel powers use good old fashioned “elbow grease” and there is no pollution. And, it gets fun after awhile.
In all folks, we need to do something to help. Recycle, buy Eco friendly bottled water, whatever you can. For the gardeners: Keep planting and be smart about it!
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