Here are easy eco friendly gardening tips to prepare your garden for winter.   Easy tips for going green can start in your garden.  Following organic and sustainable gardening practices will be beneficial for your garden, the critters, your health, the planet and your pocket book!

One of the benefits of sustainable, organic gardening is the connection to the land, to the living and growing organisms, and to a more natural existence.  It is working WITH Nature, not against it and viewing the garden as a small component of the natural system, an ecological community.

Forget about the typical fall clean up.  Environmentally friendly gardening means you avoid gasoline-operated leaf blowers, avoid throwing away your leaves and putting them in plastic bags to send them to the dump.  Instead, you work with Nature by leaving leaves where they fall in your garden beds, rake the leaves from your grass and place them in your beds and/or your compost.  Leaves and garden waste are biodegradable and you can easily recycle them back into your garden soil to feed the microbes, who in turn, feed your soil.

Organic gardening recycles the leaves, twigs and other plant material back into the soil; it feeds the microbes, which are the soil’s maintenance crew.  In contrast, conventional gardening sees plant debris (fall leaves, twigs, other organic matter) as waste to be removed from the garden; it uses synthetic fertilizers, which only feed the plants, not the soil, and disrupt the soil’s integrity (biological, ecological, chemical, etc.).

The focus is on healthy soil; building the soil with organic matter (compost, grass clippings, straw, seaweed, conifer needles and cones, shredded or whole leaves, twigs) which feeds the plants.  Adding organic matter attracts soil organisms, creates nutrients in the soil and improves any soil’s texture.  Compost and mulches are used to nourish the soil and microbes, prevent erosion, conserve water, supress weeds and moderate soil temperature.  This is the way to have an eco friendly garden.

Marisa

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Why is creating a water garden an eco-conscious choice?

• The moving water discharges negative ions into the atmosphere which helps rid the air of impurities.

• It will not use soil or need constant watering.  Sure you will need to fill it occasionally, but other gardens need water everyday.  Rainwater also will help contribute to keeping your water garden filled.

• It has a way to hydrate plants and animals that is self sustaining.

• Wildlife will enjoy your garden as much as you do.  Do not be surprised if you see butterflies, interesting insects, birds, frogs and other exciting creatures. The can use your pond to assist them in their reproduction processes.

• It is an excellent environmental educational tool.  Children and adults can learn that many creatures can co-exist is a small eco-system and begin to understand the natural, sustainable balance that just happens without manipulation or destruction.  We can then apply this knowledge to larger eco-systems.

• You don’t have to mow it (less carbon monoxide).

• May be able to cool the immediate microclimate area by several degrees.

How do I create a water garden?

Creating a water garden is fairly trouble-free.  You will need the following items: a watertight container, aquatic plants, pea gravel and of course clean, fresh water. You can really use any type of watertight container from an old bathtub, a smaller planter or a garden water barrel to create a mini water garden.  For a larger water garden or pond, water garden kits are sold in many garden stores containing water pump filter, soft or hard liner and a water filter or skimmer

The most popular water gardening plants are: water lettuce, water lilies, water hyacinth (but they can spread quickly), dwarf cattail, juncus, wild celery, dwarf papyrus, sweet flag water grass, etc.  It is recommended to use a combination of submerged plants emergent plants and floating plants.

You can also add snails and fish to your water garden.  Snails are great because they are algae eaters and they will eat the fish waste or other organic matter. Fish often used in water gardens include: goldfish, mollies, guppies, koi and gambezi, which eat mosquitoes.

What about water garden maintenance?

Water gardening in your backyard is a simple process.  My water garden is green…literally!  It is normal for the water to turn green once in awhile, especially in the spring when you add fresh water.  When you add fresh water in increases algae production.  This isn’t cause for alarm, just remind yourself that healthy plants and fish enjoy green water.

If you live in a cold climate you will need to move your tropical plants indoors for the winter push your other plants down to the bottom of your pond to prevent freezing. If you have fish living underwater make sure you have a working heater in your garden.

Water gardens mean water conservation and saving water helps save the Earth.  Think of it as a water conservation project.  Next time you take a breath of your fresh water garden air you will know that you are having a positive effect on Mother Nature.

Marisa

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Benefits of Composting

How to start a compost at home

Backyard composting is not only easy, but an eco-friendly way to recycle your kitchen and yard waste.  What better way to get compost than from your own home?

Why composting is important?

You are participating “hands-on” in a natural, biological process using organic matter.  You are creating a useful product from organic waste that would have gone to the landfill.  Wait, there is more good news… Compost can enhance the actual physical structure of soil, it may provide greater drought resistance and more efficient water use, therefore, reducing irrigation needs, it helps the soil retain nutrients for a longer period of time, it may help reduce disease on your plants,  it good for weed and erosion control and the list goes on.  It is a major step forward to reduce your carbon footprint and live a more sustainable life.

How do I compost?

Look at your space.  Do you have a small or vast space?  If you have close neighbors, you probably want to choose a bin or container of some type. You can even do worm composting inside and there are ways to compost in your apartment on a smaller scale by reusing an ice cream pail.  If you have a lot of space you can go with a simple pile.  Start by placing shredded newspaper or dry leaves on the bottom of your compost bin/pile.  (If you’re using a bin fill about 1/8 full).  One of the most important things to remember is to rotate your compost.  A pitchfork works great, but you can use a shovel too.

What Can Be Composted?

Here are some common materials that you can or cannot compost.

• The “Yes” Pile

Materials that can go in your compost are:  egg shells, yard waste, banana peels, fruit rinds, newspaper, cardboard, napkins, paper towels, coffee grounds, tea bags, hair, dryer lint, and most food scraps, biodegradable cat litter (no poop).

• The “No” Pile

Materials that should not go in your compost are:  meat, fish, any animal fats, colored paper, synthetic chemicals, plastics, clay cat litter, disposable diapers, pet waste, mature weeds (with seeds), dairy products.

The Brown and the Greens

To achieve the best compost results, use a mixture of brown and green materials.  As a general guideline, you should use a mixture of 60% brown material and 40% green materials.  As you continue to compost you will learn what the right balance is for your materials.

What materials are green?

Grass cuttings, nettles, raw vegetable peelings, young weeds (without seeds), green pruning, leaves, etc.  Your green materials are ‘activators’, they get the composting started, but if you only use green materials they will decay to a smelly, messy pil

What materials are brown?

Cardboard, egg boxes, junk mail, waste non-coloured paper, cardboard tubes, old plants, bedding from herbivore pets, woody prunings or clippings, wood shavings, magazines, newspaper, etc.  Brown materials break down slower than the green.

Your compost is ready when…

When your materials have turned dark brown and have an “earthy” aroma they are ready.  The composting process may take six to eight weeks although that is somewhat unusual and a more realistic expectation may be a year. Your compost may not look like bagged compost your buy from the garden center, but don’t worry if it is gummy, stringy, lumpy, or still full of material, but it can be used.  You can sieve the large pieces out and add it to your new compost pile and start the process over again. Good job!

Now that you have had success with your compost, spread the word (and your compost—your plants will love it).  The more people that compost, the more constructive we become as the human race at giving back to the Earth.

Marisa

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Eco Friendly Garden Options

If you are wondering how to create an eco-friendly garden or do sustainable gardening at home, first, you want to start by knowing your options.  One of the best ways to reduce your carbon foot print is to try your hand at gardening.  If you have never gardened, there are a plethora of options available to you, such as:

• Container Gardening *
• Square Foot Gardening *
• Indoor Gardening *
• No Dig Gardening/ No Till Gardening
• Water Gardening
• Community Gardening*
• Roof-Top Gardening*
• Hydroponics*
• Raised Bed Gardening

*Are you living in a small space like an apartment, condo, etc. and wonder how you could possibly garden?  All of these choices (with asterisks) are viable options for you.  If you have more space, you can implement any of these types of gardens.

Where Do I Start?

• First, get excited!  Gardening is a lot of fun and a great way to get connected with nature.

• Next, determine what type(s) of gardening will work best for your environment.  (Click on any of the links above to help you decide).

• Investigate your climate and find out what grows best in your area of the world or if you are doing indoor gardening you have room to experiment a little.

• Your plants will need appropriate lighting.  This means if you’re setting up outside, choose a sunny location.  The same is true for indoors, but you may supplement sunshine with the proper indoor plant lighting.

• Create the appropriate soil mix using at least 1/3 compost from various compost sources.

• Get your space ready.  You may need containers, compost materials, or you may need to build your growing spaces.  There is a lot of room for creativity here.  Many containers can be used…anything from a juice pouch to an old coffee can.  Just make sure you have adequate drainage.

• Get your seeds and/or plants and start planting.  Remember two simple rules:  Grow what you eat and eat what you grow.

• Say “No, no, no!” to pesticides, herbicides or chemicals.  You can grow healthier, safer food without chemicals.

• Watch and water.  Watching a new life sprouting is amazing, spend time getting to know your plants and garden.  Water in the early morning or later in the evening because you more of the water will get to the plant rather that evaporate and if you drip water on the leaves it will not burn them.  If you can, use saved rainwater or dirty aquarium water before reaching for the hose.

• Share!  Remember, we are surrounded by wildlife and some critters may want a nibble of your plants; it is part of the balance of nature.  You can use ways to hinder their attempts such as having growing space that are higher off the ground, blocking off your plants, etc., but you should never use poison or toxins to keep them away.

• Reap the rewards and delight in your accomplishments.  If you have more than you can use, donate to local shelters, give to neighbors, or preserve or freeze what you have for later.

• Lastly, don’t give up!  Sometimes Mother Nature has a different plan and sometimes insects or weather factor in to how well you are able to grow your plants.  If you’re not a success the first time, stick with it or contact a local community farm and get support!

An eco friendly garden can provide you with fabulous benefits such as improving your health (it is good exercise), reduce stress levels, save you money, put a smile on your face and create an understanding between yourself and nature.

Marisa

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