When it comes to being green, there is no better place to practice an eco-friendly lifestyle than in the garden. Just having a vegetable garden is a good way to help the planet, as you use your own grown produce instead of purchasing produce that may have cost a lot of energy to ship to your store. Nut of course, there are other types of gardens to enjoy, such as a flower garden. Unfortunately, not all gardens are environmentally friendly or eco-conscious. In fact, many of them are not very good for the environment at all. Here are three quick ways to a greener garden.
First pick out plants that are native and hardy for your planting zone. These types of plants will require less water and less fertilizer than species of plants that are not exactly suited to your climate. check out some books from the library or ask a knowledgeable employee at your local garden center for some suggestions.
Avoid commercial fertilizer and instead make your own by composting. Grass clippings, leaves, fruit peels, coffee grounds, egg shells and scraps of vegetables from your kitchen will all enhance your plants and enrich your soil.You may also find that you can save money by reducing your garbage cost along with your fertilizer cost.
And lastly, avoid using harsh chemical pesticides on your plants. Not only are they not a good idea for any produce that you might be eating, but the chemicals can get into ground water and into the water that we drink. Spraying a solution of soapy water can safely get rid of pests. Vinegar is another great solution that keeps the bad bugs away. If you want to purchase a commercially made pesticide, you can try specially made ones that are safe to use, such as Biobit and Dipel.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
Related Articles: