GREEN Your Garden
As spring comes to an end and the heat of the summer looms over Hampton Roads, it is time to take special care of your garden and yard. Here are some GREEN tips to help you make the most of your garden while being an environmental steward.
- Water early in the day to avoid excessive evaporation. Watering deeply and infrequently instead of sprinkling makes better use of water. You can even collect rainwater for use in the garden.
- Use soaker hoses and drip irrigation for the most efficient watering.
- Use natural insect and pest repellants, such as boric acid.
- Leave grass clippings on the lawn (instead of putting them in a plastic bag) or compost them with other kitchen and yard scraps. Besides fertilizing the soil, compost (when used as mulch) deters weeds, guards against soil erosion, and helps the ground retain moisture.
- Use a push mower to cut your lawn instead of a gas or electric mower.
- Plan your landscaping to create shade in summer and warmth in winter. One good shade tree can make as much cool air as 10 room-size air conditioners running 20 hours a day.
- Strengthen your garden's natural resistance to pests. Discourage infestation by: carefully selecting plants, using organic elements, rotating crops, and using companion planting.
- Consider returning a portion of your lawn back to its native state.
- Replant your yard with native wild flowers, shrubs, grasses, and ground covers. They'll generally require less watering than other plantings and attract birds and insects.
Provided to you by CO-OP America's 2002 National Green Pages