Getting Greener in the Garden

Written by:
Melissa Moog

Melissa is a WAHM who happily gave up her high tech career to become a mompreneur focused on helping families make the best green choices.

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The warmer weather has everyone enjoying the outdoors. Like it or not, the warmer weather also brings some amount of yard work. Regardless of whether you have a green thumb, there are things that you can do to help save the planet while saving money in the garden.

• Eliminate insect pests the natural way – no pesticides! Birds, Butterflies, Ladybugs and Praying Mantids are natural predators of most plant pests. Ladybugs and Praying Mantids are often for sale at garden stores, especially in the spring. To keep your purchase in the area, be sure to make your yard suitable for nesting. You can attract butterflies and other insect predators with specific plants like the Butterfly Bush or Buddleia. While birds are also attracted to Buddleia, they will be more likely to stay in your area longer if you provide water, food, and shelter. If you still need or desire a spray-on topical treatment to control your pests, look for the least toxic version, like one made with pyrethrum, which is derived from the Chrysanthemum flower.
• Plant drought tolerant, native plants. These plants will need less water and care, as they are suited to surviving in your area. They will also attract more beneficial insects and be better suited to fend off detrimental insects. A great site for determining the best plants for your area is enature. Local nurseries can also help point you in the right direction and may even offer seminars. Personally, one of my favorite drought tolerant plants is the Sedum.
• Control weeds without pesticides. Great natural weed killers include lemon juice, vinegar, and boiling water. Of course you need to research each ingredient to understand the impact on your soil and surrounding plants. For instance, a solution of salt, vinegar and dish soap can also be used. However, salt will change soil composition and may render your soil useless for some time. Consult treehugger and wikipedia to get some quick information on pesticide-free weed control.
• Mulch to conserve water and help control weeds. All landscaping should have 1 to 3 inches mulch to keep the soil cooler and preserve moisture to the plant. Consider using wood chips, pine needles, or grass clippings as mulch. Lawns can be mulched and fed by leaving the clippings after mowing.
• Use a manual mower. It will use less fuel while giving you a great workout. Hate mowing? Minimize the amount of grass you have using paving and drought-tolerant ground covers.
• Compost to use your organic discards effectively and build healthy soil. Rake a thin layer (1/4 inch) of compost into your lawn after aerating. Also mix compost into garden beds and around plants. Coffee grounds are great for both composting and fertilization. They are a slow release nitrogen fertilizer that works well with most plants and can be applied with little extra effort.
• Grow your own food. Avoid transportation costs and fuel usage by growing locally in your own garden. If you can’t grow your own food, shop at near-by farmers markets where the food is fresher and hasn’t traveled as far. It will likely be tastier too!
• Grow large trees by your house to help keep the house cool naturally.

Look for tips on effective watering in my next article.

What are your “green” gardening tips? Share them with us here!