Organic Gardening

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Hyper Caffeinated Organic Yard Care

August 18, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 2 comments

You may LOVE coffee but you know who else does? Ok, yeah it’s me, but your yard also adores caffeine, or at least the grounds left over from your morning brew.

Why amp up your yard with coffee grounds?

  • Plants REALLY love nitrogen. Nitrogen is part of what makes your plants ultra healthy and coffee grounds release a ton of it along with other substances that promote healthy plant growth.
  • Coffee grounds are trouble free. You don’t have to compost the ground before you use them; although you can if you like – the grounds will just distribute through your compost mixture. However, if you don’t compost you can simply spread the grounds around evenly among your plants or til your grounds into the soil pre-planting.
  • Coffee grounds can detour pests from your garden. Slugs, snails and cats are just some of the garden pests who hate coffee grounds.
  • Coffee grounds, especially organic grounds don’t contain the same toxic stuff as many commercial plant foods.
  • If you drink coffee it’s a free bonus!
  • Bonus tip – if you’ve got some old beans that you don’t want to drink, keep them ungrounded and use them as mulch. You can sprinkle them among plants and the effect is pretty cool – like small glossy and fragrant pebbles.

Not a coffee drinker?

Visit your local coffee shop and see if you can score some used grounds. Ask your friends who may be willing to save some for you. If you can’t find used grounds it may be worth it to your tomatoes to buy some beans and brew some coffee anyhow. You can use the coffee (cooled) to water your plants then use the grounds in the garden.

Extending Your Organic Garden Into Autumn

August 13, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

Although summer is winding down, your organic garden can still remain strong and offer lots of food choices for an Autumn harvest.

Before planting your fall garden, make sure you do some basic maintenance of your current summer garden, such as…

  • Deadhead any flowers and remove old stems.
  • Remove any summer crops that aren’t producing decent plants anymore and remove any dead or weak plants.
  • Re-fertilize with a good organic fertilizer to give end of summer plants a boost and to make sure your soil is ready for fall planting.
  • Keep on weeding now. Once it starts raining in the fall weeds can pop up sooner. Weed as an ongoing task so the job doesn’t get too big.
  • Repair broken garden decor and tools and remove any summer recyclables like old mossy garden post, rusty tools, and so on.

Good Autumn organic vegetable seeds to pick up and plant soon include:

  • Arugula
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Collards
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Mustard
  • Shallots
  • Swiss Chard
  • Beets
  • Broccoli Raab
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Garlic
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mesclun
  • Radishes
  • Spinach

If food isn’t your deal there are some pretty fall perennials to plant too, like…

  • Echinacea
  • Blue lavender
  • Rudbeckia
  • Hydrangea

Are you keeping your garden going this fall?

How To Cut Heat Loss and Conserve Energy with Evergreen Tree Windbreaks

August 3, 2009 in Green Your Home, Organic Gardening, Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

The following is a special report from Fast Growing Trees Nursery about how to effectively lower your energy costs, improve your landscaping, and save money all due to trees!

According to The Department of Environmental Protection, evergreen windbreaks are the most effective component in cutting winter heat loss. Research indicates that heat energy savings of up to 40 percent are possible resulting from diminished wind velocity and reduced air infiltration into your home. Considering the U.S. average, that could mean a savings of as much as $400 per winter!

Location is the most important factor in effectively planting a windbreak. The evergreens should be planted north and northwest of your home. That will place them perpendicular to the strongest and coldest winter winds. Plant the trees in a “U” or “L” shape to block the wind most effectively. The best zone of wind protection occurs from 2 to 7 times the height of the trees you plant. For example, if the mature height of the evergreens you’re planting is 20 feet, then the zone of maximum protection will occur 40 to 140 feet downwind. Keep this zone in mind when figuring out how close to a structure you’ll need to plant your trees for the greatest effect. Finally, decide how far apart to plant your trees. Plant them more closely to have them grow together quickly. Or plant them farther apart to save money but wait a little longer for them to fill in.

Keep a few things in mind as you plant your evergreen trees. Evergreens like full to partial sun and just about any soil conditions. Dig a hole slightly shallower and about twice the diameter of the root system. Use your shovel to scrape the walls of the planting hole so the roots can easily penetrate the soil as they grow. Then, set each tree in the planting hole and spread out the roots. The bottom of the hole should be firm enough to keep the tree from sinking after it’s planted. The top of the root ball should be about an inch above the surrounding soil. Then make sure the tree is straight up and down in the hole. A level is very helpful for accuracy.

Finally, apply water as you backfill the hole with soil to remove any air pockets. Break up dirt clods and remove any grass, stones or other debris. After the transplant is complete, water each tree again well. To keep the soil moist, it is recommended that you mulch around the tree. Use enough mulch to reach a depth of 2 to 3 inches. This will keep the moisture in and slow down the growth of weeds and grass.

For more detailed info on how to plant evergreen trees, visit Fast-Growing-Trees.com and check out their planting information.

Why Gas-powered Lawn Mowers Suck and Other Options

July 6, 2009 in Air Quality, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

According to the EPA, even though landscaping machines may be small, people own a lot of them and emissions from gas-powered lawn mowers and similar outdoor power equipment are a significant source of pollution, emitting high levels of carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas into the air and community. In fact the EPA further notes that 5% of U.S. air pollution is generated by lawn mowers alone and another 5% by all other gas-powered yard equipment.

Brill Razorcut 38 push reel mower

One thing you can do is look into other lawn mower options, some of which include…

Until you get your alternative to gas-powered lawn mower, the EPA suggests you do the following:

  • Prevent spills and overfills of gas because even small gasoline spills evaporate and pollute the
    air. Use a funnel, or a spout with an automatic stop device when pouring gasoline into your mower, keep the cap twisted on tight, and keep your mower in a cool and dry area.
  • Change your oil and clean or replace air filters regularly plus keep up with other lawn mower maintenance to make sure your mower is running as efficiently as possible.
  • Reduce the amount of mowing time by having less grass and / or having low-maintenance turf grasses or grass/flower seed mixtures that grow slowly and require less mowing.

More resources:

Lawn Mower Exchange Program Calculator – use this calculator to see how exchanging your gas-powered mower for an electric or reel mower can improve air quality and save you money.

Learn where you can recycle your old gas-powered mower.

Green Lawn Watering for Summer

June 5, 2009 in Organic Gardening, Water by Jennifer | 2 comments

The other day I was at a friend’s apartment and all the ground sprinklers were running. It was bad news city. For one thing it was midday and secondly, almost all the sprinklers were running water not only in the grass but all over the sidewalks and street. Wow, what a good use of water! Not.

In any case, if you live in an apartment complex, let your manager know if this is an issue. There’s no reason to water the street – trust me, it’s not growing any faster. If you live in a house, make sure you follow these rules for eco-minded summer lawn watering:

  • Many lawns only need about one inch of water per week to thrive and in areas that see more rain (i.e. the Pacific NW) your lawn may need even less. Check with your local nursery or your local Cooperative Extension Office to learn about lawn water requirements in your area.
  • To make sure you are only watering your lawns as much as they need and not more, place a can or bowl in your yard, with an inch (or other level) marked off with a waterproof pen. Turn the sprinklers on, and see how long it takes to fill the can or bowl to the line. Now you know how long to water per session.
  • Timed sprinklers can help you water less and more efficiently.
  • Water in the morning, late afternoon, or in the evening. If you water midday, most of the water is evaporated by the hot sun, and can’t actually do its job. You’ll need more water for a healthy lawn.
  • Don’t water the streets and sidewalks. Set your sprinklers up to cover actual vegetation areas.
  • Use recycled water – easy if you have a rain barrel.
  • Use a hose or watering can for smaller areas vs. a sprinkler. When doing this water slowly which helps the roots to get the water they need.
  • Create an earth-friendly rain garden.
  • Water less by planting native plants and by eliminating lawn areas where possible.

NatureMills Plus Composter

June 3, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

Composting is one of the best things you can do for a healthy planet and garden. Not only do you eliminate landfill waste when you compost, but it’s free organic soil, and you save money on your garbage bills.

One comprehensive composter is the NatureMills Plus Composter. (shown above). Benefits of this composter include…

  • Mixes automatically – hands-off mixing ability.
  • No trash odors when kept inside. Continuous air flow and a powerful carbon filter remove odors.
  • Can be used indoors or outdoors or even under the cupboard. Outside use works even in cold weather, rain, or snow.
  • You can add food and other waste any time, any day, up to 120 lbs per month. Waste items are processed continuously, mixing every 4 hours, until they are completely ground down to small particles.
  • NatureMill is made from recycled and recyclable materials.
  • Energy use is just 5 kwh / month, or about $0.50/month – less than a garbage truck would burn in diesel fuel to haul the same waste.
  • New compost is ready every 2 weeks. A red light will tell you when to empty the machine. Just open the door and remove the compost and place it in your garden.
  • All NatureMill models can handle pet waste, kitty litter, and cage beddings.
  • You only have to replace the filter every 5 years.

Watch this video about it…

NatureMills makes other composters as well. Visit NatureMills to learn more.

Inexpensive and beautiful way to cut energy costs

June 1, 2009 in Organic Gardening, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

One inexpensive and beautiful way to cut energy costs is to simply plant deciduous trees on the south, east, and west sides of your dwelling. If you plant some trees today, you can expect long-term rewards in about 5-6 years (I know seems like forever) but, if you know you’ll be in your home long-term, this is a smart and pretty investment.

By lining trees up on the sides of your home you can create enough shade to cut cooling costs by as much as 30-40% once the trees mature. Trees can also act as windbreakers in cooler weather and combat Beyond shading your property, trees also help lessen the effects of Urban Heat Islands (which make your area warmer than it should be.

You can get deciduous trees for around $10 per tree (give or take) which is a great deal. Before you choose a tree check out the post Tree Planting Where You Live, which can help you make smarter decisions about which trees are best to plant for your area.

Learn more about tree planting for energy savings.

Create an earth-friendly rain garden

May 26, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 3 comments

First of all a rain garden is not that much different from a traditional garden, it’s just a far more efficient garden. Rain gardens use rain and stormwater runoff to their advantage and contain smart plant selections.

Other key rain garden tips:

  • Rain gardens fare better when small rather than large.
  • Garden sites are usually located close to runoff sources.
  • Rain gardens are designed to withstand moisture extremes and can hold up even when exposed to nitrogen (found in runoff water). See a cool pdf poster that explains rain garden design.
  • There are two basic rain gardens – under-drained and self-contained.
  • Rain gardens are slightly depressed into the earth so that rain water may be better soaked up when it rains or storms.
  • Water-friendly plants, or at least plants that can stand a bit more water tend to be used.
  • Water in a rain garden is stored via design. I.e. your rain garden will save water from a storm and use it over a few days.
  • It helps to have slope to your land/yard for a proper rain garden, but it’s not a necessity. You can also make changes to your land plot.

To learn more about rain gardens see the following links:

Read an excellent FREE rain garden how-to guide and booklet. The previous guide is very good, but your local community extension office may have a booklet on rain gardens especially for your area, so I’d check.

Getting your kids into organic gardening

May 19, 2009 in Children & Babies, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

Most kids will naturally take to gardening if you introduce them to the experience while they’re young. Even small toddlers can help in the garden. Organic gardening with your little ones won’t just yield a better harvest but will also teach your kids important lessons about ecology, green methods, organic cooking, composting, sustainable agriculture, creativity, and self-sufficiency. It’s also eco-friendly to garden with tots because you, the adult will be less likely to use chemicals in the garden if you know your kids will be around them.

Following are some tips that can help you help your kids make the most of their organic gardening experience:

Give them their own little plot. Help them out of course, but allowing them to have their own little space makes them feel independent and important.

Plan for easy and fast growing plants. Kids hate to wait. Make sure some of the plants you and your little choose will sprout and grow quickly. Carrots, marigolds, and many herbs are great choices.

Get them their own little gardening tools. Small tools made especially for kiddos make gardening tasks easier and more fun.

Plan for some fun themed gardens. You can grow a sunflower house, a pizza garden, or a cool moonlit garden. See more at: 10 Fun Organic Gardening Projects for Kids.

Go for annuals that come up again and again with less fuss.

If you don’t have garden space outside your kids can still have an organic gardening experience growing up. Look into a cute eco-friendly indoor garden, grow plants and smaller veggies in pots, or find a community garden to participate in.

Most of all have fun. Don’t pressure kids to participate. Some kids are slower to warm up to messy stuff like gardening. My son, for example hated getting his hands dirty as a toddler, but now is fine with it and loves to garden.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

If you need tips that can help you learn about organic gardening so you can pass it on to the kiddos, read the following:

Green Garden Planning: Recycled Garden Stones

March 23, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

Now that you’re getting started with spring gardening prep, you should consider working recycled stone into your landscaping scheme.

Landscaping design by Zorock

Benefits of using recycled stones in your landscaping…

  • You can add some color to your landscape with fewer water guzzling plants.
  • Some companies, like Zorock use only natural coloring techniques for their stones, which means that their stones are non-toxic and safe for your family and pets to be around.
  • May detract pests like termites and other buggies.
  • Stones help keep your ground cooler and retains moisture.

Landscaping design above by Zorock

You can place stones around specific areas to block off garden plots – say herbs vs. flowers, use them to set off your pool, and used in place of mulch. Of course you can also use larger stones in your yard for stepping stones, as plant markers, and more.

You can see more stone-in-the-garden design ideas at Zorock or check out another cool recycled stone dealer,  Recycled Rocks!.

If you’re interested in using rocks inside your home for decor purposes read: Green Candle Arrangements.

Early Organic Gardening Planning – Fast Green Gardens

February 16, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re planning an organic garden for spring, I hope you’ve been gathering ideas for non-toxic, healthy landscaping. If not here are a few eco-garden starter ideas.

Make your own non-toxic weed killer: Mix 1 ounce orange oil and 1 teaspoon liquid soap (I’d use natural) with 1 gallon of 10% white vinegar. Put some in a spray bottle and use it to spot spray weeds that pop up. Shake well before use.

Start collecting egg cartons: Use these for seed starting vs. plastic cups. You can also try composting or biodegradable seed starting pots.

Plan for crop rotation: Crop rotation is important for an organic garden. This keeps soil at a fertile level and inhibits disease and insects. So, if you’ve been planting your lettuce and carrots in the same places year after year, this season, sit down with a notepad and sketch out a new planting plan.

Save your coffee grounds: During the planting season you can sprinkle used organic coffee grounds into the soil to both enrich the soil content and keep pests like slugs and snails away. You can use non-organic, but organic is better due to the rich mineral content.

Get a better bag for leaves and debris: Snag some 100% biodegradable cornstarch-based leaf bags to gather the leaves and other debris from your yard then toss it straight into the compost bin.

Need more organic garden ideas?

Choose the Greenest Plants for Home Landscaping

February 3, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 4 comments

You can plant almost anything when it comes to landscaping – BUT that doesn’t mean you should plant any old thing. Part of using environmental landscaping for your home means focusing on plants that make sense for your location and site. Right now is a great time to consider which plants to choose – before you buy organic seeds or plant starts.

Why bother choosing the correct plants?

  • Your landscape and garden environment is more likely to thrive on its own. This cuts down on evasive care and nurturing.
  • You’ll reduce fertilizer, water, and pesticide use if you choose plants that naturally thrive in your specific environment.
  • Your plants will attract the helpful bugs, birds, and butterflies you want in in your garden and eliminate the pests you don’t want around. Native plants are much better at this task than weird non-site specific plants.

Tips for choosing the right plants:

I suggest starting at your local nursery. The folks at a local site know the area, know the weather, and know the water. A pro can help you find the best native plants and flowers.

Read Heat-Zone Gardening: How to Choose Plants That Thrive in Your Region’s Warmest Weather. This book will help you choose plants that will thrive in your area and is not only handy for warm weather regions but everywhere.

Better Homes & Gardens has an extensive regional gardening section, as does the National Gardening Association, and Gardenplace.com. You can also use basic Plant Hardiness Maps. All of the above resources allow you to make smart plant decisions – i.e find the best plants for your landscaping needs that cause the lowest eco-impact.

Tree Planting Where You Live can help you decide which trees to include in your landscaping plans.

What’s your gardening region? Does your region make it harder to plant what you like?

Have A Dream Green Garden – Three Eco Garden Ideas

January 21, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

I’ve been saving these three links, two longer than the other, for closer to gardening season. Since it’s time to plan for organic seeds, I figured why not post these three cool garden ideas.

Balcony Gardens, Country Living in your Condo:This first link is a nice little piece on planning a super container garden. Not totally green-minded, but I like it, because one part of sustainability can be home gardens, Just because you don’t have a large yard, you shouldn’t be left out. The post covers a few basics, water sources, and boxes. A great starter if you live in an apartment or condo.

The second link is beautiful; recycled materials: eco greenhouse construction. Images of a gorgeous greenhouse made with sustainable materials. Not word heavy, but visual motivation for you hard core organic gardeners.

Lastly, a post that offers more help for you urban gardeners, a folding greenhouse set-up. It’s tight and tidy, made for small spaces. Perfect if you love to garden, but are short on space.

Now what are your garden plans for the upcoming spring season?

Organic Garden Planning – Pick Up Organic Garden Seeds Now

January 12, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

It’s early to consider gardening, I know. However, right now, all the seed shops have great deals, and you can get a jump start by planning and shopping early for a beautiful and hopefully bountiful organic garden later this year.

Why organic seeds are the way to go:

  • Obviously, if you want an organic garden, why would you buy conventional seeds?
  • Organic seeds are GMO-free (i.e. not genetically modified)
  • There are no chemicals added to organic seeds.
  • Buying organic seeds from companies or farms supports the organic movement as a whole. If you can purchase seeds locally, even better.
  • Many organic seed companies have are introducing organic seeds that have been specifically bred to grow well in organic soil conditions.

Where to find organic seeds: Read the rest of this entry »

Three Quick Green Holiday Packing and Wrapping Tips

December 16, 2008 in Holiday, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

  1. Save all your old newspapers, magazines, and tissue paper, and send them through the shredder to make instant thin packing strips. If you have colorful strips, say from magazines, you can use them in holiday gift bags or baskets even.
  2. Skip gift tags and try simply jotting down who a gift is for on the package itself. You can also write on the gift’s bow or ribbon. Or use old gift tags (save them each year).
  3. Make a gift super reusable by packing it in a nice reusable bag or lunch sack. It’s a two for one gift!

For more green gift wrapping tips visit: Eco-Wrap Your Holiday Gifts

Tree Planting Where You Live

October 30, 2008 in Green Your Home, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

We talk a lot about tree planting here. In case you missed it, the following two posts are good places to start reading:

Planting Trees for Your Home and the Planet

Using Environmental Landscaping at Your House

Now, we all know trees are good. Trees can help guard against weather elements, improve air quality, create nice aesthetics, and lots more. However, the wrong tree or a tree planted incorrectly won’t help you or your home all that much – worse, you’ve just wasted a tree seedling or seed. To get the most out of tree planting follow these tips:

Look around your neighborhood and city – which trees thrive best? Which trees are plentiful? Trees that are local to the area almost always work better than imported trees. In fact, if you plant trees from other areas they can even create pollen issues and introduce problems into the local environment.

If possible aim for low maintenance trees. Trees that don’t need much care or water to thrive will usually do well, even if say, you go on an extended vacation.

Plant in the right place. If your goal is energy conservation, plant trees according to American Forests’ recommendations – they have a handy image you can follow (plus more tips).

Consider the canopy. A little seedling may not look like much, but eventually this tree will not only grow up, but out. Do you really need a massive canopy knocking into your home?

Consider the roots. Like the canopy, roots will spread and can even uproot sidewalks and gardens. Check with the right tree in the right place before planting to learn about roots and planting depths.

Learn more:

How to plant a tree

Care for a Tree

Types of trees

The Urban Kitchen Compost Bin

October 10, 2008 in Organic Gardening, Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | 3 comments

[Stainless Steel Kitchen Compost Crock from Real Goods]

Just because you don’t live on a farm, or even somewhere with a small yard, doesn’t mean you can’t compost. No matter your size of home or land, you can compost easily with a basic kitchen compost bin – even if you live in an apartment in the city. Your local parks or community gardens, or your own potted plants can use the compost. Bonus; in recent years, kitchen compost bins have even gone down in price.

Composting basics:

  • Composting is simply allowing organic matter to decay and return to the soil, rather than tossing it in the garbage.
  • Composting can reduce household waste (i.e. what ends up in your trash can) but plenty – up to 30% or more.
  • If you have a  yard or even potted plants, compost is the perfect natural soil additive. Composting (adding compost to) your plants will reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers and can even be used as mulch.

Items to compost:

  • Produce -veggies and fruit scraps or produce that’s gone bad
  • Coffee grounds
  • Eggshells
  • Fireplace ashes
  • Yard clippings, and cut grass
  • Bread, pasta, old beans

To learn more about what can and cannot be composted, visit Compost Info Guide or Composting at the EPA.

Now about kitchen compost bins…
Read the rest of this entry »

Planting Trees for Your Home and the Planet

October 5, 2008 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

I always hear green skeptics say things like – “You tree huggers, always talking about planting trees!” Which of course is far from true, there are plenty of green actions you can take that have nothing to do with tree planting.

That said, tree planting (not to focus on green stereotypes) is one great way to green your house, and the environment, all at the same time. Here are some benefits of planting more trees near your home…

It’s easy: Of all the green action steps you can take, tree planting has got to be one of the easiest. Anyone can plant a tree. To learn specifics visit Arbor Day (if you join you even get 10 Free Trees) or How to Plant A Tree.

Trees save energy: Using smart landscaping, the average home can save $150+ a year on energy costs. Trees add as sun and wind blockers, create natural awnings, and more. Trees also help reduce water needs on plants planted nearby. To learn about earth-friendly, energy saving landscaping read: Using Environmental Landscaping at Your House.

Trees create, restore, and promote habitats: Birds, animals, insects, and people all need trees to enjoy. As habitats are destroyed, as we fill in land with concrete, we’re making the world a less nice place to be. Planting trees helps to restore balance.

Trees promote human health and well-being: Trees are relaxing. I always feel better in say, Oregon than the middle of Albuquerque, where large trees are rare. Trees reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, and a newer study shows that neighborhoods with plenty of trees have reduced instances of youth asthma.

Trees protect land: Besides cleaning the air, which is great for animals and people, trees stop massive erosion and create natural shade for other shrubs and plants. In fact less mulching is needed for plants who live under trees.

Using Environmental Landscaping at Your House

September 24, 2008 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

Environmental landscaping is a simple concept. Eco landscaping simply means that your goal when planning home landscaping should be to make it work for your home – i.e by enhancing your home’s design, energy savings, and comfort. Another ideal would be to plan for landscaping that’s suitable to your climate and area, so you don’t use more energy and water than necessary just for landscaping.

Some basic tips for earth-friendly landscaping:

Use tree placement wisely: Trees planted in the correct spot can act as wind blockers, and or can keep out the scorching sunlight of summer.You can even plant trees to create a funnel effect which can direct cooling winds to your home in the summer.

Vine usage: You can plant climbing vines on arbors on or right near the most sun exposed side of your house which can lower cooling costs in the summer.

Less grass: The less grass you have the less watering you’ll do. If you can, plan for extra patio space or flower beds vs. grass.

Go native: It’s good eco planning to plant native to your area plants. These plants are already well-adapted to your environment, and will require less care and resources than plants from other regions.

Plant shade; Even if you don’t use trees as energy saving applications for your home, they can be used to conserve yard-care resources. Trees and shrubs create shade, which in turn helps to maintain a cooler environment and saves water (less water is evaporated from say, flowers under a tree than flowers out in the open.)

Mulch: Mulching saves water, reduces the need for chemical soil amendments, and makes weeds pull out much easier.

For more organic eco-landscaping tips read:

Quick Green Yard Tip – Push Mowers

August 30, 2008 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

Push lawn mowers are better for the planet and your waistline than gas guzzling mowers. Some people think push mowers are more work, and they are somewhat, but not THAT much more anymore.

Most modern push lawn mowers have stronger blades, and work better, so it’s not like you see in those old movies, where some poor kid can barely move the mower. You’ll also need to rake, but that’s another good workout, plus you can gather up the clippings and compost them.

Earthworms for Your Home Organic Garden

August 24, 2008 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

If you’d like to have an organic garden at your house, the first thing you need to do is get your soil in tip-top organic shape.

girl with worm

Earthworms are key – there are other organic soil issues of course, but earthworms cost little and it takes almost no time to implement a good earthworm plan into your garden. Earthworms scurry about (ok crawl) and loosen up plus condition soil. They also leave earthworm droppings all over the place (yuck), but the droppings have some characteristics of fertilizer, so it’s a good thing.

If you already have earthworms in your soil (look around after a rain), then you’re in good shape. The presence of earthworms means one, you don’t have to purchase any, and two that your soil is likely in good shape. If you have no worms you can pick some up at a garden center. Add them to your soil and keep watch. Earthworms that don’t survive means your soil is probably lacking a vital component (i.e. organic soil amendments).

Stay tuned for more organic home gardening tips.

Quick Tip for A Green & Beautiful Yard

August 14, 2008 in Organic Gardening, Quick Green Home & Garden Tips by Jennifer | No comments

If you pull up weeds every time you see one pop up, you’ll save your yard, cut down on the need for harmful chemicals and pesticide use, and get some arm exercise. If weeds are already out of control, take one day, get rid of all that you see, and make a goal to pull right when you see them from now on.

Get Your Kids Involved With Greening the House

August 11, 2008 in Children & Babies, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

tree hugger

Kids can be a valuable asset when it comes to going green. Where your home is concerned, kids can be really helpful because teaching them green steps early on means they’ll be more vigilant than you even.

My son always reminds me to turn off lights, and asks about recycling, so I know first hand that teaching your kids to be eco-friendly at home works.

Here are some easy green steps your kids can take at home:

Gardening: There’s no better way to learn about conserving than actually working with resources related to gardening. Your kids can learn about growth, organics, solar topics, seed saving (instead of buying new), composting, water use and conservation, and more. If you don’t have the yard space for a garden plot, these topics can easily be taught with a container garden.

Bathroom use: Lots of green opportunities occur in the bathroom. Even little kids can learn about turning the water off while brushing their teeth, not flushing everything yellow, and reusing a towel before washing.

Recycling: Get the kids involved in your home recycling. Kids can tell the difference between the recycling bins and the garbage can. Allow them to sort recycling and if they’re confused about bins, try this trick.

Clutter: Clutter and cleaning up said clutter is actually a cool way to teach eco-friendly objectives at home. Kids can learn that broken toys can be fixed, used toys and clothing can be given away vs. tossed, and more. As you clean the house make a point of talking to kids about these landfill reducing topics.

How do you get your kids involved with greening the house?

Green Audit Your Yard and Garden

July 21, 2008 in Green Audit, Organic Gardening by admin | No comments

This week we’ve been going over some easy green audits you can try at home. So far we’ve looked at

Tonight let’s look at our last green audit of the week – your yard. Following are some tips you can use when green auditing your yard and garden.

green yard audit

Do you use a green lawn mower.

Are you using smart water tactics?

  • Watering in the early morning or at night.
  • Keeping your water where it needs to go, not running off into the street.
  • Consider having less grass, and more bark, patio space, or soil.
  • Mulch plants and trees to conserve water.
  • Plant like with like – you don’t need to plant water loving plants among plants that conserve water. You’ll waste water when watering.

Are objects in your yard and garden recycled and sustainable – think about decorations and planters you may have.

Use recycled bags for clippings.

Toss out any toxic chemicals and pesticides and use natural fertilizer, weed control, and pest control options. To learn more read:

Reduce Your Fertilizer Use with Grasscycling

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Garden Pests

Plant organic seeds and organic plants.

A big part of proper green gardening and yard tactics has to do with where you live. There are general tips you can follow, but water conservation is going to be different in New Mexico vs. Oregon, so it pays to learn regional tactics. Visit the National Gardening Association and check out their regional site which will connect you with a regional newsletter and regional gardening blogs.

Visit Mother Earth’s Garden to learn all about green gardening.