Growing an Environmentally Friendly Garden
We have been busy around our home and now it’s time to do our landscaping and plants in your yard. Because of this, I have been doing some research. What I am learning is that an environmentally friendly garden is organic and uses less water. Here are a few tips:
An environmentally friendly garden is organic…
- Go organic. Ladybugs and decollate snails are readily available and safe biological controls for common pests like aphids and slugs.
- Organic veggies are healthier for you.
- Think twice before using fertilizers and pesticides; as chemicals run off they harm aquatic life and contaminate the food chain.
An environmentally friendly garden uses less water…
- More efficient water use can be achieved by dividing plants into zones, so plants that need less water are not mixed with plants that need more water.
- Water early, before 10am. This is when temperatures are cooler, reduces evaporation, and allows the leaves to dry out during the day.
- Soaker hoses and drip watering systems reduce evaporation by directing water to the soil and not to the leaves.
- A thick layer of mulch (woodchips) over the soil in your garden reduces water evaporation, controls erosion, and helps prevent weeds.
If you live in California like we do, try planting native plants to California. They are often interesting, drought resistant, and may provide food for local wildlife. Check out more outdoor water saving ideas.
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Source: Santa Ana Zoo