GARDENING THE GREEN WAY

October 25, 2016

Gardening can be a great way to relieve stress, grow your own food and even save some money on monthly groceries. So once you’ve decided to start growing your own garden, take a second to assess what you will need to start your project. Many times you’ll find out that growing a garden requires many materials that may actually have adverse effects on the environment. I know this seems like a catch 22, but with a little knowledge, you can be well on your way to growing a beautiful garden that is also safe and eco-friendly. Take a look at some tips and tricks that you can use to make sure you have a “green” garden.

For the Birds

There are a lot of ways that you can remove pests and bugs from your garden by using pesticides that are detrimental to the environment and you (if you are growing edible plants). Besides making your wallet lighter, many of these chemicals can leak off plants and pollute our waterways during heavy rainfall. Install bird feeders around your garden.

Hesperaloe blooms not only attract hummingbirds, but also native birds like this verdin. Photo by U.A. Sinclair
Photo by U.A. Sinclair


Birds love to eat
bugs, caterpillars, snails and many other plant eating nuisances. The bird feeders will attract birds to your yard, encouraging them to notice all the tasty snacks they can gorge on. You garden can be relatively bug free sans harmful chemicals.  

Diversify

Plant different plants close together or in the same pot. Companion planting is where you plant different plants that enhance each other’s growth or protect each other from pests. Marigolds are known to ward off soil and flying insects. Try planting these defenders next to your other crops, thereby increasing their abilityRain Chain to help defend your garden. Also, by planting a mix of plants, you decrease the chance of your entire garden being eaten alive or dying from disease.

Capture the Rain

Rainy days can be a drag if you are going to the beach, but your garden is enjoying every second of it. Instead of letting all the rain run down the curb, harness its power. Use a rain barrel to capture the rain and save it for a not-rainy day. My grandma used to always have old laundry detergent buckets lined up in her backyard. To a five-year-old child, this was a great way to splash around, but my grandma knew what her garden craved. You can go down to any local home improvement store and grab a barrel if you don’t have any unused buckets. To keep insects and unwanted wildlife out, purchase a screen and place it on top of the barrel. You now have a very cheap and easy way to save water. You can use the water for your garden, yard or even to wash your car.   

Get your Hands Clean

Gardening is a dirty job. You are crawling around in the dirt digging, weeding and wateriMulch and Garden Gloves with Rakeng. Even the neatest and cleanest person will still get some dirt under fingernails. You can wear gloves to try and keep your hands clean, but I have never met a person who could finish gardening with spotless hands. You head to the water hose, grab some soap and start scrubbing away. Instead of buying hand soap time after time, reuse slivers of old bars of soap. Collect the slivers of soap from your shower until you have a good amount. Grab an old mesh bag and put all the old slivers in the bag. Tie a rubber band around it very tightly and hang it around the hose. The rough material of the mesh bag is great for scrubbing off the dirt.   


About the Author: Dolly Santos loves researching and learning about new topics. At Dollymath.com, she compiles thoughtful educational articles based on her conscientious analysis of available information.