 Perhaps you’ve heard a bit about green landscaping ideas, or maybe the concept is completely new to you. EnviroCitizen.org would like to share just how simple and cost effective green landscaping can be. Follow some or all of the following tips and you will be well on your way to creating a beautiful landscape that is beneficial in so many ways.
- Composting - Composting is easy, inexpensive and much better for the environment than natural chemical fertilizers. Though there are many eco-friendly products out there, some of them may affect the environment through their production. It is easy to avoid this by creating your own compost pile. The use of biodegradable home goods and yard and plant waste is an easy and inexpensive way to promote the growth of microorganisms with which to fertilize your green landscape.
- Consider Inexpensive Perennials - Perennials can be grown, found and purchased locally, which means they will do well and are good for your immediate environment. Though they are typically inexpensive, they come in an amazing variety of colors that will compliment any landscape.
- Start small with seeds - Doing it yourself with seeds is easy, inexpensive and extremely beneficial to the environment. Not only will you have the satisfaction of growing your own plants, but it can be a great experience for the whole family as well !
- Keep your Pots When you do feel the need to buy potted flowers keep the little plastic or peat pots they come in for next year's crop of flowers. While this isn’t the greenest choice, reusing these products does have its benefits.
- Native Plants In an effort to save water, many homeowners are considering the wild plant life that grows abundantly and naturally in their region for their landscape. Grasses and plants like wild onion have a subtle color of their own and will blend in perfectly with the rest of the yard. Look around and speak with a garden curator about where to find these plants naturally.
- Bird Houses - Bat Houses and Feeders- In an attempt to lessen pests without the use of pesticides, lure in naturally predators such as birds and bats. Sparrows and other varieties love snacking on caterpillars and other insects that would otherwise destroy your plants. In addition, good bugs like ladybugs feed on aphids and other small insects which harm plants.
- Rain Cistern - Many homeowners watch every rainfall without realizing what an abundance of free water is available to them for their gardens, which can be used long after the rain has stopped falling. This is especially true in areas where water for gardens becomes scarce in the hottest months. A 1-inch rainfall on a 1,000 square foot roof with eaves and a downspout can produce up to 600 gallons of water. Using a rain cistern system you can collect enough free water for the entire growing season !
If you are excited and ready to move forward with these green landscaping ideas, EnviroCitizen.org offers a huge variety of green landscaping tools and supplies to get you start ! |
