A lot of new gardeners think that their new contributions to the back yard do not have any negative effects on the surrounding ecosystem. However, if you don’t research what you are contributing to the soil in terms of pesticides and fertilizers, not to mention soil conservation practices, you can actually do some damage to the water table and other environmental elements in your neighborhood. Here are some ideas to keep in mind when making your garden “green.”
Instead of buying chemical fertilizers, consider using compost to add nutrients to your soil. Making your own compost is, admittedly, a lengthy process, as you’ll have to add grass cuttings, food waste and other items into a compost bin and wait for it to become useful. However, you can buy compost from some home improvement stores and use it to get started. This is based in natural products instead of adding chemicals that can be toxic to your ecosystem. You’ll be glad you did this in the long run, because your garden will have contributed to the health of your ecosystem, and you will have sent a lot less reusable trash to the dump.
If you choose flowers, hedges and grasses that are indigenous to your area, you won’t have to do a lot of extra watering — after all, since they are indigenous, they should be used to the normal amount of rainfall that you receive in your area, and you should only have to supplement the water by adding some when you go a particular amount of time without rain. This will lower your water bill, but it will also save the amount of water that you are draining out of your local reservoir.
Weeds are admittedly a source of frustration to gardeners everywhere. The temptation is to grab the bottle of Round Up or some other chemical weed killer and start blasting. However, every chemical that you use in your yard leaches down into the water table beneath it. When you use those chemicals, the weeds dry right up, but you have done years of damage to the water table. Instead, stay vigilant and pull the weeds yourself. After all, from a natural perspective, weeds are just other indigenous plants that also grow there — you are the one who is choosing to let a select few plants stay there.
Sign up for some eco-friendly forums online so that you can find household products that will get rid of your pests, instead of using pesticides that can cause chemical pollution. There are many home remedies that are also good at making life hard for the varmints that want to feast on your plants.
While there are some insects that will wreak havoc in your garden, there are others, such as aphids and ladybugs, that actually help you out by getting rid of other pests. Research these in your area.
Conventional gardening methods are hard on the environment. Make a difference in your community by choosing greener practices.