August 2018 Green Tip: Eco Friendly Gardening Tips

​Whether you’ve got a postage stamp-sized yard or a significantly larger space, green landscaping should have a place in your home. Improve your landscaping while also minimizing resources and yard or garden waste by using a plethora of sustainable options.

Environmentally-conscious gardening includes everything from incorporating recycled materials—like salvaged metal or wood—into your landscape plans, mulching beds to reduce evaporation, planting drought-resistant trees, shrubs, and perennials, and orienting beds to maximize sun exposure during winter and shade during summer seasons.
When you employ green landscaping to your space, you’ll make it more wildlife-friendly; reduce air, water, and soil pollution; and save time, energy, and money.

Where to start
Since plants are the focus around which you build a garden, look to them first. Choose plants native for your region. Ask at local nurseries about which indigenous plants to add and which invasive species to avoid. Native plants also require little maintenance after they’ve become established—you won’t need fertilizer, pesticides, or supplemental watering.

​Grow plants in pots. If your space is very limited, create a container garden. Choose flowers that attract and feed pollinators; many vegetables and herbs do well in pots, too.

Add trees, if you have room. Adding a tree to your yard is relatively simple, but it requires a fair amount of preparation and work. Like all plans, trees need sunlight and water. And if you plant a tree too close to your home, the root system can end up destroying your foundation.

Shrink your lawn. A smaller area of grass takes less time to mow and requires less water for growing. Instead, add an eco-friendly patio, other ground cover like moss, creeping perennials, or other low-maintenance, drought-resistant plants. Clover is a natural insect-repellent and great for choking out weeds.

Don’t buzz-cut the grass. If you let your grass grow higher, your lawn will be healthier because it’ll retain more water. You don’t need to rake or bag grass clippings, either. Those clippings are 75 to 85 percent water and nitrogen-rich—perfect for the ground.

Compost and mulch. Composting reduces the amount of garbage you produce and, with time, creates a natural (and free) fertilizer. Learn more about how to build a simple compost pile.

Collect water runoff in a rain barrel. Harvest rainwater and it will cost nothing to water your plants, flowers, and gardens. Here’s an inexpensive rain barrel project from the DIY network.

Create a habitat that’s inviting to wildlife. When you incorporate native plants into your garden and yard, you’ll build a welcoming environment to local pollinators (like bees and butterflies), birds, and small animals. These critters will appreciate a safe haven that provides shelter and food.

Incorporate green hardscaping into your yard and garden plan. Choose permeable pavers, which allow water to seep into the ground instead of running off into storm sewers. Recycle and reuse bricks, stones, glass, or other materials instead of buying new.
 
Xeriscaping & drought-proof gardening
Xeriscaping is the term used to describe landscaping in areas that are prone to drought and a technique used by environmentally-conscious landscapers and homeowners who want to reduce water-dependence. While certain areas of the country are more prone to drought than others, a greater awareness of living greenly and sensitivity to water consumption has pushed dry landscaping strategies to the forefront nationwide.
​Drought-proof gardening boils down to several things:
Choosing the right drought-resistant plants for your region. Knowing which plants to limit (like grass). Grouping together plants with similar water needs. Irrigating efficiently. Amending soils and using mulches to reduce or slow evaporation. Incorporating more hardscapes into the landscaping design. The Landscaping Network provides a useful guide to drought-resistant plants, irrigation, soils, mulch, and style for each region.
Regardless of the garden project you tackle, you’ll want to protect your hands with gloves like these suggestions by the DIY Guys. You can reconfigure your space to incorporate eco-friendly designs that treat Mother Nature well, look good for many years with minimal maintenance, and feature lush plants that belie the vision of barren, dry landscapes often evoked when you think of eco-friendly, drought-resistant gardening.