| Becoming environmentally sensitive is good for both the planet and your health!
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| “Going green” seems to be the latest craze, and for good reason — becoming environmentally sensitive is good for both the planet and your health! Check out these five simple ways to help your landscape “go green.”
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1. Make a compost pile. A compost pile starts out as a mound of kitchen and garden waste. Left alone, any of these materials would eventually decompose. But when they are mixed together in a bin in your yard, the process accelerates. Composting your leaves, grass clippings, garden waste and food scraps reduces the amount of garbage you generate. Plus, adding compost to garden soil increases its water-holding capacity, invigorates the soil food web and provides a buffet of plant nutrients. Compost also contains substances that enhance plants’ ability to respond to challenges from insects and diseases. Bins are readily available at many home-improvement stores, or make your own by cutting the bottom out of a plastic garbage bin.
2. Water with automatic timers. You don't need to dig up your yard to add automatic features to your watering system. Simple automatic timers, found in many home-improvement stores, can control the amount of time you water. Simply add a timer between your outdoor faucet and your hose — no electrical hook-up needed. Twist the unit to the desired amount of time. This easy-to-install gadget will help cut down on over-watering and waste.
3. Make a sustainable landscape. Sustainable landscaping begins with an appropriate design that includes functional, cost-efficient, visually pleasing, environmentally friendly and maintainable areas. This includes all aspects of plant health care, proper plant selection, reduced inputs and maintainability. One idea to develop a sustainable landscape is to plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, shrubs and trees. By using plants indigenous to your climate, you reduce the resources, such as fertilizer, pesticides and water, necessary to feed and maintain plants.
4. Fertilize responsibly. Be sure to buy the right fertilizer for each area of your yard, flower beds or lawn and use the proper amount. Never wash off fertilizer spills into the street or other hard-surface areas where they can easily enter storm sewers and, ultimately, surface-water areas. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and recycle nutrients back to the turf area, or add them to your compost pile. Avoid blowing or raking them into street gutters or onto sidewalks and driveways, as this can cause drainage problems.
5. Save water. Try these ideas:
• Use a broom or blower instead of a hose to clean away leaves and other debris.
• Never water your lawn or landscaping between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is the hottest part of the day, and the majority of the water will evaporate.
• During the rainy season, turn off your sprinkler.
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