By Cindy Combs
Special to the Herald
Keeping resolutions start with good intentions. But it doesn’t hurt to have a little nudge in the right direction to make them stick.
That includes the 2017 gardener’s resolution to make his or her garden more environmentally friendly.
According to a Pew Research Study published in October, “Three-quarters of Americans say that they are particularly concerned with helping the environment as they go about their daily lives.”
However, the study also points out that only “a minority do things at home to reduce waste and reuse natural resources such as maintaining a compost pile (21 percent) or using a rain barrel or other catch for water (11 percent). About a third of Americans (33 percent) say they grow vegetables at home.”
“Changing gardening practices is not a hard resolution to keep, especially when you can see the results — just like losing weight,” said Ladd Smith, co-founder of the Bothell-based design and maintenance firm, In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes.
While losing weight can be seen in the mirror, Smith says, the benefits of gardening sustainably can be seen in your own backyard.
Smith continues the analogy by pointing out that just as changing eating habits improves overall health, changing gardening practices improves the environment.
Here are a few “nudges” to help you keep that New Year’s resolution to garden more sustainably. And about losing weight, don’t forget, gardening burns 272 calories per hour.
Keep your resolution with these simple hacks
Add organic matter, such as compost, to your soil. In your garden, you will see that plants will be healthier and grow stronger. Edible plants will produce a greater harvest. Organic matter will hold more water and can improve drainage.
Two environmental benefits are: Soil with added organic matter will hold more water, thus conserving it for other uses, and it will filter pollutants.
Eliminate the use of insecticides. Beneficial insects, like lady bugs and green lacewings, and birds will return to eat the damage-causing insects in your garden.
Environmental benefits include reducing water pollution that affects humans, fish and other aquatic life. And eliminating insecticides protects beneficial insects.
Select plants that thrive in your environmental conditions. You will have less work and anxiety about a garden that fails to thrive by following the mantra “right plant, right place.” And you will be reducing the need to treat failing plants with chemicals.
Mulch garden beds. You will be watering less often during dry spells, which saves you time and money. Mulch also protects the soil surface from erosion during heavy rain storms and it suppresses weed growth.
The larger environmental benefits of mulched beds include conserving water and saving top soil from washing away, which can clog waterways and impact aquatic life.
Right-size your lawn. Less lawn means less time and money spent on routine maintenance in your landscape and more space for flowers and foliage, wildlife habitat and edibles.
Smaller lawns and more garden beds helps water percolate into the ground rather than run off into storm drains and waterways.
Choose plants that support wildlife. Birds, butterflies and bees will flock to your garden for food and shelter.
The populations of birds, butterflies and bees, which are essential for pollination and natural pest control, will thrive.
To learn more about how In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes helps homeowners go sustainable, go to inharmony.com.
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