- Image by *Susie* via Flickr
Eco friendly gardening - sounds redundant, doesn’t it? But if you’re reading this, you probably already know the potential ecological risks involved in home gardening. The most well-meaning gardener can easily go wrong with plants that don’t belong. However, with a little research and ingenuity, you can create an eco friendly garden in your own back yard.
First, think about what type of garden you want: flowers? shrubs? vegetables? This will determine the focus for your research on native plants. Use the internet to find out what vegetation is native to your area; these are the things you’ll grow in your garden. While it’s tempting to plant anything that will thrive in the local climate, using only native vegetation will help you avoid introducing invasive species that could upset the ecological balance.
Once you’ve done your research, you know what and when to plant. Now it’s time to find a source of organic starter plants; these are hardier and easier to work with than seeds, especially if you’re newer to gardening. The internet should be of assistance here as well. If necessary, you can try starting from organic seeds - plant in starter pots indoors and move them to the garden once the sprouts are a few inches high.
Finally, in terms of caring for your garden, avoid any sort of chemical fertilizer or pesticide. Compost your vegetarian kitchen scraps - this will make a fantastic mulch - and put up fences to discourage rabbits and deer from feasting on your vegetables. Or, if you’re not planning to eat what you grow in your garden, plant things the local wildlife will enjoy, and skip the fences. Now that’s eco friendly!
Tags: Flower, Garden, Home, Invasive species, Plant