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be
a green gardener
to
be a green gardener you need to consider the effect your
gardening choices have on the environment around you. Using
pesticides or wasting resources, such as water, may seem
like a small thing if you consider your garden in isolation.
But there are millions of gardens across the country. If
we all waste resources or add pollutants to our environment
it compounds to have a significant effect.
By
the same argument, if we all make a conscious effort to
conserve resources and to limit any damaging effects our
gardening has on the environment, the benefits are considerable.
Limiting pesticide
use, choosing
native plants, conserving water, and composting
are actions you can take to create an environmentally friendly
garden.
conserve
water | compost
conserve
water
Water
means life to just about every creature on Earth. Yet, it
may be the resource we take most for granted, in both our
own lives and our efforts to nurture our gardens. As our
demand for water increases, drought, pollution, and declining
watertable shrink our supply of this critical resource and
threaten the habitat of mink, herons, dragonflies, and countless
other wildlife species.
Since
your goal is an ecologically sustainable garden, you want
your projects to consume as little water as possible. Apart
from the extra water required to nurture newly planted vegetation,
growing only drought-resistant, native plants should allow
your garden to thrive on rainfall alone.
Another
simple and effective way to meet watering needs is to install
a rain barrel in your yard. You’d be amazed at the amount
of free water that falls from the sky and rolls off your
roof every year. By collecting this run off and saving it
for a not-so-rainy day, you’ll be able to use it to nurture
planting projects and replenish birdbaths and ponds without
depleting water resources.
You
can build your own rain barrel by using a plastic or wooden
container that once held food, such as pickles or olives:
- Cut
a large hole in the lid of a 250-litre barrel (available
from food importers and hardware stores).
- Install
a plastic screen over the hole to prevent debris from
getting inside and mosquitoes from breeding.
- Drill
a 3/4" hole into the side of the barrel near the base
for a spout.
- Install
spout
hardware: wrap the threading of a faucet with
Teflon tape to ensure a good seal; attach the faucet
to a galvanized coupling; then push a galvanized bushing
through the hole (from the inside of the barrel) and
attach the faucet; apply
a ring of silicone sealant where the coupling meets
the barrel wall to prevent leakage.
- Channel
a downspout from your roof into the barrel.
- If
the ground isn’t paved, set the barrel on a base of
patio stones.
- Attach
a hose to the faucet as required.
- Check
your rain barrel periodically to ensure that it is
working properly.
compost
how
to | maintenance
| tips for better composting
Why
not give your backyard some rich, natural fertilizer at
no cost? At the same time, you’ll drastically reduce the
amount of household garbage you put out on the curb. (About
30 per cent of the residential garbage that goes to landfills
is made up of kitchen and yard waste.)
You
can put a lot of your refuse to work by making a simple
compost heap in your backyard. It’s a great way to make
the most of organic waste like grass clippings, weeds, and
non greasy meal scraps. Just think of all those leftovers,
bread crusts, tea bags, coffee grounds, and fruit and vegetable
peelings that could easily be put to good use for wildlife.
A
compost heap makes super fertilizer for trees, flowers,
and anything that grows. You’ll do your backyard a big favour
by allowing the soil to recycle valuable nutrients.
The
following design for a chicken-wire composter
is very simple and effective. However, there are many other
types of composters. You can buy commercial composters at
garden centres or hardware stores. Your municipality may
also offer them at a reduced rate.
how
to...
- Find
a shady, protected area to construct a chicken-wire
enclosure. It should be big enough to hold a pile
about 1 m high x 1.5 m in diameter. Chicken-wire is
sold in widths of 3' (or just under 1 m). You’ll need
a piece 4.5 to 5 m (14 to 16') in length.
- Join
the ends of the chicken-wire to make a cylinder.
- Place
the cylinder on an area of well-drained soil.
- Start
your compost heap inside the chicken-wire cylinder
with a base of branches for ventilation.
- Next,
add a 7-cm layer of grass clippings, leaves, or weeds,
and then a layer of food scraps (no meat or bones).
- Cover
that layer with 2 cm of dry manure or soil. You could
also add 2 cm of lime to speed up the decaying process.
- Repeat
this series of layers until your pile is just over
1 m deep.
maintenance
Turn
the pile about once a month with a pitchfork and keep
it moist during dry spells. The compost should feel
like a damp - but not soggy - sponge. You’ll notice
that it sinks as it decomposes.
You
can compost year-round. The process will just slow down
during winter.
Within
about nine months, your compost heap will be ready to
till into the backyard soil. (It should be dark and
crumbly.)
tips
for better composting
Turn
the compost periodically with a pitchfork. However,
if you can’t be bothered to do so, the pile will still
eventually become rich "soil" - ready for
use in your backyard habitat.
The
compost heap should be the consistency of a damp, but
not soggy sponge. You can add water to the pile if you
think it is too dry.
Scraps
and other wastes will decay much faster if they’re shredded
or chopped before going into the composter. (This step
isn’t necessary if it’s too much trouble.)
You
can cover the compost heap with black plastic to keep
out heavy rain, protect it from scavengers, and retain
warmth and moisture.
Do
compost nitrogen-rich organic materials, such as fruit
and vegetable scraps; tea bags; coffee grounds with
filter paper; plant trimmings; wood ash from a fireplace
or wood stove; nut shells; and fresh grass clippings.
Do
compost carbon-rich brown materials, such as dry leaves;
straw; sawdust (in very thin layers); and wood chips
and shavings.
Don’t
compost pet wastes; charcoal or coal ash; meats, bones,
or fats; dairy products; oil or oily foods; cooked food
waste (which often contains fats); diseased or insect-infected
plants; diapers or sanitary products; woody yard waste
(unless shredded first); crab grass; or any weeds you’re
trying to eliminate from your yard.
Don’t
compost leaves or clippings from roses. Roses are very
susceptible to diseases which can live on in their clippings.
If
your pile starts to develop an awful smell, it generally
means that either it is not getting enough air or it
is too moist. Try loosening up the pile to allow for
better air circulation. If it is too moist add more
dry material
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