Spring Means Time To Garden
Environmentally-Sensitive Approaches To Fertilize
Gardening enthusiasts are ready to hit the dirt, but before they do, here are a few tips for gardening in an environmentally-sensitive way.
Green living habits, such as organic growing, limits the amount of chemicals used and reduces the human impact on the ecosystems around us. These sensitive ecosystems include bays, rivers and streams.
When fertilizers are used on lawns and pesticides on gardens, they eventually end up in the waterways, adding to already existing pollution problems. Maintaining a healthy lawn is important, but there are ways to do it that limit the impact, said Hattie Allen of Hattie's Garden in Lewes, Delaware in an interview with Suite101. At Allen's farm, she works to reduce chemicals that enter the ecosystem. While Allen's farm is not organically-certified by the federal government, she raises her produce and flowers, while reducing pollution in the soil.
"For one thing, the soil is a complex organism. When you start messing with it using chemicals, it begins to destroy its biology," said Allen. "Vegetables grown on a viable, dynamic, living soil have better nutritional value and taste better. Using chemicals as pesticides is extremely detrimental to the environment on many levels. Chemicals not only kill the bad insects, but they kill the good insects too."
Lessons In Lawn Care
Todd Fritchman, aquatic biologist and president of Envirotech Environmental Consulting, which works with businesses, governments and residents along the East Coast of the United States, is one of the foremost experts on reducing chemical dependence for lawn care. Fritchman works with land owners and property maintenance companies to design a strategy for lawn care that abides by regulatory policies and also engages best management practices. He and his company also hold educational sessions for members of the public to learn how to take care of both the lawn and the environment.
Envirotech employees are licensed and certified to conduct integrated aquatic maintenance practices for private land owners, homeowners associations, municipalities, developers, contractors, corporations, engineering firms and regulatory agencies.
Start From The Bottom
There are many ways to improve your green thumb and the environment, but it all starts with the soil, according to Natural Life magazine.
To get a better understanding of soil's health, have it tested for pH, organic matter content and nutrient content to see what areas need attention. While soil testing can get expensive it pays off in the end, by reducing the amount of time and money spent caring for the lawn.
Environmentally-conscious gardeners also recommend adding compost and leaving grass clippings on the lawn as a way to increase organic matter. If the matter builds up to more than one centimeter, it should be raked. The ground can also be aerated to break up organic matter and allow air, water and nutrients to reach the soil.
Up from the soil is the lawn, itself. Most homeowners prefer a nice, lush grass lawn, but there are other options, such as clover, which needs less care. Grass should be mowed regularly, but not too short. It is recommended that the cutting height on the mower be set at 2.5 to 3 inches because longer grass blades stay stronger and prevent weeds from sprouting, while shading roots and preventing the soil to dry out.
Final Earth-Friendly Tips
The following tips from Organic Gardening and Envirotech can help any beginner or expert gardener be greener this year.
- Watering should take place slowly and before 8 a.m. Lawns need about one inch of water, once a week.
- Weeds and insects can be controlled ecologically, which is made easier if the lawn is well cared for. Ideal soil pH is between six and seven. Gardeners recommend adding lime or sulfur to modify pH levels. Dishwashing soap and water sprayed in warm weather is effective against most insect pests.
- Fertilizing is also an important part of lawn care, according to Envirotech's website. Strong and persistent lawns are fertilized both in the spring and fall. Around mid-May, a slow-release, granular, organic fertilizer should be applied. Highly-soluble chemical fertilizers should never be used because they steal nutrients from the soil, and cause stress for grass. Organic fertilizers such as compost, manure, processed sewage, top dressing, rock mineral fertilizer, bone meal, blood meal and kelp are recommended. The same should be applied in the fall.
