5 Ways to Go Green in Your Garden

Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Spring is the ideal time to turn a green thumb into a green lifestyle. If you are like me you can't wait to get your hands dirty out in the garden. Being green in the garden is easy and it helps save our precious resources.

Here are 5 ways that we have made our garden and lawn go green:

1. Compost.

Reduce the amount of waste going into our landfills and start composting. You can compost most garden and kitchen waste! Lawn clippings, old tea bags, fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, cereal boxes, and so much more can go into your compost pile. Using compost fertilizer saves money. It is cheap or free to do. It also keeps you from having to buy harmful chemical fertilizers. You can learn more about composting here

2.Collect rainwater.

Collecting rainwater isn't difficult to do just place a tank or barrel underneath your gutter or downspout. You may want to place a piece of wire mesh on top of your barrel to keep out debris. You can find rain barrels here
Watering your flower gardens or lawn with rain water helps save water and money.

3. Plant native plants.

Native plants are adapted to the climate and soil you plant them in. This means less watering and less work. Do some research and find out what flowers, trees, and plants are local to your area. A wonderful site to start your research is at Plantnative. We live in Missouri and have planted all native plants to our state. Some plants native to Missouri are Columbine, Aster, Missouri Black-eyed Susan, and Purple Coneflowers. You can find more plants native to Missouri at Grownative

4. Stop spraying.

Most insects are harmless or beneficial. And pesticides kill other animals too like birds, butterflies and domestic pets. Look for natural pest control methods. You can find information on that here If you must spray find eco-friendly pesticides and fertilizers. You can find some eco-friendly products here

5. Mow High and Leave the Clippings.

Mowing high, at least 3 inches, helps your grass actually grow faster and more lush. It also helps create a healthier root system. Grass clippings are a natural fertilizer. When you leave your clippings you are allowing the water and nutrients from them to go back into your lawn.
You can also compost your lawn clippings and then use that as mulch in your flower beds and around trees.