Five Ways of Making Your Lawn Better

8/31/2015 // By David Mizejewski

 

Fall is a great time to get your yard ready for the next growing season. The cooling temperatures often make working outside less taxing, and some of the late-blooming plants in your yard provide a great opportunity to get a close look at many birds and butterflies.

This fun video from John Green, the popular novelist and co-creator of vlogbrothers, points out several compelling reasons why we should move away from the American obsession with the conventional lawn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-enGOMQgdvg

 

The video advocates for converting some of our lawns into productive vegetable gardens that would help produce local food to feed us. We at National Wildlife Federation think that’s a great idea, and we’d add that it would be amazing if more people also incorporated native plants that provide habitat for wildlife into their landscapes too.

Lawns don’t provide habitat for wildlife. Native plants are a much better choice. Photo by F_A via Flickr Creative Commons.

With that in mind, here are five tips for converting your lawn into a landscape that is better for wildlife and the ecosystems upon which we all rely:

1. Add one new garden bed each season.

The idea of replacing your lawn can be intimidating, especially if you’ve got a large one. Rome wasn’t conquered in a day, and it’s ok if your lawn isn’t either. A good way to break up the work is to make it a goal to add one new garden bed each season. Remove the grass and add ornamental native plants, and soon your yard will be a gorgeous oasis teeming with life.

Start small. Add one new garden bed each season. Photo by scottie32 via Flickr Creative Commons.

2. Focus on blooming wildflowers and shrubs.

One of the biggest arguments made in favor of lawns is that they present a clean, tidy look in our front yards. Many worry that getting rid of their lawns will reduce property values or trigger the ire of neighbors. To avoid both situations, focus on replacing lawn with native wildflowers and shrubs that have gorgeous blooms and colorful berries. You’ll not only support birds, butterflies and other wildlife, but you’ll also make your yard look like something out of Better Homes and Gardens.

Replace lawn with beautiful, blooming native plants. Photo by JKehoe_Photos via Flickr Creative Commons.

3. Let your lawn be diverse.

“Weed” is a subjective term that really only means a plant growing where we humans don’t want it. The original lawns of Europe were filled with a diversity of plants (and mown by sheep and other grazing animals to boot). Here in America, we’ve developed a militant aesthetic, largely fueled by the lawn chemical industry, for lawns that are total and uncompromising monoculture. Letting so-called “weeds” such as clover or–yes–dandelions co-exist with grass will add diversity, wildlife habitat and even help fertilize the soil. You’ll also spend less time and money spreading dangerous herbicides.

Let clover and other plants co-exist with you turf grass. Photo by Rob via Flickr Creative Commons.

4. Stop using chemicals.

One of the things that makes lawns ecological dead spaces is that we dump tons of chemicals on them each year. Whether it’s chemical fertilizers, insecticides or herbicides, these poisons reduce the local biodiversity and toxify the soil. If over-applied they can run off into local waterways. Use organic products if you must use something, but focus on reducing the size of your lawn and adding more natives plants, and you’ll have less need for chemicals.

Pesticides are bad for wildlife. Photo by Michelle Tribe via Flickr Creative Commons.

5. Upgrade your mowing practices.

Gasoline-powered lawn mowers are noisy, smelly and polluting. Switch to an electric mower and one that finely chops clippings and returns them to the ground, where they compost and add nutrients back into the soil. Even better, use a push mower powered by you, not by fossil fuels (pushing a mower is great exercise too). Allow your grass to grow a little longer, which will result in stronger root systems that are less susceptible to drought and require less watering. Research has shown that even just mowing your lawn every other week instead of every week can have significant impacts for local wildlife.

A push mower is a better choice for mowing your lawn. Photo by Brian Boucheron via Flickr Creative Commons.

Visit National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife site to learn more about sustainable and wildlife-friendly gardening practices and certify your green space today!

 

 

http://blog.nwf.org/2015/08/five-ways-of-making-your-lawn-better/

 

 

 

35 Ways to Succeed at Organic Gardening

Here are nearly three dozen easy, green ways to care for your yard and garden.

 

By Colleen Vanderlinden
Harper Woods, MI, USA | Jul 23  2009

 

Going green in the garden is a great way to start living a greener life overall. Here are some simple ideas to help you grow a greener, healthier garden.

 

Water Wisely

 

1.            Mulch everything (vegetable gardens, perennial borders, containers) to conserve water.
               Organic materials, such as shredded bark, chopped leaves, grass clippings, or straw, are
               best.

2.            Water at soil level through drip irrigation or soaker hoses. Overhead watering is wasteful
               and can contribute to plant fungal issues.

3.            Or, even better, use a watering can, and selectively water only those plants that need it
               rather than watering an entire area.

4.            When you water the garden, do so deeply and infrequently. Don't water until the top
                inch of soil feels dry, then be sure to really give plants a good watering. This
                encourages the roots to grow deep, making the plant more drought-tolerant
                and healthier overall.

5.            Consider using gray water to irrigate flowerbeds or perennial borders.

 

Green Pest and Disease Control

 

6.            Say it with me: "No chemical pesticides!" Thank you.

7.            The best way to deal with large insect pests such as beetles, larvae, and slugs, is to pick
               them off of your plants by hand and drop them into a cup of soapy water.

8.            For smaller pests, you can try spraying them with soapy water. The soap breaks down their
               outer coating and the result is deadly for them.

9.            A blast of water from the hose will take care of many insect pests, including aphids.

10.          Help prevent powdery mildew by not planting too closely, and not watering the foliage.

11.          Mulching heavily (at least 3 inches) around garden plants helps protect them from many
               soil-borne fungi, including black spot, tomato leaf spot, and powdery mildew.

12.          Protect vegetable garden crops from pests like cabbage loopers, Colorado potato beetles,
               and cucumber beetles by covering the plants with floating row covers.

 

Organic Lawn Care

 

13.          Mow high. Set your mower at its highest setting. Taller grass shades the soil, which helps
                keep it cool and moist, and also prevents weed seeds from sprouting.

14.          Use a mulching mower. Mulching mowers (there are reel mowers that mulch as well!) help
               your lawn by returning all of those clippings to the soil, where they nourish the grass and
               help conserve moisture.

15.          Clover in the lawn is a good thing. The clover fixes nitrogen in its roots, making it available
               to the surrounding turfgrass. The result? Greener, healthier grass. Plus, the clover provides
               food for the bees.

16.          Fertilize with manure, fish emulsion, or a top-dressing of compost in early spring where
               winters are frigid and late fall where winters are mild. Do it again in late summer, if you
               want.

17.          Apply corn gluten meal, an all-natural, organic material, as a pre-emergent crabgrass and
               dandelion treatment.

18.          You noticed that I didn't mention watering ? That's because you really don't have to
                water your lawn. Cool season lawn grasses naturally go dormant in the hottest,
                driest part of the year, and naturally green up again when temperatures
                and precipitation normalize. Trying to keep them green when they would
                naturally go dormant is a waste of time and resources.

19.          Oh, you don't want a brown lawn? Consider replacing it with a ground cover, meadow
               planting, or other lawn alternative.

 

Getting Sane About Weeds

 

20.          Pulling weeds is the single most effective organic method for removing them. Yes, it takes
               time. But it works.

21.          Decide whether having a weed free garden really matters (but I can assure you that
               there is no such thing as "weed-free.") Many weeds, including dandelions, provide
               valuable food sources for beneficial insects.

22.          If lawn weeds are driving you nuts, consider reducing your lawn area or removing it all
               together. Replace it with mulched garden beds or patio areas and kiss your lawn weed
               problems good-bye.

23.          If you have weeds growing in sidewalk or driveway cracks, either pull them or hit them
               with a dose of boiling water---no chemicals necessary!

24.          When you do pull those weeds, compost them!

 

Compost is King

 

25.          Make a compost pile where it is accessible to the garden, because you will be putting items
               into the pile often.

26.          Composting doesn't have to be complicated. Any pile of organic matter will break down
               over time. The important thing is to do it, rather than obsessing over perfection.

27.          Keeping the pile moist, but not soaking wet, will help the contents break down faster.

28.          Anything from a freestanding pile to a fancy tumbler will work well. What you
               choose depends on the available space you have, how much material you expect
               to add to your compost, and your own aesthetic preferences. You can spend as
               much or as little as you want.

29.          No yard? Try vermicomposting. A worm bin can fit in a cabinet under your kitchen sink, in
               a corner of a room, or in a basement.

30.          While many surprising things can be added to a compost pile, a few things should be
               avoided. Don't add meat or dairy to your pile. It will stink and attract pests.

 

Encourage Beneficials

 

31.          If you can entice a toad to take up residence in your yard, he or she will repay you
               by eating all types of insect pests. Provide a home for toads by setting a clay pot
               on its side in the garden – this is an excellent re-use for a broken pot.

32.          Plant flowering plants to provide food sources for pollinating insects.

33.          Attract beneficial insects, such as lady bugs and lacewings, by planting plenty
               of flowering plants, providing areas for them to hide (if you mulch or have shrubs,
               you've got this covered) and, of course, not using chemical pesticides.

34.          Bats can eat up to 3,000 mosquitoes per night – definitely worth inviting to stay a while.
               You can entice them to your yard by buying or building a bat box and installing it in your
               yard in early spring.

35.          Let's not forget the earth-movers beneath our feet. Keep earthworms happy and busy
               aerating and fertilizing your garden by covering any bare soil with mulch and not disrupting
               the soil more than you have to.

 

Greening your yard and garden isn't complicated, expensive, or difficult. If you pay attention, spend some time checking for signs of trouble, and make your yard a haven for all types of life, you'll have the greenest yard on the block.

 

 

 

Beggar’s needle: an underappreciated Florida wildflower

Fairchild's tropical garden column

Monday, 03.10.14

Little "weeds" like this is one of the reasons to let at least part of your yard go "wild".  By letting these types of plants grow you are supporting pollinators and native animals. 

 

 

By Kenneth Setzer

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

You probably rip it out of your yard by the handful, but the humble beggar's needle, Bidens alba, is an important native Florida wildflower, supporting our pollinators and native animals. Consider the attributes of this common "weed" before you curse it from your garden.

Is it because beggar's needle grows without our cultivation or its stubborn willfulness to reappear so quickly that makes people dislike it? Maybe its growth just looks "weedy" and uncontrolled. But that is part of its appeal — it's completely carefree and self-sowing. It appears smack dab in the middle of my lawn (were it up to me, I'd prefer growing something more useful than a lawn anyway, but alas), in corners other plants reject and unkempt areas along the sunny sides of roads and buildings.

 

If you can allow a patch of the flowers to live for a while, or keep an area a little wild for them, the benefits are numerous. Honeybees love them! Those beleaguered insects do a lot for humans by pollinating our food plants and allowing us to partake in their miraculous and delicious honey. But they need to eat also, and Bidens alba is one of their favorite sources of nectar.

 

Butterflies also flock to the flowers for food. Our state butterfly, the zebra heliconian ( Heliconius charithonia), relies on it for both nectar and pollen. By consuming pollen, heliconians acquire amino acids; researchers believe this is the key that allows them to live for many months, much longer than most butterflies. Other butterflies, such as the monarch and gulf fritillary, are also reported to use beggar's needle as a food source.

 

Bidens alba goes by many common names: beggar's needle, Spanish needle, beggar ticks, shepherd's needle, tickseed, and pitchfork weed. The last one, though I haven't heard it in use, supposedly describes the plant's prickly fork-shaped seed with its two prongs for hitching a ride on animals happening by — including humans of course. It's obviously a very effective method for seed dispersal, for however vigorously and often people pluck these plants, they keep returning.

 

Beggar's needle is in the aster family (Asteraceae), along with thousands of other plants like echinacea, the common daisy, sunflowers and even the bane of more temperate lawns — the dandelion. Its flowers do resemble daisies, are about a half inch across and produce creamy white petals surrounding the deep yellow center. Many other members of the aster family are commonly consumed vegetables; they are certainly a very successful group of plants.

Beggar's needle is an annual, or short-lived perennial, prefers lots of sun and while it doesn't seem to mind dry conditions, thrives after lots of rain.

 

The plants can reach four to five feet or taller. They grow prolifically around the world in tropical and sub-tropical environments, no doubt thanks to the massive amounts of seeds each plant can produce.

 

I've seen lots of anecdotal references to the edibility of beggar's needle flowers and young leaves, but until I read it in a very reliable source on edible plants, I would refrain from eating them. Beggar's needle may also yield medicinal benefits in the future as well.

 

This humble, under-appreciated plant might soon be vindicated. In the meantime, it makes for an easy addition to a butterfly garden. Just keep it trimmed and under control and watch the wildlife flock to it.

 

Kenneth Setzer is writer and editor at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/03/10/3985969/beggars-needle-an-underappreciated.html#storylink=cpy

 

 

 

Rake the Leaves? Some Towns Say Mow Them

By LISA W. FODERARO

Published: November 24, 2013

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. — They have been burned, blown into piles, raked into bags and generally scorned by homeowners everywhere. Fall leaves — so pretty on the trees, such a nuisance when they hit the ground — have long been a thing to be discarded. But now some suburban towns are asking residents to do something radical: Leave the leaves alone.

In the past few years, lawn signs have sprouted in this Hudson River village and across Westchester County, proclaiming the benefits of mulching the leaves in place, rather than raking them up and taking them away. The technique involves mowing the leaves with special mulching blades, which shred them into tiny bits. That allows them to quickly decompose and naturally feed lawns and shrubs.

Officials are encouraging the practice for its cost savings: Westchester spends $3.5 million a year on private contractors who haul away leaves in tractor-trailers and bring them to commercial composting sites in places like Orange County, N.Y., and Connecticut. At the same time, environmental groups and horticulturalists are praising the practice’s sustainability, devising slogans like “Leave Leaves Alone” and “Love ’Em and Leave ’Em.”

Karen Engelmann, a novelist in Dobbs Ferry, used to rake up the leaves on her half-acre property, which is laced with old oak trees. She once had 120 bags of leaves lined up at her curb to be taken away by the village. “I wondered, ‘Where do these go?’ ” she recalled. “I thought it was odd that there wasn’t an alternative, that there wasn’t someone saying you might want to think about how the planet functions.”

It turned out that her landscaper, Tim Downey, had started experimenting with the new technique. On an unseasonably warm afternoon last week, he navigated his mulching mower over a thick pile of leaves, producing a fine layer of confetti. Mr. Downey said the mulched leaves improve the soil’s water retention and provide critical nutrients, reducing the need for fertilizer in the spring.

“It’s utterly insane to be driving tractor-trailers 90 miles away,” said Mr. Downey, owner of Aesthetic Landscape Care in Hastings-on-Hudson. “My feeling is that if I’m taking away your leaves, I’m stealing from your property.”

Indeed, commercial firms use fall leaves as a raw material to produce mulch and compost for sale to nurseries. But towns and counties pay to get rid of them. In Westchester, for instance, the county pays a private hauler about $40 for every ton of leaves that it takes away. Municipalities that provide leaf pickup service pay the county $15 a ton. So some county residents ultimately foot the bill through both municipal and county taxes.

County officials say mulching leaves in place not only improves soil quality, but also has other environmental and safety benefits for communities. Piles of leaves left at the curb can clog storm drains; the nitrogen and phosphorous leaching from decomposing leaves heaped by the street can also more easily enter the drains and harm local rivers. Additionally, leaf piles constrict already narrow streets and can conceal children.

Westchester County appears to be in the vanguard on leaf mulching, but there are nascent steps in New Jersey and Connecticut to reduce leaf collections. For the first time this fall, the city of Englewood, N.J., which estimates that between overtime, equipment maintenance and fees, it spends $200,000 a year on leaf removal, is pushing the idea in emails and a newsletter. “Leaves clog storm drains, they’re slippery and they can catch on fire when cars park on top of them,” said Kevin Lake, a member of the city’s Environmental Commission.

Public service announcements and mulching workshops in Westchester have nudged homeowners to buy mulching attachments for their mowers and impelled landscapers to offer the service. But it is not always an easy sell.

For those who do it themselves, the mulching attachments can be cumbersome. And then there is the aesthetic factor. “People want everything removed from their lawn, and landscapers just want to keep their customers happy,” said Marianne Petronella, director of resource management for Westchester County’s Environmental Facilities Department. “I know some residents would never do mulching in place. They want to keep up with the Joneses.”

Stephen J. Edwards, the director of public works in Westport, Conn., agreed. “Unfortunately, people are just very conscious of the appearance of the lawn, and they want to see it spotless all the time,” he said, adding that the town spent $85,000 to take residents’ leaves away. Still, he said, Westport encourages leaf composting, especially for some of the one- to two-acre properties in the northern part of town. “Residents can blow the leaves into big piles and Mother Nature does the work,” he said.

Two years ago, Ms. Petronella enlisted a landscaper who mulches leaves and tried it on her own property in Scarsdale, which she described as a “postage stamp.” There was leafy residue for a few days after the mowers came through, but it quickly disappeared. “My land is just as attractive as any of my neighbors’ and I didn’t turn on my sprinklers once the past two summers, not once,” Ms. Petronella said.

The holdouts are not convinced. In Hastings-on-Hudson, Chloe Sikirica, a 50-year-old artist, was blowing leaves off her yard. With twin boys, she worries about the leaf confetti. “If you shred them and leave them, then the kids will track the mulch into the house,” she said.

Her one nod to sustainable yard care: leaving leaves around her trees and hedges to provide a natural mulch.

In northern Westchester, Fiona Mitchell of Bedford is a mulching convert. A member of the board of her local library, Ms. Mitchell got the idea a few years ago when the library was facing budget cuts. “I said, ‘Hang on, we’re spending all this money on leaves,’ ” she remembered.

Bedford estimates that 10 workers and 10 vehicles are needed over six weeks to pick up leaf bags and suck up piles of leaves from curbs; unlike other towns, it composts them on site, so it does not pay for hauling.

Now Ms. Mitchell does her own leaves, switching the blades on her mower come fall. She said the leaves provide so much benefit to her soil that this fall she “borrowed” some from her neighbor to mulch. And she has become something of a proselytizer for the practice among her neighbors and those in other towns.

“I’m afraid I’m becoming a bit of a mulching police,” she said. “My friends call out, ‘I’m mulching, I’m mulching,’ when I walk by their houses.”

A version of this article appears in print on November 25, 2013, on page A18 of the New York edition with the headline: Rake the Leaves? Some Towns Say Mow Them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/nyregion/rake-the-leaves-some-towns-say-mow-them.html?_r=1&

5 Commonsense Lawn Watering Tips for Healthy Grass

Keep your grass healthy and green -- and use 75% to 100% less water, with these five simple lawn watering tips. See all 21 organic lawn care tips

By Paul Tukey / SafeLawns.org

Lawns are water guzzlers, requiring about an inch of water per week during the growing season to remain green and vibrant. Many arid regions of the nation don’t get anywhere near that much average rainfall and many municipalities have restrictions on how much you can apply.

To conserve water and get the best results for your lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs, remember these tips. Together, they can reduce lawn watering by 75% to 100%.

1.      Water in the morning so that the surface of the lawn and garden dries off during the day.

2.      Water deeply and infrequently so the roots of the plants learn to grow down into the soil to get the water they need.

3.      Use a timer, if you’re in a rush in the morning, to automatically shut-off the sprinkler. New-age "evapotranspiration" monitors will communicate with the local weather bureau and tell your sprinkler system when to turn on.

4.      Use organic fertilizers and soil amendments such as leaf mulch or compost increase soil's water-holding capacity, allowing the lawn and garden to stay greener longer.

5.      Choose the right plant for the right place. Instead of growing bluegrass in the North or Bermudagrass in the South, both of which require copious amounts of water, try Buffalograss (out west). It survives on about 75% less water and only requires mowing about once a month. For more on drought tolerance of soil, visit the San Antonio Botanic Garden's Website at and check out the exhibit for WaterSaver Lane. It provides loads of great landscaping ideas.  (In South Florida, reduce the amount of turf you have by creating beds of drought-tolerant shrubs and groundcovers. Gene)

Paul Tukey is the founder of Safelawns.org. See all his Organic Lawn Care Tips.

Read more: Lawn Watering - Lawn Care Tips for Watering Grass - The Daily Green
Follow us: @the_daily_green on Twitter | thedailygreen on Facebook
Visit us at TheDailyGreen.com

Water Plants in the Morning

Save water, and make plants stronger and healthier, by watering in the morning.

By Brian Clark Howard

The best time to water plants is usually in the early morning, both to maximize the efficiency of water used and to promote healthy flora.

Mornings tend to be cool and without strong winds, so the amount of water lost to evaporation is much less than during the middle of the day. Yes, evenings are typically similar, but if plants stay damp overnight they are more likely to be damaged by fungal and bacterial diseases. Ideally, use a drip or soak system instead of a regular sprinkler, which wastes a lot of water and drenches the leaves, which are prone to damage as well as disease.

Most experts recommend substantial, infrequent watering for established plants, typically a total of about one inch of water per week (including rain). One or two applications a week encourages deeper rooting, which promotes stronger plants. To avoid shocking tender greenery, try to use water at or near air temperature (collected rainwater is best).

With population growth and climate change putting increasing pressure on freshwater supplies, it is becoming more important than ever to save water.

Read more: When to Water Plants - Why To Water Plants in the Morning - The Daily Green
Follow us: @the_daily_green on Twitter | thedailygreen on Facebook
Visit us at TheDailyGreen.com

Mosquitoes

August 2013

SUMMER IS HERE AND SO ARE THE MOSQUITOES

Why Mosquitoes Annoy Us:

All mosquitoes must have water in which to complete their life cycle. Female mosquitoes need blood to obtain nutrients to help develop and lay their eggs, and really don't mean anything personal when they attack. That's no consolation if you're the one being bitten, of course. The mosquito bite itself isn't horribly painful, and may even go unnoticed. The truly annoying part of being a mosquito meal comes in the hours and days to follow, when those red, itchy bumps make us reach for the calamine lotion. As an added annoyance, mosquitoes like to buzz around your head, letting you know another bite is coming shortly.

7 Steps to Help Get Rid of Mosquitoes:
1.    Reduce the problem: get rid of standing water, fix leaks, and throw away old tires or other trash that holds water. Keep shrubs trimmed; keep ground cover and grass cut short.

2.    Keep mosquitoes out: keep window screens and door closed, stay inside when a lot of mosquitoes are biting

3.    Cover up: wear light colored clothes, long pants, long sleeved shirts and loose fitting clothes.

4.    Keep mosquitoes away: sitting in front of a fan will help keep mosquitoes away and burn citronella candles. Ultrasonic devices and ultraviolet do not help control mosquitoes.

5.    Use repellents wisely: repellents keep mosquitoes from biting you. Some repellents may make you sick if you do not use them the right way. The most effective mosquito repellents contain Deet.

6.    Kill mosquitoes in the house: if a mosquito is in the house, you can kill it with a flyswatter or newspaper.  Cook and eat with garlic, mosquitoes do not like the smell. You should not use pesticides indoors to control mosquitoes.

7.    Kill mosquitoes outdoors: foggers can provide relief for a short time from adult mosquitoes in the yard. Always follow all of the directions on the pesticide label. Get a bird feeder, the birds will eat the mosquitoes.

Mosquito Repellents

Repellents With Chemicals:   
•    Deet 23% & up
•    IR3535 / Avon Skin So Soft
•    Deck-Mate / Mosquito Repellent
•    Mosquito Traps                                                                                                

Repellents Without Chemicals: 
•    Citronella Plant
•    Citronella Oil
•    Cedar Oil
•    Peppermint Oil
•    Lemon Grass Oil
•    Soybean Oil
•    Garlic  Oil


For More information contact your Local Health Department or County Extension Office

http://www.communitygarden.org/

Read the Label

If you use pesticides, please make sure you are using them properly and sparingly – THE LABEL on the container IS THE LAW!



Read the label.
04/10/2013

Today's environmental tip: Read the label! You might not realize it, but on a pesticide container, the label is the law. Pesticide product labels provide critical safety information for handling and use. Pesticides are powerful substances, but when used according to the label they are safe and effective. So … always use pesticides safely, at home or in the field. Always read the label.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/label/
Podcast: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/podcasts
Want more tips? Visit EPA's Earth Day site to learn more about Earth Day, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and what you can do to help protect human health and the environment.  http://www.epa.gov/earthday/tips.htm  

Bust Runoff with a Rain Garden

By Brian Clark Howard

Homeowners and businesses can stem the tide of polluted runoff threatening our waterways by setting up a simple "rain garden," which is beautiful as well as beneficial.

The concept of a rain garden, which mimics natural systems, was crystallized in Maryland in the 1990s. The idea is to create a depression filled with plants that collects the rainwater that runs off a building and its landscape. The plants — such as sedges, rushes, ferns, wildflowers, shrubs, trees and so on — absorb the water and release it slowly. This reduces the surge of water running off the landscape, which picks up fertilizers, pesticides, motor oil and other contaminants and carries them into waterways.

Rain gardens reduce the risk of flash floods, and they help stabilize the flow that enters waterways, both in terms of volume and temperature. That leads to healthier streams and rivers. Plus, the plants naturally filter the water, neutralizing some of the toxins that are present. They also provide valuable wildlife habitat.

No two rain gardens are exactly the same. They can be large and interconnected, with different levels and features, or very small and simple. Normally, they are placed in natural low spots, near where gutters drain. Ideally, they are populated with plants that are native to the local area. Sometimes they have swales to maximize their ability to hold water. Get tips on starting one here.

Read more: Rain Gardens - Decrease Runoff with Rain Gardens - The Daily Green

3 Ways To Make Yard Work Greener

I like his thoughts on yard work:

<!1.   Whenever possible, try using manual tools.

>2.    There are many natural methods for warding off pests and killing weeds.

<!3.    Use what resources you have instead of going out and buying manufactured supplies. 

April 2013

It’s very easy to get dirty when working in the yard yet what ends up on our hands and clothing isn’t true guck and grime. That’s because in reality the earth is clean and nature is constantly renewing itself as a place for life to exist.

Ironically, because of limited time but a desire to keep our properties looking somewhat respectable, we try to speed up the process that harm our environment. We use machines that run on or derivatives of fossil fuels which pollute, harsh substances that contaminate, and misuse natural resources.

In many ways what ends up happening is that we leave the ground a little worse off than when we started. That’s why there is no better time than now to make a few adjustments to our landscaping and gardening practices and bring about a greener future for our communities and the environment at large.

Consider the following three points to help achieve this goal:

Tools

The automatic tools we use in the yard like lawn mowers, weed whackers, and bush trimmers make cleaning up  a lot easier but depending on their energy source can negatively impact the ecosystem around us.

How so? Take the models that use gasoline. They burn it just like vehicles driving down the street and depending how big a lawn is studies have shown the average lawnmower can create as much pollution as a car on the freeway. That means the person holding the lever is breathing in fumes until the last blade of grass is cut!

Electric power is a better option but during the summer electricity is in high demand. Additional pressure on the grid equals more pollution, especially for power plants that run on coal.

The bottom line: Whenever possible, try using manual tools. They may require a little extra effort but when juxtaposed with the effects automatic tools have on our health and environment they are worth a few extra minutes outdoors.

Chemicals

Pesticides are a common problematic chemical used on a homeowner’s property. When they are sprayed on plants producing food they can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables and scrubbing and washing won’t remove what's under the skin. Also, pesticides not only kill pests but beneficial insects as well which means they can drastically affect the local ecosystem.

A second category of chemicals is weed killers, which don’t always discriminate between weeds and desirable plants. They can make pets and wildlife very sick and potentially contaminate soil by tainting aquifers when absorbed into the ground.

Exposure to both weed killers and pesticides are believed to cause uncomfortable symptoms in people like itchy eyes and dizziness and repeated contact with these substances may result in serious long term health problems.

The bottom line: There are many natural methods for warding off pests and killing weeds including store bought products and solutions made from household staples. Make one of these your preferred choice for striking back at pests or unwanted vegetation. Also, keeping plants healthy can control weeds and avert disease.

Resources

A third point for greening yard work involves focusing on resources. On the one hand resources need to be used wisely, such as water, which should be distributed near a plant’s roots.  When water it poured on leaves or sprayed with a garden hose it creates a lot of waste.

Another consideration about water usage is the types of plants in the yard including the lawn and how needy they are as some species require less water than others.

Meanwhile, resources aren’t just about keeping certain things in check but also checking what’s available for improving overall efficiency. For example, it’s very easy to go to a home improvement store to buy fertilizer, mulch, and other landscaping and gardening products but usually unnecessary.

Depending on your surroundings many of these items can be made on site. Food scraps can be composted and clippings and trimmings can be turned into mulch. Doing so is simply another form of using and reusing that makes the world a better place.

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Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He blogs about Green topics for professionals across the U.S. like fencing contractors in Scottsdale, AZ.

http://www.naturallysavvy.com/eco-living/3-ways-to-make-yard-work-greener