Karen Hoeve is a Raleigh NC Real Estate agent. Her passion for helping people find the perfect place to live makes Karen the one to call if you're ever looking for a home or Raleigh NC land.
If you're wanting to make your lawn and garden more eco-friendly, well, that's a good thing. Considering the fact that the average suburban lawn uses six times the hazardous chemicals per acre, as conventional farming and that a gas mower emits 10 times as much hydrocarbon as a car, you're sentiment is one that the earth is in need of. Although gardens have that illusion of being "green" just by their very nature, truth is, in most garden centers, the supply sources for many gardeners, you will likely find rows of chemical pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, products that have been linked to serious illness and the production of carbon dioxide. So here are a few tips for you to lessen your footprint as you go about beautifying your outdoor space.
Try a natural approach to pesticides by appealing to the benefits of diversity. Plant a wide variety of different plants together and you'll create a natural defense for unwanted insects. Your diversity in plants will not only be colorful, but will attract a diversity of predators who'll pay you back by munching on unwanted guests. Another helpful natural pesticide hint is to use the pungent power of garlic. Yes, garlic is good to ward off mortal enemies, and it's strong scent is useful in terms of preventing insects from finding their favorite host plants. But, you don't want to stink up your whole garden or you'll deter even the helpful insects.
Composting your organic materials and applying them to your garden is a great way to add friendly micro-organisms and great nutrients to your soil. Along these lines, did you know you can do some very easy composting of sorts by simply leaving your grass clippings to decompose? They'll add nitrogen to your soil , which is what fertilizers aim to do. Also, they'll stimulate some worm activity. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, yummy! Lawns love earthworms. So let things lie. Part of becoming a greener gardener, is to have a more "laiser faire" attitude when it comes to "controlling" everything.
Another lawn tip, is to cut your grass high, by setting your lawn mower to cut higher than usual. Taller blades of grass effectively absorb more sun, are better at pushing out weeds and conserve moisture by shading the soil. Three to four inches is an appropriate length, or think about only knocking off one-third of the grass height at each mowing.
Ideally, we shouldn't be watering our gardens at all. But, if you must water, then do so consciously. Watering in the early morning or in the evening is best, as this is when there is the least amount of water evaporation. Use a soaker or drip hose to get water to the root's where it is most needed.
If you're lawn still needs an extra boost, consider the use of all organic fertilizers. These fertilizers release their nutrients more slowly into the soil and nourish laws more steadily and over a longer period of time. By using organic fertilizers, you're making an effort to keep harmful toxic synthetic chemicals away from your family, and your neighborhood.
- Related Articles
- Related Q&A
- Organic Fertilizers Are Becoming More Popular In The Garden
- Using Organic Fertilizers In Your Garden
- The Debate On Chemical Vs Organic Fertilizers
- Why Use Organic Fertilizers?
- Gardening Organic: The Connection Between Organic Gardening And Your Health
- 6 of the Top Organic Fertilizers
- Types of Organic Fertilizers and Compost
- Organic Fertilizer Vs. Chemical Fertlizer




Using Herbs from a Home Herb Garden
By: Pat Mctigue | 16/11/2009You have learned how to grow your own home herb garden and are happy with the results. You have managed to produce some good healthy plants and now it is time to start using them. Here are some tips on how to use the beautiful herbs that you have managed to grow.
Home Grown Tomatoes in Limited Space
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009Tomatoes are one of the easiest plants to grow at home and there are a number of options for growing tomatoes at home even if you do not have a decent sized plot of land to use.
How to Plant Tomatoes and Care For Tomatoes When Greenhouse Growing
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009One of the main reasons for using a greenhouse when growing tomatoes is because of the climate you live in. If you cannot guarantee warm sunny weather for your tomatoes then you will need to consider using a greenhouse.
Tomato Pruning, Is It Really Necessary to Prune Tomato Plants?
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009It seems as though sometimes when working in the garden that there are a lot of tasks that we do that one might sometimes consider as being unnecessary. After all if a plant was growing wild as nature intended they would not get lavish care and attention would they?
Tomato Plant Types - Vine Tomatoes Or Bush Tomatoes
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009Vine tomatoes are also known as indeterminate tomatoes or sometimes cordon tomatoes. These are the varieties that need to be pruned in order to limit the growth to a central stem consisting of around 4 to 6 trusses.
Mulching For Tomatoes Helps With Water Retention and Weed Control
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009The purpose of mulching is to prevent loss of moisture from the soil, reduce leaching of the fertiliser, suppress weed growth and keep the fruit off the ground helping to ensure that there is less risk of disease and fruit rotting.
Hanging Tomato Plants - An Option For Small Gardens
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009Tomato plants are one of the easiest and most popular vine plants to grow but, as with all homegrown vegetables and fruits, it pays to do your homework up front to make sure you can successfully grow your own tomatoes or any other vegetables. Selecting the right location and using the right soil or
Self Watering System For Tomato Plant Care, Yes Or No?
By: Brian Stephens | 16/11/2009Everyone knows that tomatoes need to be watered properly to extract the best and juiciest fruit. But what exactly does that mean and what is too little or too much water for a tomato vine? There is a happy balance to be struck when watering tomatoes and one way of achieving that balance in a very ef
Condo Loans Becoming Stricter
By: Karen Hoeve | 03/04/2008 | MortgageThe rules will state what percentage of units is allowed to be rental units. If you are planning to be a full time resident, you will want a complex which has a low percentage of rentals. (You also need to ask if the condos above you, below you, and to either side of you are rental units. This may be the reason why the condo unit is up for sale!)
Keep Your Driveway Up With the Joneses'!
By: Karen Hoeve | 31/03/2008 | Real EstateWe are always hearing about curb appeal and how it will improve our chances of selling if we pay attention to it. Well, technology has come up with a great way to help us to improve the curb appeal of our driveway, and this is also the latest idea so it will give your home the edge in the property market.
How Easy is it to Buy a Home?
By: Karen Hoeve | 31/03/2008 | Real EstateIt is really quite easy to buy a home, and it is also a great idea right now, but what are the pitfalls involved? Well we all know the obvious foreclosure risks; I think most of us have read enough of that in the newspapers.
The Real Estate Alchemist: Dust to Diamonds
By: Karen Hoeve | 19/03/2008 | Real EstateIf the house is structurally sound, you just need to bring it up to snuff with the surrounding neighborhood. This is ideally a cosmetic job- one that'll require minimal funds and maximum sweat. You want to mine out a job you can do without hiring any outside contractors.
Get on the Trolley to a Hot Neighborhood
By: Karen Hoeve | 18/03/2008 | Real EstateBuying a property in what might become an up and coming neighborhood can be a path to high points and big dollars with your housing investment. But, there are some points to consider when scouting one of these potential neighborhoods.
Mary, Mary Quite Contrary- How Green Does Your Garden Grow?
By: Karen Hoeve | 17/03/2008 | GardeningAlthough gardens have that illusion of being "green" just by their very nature, truth is, in most garden centers, the supply sources for many gardeners, you will likely find rows of chemical pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, products that have been linked to serious illness and the production of carbon dioxide.
Quality Public Education
By: Karen Hoeve | 14/02/2008 | Real EstateIn 2004 Forbes magazine ranked Raleigh, North Carolina's Wake County Public School System ( WCPSS ), third in the nation for "Best Education in the Biggest Cities". It's no wonder, as Greater Raleigh is able to provide superior education opportunities in both public and private settings. WCPSS is a national leader on the education front.
Rescue your Backyard From Boredom
By: Karen Hoeve | 13/02/2008 | Real EstateYou see them everywhere: empty, unused yards and wallflower decks adorned with nothing but a lonely barbeque. All over the country, the typical American backyard is a mass of untapped potential. So unnecessary! If you want to make the most of what your home has to offer, don't take this important living space for granted.