Concerned about pollution and global warming? Don’t think one person can make a difference? Oh yes you can! Did you know that how you garden can actually harm the environment? Would you like to learn how to practice environmentally responsible gardening on your own little plot of planet Earth? Read on…
Gardeners contribute to pollution and harm the environment in the following ways:
1. wasted water: by inefficient watering and by planting species that are water hogs
2. water pollution: pesticides and fertilizers from gardens and lawns runoff into streams, lakes and bays
3. air pollution: caused by hydrocarbon emissions from gas powered lawnmowers, trimmers and blowers (A lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as a car driven for 350 miles!)
4. yard waste: a major (and unnecessary) contributor to our landfill crisis
5. loss of diversity: caused by planting invasive plants that escape from the garden and choke out native vegetation, resulting in loss of habitat for wildlife
6. use of pesticides: can cause serious harm to human health and often kill beneficial insects and other wildlife.
Why should we care?
The pollution of our environment is taking a toll on our health, killing wildlife and contributing to global warming.
All green plants (not just trees) give off oxygen, which we humans need to breathe. The greater the amount of green vegetation, the more oxygen is produced. Let’s plant more of the right kind of green!
Half of our country is either dry or in drought conditions. Arizona as well as North Carolina and South Carolina are involved in legal battles over water rights. Who knows where the next problem will develop? Or what measures will be taken to solve the problem?
How you can help
1. Conserve water! Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation, mulch with shredded leaves and plant drought resistant plants.
2. Reduce (or eliminate) the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers (ask a Master Gardener about IPM—Integrated Pest Management)
3. Use electric instead of gas-powered garden tools or use hand tools.
4. Compost your yard waste and vegetable scraps instead of sending it to the landfill. Sign up for one of our composting workshops to learn how. (you’ll receive a free compost bin when you attend the class—what a deal!)
5. Buy native plants. Do not plant those nasty invasive species, which are still occasionally sold at garden centers. Remove any invasives that you have on your property (call the Master Gardeners hort line at 610-690-2671 for a list of natives and invasives)
6. Plant trees on the south and west sides of your house. They will provide shade and reduce your AC bills. Use the money you save to buy native plants.
7. Create a wildlife habitat area on your property. (call the Master Gardeners hortline for instructions)
8. Reduce the size of your lawn. Plant more trees, shrubs, native grasses and groundcovers. I can hear the screams of protest over that one, so I’d better give you a few reasons why it’s a good idea.
Lawns are high maintenance. They need to be cut, watered, fertilized and fussed over and sprayed with weed killers. Hey guys, wouldn’t you rather spend your time watching the Eagles--or a hummingbird sipping nectar from your Salvia? And if you’re paying a lawn service to do all that maintenance, think of all the money you’d save. If you just can’t let go of your lawn, investigate alternatives to pesticides and weed killers.
Over 67% of Americans have a garden. Those home gardeners spend over $11 billion a year on pesticides. That’s more pesticides than all of our farmers use for their crops. Think about it. There are healthier alternatives—we just have to learn about them and change our gardening practices. Together, we gardeners can make a real impact!
Ready to get started? You guessed it, contact our Master Gardeners hort line at 610-690-2671 for all the information you need. Tell them Marion sent you. And be sure to ask for these publications: A Gardener’s Guide to a Healthier Environment, Neighborly Natural Landscaping: Creating Natural Environments in Residential Areas and Wild-life Friendly Alternatives to Lawns.
The lovely picture at the top of the page (from www.FreeFoto.com) is Foxglove (Digitalis), one of our native plants.
Visit this web site for water conservation tips: http://wateruseitwisely.com/index.shtml
Visit the Master Gardeners web site for information on our next composting class.
http://delaware.extension.psu.edu/MG/MGcalendar.html
Do you have a gardening question? Call our Master Gardeners hortline at 610-690-2671 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM-12 NOON.
